In 1989, an organisation known as Christmas Cracker was set up by Richard Wood on behalf of Tearfund and the Oasis Trust to inform and educate people about the poverty and suffering that were the everyday experience of thousands of those living in Third World countries. It challenged and encouraged members of various Christian bodies to show their concern in a practical manner by organising and working together with people from all faiths and none to raise money for humanitarian projects in the developing world.
One of their most innovative fundraising ideas was that of 'Radio Cracker', a chain of radio stations that under a radio authority licence could broadcast for a maximum of 28 days during the period leading up to Christmas. In 1991, there were 90 individual Radio Cracker RSL's, while in 1992, there were 83 stations, all broadcasting to their own communities across the UK. The numbers fell in later years and we are the only one left.
Over the past 7 years Radio Cracker Ballymena has broadcast from Montgomery's in Ballymoney Street who very kindly granted us space for a purpose-built studio. Before that the studio was in the Fairhill Centre.
We broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from 27th November until Christmas Eve each year, although we have an automated music system running through the night from around 11.30pm to 7.30am during the week and 8.00am at weekends. We have a wide and varied programme of shows ranging from pop music to Irish country, classical to folk, and our programmes are hosted mainly by local people. We also have a dedicated team of people manning phones throughout the broadcast and an engineer manning the technical desk to ensure adverts are broadcast at appropriate intervals and that the show can actually be heard by the public.
We also run a Christmas shop each year with a dedicated team of volunteers, who not only give up their time around Christmas to sell a selection of Christmas goods, but also spend all year making a fine selection of crafts to sell in the shop.Over the past 22 years we are thrilled to say that, thanks to the generosity of the Ballymena people, we have raised almost £1.4 million, through our shop, advertising and donations. This money has all gone to many countries around the world to relieve poverty for many people and ensured that Ballymena people are known around the world as a generous people.
Some examples include:
The MV Ballymena - A hospital boat bringing medical care to people living on the upper stretches of the River Amazon.
Priya Hospital in India has a “Ballymena Wing.”
Prem Jyoti Hospital also in India has a “Ballymena Ward.”
Gepiu Children's Centre in Romania has a “Ballymena room”
McCord Hospital in South Africa has a “Ballymena Maternity Ward”
Queens Award For Voluntary Service winners 2013
From January to November, the best way is to contact us via email (admin@radiocracker.org.uk) or to telephone Gordon Dawson our chairman on 02825648542. During December, while we are on-air, contact the studio on 02825639087.We have a group of ladies meeting regularly through the year to make craft items for sale in the shop.
We need people with an interest in music that can play a CD player or an iPod to present shows. We begin putting the program together around May time and try to have it completed in September. We also need people who can answer telephones while we are on air and people to man a mixing desk as Technicians. Most importantly we need people prepared to have fun!
Our membership rates to cover admin and insurance are £5 per year
See above.
We have a group of ladies meeting regularly through the year to make craft items for sale in the shop. Committee meets at least once a month. "On Air" time is from 27th November until 24th December and we need people in the studio on phones and the technician desk from 7.30am until 11.30am. A slot typically lasts an hour.
The studio is in Montgomerys, 39-41 Ballymoney Street, Ballymena, BT43 6AN.
Full training is given to all volunteers. If you can answer a telephone or can turn the volume up and down on a hi-fi you have all the experience we need. If you are interested in presenting a show, you may have a short audition
You can learn as much or as little about broadcasting as you want. Some of the people involved in Cracker throughout the years have forged successful careers with the BBC, among others.
We prefer our members to all be active members. You can choose how much time you want to dedicate.
We have teenage members and octogenarian members and all stages in between and a good mix between male and female. Whilst Radio Cracker is not a Christian organisation per se, it has a strong Christian ethos and members are expected to adhere to this ethos. This is why you may not hear us play some songs (mainly in recent charts) that other radio stations may play