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Garrison FM becomes first military broadcaster to be nominated for top radio station award



The Army's network of radio stations, broadcasting in UK Garrisons and online worldwide, has finished runner up for the UK Radio Station of the Year Award. Garrison FM, with headquarters at Catterick, Europe's largest garrison, became the first ever military broadcaster to be nominated for the UK Radio Station of the Year Award, at the prestigious Sony Radio Academy Awards held at London's Grosvenor House.


A star-studded awards ceremony featured big names from radio, TV and music. It included live performances by Gary Barlow, Alexandra Burke and Jessie J. Tom Jones who is seen each week on The Voice, and Engelbert Humperdinck, the UK's representative for this year's Eurovision song contest, were on hand to dish out some of the prizes, with Chris Evans compering the evening.

Garrison FM followed up its recent win in the Nations and Regions category, when it won the award for Yorkshire,s Best Radio Station. The company's founder and Managing Director Mark Page said, "It is a testament to the hard work done by my teams in Army bases around the UK and indeed those who travel to places like Afghanistan to visit with British soldiers. It is an honour to provide a service to soldiers and their families, as we have done for over a decade. This is the first time we have entered the awards too, so as the only military broadcaster contracted to provide a service in Britain, a first time nomination and getting to be runner-up was great news."

Garrison Radio, the first ever Army stations in the UK, began broadcasting in 2001. Since then the network has expanded from two to fifteen locations in Britain, with three new ones this past month in North Yorkshire.

Pic: Mark Page and Richard Wyeth at the Awards with host Chris Evans




Garrison FM heads to the Highlands


The British Army's radio service has headed to the Scottish Highlands to provide Garrison FM in two new locations. The 3rd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland is now receiving the popular FM broadcasts at their historic Fort George base and in the nearby Cameron barracks area of Inverness.

Families at home in Inverness will now be able hear their loved ones in weekly link ups to 3 SCOTS base in Afghanistan, broadcast on 87.7 FM in both locations. The Officer Commanding Rear Party, Major Colin McInroy said: "I think its fantastic that Garrison FM has launched here. Inverness might be slightly out of it geographically but Garrison FM helps us feel part of the wider Army family and brings the community closer. I walk in to the Community Centre and the wives are listening to and enjoying the radio station."

Former England and Rangers captain, Terry Butcher, who is manager of local SPL side Inverness Caledonian Thistle, did the honours for the Fort George switch-on. He has a son in the Army and talked on the air about the high regard British soldiers are held in. "I think the whole of Britain has come to terms with what they do. I think everyone realises just what they put themselves through and it's just fantastic. It's really heart-warming the reaction they, the soldiers are getting, from the British public."

Over in Inverness, the city's Provost, Councillor Jimmy Gray, joined Army families at the welcome event at the Wimberley Way Community Centre to officially launch Garrison FM's twelth UK location.

Inverness is now the second city to receive Garrison FM broadcasts, after Edinburgh. The new locations were launched by live broadcasts hosted by Edinburgh Garrison FM's Mark McKenzie and Managing Director Mark Page, who added; "We have been able to extend radio for soldiers, their families and MoD workers, within the current resources, so everyone benefits."

Army's Radio Service is Award Winning


The Army's radio service, Garrison FM, is celebrating having won a major radio industry award. Catterick's Garrison FM has been named the Radio Academy's Nations and Regions Station of the Year for Yorkshire.

The award comes after a very busy twelve months for Garrison FM which saw them report from Afghanistan twice, Kenya and Germany as well as interview several key politicians and senior Army officers, not to mention Jeremy Kyle.

The award was judged by a panel of industry veterans and experts. Stating the reason for choosing Garrison FM as winners they said: "Garrison FM showed that they truly excelled in their desire to serve their audience. The station is not only there to entertain and inform but it is also clearly seen by its listeners as a vital part of everyday life, where the lifestyle and needs of listeners is somewhat different and more specific than most. Despite limited resources, Garrison FM has brought its audience interviews with senior politicians and Army commanders, and reported from some of the most dangerous warzones in order to connect those at home with loved ones abroad. This station really shows how a local radio station can not only serve its community, but be the heartbeat of it".

Commenting on the announcement Garrison FM's Managing Director, Mark Page, said "This is a fantastic achievement not just for those based at Catterick but for everyone working on the Garrison FM network. The whole team played a significant part in this achievement and are rightly very proud of this recognition". Mark also believes the wider radio industry could learn from Garrison FM's model. "This award shows that radio doesn't need to be big and expensive. Garrison FM supplies a highly professional, informative and now award winning service without big city budgets proving it really can be achieved with a dedicated team".

Garrison Radio was formed when the Army decided it wanted to have it's own radio service for its troops based in Britain as part of an Army communications initiative. The brand-new company successfully bid against the then only military broadcaster, the tri-service, SSVC. Garrison FM broadcasts an entertaining mix of music and chat, with an emphasis on bringing Army news to soldiers, their families and the wider Army Community in twelve UK locations.

And they're off! Get your tickets for Military Gold Cup Day


Sandown Park racecourse hosts Grand Military Gold Cup Day on 9th March. Make it a great trip out for friends and family.

Admission is just thirteen pounds if you're serving or retired, and your guests, whether military or civilian. Plus parking is free and you can meet up with others at the Grand Military Bar in the main concourse, where there's fund raising for SSAFA.

It's a great way to start your weekend with a 6 race card including The Grand Military Gold Cup. To book just click on http://www.sandown.co.uk/pages/grandmilitary/

Internet way forward for Garrison Radio


The British Army's radio service has embarked on a major promotion of listening to radio via the internet for 2012. Garrison FM has joined with the BBC and commercial radio for an initiative called Radioplayer, aimed at making all UK radio services available in one place. The Army network has also teamed up with one of Europe's leading manufacturers to give away top of the range internet radios.

Radioplayer's Managing Director, Michael Hill, said "We aim to reflect the diversity of the entire UK radio industry, which is why it's great that the Army's radio service has decided to come on board. I'm certain our users will discover Garrison Radio for the first time via our search engine and Facebook app and will then set it as one of their Favourites. Radioplayer makes it simple for people to find great stuff to listen to just like a radio."

Revo Technologies, based in Scotland, are one of Europe's leading internet radio manufactures and are backing Garrison Radio with a 6 month-long competition giveaway of their Domino 2 internet radio. Commercial Director Colin Urie said "We are pleased to support the Army's radio service and to know that soldiers and their families can listen to Garrison FM on one of our top products. We have been at the leading edge of internet radio production from our base in Lanarkshire and are keenly developing new additions to the range as internet radio listening grows".

Garrison Radio owner Mark Page said "Internet listening is on the upward curve of digital radio take-up. Wherever there's internet you can listen to Garrison Radio. That makes it a listening choice for soldiers and their families, not limited to where there's an FM or AM footprint."

Germany for Garrison Radio

The British Army's radio service has been called upon to make an unusual contribution; helping German soldiers and diplomats to speak English and understand military terms.

Garrison Radio received the first request from Bundessprachenamt (German Federal Office of Languages) in Huerth near Cologne in Germany. The centre is responsible for the foreign language training of civil servants, in particular members of the German Armed Forces.

Ingrid Braband said "The audio of the Garrison Radio website is very useful for teaching English to our students who are soldiers from the German Army, Navy and Air Force. The topics in the audios correspond to their experience in their life in the military and they are very interesting to them as they deal with military topics of the British Army".
This was followed by a similar request from Munich. Jackie Adams from the University of the Armed Forces in Bavaria says the service is very useful. "The language centre is now using Garrison Radio material on its independent learning website to help German officers improve their English. The audio that the radio station produces is particularly helpful for students in being English language content and military-speak".

Garrison Radio has now visited the University of the Armed Forces in Munich with a live broadcast and lecture from station-founder Mark Page. He said "The difference between a German military officer's first few years in service and what his British counterpart does is quite dramatic. It is like a four year university break and was brought in to turn around a shortfall in officer recruitment. From what the students told me during the programme, it is working. They were also taken aback at how supportive the British public is of its soldiers and the respect in which they are held in the UK, along with the whole infrastructure of military charities. We are pleased that our radio work for the British Army is benefiting others".