Video: Radio skills keep boredom at bay

The unpredictable weather of the Easter holidays can leave youngsters wondering what to do with their time.
Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.
Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.

But budding radio stars have been honing their broadcasting and production skills at Sutton’s Takeover Radio 106.9.

Children’s producer Craig Priest has been leading the station’s ‘Easter Extra’ project at its Sutton Community Academy base to give young people the chance to experience professional radio.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They have been broadcasting four hour-long programmes on the station, featuring news and sport bulletins, traffic and travel and features such as quizzes, which they put together themselves.

Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.
Sutton Community Academy's Takeover Radio is training youngsters in the Easter holidays, known as 'Takeover's Extra Easter'. Pictured is Children's Producer Craig Priest (top right) with Cameron Felton 14 (left) and bottom is Nathan Tomlinson 15 and Jon Shaw 16.

Their work also goes towards an award in Takeover’s in-house ‘Broadcast and Achieve’ scheme, which recognises progress in areas such as production and news and sport journalism.

“It’s the time when they get to do something a little bit different,” said Craig. “It’s been a big boost to some of the young people and being involved with Takeover has transformed how they have been in school.”

Teenagers Cameron Felton (14), Jon Shaw (16) and Nathan Tomlinson (15) have all been taking part in the Easter Extra scheme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Cameron said: “I have learnt so much stuff over the time I have been here. It’s built my confidence up and now I can go on the radio.”

Said Nathan: “My holidays used to be quite boring - I just used to sit at home and play on the X-box but now I have something to do, I am up and active and out of the house.”

Jon added that he had also developed skills for producing radio that he never had before.

As well as the Easter Extra scheme, Takeover 106.9 is also holding a radio drama project during the school holidays.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Led by media production graduate Rose Braisby, the children involved have been learning about production, recording their own radio dramas to be broadcast on Takeover and have visited the University of Lincoln to see its studios and experts.

Said Rose: “It’s all to build confidence and they can feel proud of what they produced.”

Related topics: