Studio Tour Tunes Care Home Residents Into Djing
Residents from a Lymington care home turned DJs for the day when they visited New Forest Hospital Radio.
The six-strong party from Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge had the chance to introduce tunes for the next broadcast of their own monthly request show recorded by the station.
The tour of the studio, at Lymington Hospital, also gave the visitors a hands-on look at the technology that goes into producing a programme.
Marcia Page said: “I’d never been in a recording studio before. It was really interesting.”
Fellow resident Janette Banks said: “It was a totally new experience. When I came to Belmore Lodge I never expected I’d have a chance of being a DJ!”
The group was accompanied by Belmore Lodge Activities Organiser Jackie Fergusson, who said: “Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the visit and we learned a great deal about how our programme is made.”
Since last year, bespoke one-hour monthly request shows specially produced for residents of four Colten Care New Forest homes have been broadcast under a partnership with the station. As well as Belmore Lodge, they are Court Lodge in Lymington, Woodpeckers in Brockenhurst and Kingfishers in New Milton. Plans to extend the service to Linden House in Lymington are also under way.
Dedications are left at each home and gathered by the station’s volunteer DJs to play. The shows are broadcast online and made available to download as podcasts.
Jackie added: “The programmes are an ideal way for relatives and friends to suggest dedications for loved ones’ birthdays and anniversaries. Music is a joy for many of our residents and the shows are proving very popular. All kinds of music are played from classical pieces through to folk, rock, jazz and pop. We have portable stereo sets which mean residents can choose to listen in their bedrooms or together with others in our homes’ lounges.”
Hospital radio presenter Michael Robinson, who was host for the day, said: “We really enjoy producing the shows and to welcome some of our Colten Care music fans face-to-face at the studio was lovely.”
Following her visit, Janette Banks shared her own radio-themed method of getting to sleep at night. She said: “If ever I’m taking too long to nod off, I try to imagine what my eight records would be for Desert Island Discs. Usually I don’t get them all clear in my mind before I fall asleep.”
For more information on New Forest Hospital Radio, including volunteering opportunities, visit www.nfhradio.org.uk. The show involving the Belmore Lodge residents is scheduled for broadcast and podcast download in late July. June’s broadcast is already available for download.
