TRAFFORD now has its very own local radio station broadcasting on DAB digital Radio.

From Tuesday 31 October 2017, Trafford Sound became available across the Greater Manchester region.

The studios are in the Broomwood Community and Wellbeing Centre in Timperley.

Content Controller Pete Brettle said: “Until now we have only been on the internet but now we are going to be broadcasting on digital DAB radio. I think the station is going to jump from strength to strength. We are going to get more listeners, we are going to get more involvement from the community.”

The first broadcast went out at 11am when Pete Brettle joined presenter Damian Skelhorn and many of the station’s team of volunteers to celebrate this event.

In the afternoon presenter Susan Leigh was joined by the Mayor of Trafford, Jonathan Coupe, on her afternoon chat show and at 4pm in the Drivetime show, former Piccadilly Radio DJ Pete Reeves returned to the airwaves.

The station’s weekday daytime schedule includes local news and information, along with guests discussing the activities of community groups, as well as some well known figures.

Trafford Sound plays music from a wide range of genres and in the evenings features a broad range of specialist and minority interest programmes.

Saturday afternoons are given over to sport and are dedicated to supporting all sorts of local teams from across the borough.

Trafford Sound is managed and run entirely by volunteers. It is funded by donations, grant funding and special events organised by its volunteer staff.

The idea for the station was conceived more than eight years ago, and it has been broadcasting on internet radio since June 2015. Becoming a digital radio station means it can be accessed in cars and at home without the need for an internet connection.

Peter Brettle said: “We have made ourselves an organisation that people can come to and put their message out. That’s how we see ourselves, we are the conduit for information for other people. They come to us and come on one of our shows and let Trafford know what they are doing.”

The service is also available to smartphone users via the TuneIn Radio app.