BBC1 Wales are showing a series of four programmes about life at University Hospital of Wales this week.  The programmes are on BBC 1 (Wales only) at 10.35pm starting on Monday 12th January and then every evening until Thursday 15th January.  Although some filming was done in the Radio Glamorgan studio unfortunately it didn’t make the final cut for broadcast (they had to condense 100 hours of filming into 4!).

However, the good news is that RG will be receiving a small payment from the BBC for our assistance in the making of the series.

We may not have made it onto the Hospital 24/7 television programme but Michael Boyce was interviewed by Louise Elliott and the interview was broadcast on the Jamie Owen and Louise Elliott show on Friday morning on 16th January.  

If you missed it you can hear Michael’s interview by pressing the play button below:

As part of series of concerts supported by the Healthy Sounds initiative launched last April by the Welsh Assembly Government the Swansea Bach Choir gave a concert in St Lukes Chapel in UHW.  They sang Welsh folk songs and choral items by John Rutter.  Before the concert, Bob Davies spoke to their conductor Katie Thomas on his Friday night show.

Radio Glamorgan has been short-listed again this year* in the annual Hospital Broadcasting Association awards.  Our Programme Controller, Andrew Jones, put together a compilation of presenters voices all promoting Radio Glamorgan and this has been short-listed in the ‘Station Promotion’ category. The judges will be looking for how well the message is conveyed and whether they feel it will attract the ear of the listener. The winner will be announced at the HBA Spring Conference to be held in Blackpool in March.  

(* Last year Jamie Pritchard won silver for Radio Glamorgan in the HBA ‘Special Event’ category)

On 23rd January 2009 a small piece of Radio Glamorgan history was made when Jamie Pritchard broadcast our first ever ‘live’ outside broadcast.  RG has covered outside events before but these have always had to be recorded first and then broadcast later from the studio.  But this time, thanks to a loan of equipment from a local radio station, Jamie’s broadcast from the new Teenage Cancer Trust ward nicknamed the Skypad was patched straight through the desk to patients as it happened.  To read all about it and listen to some of the live interviews click here

Author Jo Verity popped into the studio on Friday 20th February to tell Bob Davies and Lucy Dickens about how winning a Richard and Judy short story competition led to her career as a writer and talks about her 3rd Novel with the intriguing title Sweets from Morocco.

Radio Glamorgan presenter Zoé Clifford married her fiancé Tom O’Shea in a service at St Michael’s Church, Cwmavon on St. David’s Day.  Zoé has been a member of Radio Glamorgan since she was 16 years old.

“Radio Glamorgan has been a massive part of my life, so I really wanted the station to be involved in the biggest day of my life so far – my wedding day!” Zoé said. “I’ve been on the fundraising committee for 6 years too, so I wanted to make sure that Radio Glamorgan benefited financially from the money we would spend on a wedding disco. The radio station relies totally on donations to operate, and the help of volunteers, so I’m really proud to be able to support the station in this way.”

Zoé added, “The best thing was knowing that the entertainment at my wedding was going to be handled by someone I know and could really trust to make it special. And it was great being able to interfere and have a go myself!”

The St. David’s Day ceremony was also made extra special for groom Tom, whose mother, Reverend Helen O'Shea, conducted the happy couple’s wedding service.

Congratulations to Andrew Jones for putting together a promotional jingle for Radio Glamorgan that went on to win the Hospital Broadcasting Association’s gold award for best Station Promotion 2009.  Clare Sinclair, RG Chairwoman said, “This is a great achievement for Andrew and for Radio Glamorgan. The Station Promotion Andrew edited together was great and reflected the station really well.”

Presenting Andrew’s award is Steve Allen - HBA Wales & West Regional Representative.

To listen to the winning entry follow the link below which opens in a new window.

http://www.hbauk.co.uk/newsite/?page=5&sel=10

This is the Group photo taken before the AGM.  

The last couple of months have

seen a number of local

celebrities lending their support

to Radio Glamorgan including

world-renowned soprano Rebecca

Evans and BBC’s Louise Elliott.

For these and more interviews visit

our interview page in the Features

section, or simply click here.

Louise Elliott/Rebecca Evans

As part of ‘Volunteers Week’ several Radio Glamorgan presenters were invited on a special tour of the BBC Wales studios in Llandaff.  The trip, organised by our Programme Controller Andrew Jones, was heavily oversubscribed and those lucky enough to get a place were treated to a great day out.  In the morning we toured the radio studios and were able to watch Jamie Owen and Louise Elliott’s show from the production room as it aired.  Then, after an excellent lunch in the BBC Canteen, we toured the television studios where we saw the Pobol-y-Cwm sets and the news studios.  We were also given some behind-the-scenes tips on how all the station output is controlled and monitored.  We are truly indebted to the BBC’s Diane Nicholas and David H Jones for their patience and for answering all our questions and making the tour so fascinating.

                            As part of the nationwide                              celebrations for the 25th Anniversary                              of ‘Volunteers Week’ Radio                             Glamorgan Chairwoman Clare Sinclair                             gave a rare interview on Jim Clancy’s                             Sunday Sunrise Show.  You can listen                             to the full interview by clicking here                             and following the links.

Radio Glamorgan presenter Jamie Pritchard attended Stanwell School, Penarth for the final time on Wednesday (1st July) to be presented with The Rotary Club award for community service.  

Deputy Head Mrs Lee said, “Jamie has made an outstanding contribution to the community volunteering with Radio Glamorgan. He has been volunteering since he was 12 years old at the radio station in University Hospital of Wales.  He has also carried out extensive fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust.”

The school annually recognises outstanding achievements of pupils of the school for extra-curricular activities.  The award was presented by Catrin Collier – Welsh Author and Playwright.

Radio Glamorgan gave its second outside broadcast on Wednesday, 15 July, when Wales’ pancreatic cancer charity Amser Justin Time, proudly announced that sufficient money had been raised in the first year of operation to fund a specialist pancreatic nurse for one day a week.  The charity was founded by Welsh opera, TV and radio star Shân Cothi, in memory of her husband glam rock star Justin Smith (a.k.a. Tigertailz’).  The male choir Only Men Aloud were also there to join in the celebrations.

Following the launch, Shân and Only Men Aloud visited some of the hospitals wards including the C2 ward where Shân’s late husband Justin had himself been a patient.  The choir gave an impromptu performance on the ward, which sparked one patient to comment “I’m definitely going to get better now”.

Specialist pancreatic nurse Nicki Jardin will be funded by the charity and will divide her time between University Hospital of Wales and the Velindre Cancer centre in Whitchurch.

Radio Glamorgan’s Norman Harris interviewed Shân (in Welsh) and Only Men Aloud’s Music Director and Founder, Tim Rhys-Evans (in English).

RG Launch Breakfast Show

Patients at the University Hospital of Wales will be able to wake up to Radio Glamorgan from Monday, 3 August 2009, as the radio station launches a live breakfast show. The show will run Mondays-Fridays 7 am to 10am. Presenter Mark Andrews said: “We think we are the only hospital radio station in Wales to produce a live breakfast show Monday to Friday. We are all volunteers, so it’s a big undertaking.”

Producer and co-presenter Jamie Pritchard commented: “It’s going to be really entertaining and informative, and we hope patients will get a lot out of it. The tagline is: ‘The brighter way to start your day’. There will be daily features and international, national and local news on the half hour.

“We will also be promoting the location of the Welsh Blood Service during the week – we want to focus on subjects that are close to our listeners' hearts. We are passionate about providing good quality radio in the University Hospital of Wales – even the early mornings don’t put us off!

Nurse Director Sue Gregory said: “Radio Glamorgan are tremendously committed to the University Hospital of Wales, and I’m delighted that our patients will benefit.”

Tracy Sampson, Publicity & Marketing Manager from the Welsh Blood Service said: “The University Hospital for Wales is our biggest customer! We are delighted Radio Glamorgan are supporting the Welsh Blood Service and helping raise awareness and highlight our partnership.”

Congratulations!

Congratulations go to the ubiquitous Jamie Pritchard who is again in the news - this time for passing his ‘A’ levels.  Two ‘A’s and a ‘B’ were sufficient to gain him the place he wanted at Uni where he’ll be studying Media Studies (well what else would he do!).  Jamie already has a head start as he’s been supporting RG for over 7 years now.  As well as his own show, and producing the new RG breakfast show he is currently our music librarian.  The tireless Jamie also presents a show on Community Radio station GTFM.

Well done Jamie from all at RG!

We Never Expected This!

A dozen RG presenters discovered that there is more to being a hospital radio volunteer than just presenting shows!

Here they are in their high-viz vests at the finishing line of the Cardiff Big Fun Run where they acted as marshalls for the event.

Hamish Moir, the local organiser of the Big Fun Run, said, “a Big thank you to Hospital Radio Glamorgan Radio for the enthusiastic marshalling of the course.”

Similar events were held simultaneously in cities across the country and runners were supporting a variety of charities. Radio Glamorgan received a generous donation for their services.

Feed The Children Interview

                  In October Michael Boyce interviewed Gill Edwards,                    Feed The Children’s Regional Manager for Wales and                    The Borders.  To learn more about the invaluable help                    this charity offers why not listen to this interview by                    clicking here (alternatively, follow the link from our                    Features/Interviews section)

www.feedthechildren.org.uk

Jingle Bells in St Mellons

Andrew Jones and Clare Sinclair visited Blooms Garden Centre on Saturday, 14 November, to interview Santa!

The Rotary club of Cardiff’s St David’s is providing a Christmas grotto at Blooms throughout the festive season and RG were there to record the opening.

Live links were broadcast from the event by Andrew to Carl West   and Jim Clancy in the studio.  Lauren, a seven-year-old girl, was also interviewed – as she’d won the chance to take a “sleigh” ride around St Mellons that morning with Santa in his horse-drawn carriage.