Sunshine Hospital Radio will be able to keep on broadcasting across the Island after successfully fundraising to secure its future.
The station has also announced a new sponsorship deal with group collecting platform Collection Pot.
The radio station is located opposite St Mary’s Hospital and broadcasts to patients in the hospital, across the Island and beyond, 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.
After the pandemic impacted its usual fundraising efforts, Sunshine Hospital Radio, a registered charity, launched its fundraising campaign in November to raise money to keep the station on the air, using Collection Pot as means to fundraise digitally.
Collection Pot has pledged to support Sunshine Hospital Radio for 2021 with a sponsorship deal. The station will also create a special jingle for the group collecting platform, which will play on Sunshine Radio. The Sunshine Radio Pot closed on the 14th December after the charity raised £980, including sponsorship from Collection Pot.
Jordan Garnett is a volunteer fundraiser and presenter on the station, and first heard about Collection Pot when looking into options for fundraising for the charity. He explains:
“2020 has been particularly difficult for fundraising for a small charity like ourselves. We would normally hold fundraising events but covid meant they couldn’t go ahead. I had been searching for a fundraising platform and was happy to find Collection Pot and read about what makes them different. I felt reassured that all money is going where it should- to us as a charity.
“Sunshine Radio was established in 1973. We need to raise £2000 each year just for running costs of the studio, and that all has to come from fundraising. I had cancer in 2015 and had such good care from St. Mary’s Hospital that when I got better in 2017, I decided to volunteer and ended up not only fundraising but presenting a show too.
Article continues below this advertisement “As well as being a source of comfort to patients, we also invite people from all walks of life to volunteer at Sunshine Radio. We have around 30-40 volunteers, each taking a slot in our show schedule. It’s a place where people can come to make friends, learn new skills and give something back to the hospital and its patients.
“To close the Pot with £980 is fantastic. It was really easy to set up the Pot, and for people to donate virtually and leave a message of support. For a small charity like ours that isn’t well known, it’s hard to get donations in the usual way, but with Collection Pot we have found a new way to fundraise and a new sponsor too. We feel incredibly fortunate that Collection Pot sees value in what we do, and want to support us as a charity. Now, we can carry on bringing a smile to patients’ faces with Sunshine Radio.”
Wendy Carter, founder of Collection Pot said:
“We read the story of every single Pot that gets set up and Sunshine Radio’s story really resonated with us. Radio is a source of comfort, enjoyment and fun at all times of life, but particularly when you’re in hospital and away from your family. We are pleased to offer Sunshine Radio our support by sponsoring the station, and hope it can continue to bring sunshine to its listeners for many years to come.”
