Having its own private radio has long been on of the unique attractions of the Greenbelt Festival. Now it's expanding. Tony Cummings reports.

When Peter Laverock first battered down the doors of the Home Office in 1983 to obtain an Experimental Special Events Licence he was creating a little piece of broadcasting history. The Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival were the first event to be granted such a licence.

Radio Greenbelt has today become a mainstay of what Greenbelt is all about. Now broadcasting on a powerful FM signal which can be heard three miles away, it's been estimated that over two thirds of the people attending the Festival listen to Radio Greenbelt sometime over the weekend. General manager of Greenbelt Martin Evans says "Radio Greenbelt plays a very important role at the annual festival by producing a general community spirit, keeping everyone informed with hot news, doing some good interviews and playing great music. It is very much an integral part of the Festival these days."

Since its inception in '83 Radio Greenbelt has also proven to be an invaluable training ground for young people keen to break into the world of broadcasting. Says Arthur Probert, chairman of the Festival Radio Association who runs Radio Greenbelt "Last year about a third of the 50 people involved in Radio Greenbelt come from the mainstream broadcasting industry. Others were involved in student and hospital radio while others were keen beginners who, having benefited from the broadcasting workshops we organise at Greenbelt, were able to join the team. There is an awful lot of teamwork involved in running a station which is on the air from 10pm on a Thursday night straight through, 24 hours without a break, until 10am on Tuesday morning!"

Arthur advises any Greenbelter arriving on site for the first time to look for the posters or the note in their programme giving details of Radio Greenbelt's wavelengths.

As well as Radio Greenbelt, the Festival Radio Association is now expanding to provide a radio station service for other Christian events, it's already negotiated the provision of a station for the 'Harvest' event in County Durham and many more events and festivals will be following. Says Arthur Probert "The aim of the Festival Radio Association is to provide a top rate radio facility for special events; to provide opportunities for training for those keen to enter broadcasting and to break down the misunderstanding and mistrust that sadly still exists between the church and the media."

Anyone whose heard the best of Greenbelt Radio will know they're succeeding in their aim.