A radio station with a difference is appealing for more volunteers to help it make a difference to the lives of its listeners – and patients.
Hospital Radio Yare is a totally voluntary station based behind the James Paget University Hospital and has been successfully broadcasting for 40 years. It provides a music service to the hospital’s patients, putting out around 90 hours of music and live broadcasts a week.
Until recently, Radio Yare transmitted on 1350AM but thanks to technology and its engineer the station now broadcasts online as well. It means the patient no longer has to rely on the availability of headphones but can access the wide and varied programmes on their mobile phone or tablet - subject to where their stay is in the hospital.
Anyone can log on to www.hospitalradioyare.com and on the front page they will find a link to the output channel.
Spokesman Bob Warnes said: “Being a voluntary set-up means we rely totally on sponsorship and donations to pay for our broadcasting licences and station maintenance.
“We are not a commercial station and as such we cannot ‘sell’ advertising but we can however mention our sponsors and their contribution to that particular programme. If anyone would like to sponsor a programmes please get in touch and we will provide all the details.”
The website also has a sponsorship form which can be downloaded.
A motley crew of volunteers runs the station and every now and then they have a recruiting drive to drum up help.
Bob added: “At the moment we are looking for programme presenters to fill the odd gaps we have in our schedule and also request collectors to visit patients in the wards.
“Would-be presenters can come and have a preview of the station, tell us their favourite type of music or a genre they know about and are comfortable with and they will be trained before being let loose on the desk.”
Age is also no barrier with current presenters ranging in age from 18 to the mid 70s.
Bob said: A great many professional DJ’s started their broadcasting careers with hospital radio and with even more stations opening up it can be a fantastic springboard to a media career.”
Tim Burgess is the chairman, Linda Rumble is secretary/treasurer . Andrew Harris is training officer and Shane Carson is the engineer and, quipped Bob, “he is the main man, the one who keeps us on air!”
For contact details go to www.hospitalradioyare.com, it’s all there at the click of a mouse!
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