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Radio Haslar 'The
Beginning'
Radio Haslar has become an established voluntary
organisation, which caters for the listening pleasures of
patients and staff of both The Royal Hospital Haslar and The
War Memorial Hospital.
Recognition for this accomplishment goes to its founder
Chris Pearce of Gosport, who in the early 90's saw the
potential of Haslar Hospital having its own facility and
also eventually the War Memorial. Undaunted by this task
Chris went on with his scheme and generated a committee of
ten people consisting of friends previous broadcasting
colleagues.
It took two years of dedicated negotiations, letters, fund
raising, advertising and meetings before a foot set across
the allocated premises of 5, Haslar Cottages, now known as
'Radio House'. The massive task of renovations could begin.
Chris and his pioneer team worked hard and long for the
culmination of the first broadcast to happen, which it did
on Sunday 14th March 1993.
The War
Memorial
After three successful years and following the refurbishment
of the War Memorial Hospital, a studio was constructed in a
portacabin there and the first broadcast made during the
evening of 14th March 1996, exactly three years since the
original broadcast at Haslar.
On 31st December 2003 we broadcast our final programme from
our War Memorial studio, due to the hospital condemming the
portacabin we have been forced to broadcast all programmes
from our Haslar studios for the time being, we will still
broadcast specific programming for the patients in the War
Memorial which will be transmitted via our radio link from
Haslar.
We hope to be able to move back to the War Memorial in the
not to distant future but until then we will continue to
offer the same high quality programming as we have always
done.
Programmes
And Members
A wide variety of programmes are provided for patients at
both hospitals, and the studios were generally 'On-Air' from
1pm until 10pm on weekdays and 10am until 10pm at weekends
up until Thursday December 20th 2007, when Radio Haslar
began broadcasting 24 hours a day to both hospitals.
A radio link from the studios at The Royal Hospital Haslar
was established in September 1996 and in January 2000 a
reverse link was provided from the studios at the War
Memorial giving greater flexibility as we can now broadcast
to both hospitals. Also, we have an Outside Broadcast radio
link, and since 1995 at any opportunity we can (and where
possible), broadcast from local events, such as the local
superstores in Gosport, The Royal Hospital Haslar Charity
Fete and the bi-annual ‘Alive & Kicking’ community day at
Walpole Park.
Radio Haslar currently boasts over 45 active members, but we
are always on the lookout for new volunteers so if you are
interested in becoming a presenter or providing general
assistance to the station please email
membership@radiohaslar.co.uk or give us a ring on (023)
9260 1600. |
