Somer Valley FM Honoured with King’s Award for Voluntary Service

Community Radio Station Recognised for Its Dedication to Local Education, Volunteering, and Engagement 

Somer Valley FM, the community radio station that has served the people of the Somer Valley for over 15 years, has been awarded the prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest national honour for volunteer-led organisations. 

This prestigious award, often referred to as the “MBE for voluntary groups,” recognises the station’s exceptional contributions to local life, particularly its work in training young people, supporting the community, and providing an essential service through its volunteer-driven broadcasts. 

The station has been led from the start by its founder and former manager Dom Chambers. Dom said, “We are incredibly honoured to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service. This recognition reflects the extraordinary levels of loyalty, commitment and dedication of our volunteers and supporters over the years. 

Somer Valley FM was a fantastic vision linking educational opportunities with local radio and community development. 16 years in that vision is now an integral part of community life. The backbone of our success are the volunteers. I could not be more pleased that everyone at Somer Valley FM have been recognises by our King with this Palace honour. We are proud of what we’ve achieved, but most importantly, we’re excited to continue our work and ensure that Somer Valley FM remains a community asset for years to come.” 

The award is timely as since 2023 Somer Valley FM is a volunteer led community enterprise with no paid management. Working with Dom Chambers the station is led by executive director and professional broadcast engineer Pete Helmore. They are supported by their fellow directors and the annually elected volunteer’s board.  

Station Supporters

Somer Valley FM started out as a classroom project at Somervale school in 2006. Students and staff worked on a trial broadcast for the summer holiday. Several participants from that period, including Pete, and founding director Chris Watt, are still with the station now. Now part of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, the school, along with other schools in the partnership, continues to send students for media training, offering them real-world broadcasting experience. The station’s commitment to developing local talent has helped countless local young people and adults develop their confidence and skills to fulfil their potential and develop careers of their choice. 

Alun Williams, executive head of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, expressed his pride in the station’s achievements. “I am delighted that Somer Valley FM has received this national recognition. Working with the charity Sound Vision in recent years, they have provided such fantastic and bespoke opportunities to so many children across a number of our schools for over 15 years. Both organizations have their roots at Somervale School in the town of Midsomer Norton, where they have helped raise aspiration and ensure success for many pupils who have found secondary school a challenge,” Williams said. “We know that educational opportunities have been made possible by the dedication and commitment of Somer Valley FM’s volunteers, and we are deeply proud that such an asset to our area has been rightly recognised as they receive a King’s Award.” 

Somer Valley FM’s award-winning success is also due to the strong support of local organisations. Curo, the Bath-based housing association, has been a longtime backer of the station. Marianne Rawlins, Curo’s Communications & Media Manager, said, “Somer Valley FM have led the way in community radio for the areas served by Curo in Northeast Somerset. We know that much of their success in communicating important information across communities is down to the dedication and commitment of their volunteers. This award is richly deserved. We are proud of our long association with Somer Valley FM and that some of our residents have contributed to their output.” 

The station has also benefited from the support of Somer Valley Farms, one of its key sponsors. In a message to the station’s volunteers, Somer Valley Farms said, “Well done to all the hundreds of locals who, over the past 17 years, have continued to make Somer Valley FM such an outstanding local radio station.” 

One of the most dedicated volunteers at Somer Valley FM is Jo Davis, who has been contributing to the station for over 10 years, amassing more than 3,000 hours of volunteer work. For the last five years, Jo has been presenting the station’s popular weekday breakfast show 

For Jo, volunteering at her local radio station is as much about personal fulfilment as it is about contributing to a community enterprise. “I love presenting radio, chatting away about life in general, the funny moments, struggles, family arguments, encounters with strangers, teenagers, what you’re having for tea, etc! – in a light-hearted, uplifting way,” Jo said. “The beauty of local radio is about keeping people company, making them smile, and making a difference to their day—even if it’s just one person, that’s what makes the 5.20am alarm each morning worth it!” 

Jo’s passion for radio took on special significance during a difficult period in her life. In January 2020, she lost her mother to cancer, and soon after, the UK went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I realised that keeping busy was what I needed to cope with my overwhelming grief. I felt many people must be like me and needed some distraction from the depressing national news and the isolation we were all feeling. When one of the directors suggested I do a breakfast show, I leapt at the chance, Radio really saved me in what was a difficult time in my life.” 

Jo’s dedication is a perfect example of the power of volunteering—not just as a way to give back, but as a means of personal growth and connection. “I’m proud to be a volunteer at SVFM, one of many,” Jo continues. “It’s not about ‘giving up my free time’ to volunteer on local radio, it’s about spending free time doing something you absolutely love and hopefully spreading a little bit of that passion to others at the same time.” 

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service highlights the efforts of Somer Valley FM’s volunteers, who remain at the heart of the station’s success. With over 60 volunteers, the station provides diverse programming that includes everything from local news and events to cultural content and community outreach. Volunteers like Jo are instrumental in keeping the station’s programming relevant, engaging, and reflective of the community it serves. 

Looking to the future, Somer Valley FM remains committed to its mission of providing high-quality, community-focused volunteer led local radio. In 2017 the station launched a new educational charity Sound Vision CIO. Through this partnership the station plans to expand its educational programs and continue to provide a platform for local voices. 

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service serves as a reminder of the impact that volunteer-led organisations like Somer Valley FM can have on their communities. The station’s dedication to education, volunteering, and local engagement is a model for other community radio stations across the UK. 

The award will be formally presented in a ceremony arranged through the office of the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset as the county’s representative of the King. Somer Valley FM is planning a special community celebration to thank the volunteers, educational and community partners, and listeners who have supported it along the way.