LGBTQ+ radio station GlitterBeam Radio has launched on digital radio in Cambridge.

The station, described as “aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, playing anthems and featuring a variety of speech formats and topics”, went live on DAB in the Cambridge area at 4pm today (29/12).

Founded by Eugenio Ceriello and Michael Walton-Dalzell, the station has been streaming online since July 2019, before being made available on DAB in the North East last month.

As well as playing music, GlitterBeam has also covered events such as Pride festivals in Birmingham, Dover and London and was nominated for a Rainbow Honours award in 2019, recognising “outstanding commitment to an LGBTQ community.”

The founders hope that the station will be “a different voice for the big LGBTQ+ community in Cambridge, and be actively involved in initiatives and events that can make Cambridge more and more inclusive.”

When asked about GlitterBeam’s plans for Cambridge, co-founder Eugenio Ceriello told Varsity: “Our intention is to organise inclusive events in local establishments: entertainment events, concerts, but also info points and conferences.

He went on: “And of course: PRIDE. After 2 years with restrictions and limitations on gatherings, Cambridge deserves a re-launch of the Pride initiative. We want to use the popularity the station has already acquired online to help to make a big Cambridge Pride in 2022.” 

Ceriello hopes that many Cambridge students join the team of over 40 volunteers that help run the station, telling Varsity: “We are starting to make contact with the LGBTQ+ groups in the university to make sure everyone can be aware of the opportunity.”