All we can say is that it is in the pipeline. I wish I could put a date on our first transmission but it is a way off at the moment.

What are the Priorities Raise $70,000 for Stage One

Antennae Access - Suttons Lookout - The Shire on behalf of BridgeFM and the wider community has approached the current lease holders NTL for a reasonable if not free access to this community resource. NTL originally quoted BridgeFM $3,500 - $4000 annual rates not including establishment costs. BridgeFM has now decided to seek another site as NTL refuse to acknowledge any Shire contact.

Premises - Suitable premises which may also provide for future growth, in central proximity to the centre of town is hard to come by. We want to be central to be available to school kids and the aged who may otherwise have problems either finding the station or being within walking distance of it. We also need to find a premises with easy Wheel Chair access.

Community Participation - BridgeFM invites support from local community groups. Our aim is to spread the word about how important communication is in our area and do something about it. Though we have been very active over the last year in raising attention to our project we have found it difficult. We are currently establishing our BridgeFM Foundation Rock$ Donation Drive and meeting with individual groups to raise the level of awareness on a one to one basis.

A Network of People - BridgeFM is constantly looking for people to support its cause. We believed that building this Community Portal and establishing a greater presence would help bring people forward and it is. Our quest is to bring the entire community together through communication yet we also realise that it does not happen over night. We invite anyone one with an interest in Communities Communicating to step forward and raise your hand to contribute.

Money - we need to raise a minimum of $50,000 to start-up. This will give us the first level of equipment we need to initiate broadcasting from the Radio Station. This is a start-up cost raising to $70,000 in total over two years. We consider this as stage one of our Development.

Become a BridgeFM Foundation Rock$ Member, I believe that in 5 years you will look back and say "Thats the best money I have seen invested in our Community for a long time." It will help to bring a voice to this community, one that has been lost in the bussle of living in 2004.

2000

Shire Council helped to conduct a Community Radio Survey to ascertain the interest of the community for a Radio station.

Bridgetown Community Radio Inc. became an incorporated body.

Joined all relevant Community Radio Assoc.

BridgeFM raised support through Telstra and the dept of Trade and Commerce to stream the Blues at Bridgetown Festival. This became an Australian and Telstra first.

2001

Increased membership drive.

Searched for suitable premises, we were hopeful of being included in the Recreation centre yet this was not to be. Investigated all options yet Shire was in the process of sell-off.

Continued research into Equipment needs. Visited community radio stations.

The issues of community use for the Sutton Look Out Tower emerged. The Shire commenced (looking into the mater).

Continued to strengthen our alliance with Nannup and Boyup Brook regarding Community Radio.

Bridgetown, Boyup, Nannup Radio, Jazz fundraiser at Nelsons Hotel.

Developed a strategy and funded program to use the then Squash Courts as a Media Hub and Performing Arts Facility attached to the Bridgetown High School to increase the capacity and future of the High School. Squash courts were sold to APT.

BridgFM streamed the Blues at Bridgetown Festival.

2002

Continued fund raising campaigns.

Created the concept for a Centre of Excellence and Enterprise in conjunction with the Alliance, developed a promotional community video.

2002 became a very quite period which has set the advancement of BridgeFM back by one year. This was due primarily because of people leaving the district, unfortunately they were key people.

BridgeFM streamed the Blues at Bridgetown Festival.

2003 - A very busy Year

BridgeFM, Shire and Blues Committee were given a special commendation at WA Media Industry awards. Streaming the Festival 2000-2002.

BridgeFM established Community Internet Portal. Bridgefm.org.au

BridgFM Radio web site expanded to prepare for on line delivery and musician portal.

BridgeFM helped develop Music Holiday Workshops through the holiday breaks.

2 live radio broadcasts on the streets of Bridgetown.

August Variety Night Fundraiser.

BridgeFM filmed and produced a video of Harvey Dickson's Rodeo as a product.

October Variety Night fundraiser "Originals"

BridgeFM produced its first CD recording from the October Concert called "Originals Spring 2003" this is part of our collection program for local music.

BridgeFM in conjunction with the Bridgetown Repertory Club produced Walk a While in My Blues. A Musical Multimedia Drama.

BridgeFM produced a Music Video and CD for "Walk a While in My Blues" as part of its fund-raising program.

We finished 2003 off with a Wine bottling at Shedleys Winery as our last fund raising event for the year.

2004

BridgeFM supplied entertainment and Multi media at the launch of the new BestFarms program in January.

Currently working to clarify Suttons Look-out mast, recruit new members and sponsors and prepare for a test transmission this year.

BridgeFM helped the Boyup Brook Country Music Awards by video taping the weekend. Working with Carol hands of Roo Gully and Mike Nix, Kim & Marie Perrier gave it their best shot.

2003 was a huge year we pushed the boundaries and produced some amazing results as detailed in our brief history (right).

It is our aim to see that we go live to air this year. We stand a good chance, primarily because the wider community now see it as a necessity. We continue to celebrate what's best in our community and in the process discover how incredible we are as a community. We truly have a lot to say and people who are interested in making it work.

It is with despair that I reflect on how it takes a disaster to make people aware how important communication is. We are just as much a part of this loss of insight as any within the community as we focused on highlighting the good and growth potentials rather than the dark side of tragedy.

We are so fortunate that we live in a relatively safe environment. Yet this also breeds complacency, who would have thought that our time would come 2 days after Christmas. Who would have thought that all media sources would have been broadcast remotely and effectively out of contact. Well unfortunately the only lessons learned are the hard lessons, hopefully we will have our own communication centre in place if the need ever arises again. Lets hope it doesn't.

I am a big picture person, and it is getting bigger, the journey that I find myself currently on is one that started about 6 years ago. We were responsible for the first community web site for Bridgetown, we then created the Blues at Bridgetown Festival Website and by chance broadcast the festival to the world in 2000. This led to the official beginning of Bridgetown Community Radio.

Telstra helped us in 2000 and in the process gave Bridgetown a Broad Band Internet access normally reserved for communities of 65,000 plus, this is significant. We may be a small town but we have a big future, we only need to step outside our small world to see that anything is possible.

In BridgeFM's web site you will continue to see invitations to participate in "Your Community Radio" this is not to be confused with "Us and Them" or "Their Community Radio". Communication is a tool for sharing and through developing better communication we will find a new community spirit rising. It is time to embrace your Community Radio Station as tomorrow may be to late for some.

We have amazing people living in our Shire with incredible skills, talents, knowledge, stories and ideas but do you know who they are? What could change for you or our future if we were able to find someone with a skill or information that inspired or amused us?

So don't be afraid to phone me or email us and ask how you can be involved, there is a place for everyone. Please, it is yours you just have to take some personnel ownership.

Phone Kim Perrier 97 611130

Email Kim or Marie perrier@iinet.net.au