Hackney Social Radio

Hackney Social Radio was created in April 2020 as an extension of our work with the over 50s. The programme aimed to address digital and social isolation amongst older people in Hackney, creating a sense of community through the airwaves. Broadcasting weekly on Wednesdays, programmes featured music requests, audience phone-ins, stories from the community, features from local artists, interviews and advice from experts with regular up-to-date information about where to access help and support.The programme was made possible by funding from the Arts Council, The Fore Trust, The Henry Smith Charity and DCMS and support from our partners at Hackney Council and Connect Hackney.

We have been shortlisted for the 2022 Charity Awards for our work on Hackney Social Radio during the pandemic. 

Hackney Social Radio was also featured as a case study as a case study of community radio for and by people in later life by the Centre for Ageing Better, who said that “the success of the project was as much about the skills learned by older residents and their involvement in producing the shows, as it is about the stories about Hackney that they shared with listeners.”

Hackney Social Radio has now finished, but we’ve created a brand new intergenerational podcast, Hackney Social Audio. Podcast episodes are available on the 1st and 15th of every month.