Review of Radio Buckie – the early years

Exploring the next steps for the organisation using a solution oriented approach

First session led by Daniel Edwards on 28 May 2014, and second session on 2 July 2014.

Focusing on solutions

Clarifying goals / When meeting with Committee members from Buckie Radio, some time and consideration was given to list the things that need to be looked into further to allow the organisation to be more successful that it is already. These included:
  • A‘code of conduct’ for volunteers
  • The roles and responsibilities of different members
  • Formal legislative or procedural issues, such as Child Protection, permission to use photographs, and having a standard ID tag for volunteers when attending events.
  • Awareness of key policies for all volunteers.
  • A training and support pack for existing members and to induct new volunteers. Volunteers to feel more welcomed, integrated, upskilled and taking ownership.
  • Shared understanding of Radio Buckie’s ethos and purpose.
  • Looking at recruiting new members, and equally retaining them for as long as possible.
  • Advertising through various mediums – vinyl banner for events, magnetic banner for cars at events, plasma screens in Buckie High School, Flyers and leaflets.Clothing to promote brand awareness at events – T shirts, hoodies, high visibility jackets. Improve awareness among staff, pupils and the public of Buckie Radio being based at Buckie High School. Signage throughout Buckie High School to direct visitors.
  • Purchasing new equipment with AMP and prioritising certain elements needed now.
  • Raising money, general fundraising.
  • Installing Internet access at Buckie High School and development of the Buckie Radio website.
  • Furthering and solidifying the partnership integration with AMP (Another Music Project).
  • Being more pro-active in taking up outside opportunities.
  • Diversifying shows to be broadcast to include sports reports, attendance of events, local history and jingles.
  • Hints and tips at supporting groups.
  • Increased professionalism and consistency when presenting.

Examining past success / Although there has been some frustration amongst many members of Radio Buckie of the slow progress made in the last 18 months, it has not all been doom and gloom:
  • Outside broadcasts have been successful
  • Coverage of the Six Harbour Walk was a particular highlight
  • Connection built with Keith Community Radio, and field trips to Buchan Community Radio and the Scottish Community Radio network.
  • Church contribution to Radio Buckie shows
  • Interviews with the public and performers.
  • Broadcast of Radio Buckie material on Keith Community Radio
  • All material uploaded to Mixcloud.
  • Moving from the Town House premises to the music department at Buckie High School
  • Establishing nine roles within the committee
  • Obtaining charitable status from OSCR
  • Registered with TSI Moray to source volunteers
  • Designing and implementing the structure of the organisation
  • The logo competition for Radio Buckie
  • Media coverage within the local press and on social media.
  • Establishing a treasurer’s bank account
  • Ownership of the Radio Buckie equipment being successfully being transferred from Buckie Area Forum and The Moray Council.
  • New trustees on the Board
  • Annual General Meetings having been held.
Volunteers from Radio Buckie attributed these successes to the core group that have put in considerable work over the last few years and, more specifically:
  • The continued persistence of the team
  • The friendly personalities at Radio Buckie
  • Determination of the core group to continue
  • The individual skills that each member brings to the team
  • Continually learning new skills as volunteers go along
  • Training of a broad mix of people to use equipment.
  • Training in Child Protection policies and procedures.
  • Completion and return of PVG applications.
  • Trust within the team
  • Presentation to the Rotary Club in Buckie that secured £500.
In conclusion, Radio Buckie is a stable, functioning unit despite the odds stacked against it in the past.
Awareness of recent improvements / Looking at recent history, the volunteers of Radio Buckie then began to closely examine the progress made between Jan- May 14.
  • Shows regularly uploaded onto Mixcloud and shared online via e-mail and Facebook.
  • The partnership developed with Keith Community Radio.
  • Overcoming technical issues with recording shows, maintaining equipment and getting recordings online.
  • The contribution made from external organisations, particularly the support of Fiona Herd and Daniel Edwards from the Moray Council Youth Work Team, and Susan from MALF.
  • Buckie High School have made the Buckie Radio team feel very welcome at the Music department in the building.
  • Using Buckie High School as the group’s headquarters has seen a slight improvement in group’s profile.
  • Radio Buckie has received a £500 donation from the Buckie Rotary Club.
  • A notable improvement in volunteer confidence from MALF.
  • Radio Buckie’s partnership work with MALF is a strong and viable model to engage with other groups in the community.
  • Radio Buckie is getting better at being inclusive for people from a variety of backgrounds.
  • The work done with MALF is a good starting point for developing a broadcast training pack.
  • A platform for the public to explore local issues.
  • Held up as a form of good practice by national bodies.
  • Volunteers that take part are champions for Radio Buckie.

Explaining progress / Taking the time to explore the reasons, why this positive progress has happened for the team from Radio Buckie, helped to identify multiple reasons for so many improvements:
  • Radio Buckie has an open door / inclusion policy.
  • Steven and Leah put in ample time to ensure the broadcasts are made and happen.
  • Premises are good and accessible.
  • Encouraging people that have not been involved before to try out the equipment and learn new skills.
  • Radio Buckie is a safe environment where those who are inexperienced, or not confident, can brush up their skills without fear of being made fun of.
  • Radio Buckie is slowly able to network with the wider community as its reputation grows.
  • Expanding social media coverage thanks to online tools such as Facebook and Mix Cloud.
  • Word of mouth in the town is beginning to help more people know about what’s going on.
  • Radio Buckie is a low pressure environment, allowing members of the public freedom to experiment and a degree of escapism from daily life.
  • Training trainers has contributed to sharing lots of knowledge about the inner workings of Radio Buckie.

Pinpointing strengths and resources / The members of Radio Buckie then turned their attention to recognising what aspects of recent progress has made the organisation successful:
  • A strong sense of shared vision among everyone that contributes to Radio Buckie.
  • Having such great equipment makes Radio Buckie cutting edge, and with more equipment to come over the coming year or two, will add value.
  • Playing on people’s strengths to make tasks happen.
  • A real mix of creative, strategic, methodical and technical skills within the group.
  • The use of Lady Cathcart Community Centre via CLD to hold meetings whilst the group has not had a bank account nor funds to meet the hire of the hall.
  • A good input from community organisations has helped.
  • Despite constant frustrations and difficulties of getting things done, there is a good team spirit and strong effort put in by everyone involved.
  • Use of Buckie High School.
  • Access to AMP’s equipment and monies when needed.
  • The use of MixCloud to upload radio programmes.
  • Distributing shows via Facebook and E-mail.
  • A strong backing from the community of Buckie and beyond.

Acknowledgement of people / Buckie Radio membership then went onto acknowledge the people that have contributed to making Buckie Radio the success it has been to date. In alphabetical order:
  • Adam Murray (Committee advisor)
  • Alan Beresford and Banffshire Advertiser
  • Alan McBeth, Moray Council Economic Development
  • AMP and Daniel Edwards
  • Barry Taylor and Buckie Area Forum
  • Barbara and Rebecca Leitch of Moray CLD and Quines Club
  • Buckie Coach House (provision of meeting space)
  • Buckie High School reception staff
  • Charles Mackay of Buckie Blethers
  • Chris Thornton at Colorjam
  • Doug Reid (Trustee and Director of Programmes)
  • Don Richardson (former contract worker)
  • Eddie Stuart of KCR
  • Fabio Villani ofTSI Moray
  • Feedback from Facebook friends of RB
  • Fiona Herd (Trustee and CP Co-ordinator)
  • George Clark of Music Department
  • Gillian Bailey and Gillian Rose, Community Workers
  • Gordon McDonald, local Cllr
  • Heather Pirie of Buckie Rotary
  • James Young (Committee technical advisor)
  • Jim McHarg of 3TFm and Scottish Community Radio network
  • JohnGriffiths of Eastern Electronics
  • John Thain (Committee advisor and Technical Assistant)
  • Keith Community Radio staff and volunteers
  • Ken at Lady Cathcart Centre and Keith booking centre
  • Kevin, Alan, Ian, George - BHS Janitors
  • Kristofor Wood (Trustee)
  • Leah Rossvoll (Trainer and Fundraiser)
  • Moray Adult Learners Forum
  • Members of the public
  • Mitchell Bremner (Trustee and Secretary)
  • Moira Strathdee
  • Neil Johnston, BHS Rector
  • Nick Brown (Trustee and Chairman)
  • Nicola Christie, RBS Business Manager
  • Paul Tough (Committee Advisor and Technical Director)
  • Philip Banks (Committee Advisor and Trainer)
  • Sonya Warren (Trustee and Treasurer)
  • Steven Cowie (Trustee and Depute Director of Operations)
  • Stuart Crowther (Committee advisor)
  • Victoria Johnston - OSCR
  • Zafar Ali (Trustee and Director of Operations)

Goaling

The future… / The membership of Buckie Radio was asked to think forward in time when the problems of the organisation are gone!
  • Radio Buckie will be producing really polished shows to a high standard with lots of local input through years of experience and a good training programme.
  • Radio Buckie will be working with AMP to produce 3 to 4 albums, or EP’s, a year in the completed recording studio.
  • A lot of new categories will be covered in the show.
  • Members of the public listening in much greater numbers.
  • Radio Buckie may have a transmitter but, with analogue radio being phased out, it could be that the group is broadcasting on DAB towards the end of the decade depending on future technical progression.
  • Purpose built radio broadcast and recording studios.
  • Radio Buckie will have a large numbers of presenters to make shows and draw experience from.
  • Radio Buckie will be helping the community to help themselves – through training and hopefully by providing fundraising opportunities.
  • Lots of young people from Buckie High School will be involved with good retention.
  • A local DJ from Buckie will hopefully be able to go onto a bigger national station.
  • More trainers to support broadcasting.
  • Development of a scheduling team to programme shows.
  • Better Internet access.
  • An administrative role to pick up much of the paper work being done by the committee.
  • Radio Buckie becoming more accessible to the public and accessible in terms of programming breadth.

The journey… / What the beginning of this journey starts to look like, with the first steps beginning to be laid out:
  • Recruiting people to do admin / schedule and programmes.
  • Getting volunteers trained a.s.a.p. so they can begin to making programmes, and edit and upload them as required.
  • A clear induction pack and manual that has to be developed. This task will be devolved to a sub-group to pursue.
  • Secure ‘Awards for All’ bid.
  • Launch websiteas soon as ‘Awards for All’ funding is secured.
  • Develop a financial strategy to allow the group to pursue its vision for the future.

Compiled by Daniel Edwards, July 14