University wins Station of the Year Gold at Community Radio Awards
Radio LaB, the University of Bedfordshire’s on-campus community radio station, has won the top prize of Gold in the prestigious Station of the Year category at this year’s Community Radio Awards for the first time in its history.
The landmark achievement recognises the quality of the station’s broadcasting, the dedication of its student volunteers, and the positive contribution it makes to the wider community. The judges praised Radio LaB as “a superb station with outstanding production values”, adding that “everything it does comes across with real pride, creativity, and personality”.
Radio LaB also took home Gold in the Voices of the Community category for The Coeliac Shack, a Radio LaB-produced programme exploring life with coeliac disease. The double win marks a major milestone for the station, celebrating both its overall excellence and its commitment to representing and engaging with diverse communities.
Winning Station of the Year for the first time at a national level is a particularly significant achievement for Radio LaB, recognising the talent, creativity and dedication of the students and team behind the station.
Terry Lee, Senior Tutor in Radio & Audio and co-ordinator of Radio LaB, said: “What a fantastic night for Radio LaB! Winning Gold for Station of the Year is an incredible achievement and something we’re immensely proud of. It reflects the outstanding work of our students and the reputation we’ve built over many years through our strong connections across Luton and beyond. The backing of the University of Bedfordshire puts us in a really special position, combining the resources of a university with the creativity and community focus of local radio.
“We’ve had radio at the University in one form or another since Luton FM launched in 1997, so to receive this recognition as we approach our 30th year feels particularly significant. We hope these awards inspire even more students and young people across Luton to get involved, create radio and audio with us, and discover what they can achieve.”
Based on the University’s Luton campus, Radio LaB gives students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a professional broadcasting environment, working with industry-standard facilities to develop skills in presenting, programme production, audio content and digital media.
The success reflects the University’s commitment to its Career-Powered Education ethos, helping students develop the knowledge, skills and experience to succeed in their chosen careers through opportunities that connect learning with the real world.
Speaking at the ceremony, Danielle Foley – one of Radio LaB’s student managers for 2025/26 – said: “This award is dedicated to all of our amazing volunteers at Radio LaB. None of this would be possible without them. It’s great to see this incredible community thrive and what we have been able to do over the past year has been great.”
Alongside its success at the Community Radio Awards, Radio LaB has also been shortlisted for an impressive nine awards at the 2026 Student Radio Awards. These winners are set to be announced on Tuesday 24 November 2026.