Each year the BT Chairman's Awards receive applications from outstanding community champions, who commit time, energy and talent for the benefit of society and their communities. These are short-listed by a global judging panel from across BT and the winners were personally chosen by chairman of BT Sir Michael Rake.

Simon Field was one of those winners and, as well as the award, he was given a donation of £1000 for Radio Glamorgan.

Sir Michael Rake said: "I am very proud as the new chairman of BT to judge such outstanding applicants. The dedication of BT people is simply inspirational. It is imperative that we recognise and encourage our people throughout the UK and across the world and so I congratulate Simon and commend his selfless commitment to Radio Glamorgan."

After much fundraising and months of project planning, the installation of the new IT and security systems is finally happening for RG. Heather Galliford, Secretary of RG and project manager said 'This exciting project promises to bring RG's IT system right up to date. Everybody has been working really hard, volunteering their time to enable a solution that is tailor made for our purposes.'

What seemed like miles and miles of cables were laid on Thursday 24th July; there was a great deal of dust and drilling!!!!! It is hoped the new systems will be fully functional by mid August.

(photo shows John Wilce, Andrew

Jenkins, Jamie Pritchard and

Patrick Dent hard at work on

Thursday 24th July laying cables

in the first part of the installation

process.)

Six RG volunteers were involved in the organising and running of a charity collection and information stand at Asda in Cardiff Bay. The event took place on Sunday 3rd August and although the wet weather kept many shoppers at home, the event was viewed as a great success. RG Chairwoman Clare Sinclair said - 'it was a good opportunity for us to raise the profile of the service we provide while also raising money. Many people who donated stopped for a

chat to say what an

important service we

provide - they told us

about listening to our

broadcasts or were

familiar with similar

hospital radio stations

in other parts of the

country.'

The Rotary Clubs of Cardiff have been supporters of Radio Glamorgan for the last 18 months. On Tuesday 22 July, RG Chairwoman Clare Sinclair and Treasurer Roger Thomas were delighted to host a visit by the Rotary Club of Cardiff Bay to the studio.

Eight Rotarians were given an overview of RG's service, a tour of the studio and thanked for their valuable support. Norman Harris, who was presenting a show at the time, interviewed Malcolm McGreevy, President, and Keith Moger, who organised the visit.

Every Saturday throughout the year Companies House allows its Crown Way car park to be used by Cardiff County Council for their Park and Ride Scheme. Shoppers can leave their car there all day for a fee per car of just £3 and a bus is laid on to ferry them to and from Greyfriars Road (the buses run every 10 mins).

Each year, employees of Companies House are invited to nominate charities they would like to see benefit from the scheme takings. RG presenter Bob Davies, who works for Companies House, nominated RG and we were lucky enough to be drawn out of the hat to receive the proceeds from April 08.

On behalf of the Council, Councillor Delme Bowen is pictured left presenting a cheque for £1338.75 to Radio Glamorgan Chairwoman Clare Sinclair with Bob Davies and Gareth Leek from Companies House proudly looking on.

Clare thanked Companies House and Cardiff County Council for the donation and said: "It's wonderful that Radio Glamorgan and local charities like us can benefit from a scheme that helps to reduce inner-city congestion and is also environmentally friendly."

As part of the NHS 60th birthday celebrations, the HTV Wales Six o'clock News team broadcast 'live' from the concourse of Heath Hospital on Friday 4th July 2008. They included a short bulletin about hospital volunteers and included among those was Radio Glamorgan's John Webber. The filming coincided with John's Thursday morning 'Magic Show'. Journalist Carl Edwards interviewed John 'on air' and John took the opportunity to tell the viewers that new voluunteers are always welcomed at Radio Glamorgan. Nice one John! Jamie Pritchard and John Wilce also happened by and Jamie's interview was screened on the Saturday News bulletin.

Listen to what they said below.

John Webber:

Jamie Pritchard:  

On Tuesday 2nd September Julie Morgan, Member of Parliament for Cardiff North, visited Radio Glamorgan to interview Simon Field about his recent BT Chairman’s Award success.  The two appeared as guests on Norman Harris’s show.  Julie Morgan said: “Simon’s dedication to the radio station is simply inspirational. It is imperative that people are encouraged to

take an active role in their communities. I

not only congratulate him on his award but

commend his selfless commitment to Radio

Glamorgan.”

If you’d like to see a BT promotional video

in support of Simon’s bid then click here.

Lesley Horton, Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association and celebrated author of five crime novels recently visited the Radio Glamorgan studio to talk to Bob Davies about the work of the Crime Writers’ Association and her new novel

Twisted Tracks which is  published on 27th

November by Orion and is her fifth novel to

be set in Bradford and featuring DCI John

Hanford.  

                                      ‘Music From The Movies’ was the                                        theme of this year’s RG 26-hour                                        Marathon Broadcast.  Each presenter                                        had to pick an hour with a particular                                        letter associated with it and find                                        music and information about movies                                        beginning with that letter.  

Even more importantly, the presenters had

to then go out and find sponsors for their

hour in order to raise funds for the station.

At the end of each hour the presenters

handed over our very own symbolic

marathon torch. Pictured right, Jamie

Pritchard hands over to Mal Thomas

The marathon was successfully completed

over the weekend of 22nd/23rd November

and raised lots of money for the charity!

                                         Local author and former boxer                                          Louise Walsh (not to be confused                                          with X-Factor judge Louis Walsh                                          although she often is!) came into                                          the RG studio to talk to Bob Davies                                          about her debut novel ‘Fighting                                          Pretty’. Published earlier this year,                                          the novel is set in the boxing gyms                    

of South Wales and is based largely on Louise’s own experiences as she trained to become a member of the elite Welsh Women’s Amateur Boxing Squad before, sadly, a knee injury forced her early retirement from the sport.

On the last Sunday before Christmas, Jamie’s show was, by his own admission, ‘a madhouse’. His special guests Annie, Katy, Nicola, Simon and John (pictured below) all helped to create that special party atmosphere.

There were plenty of prizes being dished out too.  Any children passing the studio who could name one of Santa’s reindeers were given a bag of goodies - Pictured below are some lucky winners.