Cash boost for Hospital Radio

Carlisle's Hospital Radio Echo is now close to achieving the total amount needed to replace broadcasting equipment stolen during a break in last February thanks to grants from Cumbria County Council. 

Castle Neighbourhood Forum has given the hospital radio station £1,000 grant towards is fundraising campaign which started following the break in. Councillor Ralph Aldersey, Chairman of the Forum, will be meeting Rob Scott-Buccleuch, Chairman of Radio Echo, at the studio, which is based in Scheme One, part of the old Cumberland Infirmary, on Tuesday, January 28th at 2pm. He will be handing over the cheque and having a look at what the money will be spent on. 

Councillor Aldersey said:   

"Carlisle Hospital Radio Echo has is a valuable service which patients can really relate to. The station runs requests shows which can make a real difference to people suffering in hospital. I hope that they manage to raise the remaining equipment soon so that the station can get back to normal." 

Patrick McWilliams, from Radio Echo, says:   

"After last years break in we had to raise more than £5,000 and we thought for a while that we would never manage it. Thanks to the County Council and other funders, we hope we will soon have sufficient to replace all of the stolen equipment. We still need approximately £1,000 but we are well on the way. We are very grateful for the support our local councillors have given. The money is not only needed to buy equipment to replace that which was stolen during the burglary, but also for extra security measures and to provide adequate insurance cover. Radio Echo has been broadcasting to local hospital patients for more than 30 years and much of the technical equipment is unable to meet the needs of a modern broadcasting service and will have to be replaced. To that end, this donation will be an invaluable help."