The first public meeting of Hutt Radio was undertaken on Sunday at the Taita RSA.

The trustees spokeperson Eddie O’Strange undertook to explain to the crowd of about 40, the background, purpose , previous history of Hutt based radio stations and current funding concerns and conditions around the licence issued last year to the group. The meeting had several speakers  including ex Lower Hutt Mayor JohnTerris.

The principal goal was to secure funding of $37,000 for the transmission chain. The outcome of that meeting was this announcement yesterday :-

A big thank you to all those who attended the meeting on Sunday.
 

But we’re about to take a significant step forward:
we now have a private sponsor for the purchase of the transmitter.
We still need  a bit more funding to pay for all the technology
required for the complete chain from Naenae rooftop to Kaukau.
If you can pledge a donation (lump sum or drip-feed), contact me.
[Some public funding is also needed – to get everything into place.]

This a major step foward for the group sourcing funding to purchase equipment that will enable them to start broadcasting albeit BBC initially thus validating the minimal licence conditions. Further funding is required to expand coverage and content, but what with the positive attitude at the meeting, and more key people onboard, it would appear that a Hutt based community station has crossed their first hurdle