Hello and welcome to my blog.
Over the past four years I have had the pleasure and privilege of writing a blog on our website.
I have decided to make changes to my blog by writing it on a quarterly basis, as there has been very little opportunity to report what Harrogate Hospital Radio has been doing.
During the past few months we have all had to change our way of life during the pandemic.
Now, whilst the hospital has been taking few patients on its wards and we have not had the opportunity to request collect, what we have been doing is playing out (on our WiFi radios) in various departments loud and proud.
As Harrogate Hospital Radio has been broadcasting through the pandemic, our request shows have been running back to normal albeit in a different format, requests are being played as and when we get them. The team at Harrogate Hospital Radio has been doing a fabulous job keeping the service running.
Last month, Harrogate foundation trust very kindly invited all volunteers, not only from HHR but all departments that have volunteers, to a tea and cakes morning in the teepee at the Cedar Court Hotel, as a thank you for volunteering through the past few months of the pandemic. We were greeted by Angela Schofield, HDFT chairman, and Sammy Lambert and her team, Lorraine Fox and new volunteer Dan Thirkell. Almost all of Harrogate Hospital Radios volunteers that have been active during the pandemic attended. Our thanks to everyone involved in organising the event.
As we now have Cleanfeed at HHR, we are actively looking to recruit people with a disability that can’t access the studios, so they can present on HHR from the comfort of their home. David Simister and myself have been working with Disability Action Yorkshire to recruit our first volunteer, and the first tests on Cleanfeed with a prospective volunteer is going very well.
Also, we have new volunteers who have recently attended induction courses at HDFT and are now fully fledged members of HHR. Welcome to Marcia Clarke (presenter), Susan Evans (request collector), John England (request collector), Jonny Machin (presenter), Jacob Lindley (prospective presenter), and finally Steve Allen (prospective presenter).
Daniel Wilson is the latest recruit to join the team as a presenter and he is Daniel is currently undergoing training.
Other news:
As we sadly cannot fundraise at the moment, e are looking at ways to raise funds and Oliver Stables has come up with an excellent idea….
As you may be aware Harrogate Hospital Radio has been unable to carry out any of their normal fundraising this year, and with the decision to cancel our annual raffle held before Christmas, we are looking at alternative ways to raise funds. One of the alternatives that we have thought about is the supporting of the local Harrogate Lotto. Tickets cost £1 per week and at the time you purchase the ticket you choose a local cause to benefit.
If you select Harrogate Hospital Radio as your chosen cause, we receive 50 per cent of your lotto ticket purchase; 50p! Members, if you could spread the word to family, friends and work colleagues about the local lotto and the fact this will be our main means of fundraising this year.
The funds raised by this means would enable us to continue our work in these unprecedented times and allow us to maintain and grow our hospital radio station for the benefit of patients, staff and visitors to Harrogate District Hospital. Details on the local lotto can be found on www.thelocallotto.co.uk and don’t forget if you are buying a ticket to choose Harrogate Hospital Radio as the good cause you would like to support.
If you have any other ideas on fundraising that can be carried out safely, please do not hesitate to contact Oliver directly.
So……
Until the next blog in three months, please stay safe and keep tuned to Harrogate Hospital Radio.