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BCfm to offer free DAB radios for over 50s to help tackle loneliness

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BCfm is offering free DAB radios to vulnerable older people living in Bristol.

** Update 26th Jan 2021 – These have now all been claimed**

It comes as hundreds of thousands of people in the city are once more ordered to stay at home and isolate from their friends and families because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Radio is an important source of news, information and companionship in these difficult times and BCfm wants to ensure as many people as possible have access to it.

Patrick Hart, Station Manager at BCfm says: “Our service is a lifeline to so many, we offer a mix of talk and music shows for under-represented audiences, such as the over 50s, with some our older listeners having no internet access or English not as their first language.”

“BCfm are working with the police, local councils, charities and other agencies to pass out hyper-local Coronavirus and mental health information as well as other health-related content.”

Half a million older people in the UK go up to six days without seeing or speaking to anyone, according to Age UK. With ongoing restrictions and social distancing measures, these figures are on the rise.

BCfm is teaming up with local groups and charities to distribute the radios, including Eastside Community Trust, Dhek Bhal, Bristol & Avon Chinese Women’s Group, The Evergreen Club, Council of Bristol Mosques, Bristol Black Carers, Age UK Bristol, SARI, Malcolm X Elders Forum, The Golden Agers and BCfm’s Silversound team.

We would like to hear from other groups and charities in Bristol who support over the 50s to get in touch and let us know where radios are needed.

Please email only to marcus.smith@bcfm.org.uk.