Mary Dowson

Mary Dowson's bio

I’m the Director and one of the founders of Bradford Community Broadcasting (BCB), a community organisation committed to bringing about social change. For over 25 years we’ve been broadcasting BCB Radio, the pioneering Community Radio station in Bradford. I grew up in a big family in South London, moving to Bradford in the late 1970s to study Peace Studies at the University. Since then, other than a couple of years living in Italy, I’ve made Bradford my home.

Before BCB, my background was in youth and community work, community education and teaching at Bradford College. Growing up without a TV, I developed a real passion for radio so the coming together of my two passions — community and radio — was a perfect fusion!

BCB is about providing the space, support and opportunity for everyone to have voice in the media, bringing together people from diverse communities, neighbourhoods, ages and life experiences to be part of BCB, using radio as a tool to create community both over the airwaves and within our building. I’m driven by a belief in people, their right to actively participate in all aspects of life, and finding ways of working together in Bradford to make this happen.