Nick Jackson meets the committed Christians behind Bolton's new radio station CHURCHMEN have been known to describe radio as the instrument of the devil. But some inventive local Christians have set about proving that although radio may be an instrument, but not necessarily for Old Nick's exclusive use. Another month-long experiment in community radio is about to get under way, with the launch on November 5 of Reach FM, a station run by a team of enthusiasts from Bolton Pentacostal Church.

Radio Bolton FM recently finished their third stint on air and are front runners to get a permanent licence .

But the Christians are in there too, although their approach is different. Reach FM will be more like a charity, relying on people giving their free time to work for something they believe in.

Advertising will be more restricted, and the emphasis is not necessarily on trying to make a profit.

The project to develop a church-based community radio station began to take shape at the Pentacostal Church 12 months ago, and much of the impetus is coming from its dedicated members led by Reach FM Chairman Terry Hanford.

The group was spurred on by a belief that church people in general are not often represented very positively in the media.

They are trying to be careful not to exclude other denominations. In fact they appear to be going out of their way to draw other "churches" into the project.

Don't get the wrong idea. According to the team setting up the station , this isn't going to be a self-righteous Bible thumping, ram-God-down-everyone's-throat vehicle.

Among the team of presenters is well known radio personality Mike Shaft, who like all of the team, is giving up his time to work on Reach FM.

Programme manager Stephen Ward explains: "We are not Christians from the happy, clappy fringes that the media often put forward as representative of religious people.

"It doesn't matter to us what denomination, or title, people put themselves in, it's irrelevant. The thing that counts is that we are putting across the message which we believe in.

"But it's not going to be, bang, bang, bang, American telly evangelist style. People would turn off fast. Within five minutes we would have lost anybody we wanted to talk to."

In fact there is likely to be an extremely diverse choice of music on the station. In keeping with their desire not to put people off they will restrict the number of out and out Christian records to one every 15 minutes.

Dave Bullock is one of the presenters and is responsible also for dealing with sponsorship.

He said: "The stuff we're playing is going to be quality stuff, I really believe there's so much great music that just doesn't get played.

"The CDs I've been getting to play are blowing my mind on a music basis, let alone what the words are saying."

"If it was possible to dismiss the Word, then it would be as good as anything that's coming out on Radio One, there's that kind of quality around now."

Press and publicity officer Tom Jones puts the case for the Christians eloquently. He said: "One of the things I would like to say to people is: "Why don't you try Jesus Christ? We don't have people at the doors in churches stopping you from walking out if you don't like it."

Feature items will also create topical debate on important social issues.

Tome explained: "For example, we will discuss the fact that many modern women believe their children don't need a father.

"These issues are of great social importance, because they affect the way the community in a town like Bolton lives."

The coundown to their first broadcast, which will be on106.2 FM, the same as Radio Bolton, begins on Saturday, October 26, with an exhbition event on Victoria Square, Bolton. This is followed on November 5 by a bonfire near the Pentacostal Church in Bury Road, to celebrate the first broadcast.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.