Keep Rhubarb Radio Ripe & Ready.

Aim

Rhubarb Radio, your local station for the Wakefield District is seeking your support to help it thrive and become more accessible.

🎙️ Help Rhubarb Radio thrive & Go Digital — And Keep Our Community Connected.

Wakefield District & the 5 Towns - this is your moment.

For years, Rhubarb Radio Yorkshire CIC has proudly served as your truly local, not-for-profit community radio station under the brand name Rhubarb Radio. Powered entirely by volunteers and run with heart, dedication, and purpose, we've become a trusted voice in the community.

Our mission is to give a voice and a platform to people who are often under-represented in mainstream media. Everything we do is rooted in community benefit – broadcasting local news, playing the best music, spotlighting local talent, and supporting the people, businesses, charities, and organisations that make our district unique.

Unlike many organisations, we receive only minimal income from advertising and sponsorship, and we do not receive any government funding or grant funding to keep us on the air. Every programme, every broadcast, and every community initiative is made possible through the dedication of our volunteers and the support of our listeners, local businesses, and generous supporters.

BUT now, we’re taking our biggest step yet: aiming to go digital. But we can’t do it without you.

🚀 Why We're Launching This Crowdfunder.

We have successfully secured the licence from Ofcom for the local DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) multiplex for our area – a crucial step that will allow us to broadcast digitally across the Wakefield District and the 5 Towns.

What DAB means for Rhubarb Radio:

• Easier listening in cars, at home, and at work.
• Clearer, more reliable sound.
• A wider, more inclusive reach – making Rhubarb Radio available to even more people across our district.

This isn't just about Rhubarb Radio. It's about building a digital platform for all local voices.

The digital platform will also serve as a powerful broadcasting hub, allowing a diverse range of local community radio stations to reach audiences across the Wakefield District and the 5 Towns. Whether it's a station dedicated to local sports, youth culture, neighbourhood news, or cultural programming, this platform will amplify community voices, encourage collaboration between stations, and provide listeners with a vibrant mix of local content they can't find anywhere else.

Why we need your support.

While launching our DAB service is a major milestone, we also want to ensure Rhubarb Radio remains strong and sustainable for years to come.

Your support will not only help us deliver this exciting new digital platform but will also help us maintain and improve the station itself. Funds raised will go towards upgrading and repairing essential studio equipment, keeping our broadcasting facilities in excellent working order, and covering the ongoing costs of running a community radio station, including rent, electricity, licensing fees, and other essential operating expenses.

Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue providing a local radio service that informs, entertains, and connects our communities while creating opportunities for more local voices to be heard across the Wakefield District and the 5 Towns.

📡 Why This Matters.

At Rhubarb Radio, we believe in people-powered media. We’re not a corporate broadcaster. We’re your community radio station - and everything we do is rooted in our commitment to:

• Reflect the lives and values of Wakefield and the 5 Towns.
• Celebrate local culture, events, heritage, and music.
• Amplify local voices, from volunteers to small business owners.

Give space to organisations, charities, and initiatives that might otherwise go unheard.

We offer airtime, interviews, promotional spots, and event coverage to local businesses, charities, schools, artists, and grassroots projects.

Whether it’s helping a new café attract customers, giving a youth charity a voice, or covering a local gig, Rhubarb Radio exists to serve.

🔧 Where Your Money Goes

With your help and support, we will be able to:

📻 Secure Our Digital Future

• Implement the DAB licence.
• Set up the necessary infrastructure to broadcast digitally.
• Extend our reach, so more people across the district can tune in with ease.

🛠️ Maintain and Upgrade Our Studio's

• Fund equipment upgrades and studio repairs (mixing desks, microphones, audio processors)
• Cover technical and studio costs to keep our broadcasts running smoothly
• Improve accessibility and reliability for presenters and guests

Broadcasting every day requires more than just passion - it requires ongoing operational funding which is one of our biggest expenses. From building rent, utility bills and licensing fees to software subscriptions, your support helps us meet the everyday costs that keep Rhubarb Radio alive and thriving. With your help, we can continue to deliver the local, relevant, and engaging programming that has become a vital part of so many people’s daily lives.

🧑‍🏫 Train the Next Generation of Broadcasters

• Run community workshops and offer training opportunities
• Support young people, students, and underrepresented voices in gaining real-world media experience
• Empower people to tell their own stories, in their own voices

🤝 Support Local Businesses, Charities, and Organisations

• Continue offering interviews, business spotlights, and collaborative features
• Help local enterprises connect with listeners in meaningful ways
• Provide a platform for promoting events, fundraising, job opportunities, and more

 💬 Why Rhubarb Radio Is Special

• 100% Volunteer-Run:  Every presenter, technician and management team donates their time to make our station what it is.
• Hyperlocal Focus: We cover what the big broadcasters miss - your town, your street, your community.
• Inclusive & Accessible: We’re committed to being a platform for all backgrounds, identities, and voices.
• Economically Supportive: We act as a marketing arm for businesses, artists, and non-profits - helping our local economy grow from the ground up.

Rhubarb Radio is more than a station - it’s a living, breathing reflection of the Wakefield District & the 5 Towns.

🙌 How You Can Help

🎁 Back Our Crowdfunder Select a reward tier and become a champion of community radio!

📢 Spread the Word
Share our campaign with friends, family, local businesses, and anyone who believes in local voices. Even one share makes a difference.

📱 Join the Community
Follow us on social media, attend our events, and help keep the spirit of Rhubarb Radio alive.

🛤️ Let’s Build the Future - Together

The move to DAB is a bold, vital next step. With your support, we can expand Rhubarb Radio’s reach, sustain our community programming, and provide a launchpad for others in our district to start their own stations, shows, or media projects.

This campaign isn’t just about survival - it’s about growth, resilience, and reinvention.

If you’ve ever been inspired by a local interview, or discovered a local band on our airwaves, or felt closer to your community through one of our broadcasts, we hope you’ll help us take this leap.

Every pound brings us closer to a future where local media truly reflects local lives.

🧡 Thank you for believing in community radio.
🎙️ Thank you for supporting Rhubarb Radio.
💪 Let’s make this happen - together.

 The Rhubarb Radio Team

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 2nd October 2026 at 7:00pm