On Thursday 5 March, Rutland and Stamford Sound celebrated their fifth birthday, inviting local people and community groups to join them in marking the occasion.

The Rutland and Stamford Sound did a birthday broadcast live from their 'birthday bus', touring towns and villages around Rutland and Stamford, with scheduled stops at key locations on route.

They kicked off the day in Oakham with dancing from Rutland Morris at the Market Place.

They were joined by the High Sheriff and Lord Lieutenant of Rutland, along with members of the public waving the station's flags.

From Oakham, driver Inez took the station team and volunteers to Uppingham, stopping on the way at Rutland Water to speak to Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust reserve manager Joe Davis about the various anniversaries they are also celebrating this year.

In Uppingham, over thirty community singers performed Kool and the Gang's Celebration and Happy Birthday, led by MD Gavin Ashley-Cooper.

Local choir member Hilary Goldsmith commented "I really enjoyed our community singing. Fun to do & thought we did well in the short time given to rehearse. Lovely to see people from different choirs too. Happy birthday RSS!"

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The performance was played live on the radio and has been re-broadcast since.

The next stop was the Birch Tree Café in Easton-on-the-Hill, where staff and visitors welcomed the bus.

RSS wanted to highlight the cafe's important work creating a safe and supportive workplace for young people with Down's Syndrome, enabling them to gain experience and independence.

The bus tour finished at Burghley House, where the bus was joined by a spectacular community convoy of walkers, cyclists and dogs through the house's iconic parkland.

Participants then enjoyed cake donated by Love Life Eat Cake from Oakham and listened to live music from award-winning Ukrainian composer Yaroslav Oliinyk.

Normanton Church lit up in the station's colours (Photo: Rutland and Stamford Sound)

Since its launch in 2021 Rutland & Stamford Sound has more than doubled in listeners, providing local people with a valuable source of local news and information, plus great music, 24 hours a day.

As a Community Interest Company the station is led by Station Manager Rob Persani, supported by a team of over 30 local presenters and volunteers who undertake a wide range of tasks behind the scenes.

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The station conducts hundreds of interviews and attends a huge number of events throughout the year, connecting the community and championing local people and businesses.

MP for Rutland and Stamford, Alicia Kearns said: 'I'm so delighted for the whole team but also it's a chance to say thank you for everything you do for our communities.

'We are so fortunate to have a local radio station focussed solely on our communities and, particularly in the pandemic, we felt that so strongly.

'Thank you for giving a voice to our communities, for supporting our communities, to keeping us informed. And here's to another five years time as you go from strength to strength.'