A volunteer-led charity has taken home two awards from the National Hospital Radio Awards for its coverage and contribution to the community.

The annual ‘National Hospital Radio Awards’ is organised by national charity, the 'Hospital Broadcasting Association', and judged by media and radio professionals working in the broadcast industry, and senior managers within the NHS.

The 2022 awards took place online on the August bank holiday Monday and saw Winchester Radio win two awards and be shortlisted for another two categories.

The charity won silver in the ‘Best Special Event’ category for the station’s broadcast of community ‘Winchester Carols on the Doorstep’. Meanwhile, trustee and chief engineer volunteer Paul Blitz received the ‘John Whitney Outstanding Contribution Award.’

The local station also featured in the top 10 of the ‘Best Speech Package’ and ‘Best Station Promotion’.

READ MORE: Winchester Radio and Carols on the Doorstep

Award winner, Paul Blitz said: “When I was persuaded to help design and build Winchester Hospital Radio’s first studios back in the 80s, I had no idea that, 38 years on, I’d still be so involved!

"I’m very lucky that I have always enjoyed ‘making tech-stuff work’, something that is so essential to keeping a radio station running, especially a charity hospital/community radio station, where money is always tight! So, it is a really pleasant surprise to be acknowledged by the hospital adio community with the John Whitney Award.”

Chairman of Winchester Radio, Anna O’Brien added: “Paul is very community-spirited, enthusiastic, and hardworking. 

"He is quite simply one of life's Unsung Heroes. He never makes a fuss or seeks recognition – just gets on with whatever needs doing. He has, and continues to make, a real impact at Winchester Radio, and we are hugely appreciative to Paul for all he does.”

The awards event showcases stations and volunteers throughout the UK hospital, health and wellbeing radio sector who exemplify high standards of broadcasting, and engagement with their audience.

Winchester Radio’s silver win for ‘Best Special Event’ was for its broadcast in December 2020 of Winchester Carols on the Doorstep, where people from the city and local villages gathered with their families on their doorsteps to sing along to Christmas carols along with patients from the Royal Hampshire County Hospital.

The judges of the awards said that it was: “A great community initiative that brought people together through the power of radio. Really interesting and informative.”

Anna O’Brien said: “The Coronavirus pandemic highlighted the importance of community spirit and how we can support one another in times of need – to stay connected, lift people up, and help reduce loneliness and social isolation.

"Our involvement in the Carols on the Doorstep initiative was suggested to us by listeners at the Chat-Tea Café at the Badger Farm Community Centre.

"We thought this was a great idea, and it was wonderful that many local neighbourhoods, community groups, and churches got involved in what was a truly local, memorable, participative event. At a time when many were feeling anxious and low, this shared community experience brought comfort, fun and a sense of togetherness.”

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Winchester Radio has been providing a volunteer-led hospital radio service for patients at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital for 38 years. Since 2019, the local charity has also been providing a community radio service for older people in Winchester and the surrounding villages on 94.7FM.

This year’s success follow two wins for the station in the 2021 national awards when Winchester Radio was honoured with the 'Recognising Innovation Across Hospital Radio Award’ for its health & wellbeing broadcasting and the Gold Award for one of its female presenters.

For more on the awards go to hbauk.com/member/awards-page/winners-2022.

Winchester Radio aims to support people aged 50 plus, promoting what is happening locally as well as community activities people can get involved with, signposting people to health, charity and support services they may need and helping reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation.

For more go to winchester.radio/.