Community radio station AIR Dorset has secured a major £60,000 sponsorship deal with care provider Agincare, supporting the station’s continued growth and expansion across the county.
The three-year agreement will see Agincare become AIR Dorset’s exclusive primary partner, providing financial backing while the station continues to deliver community radio programming and advertising opportunities for the care provider.
The partnership comes at a pivotal moment for the station, which has recently taken over new premises in Maiden Street, Weymouth, where work is underway to renovate the building and install purpose-built broadcast studios.
The studios, which are nearing completion, have been designed with the future of broadcasting in mind, ensuring AIR is ready for digital expansion including DAB radio, while enabling the station to deliver more local news, programmes and community content across Weymouth, Portland and eventually throughout Dorset.
The announcement also marks a significant milestone for the station, which faced the possibility of closure last year.
AIR was originally started in 2011 by Sixth Form Tutor, Carl Greenham as a school project, before developing into a community radio station serving Weymouth and surrounding area’s.
However, the station’s future was placed in doubt in late 2025 until local businessman Jamie Lyones stepped in to take over the station in November alongside returning station manager and founder Carl Greenham, both now securing AIR’s future and setting out a new direction for the broadcaster with a brighter future.
Since the takeover, AIR has undergone a period of rapid growth. Alongside the development of the new studios, upgraded transmitters, and new modern equipment, many more local businesses have come on board as advertisers, attracted by the station’s renewed vision and long-term plans.
Listener numbers have also significantly increased as the station expands its focus on local news, Dorset-focused programming and community stories, strengthening its role as a platform for local voices.
Jamie Lyones, Commercial Director at AIR Dorset, said:
“It’s fantastic news that local business giants Agincare have come on board to support our vision of providing the community with its only truly local radio station. Without AIR, Weymouth would not have a local dedicated platform for businesses to advertise and for the community to hear what’s happening across the local area.
“We are already expanding and building strong partnerships with a growing number of local advertisers, which is incredibly encouraging. Agincare committing to this partnership for three years shows the strength of the relationships we’re building and the confidence businesses have in what AIR is delivering for the community.”
Adam Luckhurst, Director at Agincare, added:
“We’re delighted to announce our exclusive partnership with AIR 107.2. At Agincare, we have a strong track record of working closely with local businesses in Weymouth and across Dorset, and partnerships like this help us stay connected with the communities we serve.
“We are particularly passionate about supporting community-focused local media, which plays an important role in bringing people together and sharing the stories that matter most to local residents.”
As AIR continues to expand, the station is also seeking further new advertisers along with new volunteers, including people interested in gathering local news and community information, as well as presenters to host new shows across the schedule.
Anyone who believes they have something to offer and would like to be part of a growing community radio station serving Dorset is encouraged to get in touch with the station, media students and future presenters are now invited to come and get involved in these exciting times. Interested advertisers and volunteers should email: directors@air1072.com
