A look back at 2024
A Look Back at 2024
It’s Hogmanay 2024 and time to write an annual review. I was thinking this might just be a short task, but then you go look at the diary and the images we’ve taken over the past 12 months and I keep finding myself going ‘oh yeah, so we did!’. We’ve done so much, and the small matter of a re-branding. Let's try and remember it all!
Our Fundraising
As a charity that is run by volunteers and with no statutory funding, we rely on raising money ourselves through fundraising activities, and early every year we have our annual music quiz run by Terry and his team. The quiz is our main fundraiser, and we are always grateful to everyone who comes along and gets to have a great time while supporting our work. Regular quizzers will be pleased to know the quiz returns on 7th March 2025, and an exciting venue announcement will be made soon!
Celebrating Success
Every volunteer at Highland Hospital Radio gives up their time to make patients stay in hospital that little bit better, and to support the charities and organisation across the NHS Highland area to do the same. But it’s also nice when the volunteers receive national recognition! We were delighted that our Thursday night presenters received a nomination for ‘Best Programme with Multiple Presenters’ at the annual Hospital Broadcasting Awards. Ever better news was that on the same night, our own amazing Karen Ross received a Silver award in the ‘Best Newcomer’ category. The work that Karen does as Secretary of the charity, and her presentation would lead you to believe she’s been here forever!
Out and About
We got out and about the NHS Highland area supporting the ARCHIE battle of the badges football event in Dingwall and were at Dores for the Highland Hospice Zip Line event. Special mention goes to Producer Bill for his support of the ‘Big Golf Race’ at Kings Golf Club raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK.
Belladrum 2024 saw us back on the fields near Kiltarlity. We love attending and while it’s mostly about music and meeting bands and artists, we also enjoy our position as the Hospital Radio service for the NHS Highlands by going around the site and meeting the charities and organisations the come along as well.
We’ve also got back into the wards with the return or regular ward visitors at Raigmore. We’re so pleased to have our new dedicated team who meet the patients and let them know that there is a service here just for them. We’re hoping to attract more volunteers from all over the NHS Highland area who can visit patients all over the region.
Busy times in the Studios
Back in the studio, in June we opened up the doors and welcomed in the community to see what it is we get up to! We welcomed patients and staff in for interviews and music choices. We also had an amazing fundraiser Hazel come into the studio and see the equipment her efforts had made possible.
And that’s not all. We’ve had so many local musicians in the studios this year, like Silent Thieves, Chris Grant, The Johnny Cash Duo, Ailsa Villegas any many more playing live sessions with Dougie Burns.
We handed over the station to the 4th Inverness (Methodist) Brownies who produced a music request programme with their own adverts and news bulletins and welcomed the students of Millburn academy to find out about the equipment we use in the studios to make hospital radio broadcasts. We’re hoping to engage with more youth groups and schools through 2025 and show the benefits of volunteering, not just for feeling good about yourself, but as a good inclusion in a CV!
We have hosted representatives from Highland Hospice, Mikeysline, Highlands Third Sector Interface, ILM Highland, Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance, Alcoholics Anonymous, Children’s Hospice Association Scotland and many more. Not forgetting tens of fundraising singers and dancers throughout the year.
Rebranding
Of course, the largest change for us this year was our rebranding from Inverness Hospital Radio to Highland Hospital Radio. From the outside looking in, it might just seem like a name change. For the charity though, this is a statement that if we are going to be available to patients in any NHS Highland hospital, then we should reflect the whole region. Our aspiration is to grow our membership across the area so that we can reflect the community and have members able to attend the facilities and events all across the North of Scotland.
And we are grateful that our listenership is increasing. Our streaming figures for 2024 are double those of 2023. We’ve seen an increase in engagement on our social media and visits to our website are all greater than the previous year.
There is no doubt i've forgotten many events and not mentioned a great number of people who have helped and contributed. As chair, I thank everyone for their help and support.
So, here is to 2025. We aim to keep providing entertainment to those recovering in hospital or at home, and to give information and support to the whole NHS Highland community.
From us all at Highland Hospital Radio, a very Happy New Year!
