A-LIST celebrities and star DJs are set to launch a ground-breaking partnership with Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust (WHH).
On Friday February 19, WHH hospital radio stations – Radio General (Warrington Hospital) and Radio Halton (Halton Hospital) – along with Soho Radio and a host of big names will be saying a huge “Thank You” ’to NHS and Social Care staff for their astounding efforts to combat Covid 19.
This one-off Radio Day will run for 12 hours from 8am-8pm.The schedule will be packed with music and inspirational NHS staff and patient stories. The line-up will see hospital radio presenters working in tandem with some of radio’s leading lights.
Ayo Akinwolere was first to declare his involvement. The former Blue Peter star, Celebrity Masterchef contestant and Sky Sports presenter will be joined by…legendary DJ Norman Jay along with Primal Scream bassist and renowned rock DJ Simone Marie.
Other star guests will be announced soon so there will be a host of household names saying “thank you” to local health and care teams with interviews, messages and performances.
During the pandemic, Radio General and Radio Halton haven’t had their normal interaction with patients and have had limited access to their studios.They were determined, though, to find a way to reach out to patients and thank staff for their incredible work over the past year. Soho Radio stepped up and offered their assistance to deliver a day of star-studded, synchronised live broadcasts.
Soho Radio is a community-driven radio station, industry-leading podcast studio and live-events production team. They’re bringing their expertise, style and bulging contacts book to help boost health and care teams across the area. Using video conferencing software and online broadcast channels, celebrated DJs will present shows, remotely, with local hospital radio presenters. It’s hoped this pilot broadcast will pave the way for launch of Radio Halton’s own online radio station. This will ensure patients and staff continue to hear their stories and music requests – to help them through their day.
It will be broadcast on Radio General’s online radio stationwww.radiogeneral.co.uk, Radio General and Radio Halton’s normal hospital networks and PA systems, Soho Radio’s online digital radio station Home -Soho Radio (sohoradiolondon.com).
Dr Alex Crowe, medical director of WHH is excited by the project.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us, as a Trust, to publicly get behind the wonderful NHS and Social Care staff in our area,who have gone above and beyond the call of duty for over a year now. We keep asking them to go back to the well, to dig deeper and keep going. And they have not let us down. Their professionalism, compassion and resilience is remarkable. While this has been the most challenging year of my NHS career, I can also say I have never felt more pride in my profession, my Trust and my colleagues.
“Radio Day is a way to broadcast that pride to staff, patients and the wider world.”
Keith Inman and Derek Gates from local hospital radio stations are proud to be involved.
“Both radio stations are very pleased to be part of this special day and to be able to say ‘Thank You’ to all our NHS staff and carers for all of their hard work and dedication, especially during the pandemic. It will enable us to build positively for the future and continue to support them all through the months ahead.”
