COMMUNITY radio in Thornbury will soon be making a return to the airwaves.

The town’s former station, Thornbury FM, was founded in 2005, before rebranding as Gloss FM in 2010 as it tried to expand to cover all of South Gloucestershire.

The venture however came to an end a year later after issues with obtaining an FM frequency licence.

Attempting to kick-start the station once again are founders Glyn Roylance and David Wrench, who run the not-for-profit organisation Thornbury Media Community Interest Company.

With a variety of music and talk based shows already lined up, once the station goes live, it will cover Thornbury and the surrounding area.

“I am looking forward to it,” Glyn told the Gazette. “There is a lot to do at this stage but we have been through it before and know it is doable.”

He said that with commercial stations not serving the town directly and the BBC focusing on more regional news, the new station could fill the gap and help build community spirit.

“We tried to cover South Gloucestershire as a wider area but we eventually realised Thornbury had more of an identity on its own. Thornbury FM proved that there was plenty of local talent to produce great local radio.

“Now that Thornbury is growing in population, it seems like the right time to try and re-establish the service.

“Back when we first ran, online radio was not really a strong enough platform for us, but it is much more the norm, with advances in technology like DAB radio.”

While a confirmed launch date has yet to be decided, the station will initially run from Glyn’s home in Olveston, but it is hoped that a more permanent home can be found in the near future.

“We want to be a hub for the local community, giving a new platform for everyone to come together, and would love to get as many people involved as possible.

“What we are trying to achieve at the moment is get people interested, especially those who could help us with business know-how and financial backing.

“It is great seeing people come along, try their hand at radio and develop their talents. There have been so many people who have involved themselves with us in the past and going onto bigger and better things like the BBC.”

Anyone who is interested in being involved with the new station are asked to contact Glyn by emailing radio@tmcic.org