On Thursday, 25 February, Cranleigh Rotarians welcomed their guest speaker, Hedley Finn, to their online meeting. Hedley is the founder and President of Radio Lollipop UK, see: www.radiolollipop.org
Radio Lollipop gives young patients a voice and a choice during their stay in hospital. Although they can’t say “no” to taking their medicine or receiving treatment, they can request their favourite songs, win prizes and hear their own voices on the radio.
Founded in 1978 at the Hospital for Children in Surrey, it made its first broadcast in 1979. Following the success of this in 1980, the International Year of the Child, funding was provided to start developing Radio Lollipops in other UK hospitals.
Over time, emphasis has shifted from the radio station to volunteers spending time on wards entertaining children in person, by playing games, doing arts and crafts, and reading stories. However, the “radio”, with children’s programming and often presenting on-air, remains a central part of the charity. The charity now has a presence in many hospitals across the UK.
In 1985, the first Radio Lollipop outside the UK was started in Perth, Western Australia. Today, Radio Lollipop International also operates in New Zealand, the USA and in the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg.
See more Cranleigh Rotary Club news HERE.
