MAYORAL VISIT!

The mayor of Weston Councillor Ciaran Cronnelly was live on air on the Talk of the Town show to discuss his year in office.

Ciaran is nearing the end of his mayoral duties, and was invited to share his memories with presenter Laura and the patients of Weston General. He spoke of his ‘whirlwind year’ which has seen him run a marathon around the town, and raise more than £9,000 for the Foodbank, a charity very close to his heart.

When quizzed about his favourite part of Weston he picked the seafront, and said he loved playing in the arcade on the Grand Pier. He was especially proud to have beaten the challenging ‘claw’ machine to win a toy once!

Ciaran was asked to pick two songs to be played out on air. His first choice was Mr Brightside by The Killers, a song that he said always made him smile, and the lyrics get stuck in his head.
For his second song (one that would cheer patients up) he had a bit of help from the mayoress Katherine. She chose Dancing in the Moonlight by Toploader, as it is a real ‘feel good tune’.

Ciaran was also challenged to take part in the Talk of the Town’s headline word, a quiz where one or more words in a news story are removed, and you have to guess what they might be. Although he didn’t even come close with his guess he still enjoyed himself. Maybe he needs to take on the challenge again in the future!

RAINBOW GARDEN REOPENING

It was a delight for Sunshine Hospital Radio to be invited to the opening of the rainbow garden at Weston General Hospital on Sunday 20th November 2022.
This garden will be a safe 'Peace of Mind' space for the medical team at Weston General to sit, relax and rest, if only for a moment.

The idea for this garden was the brain child of Pauline White, clinical site manager at UHBW, who saw this small area of the hospital being overgrown and wanted to do something about it that would benefit her colleagues.
She linked up with local artist James SB Richardson whose artwork has been displayed around the garden (constructed and put in place by Sign and Print Factor).

Pauline and the local team from Silver Lining led by Greig Difford all worked incredibly hard to ensure the garden was completed on time.

James has been supported on the project by many companies and celebrities including, Weston born actor and comedian, John Cleese.

The Deputy Mayor, Pete McAleer, was also in attendance and was suitably impressed with the garden, the artwork and the rainbow cake!

Both James and Pauline took the time after the reopening to join us in our studio for an exclusive interview.

[Photos: Claire Lewis].

SUPPORT SUNSHINE WITH NEW LOTTERY!

Exciting news! You can now support Sunshine Hospital Radio with the North Somerset Community Lottery!

North Somerset Community Lottery is a weekly lottery that raises money for good causes in North Somerset.

Tickets are £1 each, and 50% from each ticket sold goes to Sunshine Hospital Radio, and there’s a chance to win the £25,000 jackpot every week!

A weekly draw takes place every Saturday night. Match all 6 numbers and you win the JACKPOT!

To find out more information and to be in with a chance of winning and support Sunshine Hospital Radio, buy your ticket HERE.

JUBILEE PICNIC IN THE PARK

Sunshine Hospital Radio were invited to attend The Mayor's Jubilee Picnic in recognition to the commitment and dedication they have shown to the community over the past year.

The event which celebrated The Queen's Platinum Jubilee was organised by The Mayor and Weston Town Council, and took place in the enchanted surroundings of Ellenborough Park. Live music was performed by the ever rousing Weston Brass.

MAYOR'S RECEPTION FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Mayor & Mayoress of Weston-super-Mare, Councillor James Clayton & Ms Kaylee Rose invited volunteers from Sunshine Hospital Radio to attend an evening reception celebrating the work of volunteers.

The celebration was hosted by V.A.N.S. at Weston Museum in the beautiful and distinctive historic building.

The Mayor welcomed guests with a motivational speech and thanked us for our hard work.
This was the first social engagement Sunshine volunteers had been able to attend since pre-pandemic times.

Steve Ledbrook, Sunshine Hospital Radio Programme Controller said: "It was so good to be back out with the other amazing North Somerset volunteer organisations. It was really special to have our work recognised by the Mayor."

Jo Newey, Chair of Sunshine Hospital Radio added: "Everyone was so optimistic and supportive of each others voluntary groups.
I also have to commend the organisers on the selection of cheese and biscuits, cracking!"

CHARITY CHRISTMAS PUB TOUR!

It's Christmas time around the corner, and DHSS (Des Henly's Singers & Strummers) are embarking on their 10th Charity Xmas Pub Tour. Singing carols and more modern 'pop' Xmas songs and raising money for charity. This year it's the turn of SUNSHINE HOSPITAL RADIO to benefit from the local band's performances.

Des Henly is a local guitar teacher. An ex professional musician who has recorded 5 albums, and 11 singles. He has toured as a support act, with his rock and roll band FUMBLE, with the likes of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Bill Haley and David Bowie as well as in his own right. Des gathered his many students together to create their own entity as DHSS.

Up to when the pandemic struck, DHSS were to be seen performing in local pubs and other venues in the town. Their last performance was in August just gone when they rocked a Grove Park crowd from the bandstand.

The pandemic has also hit the fundraising efforts of Sunshine Hospital Radio, Chair of the charity Jo Newey said: "Like most charities the past 18 months have been very difficult for us, and whilst we were able to keep broadcasting to the patients using remote technology, our fundraising all but stopped. As a charity that relies on donations from the public we are incredibly grateful to Des Henly and his band for offering their support."

Sunshine Hospital Radio will be 'rattling' their collection tins in expectation as they travel with the band to three venues on Friday 10 December.
Starting at 7pm in the REGENCY PUB, in Upper Church Road, they will play Xmas fayre, old and new, for a short 35 minutes. All 12 of them will then play the second of the night’s venues:
The WINDSOR CASTLE PUB at the top of Baytree road. This will be at 8.30pm.
Finally they will finish this year’s Christmas 'romp' at the NEW INN PUB, in Crookes Lane Kewstoke.This last performance is scheduled for 9.45pm. (All times are approximate)

We welcome all support and hope to see three crowded festive pubs on the evening of 10th December. Please give generously!

RAISING SPIRITS FROM HOME!

A team of volunteers from Sunshine Hospital Radio have put together a special show of positive messages and song dedications for the patients and staff at Weston General Hospital.

The volunteers have been unable to access their studio, based in the hospital, since the lockdown procedures were introduced. However, thanks to recent studio equipment upgrades they have been able to maintain the station's radio programming from their homes.

Programme controller Steve Ledbrook said "Things have been challenging for us working remotely, but we had to keep the shows on air and the patients entertained more than ever as we know how lonely and anxious they'll be feeling."

But it was the recent temporary closure of the hospital that inspired Sunshine volunteers to create a special dedication show.
Station chairwoman Jo Newey said: "We wanted to create something that would provide comfort and joy to all listening, patients and staff. We all recorded special messages of support, along with song dedications, and asked our friends and family to do the same. We had a wonderful response with heartwarming recordings and inspiring song choices."

Jo added: "We are very proud of the hardworking and brave staff at Weston General, and if we can do anything to raise a smile amongst them then we are honoured to do our bit."

Following the success of the first show Steve Ledbrook is planning another, and would welcome any messages and song dedications from the wider community.
If you are interested in helping please email info@sunshinehospitalradio.co.uk for more details.

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE!

Due to the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the Sunshine Hospital Radio team is unfortunately unable to broadcast live from our studio at Weston General Hospital.

We will however be remaining on air 24/7 with a selection of patients favourite music, hourly national news updates and a variety of recorded programmes.

For up-to-date information about coronavirus (COVID-19) you can visit https://nhs.uk/coronavirus

PERKING UP THE SHOWS!

Sunshine Hospital Radio would like to express their gratitude to Joe Perkins Music for generously providing instrumental music tracks.

These professionally produced tracks are being used as show and feature theme tunes to really enhance the quality of the shows.

Bristol based Joe Perkins can play a huge variety of instruments, as demonstrated in his tribute to local legends The Wurzels!

For more information, contact
Joe Perkins Music. www.joeperkins.co.uk

CHARITY CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF BRINGING SUNSHINE TO PATIENTS!

There was a party atmosphere at a hotel in Weston as a charity that entertains hospital patients celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Since first broadcasting in 1978, Sunshine Hospital Radio has helped to entertain thousands of patients in an effort to make their time in hospital more comfortable.
The free radio service, provided by volunteers, was created to deliver shows tailored to the requirements of Weston General Hospital’s patients, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Last Friday night, at The Royal Hotel, supporters of the charity gathered for a fun-packed night of dancing, music and food.

Members from the past were reunited to share fond memories and paid tribute to the organisation. Robbie Gill, who volunteered in the late 1990's said:
"It was so lovely meeting friends old and new. Well done to all involved for organising a successful night!"

Darran Huish, a representative of the national Hospital Broadcasting Association was a guest at the party. He was there to present a certificate of achievement to Sunshine Hospital Radio, he said:
"I'm proud to be able to present them with this Long Service Award. It's a tremendous party atmoshere and it's wonderful to be here to help celebrate Sunshine's 40th anniversary."

This year has been particularly busy for Sunshine Hospital Radio as the charity completed work on their new studio, which was officially opened in August by Glastonbury Festival organiser Michael Eavis.

Sunshine Chairman Jo Newey, said: "It's been great to get everybody together to share their happy memories of years gone by, and also look forward to the future of the station."

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL LEGEND OPENS NEW STUDIO!

Proud volunteers at Sunshine Hospital Radio welcomed the creator of the Glastonbury Festival, Michael Eavis CBE, to officially open their newly refurbished radio studio in Weston General Hospital on August 18th.

The £25,000 renovation took 2 years of fundraising, and the completion of the work has perfectly coincided with Sunshine Hospital Radio's 40th anniversary, as well as the NHS70 celebrations.

The studio has been redesigned and rebuilt with a more accessible layout suitable for wheelchair users. Broadcasting equipment has also been replaced and updated to be more user friendly for volunteers.
This will make creating new shows easier, and increase the variety of shows made specifically for the patients.

Michael Eavis was given a tour of the new studio, before recording an interview.
He said of the volunteers achievements; "You've raised an amazing amount, and what a tremendous job! You should all be very proud."

The charity received grants from the Big Lottery Fund and the Hospital Broadcasting Association, and thanked everybody who had supported them along the way.

Jo Newey, Chair of Sunshine Hospital Radio, said "It's taken a lot of hardwork and determination from our volunteers to get to this point, but the goal of entertaining the patients and bringing smiles to the wards has always been a powerful incentive."

She added "We were delighted that Michael Eavis was able to visit our new studio and cut the ribbon. He's somebody that certainly knows the joy that music can bring to others!"

During the interview Michael choose 3 special songs:

1) A song that always makes you smile – How Long Will I Love You, Ellie Goulding.

2) A song you love to singalong to – Songbird, Fleetwood Mac.

3) A song that summarizes the Glastonbury Festival - My Way, Frank Sinatra.

SOCIAL GROUP'S DONATION HELPS ENSURE STUDIO COMPLETION.

Members of Moose International, Weston-super-Mare Lodge 55 & Ladies Circle have donated £300 to Sunshine Hospital Radio after raising funds through a variety of events.

SHR Treasurer Dave Lloyd was handed the cheque at a presentation meal, he said:
“The donation will help us purchase the last few pieces of new and vital equipment that will get our live shows back on air."

Moose International, Weston-super-Mare Lodge 55 & Ladies Circle were delighted to help support the fantastic work that the dedicated SHR volunteers provide.

FUNDRAISE FOR SUNSHINE ONLINE!

You can now fundraise online for Sunshine Hospital Radio using www.justgiving.com/sunshine-hospital

Previously we could only receive donations via text message, but you can now create a fundraising page for your event and raise money online for Sunshine Hospital Radio!

Taking part in an event? From a marathon, triathlon or charity bike ride to a sponsored walk or trek. Raise money for any official event.

Celebrating an occasion? Ask friends for donations rather than birthday or wedding gifts.

Remembering someone? Pay tribute to a loved one by collecting donations for a cause they cared about.

Doing your own thing? Shave your head, give up chocolate, do something unique!

[May 2017] McCOLLS DONATION!

The manager of neighbourhood retailer McColls paid us a visit to help with our studio fundraising.

Manager Ray presented the cheque for £66.50 to Sunshine volunteers Jo and Ian.

Ian had told Ray about our studio rebuild and this was when Ray kindly nominated Sunshine Hospital Radio to receive the donation from 'Making a Difference Locally'.

Making a Difference Locally (MADL) is a charity launched to help independently run local stores to add value to their communities. The charity helps the stores achieve this by allowing them to nominate charities or good causes that are local to them to receive a specific donation from us.

[2016] WE'RE STILL BROADCASTING 24/7, BUT...

Sunshine Hospital Radio is currently being refurbished and this means it will be broadcasting an increased selection of music to cover the shows which would normally be presented live in the studio.

During this time the studio will be transformed with updated equipment and increased accessibility for volunteers with reduced mobility.

The new equipment will make it easier for our volunteers to create and present new shows designed specifically for the patients of Weston General Hospital.

However, for all of this to happen we need to raise at least £20,000. A huge target, but one that will secure the future of Sunshine Hospital Radio for many years to come.

We aren't able to say when 'normal service' will be resumed as this depends on when we have raised the money for the equipment, so if you are able to help with fundraising then please do Contact Us!

[10/4/16] WE PRESCRIBE A HEALTHY DOSE OF HOSPITAL RADIO!

A new report has confirmed what many of us already thought, that Hospital Radio is good for you!

The Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) commissioned an independent piece of research into the impact of hospital broadcasting on health outcomes for patients. A UK wide study was completed involving over 250 individuals including patients, staff and hospital radio volunteers.

The study revealed that there was evidence of hospital radio stations having an impact on psychosocial health outcomes in the following ways:

• Boredom reduced by entertainment, loneliness reduced by social interaction
• Anxiousness / frustration reduced by being calming and reassuring
• Disorientation reduced by creating a sense of belonging
• Depersonalisation reduced by making one feel like an individual
• Health and wellbeing awareness increased by providing information

With contributions from hospital radio stations, staff within hospitals and patients and their families, the participants in the research recognised the positive impact of hospital radio on reducing boredom, loneliness and anxiousness.
Moreover, insight from the research revealed that hospital radio was actually positively influencing all of these psychosocial outcome measures.

The financial benefits were also covered. When a hospital radio contributes to an improved patient experience, which reduces the length of stay by one day, the activity of the station is contributing to a £400 per patient saving which is the average cost of an NHS hospital bed per night (Georghiou et al, 2014).

If you would like to read more, the full report is available HERE.

[19/3/16] SUNSHINE SCOOPS PRIZE AT NATIONAL RADIO AWARDS!

Volunteers at Sunshine Hospital Radio are celebrating after winning Bronze at the National Hospital Radio Awards, which took place on Saturday at a glittering gala event at the Hilton Hotel, Watford.

The National Hospital Radio Awards is an annual celebration of the excellent year-on-year standards found in over 200 hospital radio stations across the country.

Sunshine Hospital Radio, which operates from Weston General Hospital, had been shortlisted in the 'Best Speech Package' category for their programme "Swooping In and Saving Lives" which focussed on the work of the Great Western Air Ambulance charity.

At the ceremony, the Bronze award was presented to Sunshine Hospital Radio, with the judges commenting: "We felt this was an interesting topic with a gripping interview with one patient, saved by the Air Ambulance. It’s a subject that will mean a lot to many of those listening."

Marcus Tripp and Laura Tremelling, who created the programme, were thrilled by the result. Speaking on the award, Marcus said: "We're delighted and astounded that the programme we put together for the patients in Weston General Hospital has received recognition at a national level. It makes us incredibly proud of the whole team at Sunshine.”

Laura added: "Whilst making the programme we learned so much about the great work the air ambulance charity does – it was a real pleasure."

Hospital broadcasting volunteers received an extra surprise at the awards ceremony when British Astronaut Tim Peake sent a special message direct from the International Space Station. He tweeted to his global followers: “Well done to all the nominees in tonight’s National Hospital Radio Awards in the UK. Thank you for all you do, entertaining patients.”

Pictured right: Laura and Marcus with their 2016 National Hospital Radio Award.

[18/1/16] RNLI WESTON VISIT SUNSHINE RADIO

They are often called the fourth emergency service, and have saved many lives in Weston. We were privileged to interview two crew members from the RNLI.

Chris and Spin visited the studio to talk about the work of the RNLI, a vital service that relies on donations. Chris has been part of the crew for five years, whereas Spin is an old hand at the job – having been with the crew for 50 years! He started out as a crewman, who would go out on the boats, but now he is in charge of launching the boats.

The crew of the RNLI know that when they get a call someone’s life could be in danger, and they are also very aware of the fact that they are heading out into dangerous waters. Spin was asked how the crew coped with this pressure, and the uncertainty of what they would be facing, he said
“At the time of the call the crew are just on autopilot, focussing on helping the person in need. We're a very tight-knit group, and after particularly difficult missions we'll sit down and discuss it, and offer help and advice to those who need it."

Weston beach in particular can be quite a dangerous one – due to the mud flats. Many tourists, who do not know the conditions of the beach, are not aware how quickly you can sink. The immediate reaction of a person stuck in the mud would be to panic, and struggle to pull yourself free.
However Spin said this is the worst thing you could do. Instead if you find yourself in this position the best thing to do is lie down, spreading your weight across a bigger area, and call for help. If you struggle you will only sink faster.

Spin has also recently found out that he is to be awarded an M.B.E. and has promised to come back after he receives his award and tell us all about it!

If you'd like to support RNLI Weston then click HERE for more information.

Pictured right: Chris and Spin from RNLI Weston.

[11/1/16] SUNSHINE WELCOMES 4 LEGGED GUEST!

It was a first on Sunshine Hospital Radio as the 'Talk of the Town' special guest was a dog!

Luckily, Annie the Labrador brought along her friend Linda to chat to show host Laura Tremelling, about her work with The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
This also meant Annie could just snuggle down under the desk.

As a part of the show Laura interviews local groups and charities, so we were delighted that Linda could come along and tell us more about the Guide Dogs.

People who are partially sighted or blind can become isolated, too nervous to go out alone, that's where the adorable Annie, and many other dogs like her, can help.

Annie has become the eyes for her owner, helping her to cross the street safely. She also protects her owner, keeping her away from dangerous obstacles and so giving her more independence.

The Guide Dog Association relies on dedicated volunteers who give up their time to train puppies to become their owners eyes. A challenging, but immensely rewarding job!
They are always looking for volunteers, either to train the puppies, or to help out at various events.

For more information please visit The Guide Dogs Weston Super Mare Fundraising Group or phone 01189 838722.

Pictured right: Linda, Annie the Labrador and Laura.

[1/1/16] RADIO AWARDS SHORTLIST FOR SUNSHINE!

Sunshine Hospital Radio has been shortlisted in two categories of the 2016 National Hospital Radio Awards.

Volunteers Marcus Tripp and Laura Durrant have made it to the final 10 in the 'Best Speech Package' category which recognises excellence in speech-based programming and interviewing skills.
Their programme "Swooping in and Saving Lives" focused on the work of the Great Western Air Ambulance.

Laura is also in the running for 'Female Presenter of the Year', recognising the female voice that best represents everything that is great about Hospital Radio.

Laura said "This is fantastic news to start 2016, and great that Team Sunshine will be at the awards, which is always a fun night!"
Marcus added "The HBA put on a spectacular event, and it's a wonderful opportunity to catch up with hospital radio teams from around the country."

Organised by the Hospital Broadcasting Association and is the most prestigious awards exclusively for Hospital Radio. It is an annual celebration of the excellent standards found in hospital radio stations across the country and open to over 200 stations.

The award ceremony takes place during a gala dinner on the Saturday evening of the HBA Annual Conference, The ceremony will be held at The Hilton Hotel, Watford on Saturday 19th March 2016.

[1/1/16] SHR 2015 MOST REQUESTED CHARTS.

Here we have the 'Top 5 Most Requested Artists' and the 'Top 5 Most Requested Songs' of last year.
These were all chosen by the the patients or by their visitors and played on the Wardround Request Shows (Weekdays 8pm-9pm).

Top 5 Most Requested Artists:
1. Frank Sinatra [N.M.]
2. Elvis Presley [↑1]
3. Jim Reeves [N.E]
4. Queen [↑1]
5. Glenn Miller [↓1]

Top 5 Most Requested Songs:
1. Stranger On The Shore [N.E.]
2. My Way. [↓1]
3. Bring Me Sunshine. [↓1]
4. Bohemian Rhapsody. [N.E.]
5. In The Mood. [N.E.]

*Chart position movement relates to our 2014 Charts.
N.M.=Non Mover
N.E.=New Entry