More about St Francis

Outreach radio began life as Lockdown 100.7 FM in March 2020, under a temporary licence granted by OfCom to radio stations supporting local areas during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Their licence was twice extended, allowing them to broadcast continuously for nearly six months, until the 5th September 2020, at which point their licence expired with no further allowance for extension. Their coverage during that time reached Romsey, Eastleigh, Chandlers Ford, North Baddesley, Hedge End and other surrounding areas.

During their time on FM and online, they developed an amazing and overwhelming level of interest and support from listeners of all ages, local businesses, charities, voluntary groups, churches and local authorities, which led them to seek a way to continue this work and establish themselves as a permanent radio service.

They rebranded following the lockdown, and continued broadcasting via the Internet whilst establishing OUTREACH COMMUNITY RADIO C.I.C. as a not-for-profit, commercial community organisation, represented and led by local people.

They applied for a permanent licence which was awarded by OfCom on the 1st October 2020, and broadcasts recommenced via DAB Digital Radio to South Hampshire, the South Coast and the Isle of Wight. This ability to serve communities and go from a small-scale service to a commercially capable entity with immense coverage in approximately eight months, in the middle of a pandemic, gives an insight into their values and ethos, and the lengths they have gone to in supporting their communities and listeners.'

On Sunday mornings at 9am, DJ Rich Lawrence presents the Songs of Worship Show and really enjoys connecting with his listeners around the beautiful music and themes. Rich says, "If I can bring a smile to people faces, give them company and move them, then I have achieved all I want to do".
Being part of the Outreach Radio family is a true blessing and adventure!!

St Francis Church is a partnership between three denominations, the Church of England, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. Whilst our lead minister is Church of England, we rejoice in the diversity of traditions we represent - indeed it's wider than these three denominations! And we're so much richer because of it.

What does it mean in practice, apart from representing a broad range of traditions? Whilst the words we use at communion and other set prayers (liturgy) are often Anglican, we enjoy using prayers from other traditions too. In normal times our ministers swap several times a year to maintain a diversity of teaching and service styles.

We have several mission partners whom we support throughout the year and we're looking to add more both in this country and overseas. We are looking to partner with them so that we might learn more about what God is up to in the world, beyond our little parish here in Hampshire!

With this space...