Meet Our Members Andrew Hill This month, we talk to Andrew Hill. Andrew has been a member at the station for 25 years, and was recently elected as Station Manager. He also presents 'The Cooperative Way' (Tuesdays, 9:30 - 10pm), and 'The Saturday Session' (every Saturday, 10 - 12 midday.) Hospital Radio Plymouth: Andrew, you've been with the station for nearly 25 years now. What initially inspired you to join? Andrew: In my early teens I remember seeing Hospital Radio Plymouth's programmes listed in the TV and Radio pages of the Herald, and thought to myself that I would like to get involved in that one day. Then in the early part of 1983, there was an advert in the paper seeking volunteers. I applied, went along to an open night for applicants and to coin a phrase the rest is history! HRP: You must have seen many changes over the years - what would you say is the biggest difference between now and then? Andrew: Technology. When I first joined music was on vinyl albums/singles which you held still on a felt cloth on a turntable; you then released the felt when you wanted to play the track. We also recorded interviews on open reel to reel tape which you had to edit with a razor blade and splicing tape. Now most of the music is on a computer and interviews are edited digitally on minidiscs. HRP: What is your fondest Hospital Radio memory? Andrew: I remember doing a programme one Christmas Day several years ago now, and we did a live link to Lynher Ward. We played a version of the 12 Days of Christmas on air and the staff and patients had to sing along to it. The trouble was the lyrics on the record were going at one speed and the patients and staff were singing at another! It was chaos but great fun. HRP: If you were a patient, which piece of music would you request to be played and why? Andrew: Labi Sifre, Something Inside So Strong. It's about persevering in the face of adversity, something I've found myself having to do many times in my life. HRP: Now you're Station Manager, if there was only one thing you could change about Hospital Radio, what would it be? Andrew: For things to be that simple! There's a lot of work ahead over the next two years. Awareness, publicity and funding are our main issues. Unlike other stations we are unable to build up regular listener loyalty, because of the quick and high turnover of people coming in and out of hospital. And listening to us is not uppermost in someone's mind when they arrive in hospital, so its an open ended task keeping up awareness. That said, when people do listen in we often get positive feedback; staff have commented to me that when we do programmes targeted at a particular ward the nurse call bells hardly get pressed during the show, freeing up the staff to concentrate on the important clinical priorities. Click here to view more members