The Derby District Branch of the Oddfellows adopted Radio Link as their nominated charity for 2004/5. Their Grand Master for 2004/5, Rex Oates, selected our charity as he began his term of office, and, together with his friends and colleagues, raised over £3000 to help Radio Link. When first visiting the Radio Link studios, he declared "I have certainly picked the right Charity". Proceeds from various events in 2004/5 have helped Radio Link to improve the service to the patients in the Derby Hospitals. The Derby District is one of many Branches within the Oddfellows. There is a network of more than 250 Branches caring for over 100,000 members across the UK. Oddfellowship has a long and proud tradition in the Derby District, which has been established since 1822. Members have always enjoyed attending events and socialising. Alongside the social activity they also hold regular meetings. If you would like to go and meet them, or need more information, please contact the District Secretary on 01332-345697. For more details, go to www.oddfellows.co.uk UK Radio Aid - January 17th 2005    Although Radio Link, as a Registered Charity, has it's own declared charitable aims, the devastation that hit the world on Boxing Day, could not fail to cause us to be thinking of those in need, in the wake of the tsunami. Therefore, on January 17th 2005, Radio Link joined forces with hundreds of other independant stations in the very first UK Radio Aid Day. From 6am to 6pm, our station linked with studios in London, to broadcast programmes hosted by celebrity presenters and guests who endorsed the requests for donations to the DEC tsunami appeal. During the day, more than three million pounds was raised to help the survivors of the tsunami. If you haven't done already, please take a look at www.ukradioaid.com Obituary - Brian Clough OBE People across Derby, and the UK, have united to pay tribute to the 69-year-old, who died on 20th September 2004, at Derby City General Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for stomach cancer. Brian Clough was the most successful manager in Derby County's history, but he was also renowned for his community work in the city. He moved on to achieve further success with other football clubs, but always stayed true to his home City of Derby. He touched many people's lives and Derby's dignitaries, MPs and groups he supported have echoed the sense of loss felt by his death. Radio Link were honoured that Brian was a Vice President for many years. He will be sadly missed.    TOYOTA tunes in to Hospital Radio Request! Thousands of patients at hospitals across Derby can now enjoy the uninterrupted sounds of hospital radio thanks to a donation from Toyota Manufacturing UK. Toyota, the Derbyshire based car manufacturer has given Radio Link a £1,000 community donation, to purchase new state-of-the-art equipment which will help them to protect their software and audio recordings. Representatives from Toyota Manufacturing UK visited the station to view the new computer backup system purchased by their donation, on Friday 3rd September. Karen Bradley, Public Relations at Toyota Manufacturing UK, added, "We hope that this new equipment will ensure that Radio Link is able to continue their valuable local service for many years to come." Commenting on the donation, John Huddlestone Radio Link secretary and founder member says, "We are very grateful to Toyota for their donation. A significant amount of our broadcasts depend on computerised systems and we now have the peace of mind that our software and recordings will be protected by this new technology." Left to right - Susan Wilkinson (Public Relations, Toyota Manufacturing UK), Wendy Holden (local novelist and Radio Link's most recent Celebrity Ambassador) and Andrew Hartshorn (Radio Link presenter and Membership Secretary). Radio Link celebrates Volunteers Week! From 1st-7th June 2004, Radio Link celebrated National Volunteers Week. All across the UK, volunteers from many organisations and groups hosted events to publicise themselves, and their work. Click here for further details of National Volunteers Week 2004. If you would like to help Radio Link as a volunteer, please contact us! Radio Link Wins Another HBA Award! Derby Hospital Broadcasting, Radio Link, has just received another award, by winning Gold in the Specialist Music Programme category, in the HBA National Hospital Radio Awards 2004. The annual event, sponsored by various companies, including Real Radio Yorkshire, PPL, and IRN, was held at the Spring Conference at the Queens Hotel, Leeds, on Saturday 3rdth April 2004. Colin Thorpe receiving the Best Specialist Music Programme Award for his Country Music Show    Listen to the winning entry here    Presenting the awards were a series of celebrities, (some of whom had previously been involved with Hospital Broadcasting). Various TV and Radio presenters also featured, including Hospital Broadcasting Association Patron Terry Wogan, who sent a video greeting to all the delegates attending the Gala Dinner, and congratulated all the volunteers on their work.

Radio Link Gets Gold - Twice!

The Awards Ceremony was also webcast globally, allowing other Hospital Radio stations to watch, and broadcast, the proceedings.

After receiving the awards on stage, Mark Atherton, Head of Broadcasting for Radio Link, said "To get one award is great. To get two in one evening is fantastic!" Andy Swain of Radio Link, was almost speechless at the achievement. "Even though I knew we were probably capable of meeting the high standards, it's still so uplifting when you get an award. But to receive, two, in one night, is breathtaking!"

The awards helped boost the charity's funds, as each trophy was accompanied by a £300 cheque.

The conference also launched Hospital Broadcasting Week, which publicises the work of Hospital Broadcasting volunteers across the UK.

The Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust was delighted to announce that the contract to build and maintain its new hospital in Derby was signed. The contract sealed the partnership between the Trust and the Skanska Innisfree consortium, and assured the go ahead for the new hospital to be built and maintained by the private partners.

The new hospital will offer 1,159 acute beds and 35 operating theatres. This will be the first major PFI project to result in an increase in the number of beds, and will be the largest in terms of the number of theatres provided. The additional facilities will contribute enormously towards increasing capacity and reducing waiting times for operations and other procedures.

With the addition of the new medical school, to be run in partnership with the University of Nottingham, the new hospital will be comparable to the large teaching centres such as Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, and University Hospitals of Leicester.

The new hospital will be located on the existing Derby City General Hospital site, and around 25% of the development will incorporate existing buildings. These buildings include the acclaimed Children’s Hospital and Obstetrics and Gynaecology wing, making the project far more cost effective as well as ensuring these purpose-built centres are fully utilised in the new designs.