Benefits advice on the airwaves for Wirral housing estate residents (From Wirral Globe)

Benefits advice on the airwaves for Wirral housing estate residents

4:51pm Monday 18th March 2013 in News

RESIDENTS, schools and voluntary groups are set to become broadcasting stars when a Wirral community radio station goes live later this week.

Beechwood Ballantyne Community Housing Association is re-launching BBFM to get people talking after major success with a similar project last year.

A variety of shows will be broadcast over three days – including a special programme about major Government changes to benefits from April 1.

Neighbourhood manager and presenter John Rankin Mills said: “Community radio is a great way of engaging with our tenants and the local area as a whole.

"Last year you could feel the buzz around the estate as more and more people began to tune in to BBFM.

“We’re hoping to better that success this time around and keep that lively mix of local voices and music.

"We also hope to provide important information and messages tailored to our Beechwood and Ballantyne audience.

“These include issues like the bedroom tax, which will mean tenants with spare bedrooms lose some of their housing benefit, changes to council tax benefit, and other things like the introduction of Universal Credit later this year.

"It’s really important that our tenants understand the changes and how they will affect their household budgets.

“We’ve been doing lots of important work to communicate with them already, but we hope the radio show will help to really raise awareness.”

A welfare reform adviser will be on hand to answer questions from residents in a live phone-in as part of the benefits programme, which will be broadcast from 2pm to 4pm, this Friday, March 22.

The whole radio project runs from Friday to Sunday and after last year’s success, BBCHA hopes this year’s offering will be even bigger and better, with more local voices, information, news and views.

John added: “There’ll be a great mix of music, local information, opinion and more, and we’re really looking forward to the community joining in.”

Tune in to BBFM 87.7FM, at www.bbfm.org.uk or via the “Tune-In” radio App on March 22, 23 and 24.

The discussion about benefit changes will also be repeated during the weekend.