Takeover Radio Children’s Media Trust has relocated to a 19th century lodge in Leicester’s Abbey Park and has won the grant to research the history of their new location.

Participants aged from 11 years upwards will have the chance to blend their creative enthusiasm and experience through the project. They will explore how Leicester fits into significant events in English history.

Through the project the young people will learn skills in copy, audio and visual presentation and use these to interpret photographic, spoken and written memories provided by the local community. They will produce six audio broadcasts, three pieces of film and a book.

Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the East Midlands Emma Sayer commented: “This is a fantastic opportunity for Takeover Radio Children’s Media Trust to shed light on the immensely rich and varied history of Abbey Park and the lodge. There is archaeological evidence dating back to the 12th century to be considered and the trust is perfectly placed to share this with the local community and the stations 40,000 strong audience. There is also a wealth of skills to be picked up by the project participants during the life of this venture.”

On behalf of Takeover Radio Children’s Media Trust, Graham Coley added: “The young people are really keen to find our more about their new home and thanks to the Heritage lottery Fund they will now have the opportunity to do so.”

The park was opened in May 1882, and is home to the statue of Cardinal Wolsey who died in the Abbey in 1530. He had strong links with the court of Henry the VII and Henry the VIII. In 1963 William Cavendish built Cavendish House which was a focal point during the Battle of Naseby Civil War. The remains of the house are still in the park today.

The project will complete at the end of April 2012.

Note to editors

Takeover Radio is a charity operated community radio station broadcasting on 103.2 FM across to UK city of Leicester and to the world on the internet.

The station is operated entirely by the charity Takeover Radio Childrens Media Trust and specialises in training young people (ages 8-16) in the industry of radio and media, thus giving them experience in first hand presentation and production.

The station first began broadcasting back in 1996 as a programme format on a series of short term radio licence broadcasting stations (RSL's) before becoming it's own station at the start of the 21st century, also running on RSL licences.

In 2001, Takeover Radio was awarded a pilot 5-year Access Radio licence and began broadcasting across Leicester on 103.2FM on Tuesday 5 March 2002.

Further information

HLF Press Office: Robert Smith, 020 7591 6245, email roberts@hlf.org.uk.

Takeover Radio Children’s Media Trust: Graham Coley, 0116 299 9615, email graham@takeoverradio.com.