Radio Halton began broadcasting in 1986 and we typically broadcast live programmes 12 hours a day, between 10am and 10pm, supplying a wide range of music to cater for most tastes.  Patients can access music on bedside headsets during the night if they need to relax when sleep is difficult

As well broadcasting to the wards on channel 3, we can also be heard via speakers in three Out-patient clinics, X-Ray, ECG Waiting Area plus the Tea Bar area at the front of the hospital (Entrance 1)

If we raise enough funds, we hope to extend the service to other areas of the hospital in the future, including the Day Case Unit, the Delamere Centre and more

Donations

We are currently applying for funding to help us buy equipment needed to put more songs on the playout system.  As we have more volunteers joining our team, the studio is in use more than ever, and therefore the time available to use the studio computer is more limited.  A computer for music database administration in the office would mean this work could be done much more easily at any time.  The cost of the equipment is around £4,000

Thank you to Bernard Jefford, who sent us a parcel of CD albums in May 2010.  This will help us to make sure we have the best kind of music on our service for the patients, visitors and staff.  Thanks so much for thinking of us so generously

Thank you all who stopped by our information stall for Volunteers Week on 3 June 2010 to put coins into our collection box.  You generously gave £23.88

If you happen to be in the Dining Room on the upper level of Halton General Hospital, you'll see our blue collection boxes near the tills, waiting for any spare change.  Thank you to all the Dining Room customers and staff for your generosity in April and May 2010, when your donations amounted to £23.23

Thanks go to customers in Weston Village Stores for £13.97 dropped into the Radio Halton collection box in April/May 2010.  You're really helping to make a difference! 

Also the customers in Beechwood Stores are helping with £10.29 of their spare change over the last few months.  We've sent a letter of thanks to each shop

Thank you, whoever you are

Thank you again to the anonymous person who donated another of 5-CD box set - "80s Love".  There's 100 songs on each box set, so thank you, whoever you are!

Costs of new equipment

We're investigating the costs of putting a second computer to run Myriad for admin tasks, so that we don't have to wait for the studio to be free to carry out admin on the database of songs or the schedule.  We are applying for help with funding, to be able to afford to do this and thereby improve the quality and variety of programmes

Thanks to Asda for their donation 

Our Margaret Longworth contacted Asda to see if they could help us when we learned in summer 2009 we needed to replace two machines in the studio.  We were pleasantly surprised when Asda Runcorn phoned to say they had a cheque for £503.13 to present to Radio Halton.  This helped buy the machines to keep the tunes playing.  They're now set up and in use, photos on the Studio page

Pictured is Radio Halton's Pam Eastwood receiving the cheque from Asda's Dee Samuel.  Click the photo for a larger image

Thanks to the Charitable Funds Committee of Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who donated £1,000 in July 2009 which meant we could finally purchase three much needed 'operator' chairs for the office and studio.  We were able to buy quality, well made chairs which are much more comfortable and will last longer than the old ones we kept having to get repaired.  Some of the money will go towards the new equipment needed

Thanks to Highfield Male Voice Choir, who held their Christmas concerts at the Brindley, Runcorn in December 07.  At the Wednesday 19 Dec performance, their Treasurer Barrie Evans presented Pam Eastwood with a cheque for £600 for Radio Halton.  Then the following month they sent another cheque for £400!  We're so glad their concerts were so successful!  Find out more about the choir at www.highfieldmvc.co.uk

Pam Eastwood with Alan Mercer from Highfield Male Voice Choir, who visited the studio to see where their donation is helping, and our repaired mixing desk, fully functioning again

Registered Charity No 1068428