Tackle The Tower 2024

18th May 2024 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

Southend Hospital Radio was proud to support Tackle The Tower 2024 at Southend University Hospital, and one of our team, Charlie Palmer, tackled the Tower himself.

Here are some extracts from our coverage:

Tackle The Tower 2024 Video

Tackle The Tower 2024 Interviews

Tackle The Tower – Feature broadcast 18 May 2024 (17 minutes)

Tackle The Tower 2024 Photos

View from the 10th floor – looking down!

The Southend Hospital Radio team for Tackle the Tower 2024

Charlie’s Challenge

Southend Hospital Radio’s own Charlie Palmer took the challenge!!

Charlie, getting ready for the descent!

Charlie, on his way down

Charlie, safely back on the ground

View from the wards

Our thanks to Debbie Ann Miller from some photos taken from her window on Shopland Ward, whilst listening to Southend Hospital Radio – Some great photos!

And finally!

Essex Pets As Therapy Dog supporting the event

Well done to everyone involved with this event for their hard work and bravery!

Events Tackle The Tower

100 Years of British Broadcasting

22nd August 2022 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

100 Years of British Broadcasting To commemorate the centenary of the start of British broadcasting, a special one-hour show was created for broadcast on the 14th of February 2022.

For a limited time, this show is being repeated on Southend Hospital Radio at 5pm on a Wednesday.

What’s it all about?

Prior to the launch of the BBC in late 1922, a small experimental station, known as 2MT, started the first UK broadcasting service in Writtle, Essex. This was the forerunner to the first BBC radio station. In our special radio show, we look back at how it all started and pay tribute to some of the radio pioneers who led to the birth of broadcasting…. and it all happened here in Essex!

The show “100 Years of British Broadcasting” was timed for broadcast at the exact same time that 2MT started broadcasting in 1922.

The Marconi 2MT Hut in Writtle

What’s in the show?

The show features exclusive interviews with Jim Salmon, a local radio enthusiast, and Marconi historian Tim Wander, author of the booth “2MT Writtle, the Birth of British Broadcasting”, with anecdotes and extracts from the pioneering experimental broadcasts.

The show then takes a look at developments over the next 100 years, including wartime radio, pirate radio in the 1960s, the launch of BBC Radio 1 and the start of UK commercial radio. The show also includes an interview with Adrian Fox, one of the original presenters at Southend Hospital Radio recorded especially for the event, as well as extracts from the
station’s launch in 1977. The show concludes with a tribute to Marconi, the day that the
airwaves fell silent, and the revelation that Peter Eckersley, the pioneer behind 2MT in 1922, predicted how radio would be delivered in the 21st century.

Jim Salmon, interviewed on 100 Years of British Broadcasting

Historian Tim Wander, interviewed on 100 Years of British Broadcasting

Essex is regarded as the birthplace of broadcasting and local hospital patients will likely be aware of Essex’s radio heritage, the local Marconi and Ecko radio factories, and the fact that many of the 1960s pirates started from the Essex coast. The show aimed to capture the 100 years of local radio history, and that today’s broadcasting all started in a small wooden hut, 16 miles from our studios.

On the evening of broadcast, a group of radio enthusiasts took to the airwaves to have run on-air and support the centenary.

Radio Enthusiasts celebrating 100 years of broadcasting, in February 2022

“100 Years of British Broadcasting” is presented by Southend Hospital Radio member Pete Sipple, and it’s been nominated for an HBA Award (thanks!)

For a limited time, this show is being repeated on Southend Hospital Radio at 5pm on a Wednesday. Listen online at www.getshr.uk

More Posts for Show: 100 Years of British Broadcasting

Shows

Tackle The Tower 2022

14th May 2022 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

On the 14th of May 2022, over 70 members of staff and relatives of patients bravely abseiled down the outside of Southend University Hospital’s main tower block, raising money for local goods causes. The Southend Hospital Radio team was there to capture the voices of some of those ‘Tackling the Tower’ about their experience.

This package was used in the evening’s magazine programme, aiming not only to capture the atmosphere of the day’s events but to highlight how patients and staff are supporting the NHS.

The audio package includes an interview with the local MP and the Trust’s Events Coordinator.

Tackle The Tower 2022

One Giant Leap from the Southend Hospital Towerblock

Interviewing MP Anna Firth

Events

HRH The Prince of Wales, on Southend Hospital Radio

30th June 2021 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

News of a rather special programme on Southend Hospital Radio on Sunday the 4th of July 2021.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, has recorded a special programme to say thank you to volunteers of hospital radio stations for their work in keeping communities connected and patients entertained during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Music & Memories with HRH The Prince of Wales

The programme, called Music & Memories with HRH The Prince of Wales, features some of The Prince’s favourite tracks, from artists including The Three Degrees, Diana Ross, Barbara Streisand and Edith Piaf.

In the programme, The Prince of Wales highlights the work volunteers at hospital radio stations across the UK have done over the last year, explaining that the role of hospital radio has been even more important during these current times, providing an invaluable service to patients, staff and families and reminisces on key life memories where music plays a significant role.

The show has been made possible thanks to the team at the national body the Hospital Broadcasting Association, and their Chairman Grant McNaughton said:

“The Hospital Broadcasting Association represents over 180 local radio stations delivering entertainment, information and health and wellbeing services to healthcare users across the UK, whether in hospital or the wider community. To express his gratitude to the army of dedicated hospital radio volunteers and their listeners, HRH The Prince of Wales, has offered to share his favourite music and his memories associated with each choice. We are exceptionally grateful for HRH The Prince of Wales to recognise the dedication to volunteers across the UK who have continued to assist healthcare providers throughout these difficult times.”

Pete Sipple, Chairman of Southend Hospital Radio said:

“We’re proud to be able to broadcast this special show presented by The Prince of Wales to the patients and staff at Southend University Hospital. Hospitals rely on an army of volunteers, especially during these challenging times. Hospital Radio has always been happy to play a part in entertaining patients and supporting the NHS, and it’s great that The Prince of Wales has taken time to record this unique show.”

The show will be broadcast across the UK, including on Southend Hospital Radio, on Sunday the 4th of July 2021. To listen, go to www.getshr.uk or ask your smartspeaker to “play Southend Hospital Radio”

News The Prince of Wales

Supporting Mental Health Minute 2021

13th May 2021 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

This Friday, the 14th of May 2021, Southend Hospital Radio will unite with every radio station in the UK for the 2021 “Mental Health Minute”

Millions of radio listeners around the UK, as well as patients and staff listening on the wards at Southend University Hospital, will hear a special message from The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, David Beckham, Dame Shirley Bassey, Joanna Lumley and Essex-born celebrities Jamie Oliver and Anne Marie.

Marking the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, the message will be broadcast at 10:59am on Friday, with the aim of reaching over 20 million listeners.

To listen to this unique message, go to www.getshr.uk at 10:59am on Friday.

Pete Sipple, Chairman of Southend Hospital Radio said: “The last year has been tough on many of us, and the Mental Health Minute highlights the importance of being able to reach out for help from organisations such as Shout 85258 when it’s needed. At Southend Hospital Radio, we’re proud to be one of 500 radio stations broadcasting this unique mental health message, and to be able to make this available to patients and staff listening within the hospital.”

Anyone who’s in need of support can text 85258, 24 hours a day.

More information

The event hashtag for the event is #MentalHealthMinute

This year, for the first time, the initiative is supporting Shout 85258 – the UK’s first free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service. The service provides round-the-clock support from clinical supervisors and trained volunteers to ensure no one has to face their problems alone. Shout was researched and developed by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as a legacy of the Heads Together campaign.

Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will voice the minute alongside influential voices from sport, music, and film. Featuring in the 2021 Mental Health Minute are:

• Anne Marie
• Charles Dance
• Dame Shirley Bassey
• David Beckham
• Hussain Manawer
• Jamie Oliver
• Jesse Lingard
• Joanna Lumley
• The Duke of Cambridge
• The Duchess of Cambridge

Simulcast to millions of listeners towards the end of the 2021 Mental Health Awareness Week – a national week hosted each year by the Mental Health Foundation, this year’s Mental Health Minute encourages everyone around the UK to keep talking about mental health. The message highlights how vital talking can be – just one conversation can be an incredibly powerful step for someone who is struggling with their mental health.

The script has been written by poet, writer, and mental health activist, Hussain Manawer, who has been a long-time supporter of both Shout 85258 and the mental health campaigns Heads Together and Heads Up, run by The Royal Foundation.

News Mental Health Minute

National Winners in the 2020 HBA Awards

13th April 2020 Pete Sipple One comment

Southend Hospital Radio was proud to pick up two national awards in this year’s Hospital Broadcasting Association Awards

The national awards ceremony was due to take place in Bolton this year, but due to the Coronavirus situation, the awards were held virtually this year, on Easter Monday, the 13th of April 2020.

Southend Hospital Radio was nominated for four national awards, the results as follows:

SILVER AWARD – Kara & Kathryn – Southend Hospital Radio Kids
BRONZE AWARD – Joe Smith – Best Male Presenter
NOMINATED – “Focus”, Best Station Promotion
NOMINATED – “McMillan Coffee Evening”, Best Special Event

Southend Hospital Radio Kids

When announcing the Silver award, the judges “praised this nicely delivered content and said that Kara and Kathryn demonstrated the required relevance to the hospital patients and the wider hospital community – fun and enjoyable to listen to.”

You can listen to the award submission here:

Best Presenter – Joe Smith, Southend Hospital Tonight

Commenting on Southend Hospital Tonight’s entry, the judges said that Joe had a “lovely friendly style that was really engaging, with a good local feel about the show”

You can listen to the award submission here:

Joe Smith Selfie from 15 June 2018

2020 Awards

There were nine programming categories in this year’s awards and we were up against some very prestigious stations. For Southend Hospital Radio to be nominated in four of those nine categories is something that our team should all be hugely proud of.

Southend Hospital Radio has been providing its unique service to the patients of Southend University Hospital since 1977 and is staffed entirey by volunteers.

Hospital radio stations are playing a pivotal role in the current Coronavirus pandemic, with many stations broadcasting remotely with presenters hosting programmes from their own homes. While many patients in hospitals aren’t able to have visitors, hospital radio is always there to be a friend at the bedside, providing entertainment, information and relaying messages from family and friends.

To see the full list of national winners, go here: HBA 2020 National Winners

Events HBA

Hospital Radio and Amateur Radio

8th February 2020 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

Southend Hospital Radio is proud to be involved with an initiative to link amateur (ham) radio to the NHS.

Amateur radio is a technical hobby that allows people to make contact around the world using wireless technology, and is ideal for anyone with an interest in radio or tech. Here’s what you can do with amateur radio:

Make contact using radio with people around the course, and round the world
Send and receive signals from satellites and the ISS
Build antennas and radio equipment
Learn more about how radio and related technologies work
Make friends with likeminded folk

We’re involved with the team behind GB1NHS, which uses amateur radio to promote various NHS schemes that lead to improved patient care. You can hear interviews during the day with the GB1NHS team, as well as the crew of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance.

We’ve recently linked up with local radio amateurs as part of the “Get On The Air To Care” campaign, and many have used their radio equipment to transmit messages thanking the NHS staff for their hard work – you’ll hear some of these broadcast throughout the day on hospital radio, and in our “Thank You Hour” show.

The pilot of the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance on amateur radio

On-air with amateur radio

Southend-based radio ham Sarah on-the-air

NHS nursing staff on the air End PJ Paralysis

Want to know more?

Have a listen to the following interview to find out more about ham radio:

Handy Links

Essex Ham – Southend-based ham radio club
Ham Train – Free ham radio training course
Hab Hub – More about amateur radio in the UK

Focus Amateur Radio, Ham Radio

Most Requested Songs of 2019

16th January 2020 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

Southend Hospital Radio has just announced its annual chart rundown.

Much of the music heard on the station is chosen by the patients, and each year, a Top Ten Most Requested Songs list is compiled. For the first time, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody tops the station’s chart.

Pete Sipple from Southend Hospital Radio said:

“For many years, Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ has dominated our charts as the most requested song, and it’s great to see Bohemian Rhapsody hit the number one spot this year.

We take part in a national chart with 19 other stations across the UK, and Queen’s 1975 hit topped that chart too. As well as being a classic song, it’s great for radio presenters too – at just under 6 minutes long, there’s just time for us to pop to the loo!

This year’s number 5, Hotel California, has a run time of six and a half minutes, so is a popular choice for radio presenters as well as for our listeners.”

Here’s the list of the 10 most requested songs of 2019:

Southend Hospital Radio 2019 Top 10
1	Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
2	Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
3	George Ezra – Shotgun
4	Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
5	Eagles – Hotel California
6	Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds
7	Frank Sinatra – My Way
8	Chris De Burgh – Lady In Red
9	Kenny Rogers And Dolly Parton – Islands In The Stream
10	Rag N Bone Man – Human

Here is a copy of the National Request chart, collated from data supplied by 20 hospital radio stations around the UK:

National Hospital Radio – Top 10
1	Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody
2	George Ezra – Shotgun
3	Frank Sinatra – My Way
4	Abba – Dancing Queen
5	Neil Diamond – Sweet Caroline
6	Queen – I Want To Break Free
7	Robbie Williams – Angels
8	Eagles – Hotel California
9	Ed Sheeran – Perfect
10	Pharrell Williams – Happy

Southend Hospital Radio is run entirely by volunteers and has been broadcasting for over 40 years. We’re always on the lookout for volunteers to visit patients on the wards, and to help out with our weekday evening magazine show, so if you’re interested in giving up some time to chat to patients and learn a little about the world of broadcast radio, you can find out more and apply to become a volunteer at www.southendhospitalradio.co.uk

Thanks to team members Ken Bennett and Simon Cordell for compiling our chart

News Requests

New Year with The Big Broadcast

1st January 2019 Pete Sipple Leave a comment

Southend Hospital Radio saw in the New Year by taking part in “The Big Broadcast 2018”. This on-air event involved over 35 hospital radio stations link together to keep patients around the UK entertained for a 42 hour marathon broadcast.

Here’s a short extract from the 2018 Big Broadcast, including a list of the hospital radio stations that took part, a mention for Southend Hospital Radio, and the Big Broadcast team welcoming in 2019.

Listen to extract of Big Broadcast 2018 (5min 25s)

The Big Broadcast’s schedule included a national request show, live music, and the Big Broadcast Pantomime. The studio’s antics were also broadcast via a live studio webcam, which had over 1,000 visits over th2 42 hours.

The 2018 Big Broadcast Team, waving on their studio webcam

Between the Christmas and New Year period, our volunteers were broadcasting programmes to the patients at Southend University Hospital, including the station’s two youngest presenters, Kara and Kathryn (both 11 years old). “Southend Hospital Radio Kids at Christmas” kept the youngsters on Neptune Ward entertained with a mix of music and Christmas Cracker jokes.

Listen to extract of Southend Hospital Radio Kids at Christmas 2018 (2mins)

Also broadcast over the festive period, a two-hour Boxing Day lunchtime special, hosted by KnnyB & LaineyM, and featuring songs from John Denver, Abba and Jessie J.

Southend Hospital Radio’s Chairman Pete Sipple said:

“We know it’s not a great time to be in hospital, and we hope that our mix of live shows, messages, features and requested songs kept patients entertained over the festive period. We’ve been broadcasting for over 40 years, thanks to our team of dedicated volunteers. It’s great that we could provide a kids Christmas show for the first time this year, and also take part in The Big Broadcast to link the various hospital radio stations together to see in 2019”

The 2018 Big Broadcast Team broadcasting to over 35 hospital radio stations

The Big Broadcast Team on-air to over 35 hospital radio stations

If you know of someone in hospital, let them know that Southend Hospital Radio can help to brighten their day and keep them informed of news from around the hospital. The station can be listened to on any Internet-enabled device such as a smartphone, tablet or laptop by going to www.getshr.uk

Southend Hospital Radio is also looking for volunteers, so if one of your New Year Resolutions is to give something back, then the radio station would welcome helpers to visit the wards and help present shows to make patients’ stay in hospital a little brighter. You can find out more details here: Volunteer for Southend Hospital Radio

Some of the Southend Hospital Radio 2018 team

News

EndPJParalysis – Hospital Radio Interviews

29th May 2018 Pete Sipple 2 comments

Southend Hospital Radio is proud to be supporting the NHS #EndPJParalysis campaign, and we recently had the chance to talk to the key names behind the campaign…

This national campaign is aimed at encouraging patients to get up, get dressed and get moving, as this can help get patients a step closer to getting home.

The team from the NHS – Promoting the EndPJParalysis Campaign

Radio Interviews

We have created a number of short interviews and features that are being broadcast on Southend Hospital Radio. We have also created ‘generic’ versions that can be used for free on UK Hospital Radio stations. If you’re involved with hospital radio, please have a listen and see if any of these may be suitable for use on your hospital radio station:

#EndPJParalysis Brian Dolan Interview – Duration 4’06”
7.5MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Russell Emeny Feature – Duration 3’02”
5.6MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Roy Lilley Feature – Duration 2’04”
3.8MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Rachel & Anna (South Warks) Advice – Duration 2’29”
4.5MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Tim Gillet Feature – Duration 3’26”
6.3MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Pete Gordon Feature – Duration 1’52”
3.4MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Pete Gordon Interview – Duration 3’31”
6.5MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

#EndPJParalysis Pete Gordon Interview (Shorter) – Duration 1’50”
3.4MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

Short Tips

We have created a number of shorter versions as “tips”. These are generic and can be used for free on UK Hospital Radio stations:

End PJ Paralysis – Short Tip #01 (Anna/Footwear) – Download link

End PJ Paralysis – Short Tip #02 (Roy/Nightwear) – Download link

End PJ Paralysis – Short Tip #03 (Brian/PillowCases) – Download link

End PJ Paralysis – Short Tip #04 (Pete/Make Your Bed) – Download link

End PJ Paralysis – Short Tip #05 (Rachel/Be An Individual) – Download link

Greeting From Russell Emeny at the NHS – Duration 23″
0.7MB mp3 file @ 256kbps – Download link

If you use the audio, please let us know so we can inform the NHS which stations are supporting the campaign, and if you require audio in a different format, or ‘dry’, please get in touch. Contact Southend Hospital Radio

About the Interviews

Southend Hospital Radio was proud to be invited to the launch of an initiative to link amateur radio with the NHS and campaigns like #EndPJParalysis. The launch took place in May 2018 at Bletchley Park, home of the Codebreakers. Here are some of the photos from the event:

Pete Sipple from Southend Hospital Radio talking to Russell Emeny from the NHS

Pete Sipple from Southend Hospital Radio talking to Roy Lilley from the NHS

Pete Sipple from Southend Hospital Radio talking to Rachel, Anna and Tim from the NHS

Rachel and Anna from the NHS, promoting EndPJParalysis on amateur radio

Pete Sipple from Southend Hospital Radio talking to Paul Devlin from the NHS

The launch of GB1NHS, linking amateur radio and the NHS

For more information on amateur radio and the NHS, go to: www.networks.nhs.uk/nhs-networks/gb1nhs, or for amateur radio in Essex, see www.essexham.co.uk

News Amateur Radio, EndPJParalysis

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Southend Hospital Radio

"A friend at your bedside"

Tackle The Tower 2024

Tackle The Tower 2024 Video

Tackle The Tower 2024 Interviews

Tackle The Tower 2024 Photos

Charlie’s Challenge

View from the wards

And finally!

100 Years of British Broadcasting

Tackle The Tower 2022

HRH The Prince of Wales, on Southend Hospital Radio

Supporting Mental Health Minute 2021

More information

National Winners in the 2020 HBA Awards

Southend Hospital Radio Kids

Best Presenter – Joe Smith, Southend Hospital Tonight

2020 Awards

Hospital Radio and Amateur Radio

Want to know more?

Handy Links

Most Requested Songs of 2019

New Year with The Big Broadcast

EndPJParalysis – Hospital Radio Interviews

Radio Interviews

Short Tips

More on EndPJParalysis

About the Interviews