Jubilee Hospital Radio show presenters back in the studio

When lockdown was announced on 24 March, the automated play-out system was all that was there to keep patients, and online listeners outside of the hospital, company.

As of Thursday 14 May, presenters have been allowed back into the hospital studio to broadcast live shows for two hours in the evenings and select slots on weekends.

The hospital radio staff have strict sanitisation regulations to follow, but have been pleased to welcome back listeners and take song requests.

Station manager Jerry De La Cour said the team of presenters had been itching to get back on the decks and were pleased they could finally do so.

‘The radio shows are very laid back and presenters play all sorts of music through the decades.

‘Many make their shows quite interactive with quizzes and riddles that patients in the hospital can join in, too.’

A total of 13 presenters volunteer with the charity radio station, taking various shifts throughout the week.

Usually, a team of ward visitors go around the hospital collecting song requests and dedications from patients.

However, so as not to increase the risk of spreading any infection to vulnerable people, this has stopped for a while.

Now that presenters have returned to doing live shows, patients can get in touch via social media, email studio@jhr.gg or the Jubilee Hospital Radio app downloadable from the Google Playstore and the IOS App Store to request songs and join in on the games. The patients and islanders can also listen from the website www.jhr.gg

Patients had not been left in the quiet while in their hospital beds, though, as the station’s auto-playout system had been running 24/7 while presenters were away, including pre-recorded shows and many syndicated shows with many different genres including story hours, interviews, classical hits, musicals, golden oldies, modern and more.

Mr De La Cour added: ‘We will do our very best to play your favourite song and if it is not in our vast library of music we will endeavour to find it from somewhere and play it for the patients.

‘We also have regular listeners from outside of the hospital as far as Spain, and listeners from all parts of the UK and, of course, Guernsey.’

n Live Broadcasting can take place from 7pm until 9pm each evening, 10am until 1pm on a Saturday and 9am until noon on a Sunday.

For anyone outside the hospital who would like to listen to the shows, download the Jubilee Hospital Radio app or listen live on www.jhr.gg.