I joined Hospital Radio Exeter in November 1989.

I felt it would be a good way of meeting people and doing something for the community, but never had any visions of broadcasting on air. 

I started by visiting wards to collect requests, and after my 6 months’ probation I became a full member. Although I wasn’t intending to present shows, I joined one of the “Sunday Teams”, which take it in turns to broadcast the Sunday Chapel service. I decided to see if I would be suitable as a presenter, so I prepared a sample show on cassette (recorded when the studio wasn’t in use as we only had one studio then). My sample show was passed and I presented my first solo show in July 1990. 

In those days we had a Bed Push every December. This involved pushing a bed from the old hospital to the High Street. We rattled tins all day to collect funds for the station. It was great fun and a really good way of getting HRE known to the public. 

In my first year I went with other HRE members to two national conferences run by the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisations (NAHBO). These include seminars and visits to local professional radio stations, as well as meeting members of other hospital radio stations. The first was at Heathrow, where comedian Tom O’Connor (that year’s NAHBO honorary patron) gave the farewell speech. The second was to be at Hull, but the hotel burnt down a fortnight before the conference! NAHBO managed to rearrange it at Birmingham instead. Other honorary patrons have included Terry Waite and Terry Wogan. 

HRE are keen for members to interview interesting personalities for broadcast to patients, so I interviewed several local business people and 11 people at the 1992 Devon County Show. I also borrowed the tape recorder when I spent a day with the Red Arrows at their base in Lincolnshire and interviewed several members of the team. 

I have helped out at our annual Fete in August. This also includes selling draw tickets outside supermarkets and DIY stores.

I continued to present a variety of shows, settling down to a regular Monday evening request show between 7.30 and 9.00. In 1995 we moved to our current studio in the new hospital and I presented the second show to be broadcast from the new studio there. During my time on air I worked with current BBC Radio Devon presenters Matt Woodley and John Govier.

Due to the fact that I had moved to Newton Abbot, I gave up presenting in November 1996 after 287 shows. I now help by selling draw tickets and I attend as many HRE meetings as I can.

Although my contribution nowadays to HRE is small, I am proud of my part in the development of such a worthwhile organization, and I have developed good friendships over the years with many of the members, past and present.