BITE Insight

The 'swinging sixties' was the era of free spirited hedonism, which put the emphasis on modernity and, in London, spurred on a youth-driven cultural revolution. At the heart of this was the appearance of pirate radio stations, the first of which, Radio Caroline, launched aboard a boat off the coast of Essex in 1964.

With the appearance of more mainstream radio stations and digital radio however, the pirate ships grew obsolete and eventually ceased to exist. But now, they have had a resurgence. Atomic worked alongside Wisebuddah to launch Last Pirate FM, a DAB community radio station, in support of Remember a Charity in Your Will Week.

The radio station tapped into the nostalgic world of pirate radio, harking back to the 60s to raise awareness and encourage people to remember a charity in their will, which is one of the most important sources of income for charities.

Last Pirate FM brought the famous pirate radio DJ Emperor Rosko, who made his name on Radio Caroline, out of retirement for one last show. Rosko, also one of the founding DJs of Radio 1, launched the station in London by sailing a replica Radio Caroline boat down the River Thames to Tower Bridge. The station then toured the UK through key historical music locations such as Liverpool, Bournemouth, Norwich and Edinburgh.

The station celebrated the legendary era of pirate radio in the 60s in the hope that it would encourage the baby boomer generation, who grew up listening to pirate radio, to leave a legacy for the next generation and Remember a Charity in their will.