A RADIO station is helping to turn around the lives of young people who have suffered setbacks.

Gateway 97.8 FM has secured £9,000 from the National Lottery for the “Gateway to Production” scheme to help the project reach more students.

Tom ‘Kirby T’ Berry, 22, from Billericay, was referred to Gateway from Essex County Council after being expelled from school seven years ago.

He told the Echo how Gateway helped to keep him on the straight and narrow, and how he is now working as a disc jockey all over the country and overseas.

He said: “I was chucked out of school when I was 15 and it was looking like I was heading down the wrong path.

“I ended up being given an opportunity to do a six month course in radio broadcasting at Gateway.

“I decided to take the opportunity with music being such a big passion of mine and after the six months, I stayed on as a volunteer, and as time went on I secured my own weekly show.”

During his time at Gateway, Tom, also formed a music collective, Payback Entertainment, with his friends, MCs: Rolla, Agz, Tommy B, and TC, who are now becoming well known grime artists.

Tom then went on to do a weekly Grime set at Westside FM and also has his own monthly show at Pyro radio.

He has also DJed at Brownstock festival, in Chelmsford, with his crew, Payback, and has performed to more than 3,000 people in Bristol for high-profile rappers, Bugzy Malone and Izzie Gibbs.

In 2015, Tom met Grime artist, Manga, who was a member of Roll Deep Crew, which hit the main stream back in 2005.

The grime veteran took Tom to two sets on BBC Radio 1Xtra for Sian Anderson, DJ Target, and he went to a third with Sir Spiro, who invited him personally.

Kirby T then joined Manga on his tour around the UK and in Stuggart, Germany.

Tom added: “People now recognise my mixing style and sound.

“So if they are looking for my type of sound for their set they will get in contact.

“Gateway was the best starting point I could have asked for and I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I’ve had if it wasn’t for my time spent there.

“They have been a great help to me

“I occasionally still go back to Gateway to do DJ workshops with some of the new youngsters they are working with. “

Danny Lawrence, project lead for Gateway to Production, said: “We are delighted to receive this funding and really appreciate it as it means we can help more people from our community, as well as supporting our existing work that gives people of all ages the chance to learn transferable skills.

“We applied for the funding so we could offer our course to everybody so they can all get the same benefit.

“Tom is now doing very well since he came to us, and so are many others.”

Those on the course have the opportunity to learn about radio production, script writing and sound editing through completing a recognised qualification in radio production, with courses being tailored to suit the lifestyle needs of those they support.