A Bristol community radio station is celebrating its fourth birthday with the news it has been given nearly £30,000 for a project to mark the 50th anniversary of Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago’s independence.
Ujima Radio, based in St Pauls, has received £29,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for a Young Roots heritage project “Dub Plate to Dub Step” taking place in Bristol in August.
The project gives up to 30 young people the chance to celebrate the influence of Caribbean music and culture on the city in a radio show, short film and web resource.
Participants will look back at trends from the early vinyl Dub Plate records produced in the famous Jamaican recording studio “Studio One” in the late 1950’s, tracing the early Reggae & Dub Sound System beats through to the Dub Step artists of 2012. The project will launch with a screening of “Marley” the story of Bob Marley by Kevin Macdonald at the Watershed Cinema.
Kevin Philemon, founder of Ujima Radio, said yesterday: “We are delighted to have received this award from the Heritage Lottery Fund. I am confident not only will it ensure we develop new skills and training opportunities for young people in our community, but will ensure they create a valuable piece of Bristol’s cultural history to be enjoyed by future generations.”
Richard Bellamy from the HLF said the project would inspire young people and help them to understand their heritage.
“That is why we are so keen to support projects like this one, that enable young people to explore their cultural identity and to find out about the individuals who have shaped their local communities,” he said.
The project starts on August 3 and courses run for between four and eight weeks. For more information, email caroline@ujimaradio.com or call 0117 924 7715.
