Fix Radio – the builders’ radio station – raised half a million pounds through friends, family and tradespeople on the opening morning of its crowdfunding drive. The investment initiative – which opens nationally to the public today – serves to be one of the most significant raises in the UK following its closed-community launch on the 13th April, and the first of its kind for a new national broadcaster.

Over the last five years Fix Radio has built a loyal trade audience in London and Manchester with its blend of entertaining content, powerful coverage of issues such as mental health and tool theft, and varied music libraries. The powerful response from tradespeople across the country on the opening morning of its crowdfunding drive is a great showing of industry solidarity and stands to be one of the most successful industry-facing crowd funds in UK history.

Anybody can register an interest in joining Fix Radio’s crowdfunding drive, with the investment round officially open to the public on April 19th. Those that invest will own a share of the company and join an online community with one-off exclusive rewards and events. The investment raised during the round will be used to support marketing initiatives to power the station’s national expansion and build the brand across the country. A range of financial incentives have been provided for participation including:

£10+ – Join an exclusive online community of other investors/listeners and Fix Radio staff
£250 – Receive an exclusive Fix radio investor merchandise pack in addition to previous reward
£500 – Invitation to exclusive Fix Radio event featuring on-air talent and Fix staff in addition to all previous rewards
£1,000 – Invitation to Fix Radio offices and studio for exclusive networking event with Fix staff and on–air talent in addition to all previous rewards
£2,500 – Have your name immortalised in the Fix Radio studio on an engraved investor wall in addition to all previous rewards
£10,000 – Receive an engraved, personalised trophy site radio in addition to all previous rewards
£50,000 – A Bald Builder will get a Fix Radio tattoo in your honour on the brand new breakfast show in addition to all previous rewards

Louis Timpany, founder of Fix Radio, commented on the launch of the investment round:

“We’re allowing tradespeople across the country to buy into Fix Radio. For the first time, we are opening our doors to outside investment whether that is £50, £100 or £5,000, it all matters, and it will all help to build our funding total to take Fix Radio nationwide.

“We have seen unprecedented interest in the early stages of the sign-up stage, with hundreds of tradespeople having pre-registered their intent for our crowdfund. Through our expansion, we will continue to educate the industry on unmissable news stories as we grow to be the authentic voice of builders in the UK.”

Fix Radio’s backstory:
After working on building sites for six months, founder and CEO, Louis Timpany saw first-hand how builders relied on the radio during busy periods to keep their energy and morale up, but he was dismayed by the monotonous and limited music-choice played on mainstream media outlets, and boring spoken content featuring unrelatable stories.

As a result, he launched Fix Radio in 2017 to target the 2.2 million construction workers in the UK, providing a mixture of authentic trade voices, up-beat music and content relevant to builders on-site. From the start of May, Fix Radio will start broadcasting nationally.

Currently broadcasting on DAB in London and Manchester, online and app-based listening platforms, the station features some of the biggest talent in the industry, including Facebook superstars the Bald Builders, BBC radio pundit and formerly Cowboy Trap presenter, Clive Holland and the country’s most famous plasterer, Chris Frediani of DIY SOS. Already reaching an audience of 85,000 tradespeople per week across London and Manchester, Fix Radio aims to be the go-to radio station for UK builders.