I've been receiving lots of requests from the supporters of Sydney FBi 94.5FM to help save their community radio station which is in financial trouble in this recession. They've set a goal to raise one million Australian dollars.
I'd like to congratulate FBi radio for running a truly inventive and original 'Ask Richard Campaign'. I only realised the full weight of their brilliant campaign when a charming, determined and soaking wet young woman, Georgia, swam two and a half miles from a neighbouring island here in the Caribbean to tell me more about FBi's plight. Naturally I invited her to stay for dinner and for the night here on Necker with my family - we were right in the middle of dinner anyway!
I've been amazed by the effort FBi's supporters have gone to. The station clearly inspires great passion from its listeners and it's worth saving. I'll do my bit by providing some prizes, but really it's up to FBi's listeners to show they want the station to survive. So I say 'Sign up and Save FBi!' All you have to do is and pledge from $4 a month to go towards ongoing operational costs of the community station. I've signed up and pledged so it's over to you...
I'm also thrilled to be able to offer the station the support of the Virgin Group. We are providing two tickets to the UK flying Virgin Atlantic and two tickets to the upcoming V Festival in the UK, as well as two business class tickets to LA with V Australia to use as prizes to encourage FBi's listeners to become supporters and get behind the Save FBi campaign. It's really up to the listeners to save the station now.
I've also put FBi in touch with my team at Virgin Management to help consult on future fundraising and sponsorship opportunities, to help the station raise and beat their $1 million target.
