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Community show wins Nockolds national radio prize

The Somer Valley FM Sports Show team with their award. From left: Evan Dando, Ian Nockolds and Allan Trinder
The Somer Valley FM Sports Show team with their award. From left: Evan Dando, Ian Nockolds and Allan Trinder

SJA associate member Ian Nockolds has won a gold award for Sports Show of the Year at the national Community Radio Awards for his work on Somer Valley FM.

Somer Valley FM is the community radio station serving the people of Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Paulton and the surrounding villages just outside Bath.

Nockolds has been leading on Somer Valley FM’s Sports Show for eight years.

The inaugural Community Radio Awards were staged at Birmingham University last Saturday, where a sold-out gala ceremony saw more than 30 community stations being recognised for their broadcasting excellence.

The Somer Valley Sport Show has broadcast weekly, promoting the news and fixtures of sports clubs across north-east Somerset.

“As the Sport Show has evolved, it has been our mission to provide local sports coverage, focusing on participants and clubs overlooked by commercial and public service radio, produced by amateur broadcasters to a professional standard,” Nockolds said.

The Sports Show has engaged volunteers across the generations, not only those involved with the clubs they cover, but everyone from school students to retired former players. Today, the Sport Show team includes Allan Trinder and Evan Dando, with Saturday Live produced and presented by Richard Burgess.

The Community Radio Awards were hosted by Somer Valley FM’s manager, Dom Chambers. “As I was hosting the evening, you can imagine my pleasure at the announcement and welcoming Ian on to the stage to collect the award. Ian’s work with our Sports Show has been a considerable personal achievement,” Chambers said.

“It is exemplary community broadcasting from empowering local clubs with a voice, to the skill-building of young volunteers and the live match commentaries. Ian has brought local clubs together on the central platform of the Somer Valley FM studio. This recognition is richly deserved and my hearty congratulations to Ian and the team.”

The Somer Valley FM sports team is hoping to build upon their success and encourage more local clubs to get involved so that even larger audiences can support local sport.

Broadcasting every Tuesday at 6pm, the Somer Valley Sport Show is available online and at 97.5FM.

Listen to Nockolds and the Somer Valley FM Sports Show team on their award-winning showreel here:


FORTHCOMING SJA EVENTS

  • Thu Dec 15, 2016: SJA British Sports Awards, sponsored by The National Lottery
  • Mon Feb 27, 2017: SJA British Sports Journalism Awards, sponsored by BT Sport