Children in Need digital radio available for pre-order

A radio specially designed for Children in Need has today (August 24) become available for pre-order.

The Tivoli Audio Model 10+ Children in Need has been designed by David Hampson of Cardiff, who entered a competition launched by Radio 4's Today programme in July.



The Design-a-Radio contest was inspired by the BBC's move to its newly-refurbished Broadcasting House at Portland Place, the original home of the Children in Need programme.

Hampson's design features coloured curves on the radio side panels that are intended to replicate the perspective view of looking up at Broadcasting House.

"The front display face on the radio echoes two of the features of the original Broadcasting House, the clock face surround and the roof aerial, but keeping these details reasonably simple and uncluttered," Hampson explained.

"The curves on the side panels of the radio are based on the perspective view of the new building when looking up from the new courtyard."



He added: "On the right side panel the light blue represents daybreak over the still-darkened building, with the two lit windows showing that journalists on the early shift are already hard at work.

"These curved shapes also pay reference to radio and sound waves and the complex patterns that they form. The different colours of the veneer panel are a modern take on the marquetry detailing on traditional radio cabinet design; the different shades of blue giving it a crisp contemporary feel."

Tivoli has produced a limited run of the devices and they are now available for pre-order via www.tivoliaudio.co.uk/cin/ or over the phone, with a view to delivery in October.

The Tivoli Audio Model 10+ BBC Children in Need radio costs £199, with £50 from each set going to Children in Need. Tivoli will take no profits from sales of the sets.



Inside the radio is Tivoli's smallest and best-performing DAB capable of receiving all the digital radio networks, including the BBC stations.

The sets will go on sale for a limited period between now and December 2012. Initially, only 1,500 have been produced, but more could be made if there is the demand.

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