Dom Chambers hosted a community celebration of 15 years work with Somer Valley FM and Sound Vision - a charity he founded to facilitate and support the radio station’s training programme.

The event on Monday, July 8, combined the annual awards celebration that Somer Valley FM host with some special guest appearances from the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Mohammed Saddiq, and the High Sheriff of Somerset, Rob Beckley.

The Lord Lieutenant is the ceremonial officer who represents the king in the county, and the High Sheriff supports third sector organisations and encourages crime prevention. Both helped Dom give out special awards that recognises some individuals for their outstanding contribution to community media in developing Somer Valley FM. This years’ recipients were volunteers who had been at the station since it’s beginnings.

Fifteen years ago on July 8, Dom was appointed to set up and run Somer Valley FM, which started out as a classroom project at Somervale School but soon developed into a community enterprise which continued a close relationship with local schools.

Mark Kenny and Chris Watt, both award winners from the night, along with former headteacher (and previous award winner) Michael Gorman, created the vision that Dom was then appointed to deliver.

Awards were also handed out to Ray James, Tim Carter, and long service Somervale School teacher Alistair Hannan who were all on air Somer Valley FM’s first week in October 2008.

In 2017, Dom launched Sound Vision CIO to amplify the training outcomes of Somer Valley FM. The charity’s vision was to link skills-based learning with local radio and community development. The training was helping with significant social challenges around loneliness, isolation, lack of opportunities and mental health issues.

Awards were given to Maxine Stride, Yvonne Bignall, Maggie Harding and Sue Roberts, who have all have been central to creating Sound Vision, along with Pete Helmore, who previously won an award for his contributions to both media enterprises.

Later, Dom had an opportunity to share how he’s taking Sound Vision forward when he was interviewed on stage by Alice, a Year 10 Norton Hill student who was born in the same year Somer Valley FM launched. She is a longstanding, committed participant of the After School training that Sound Vision offer.

Dom said: “The demands on Sound Vision’s training programmes are currently greater than the resources to deliver them. As funding is identified, the vision is to develop open access community training hubs in Bristol and Glastonbury while developing the existing programmes in Midsomer Norton, Bath and Wandsworth.”

He added that key participants such as Alice and her contemporaries were a central force in taking this forward as Sound Vision is now a community and participant driven charity.

In an unexpected twist to the evening, Dom was presented with an award recognising his valuable services to the community by the High Sheriff of Somerset.

The Lord Lieutenant congratulated Dom for his leadership over the last fifteen years in developing a charity that supports young people who lack opportunity by partnering with local schools and community groups.