Young patients, their family and Radio Lollipop volunteers at Joondalup Health Campus last week celebrated 10 years of Radio Lollipop on its 25- bed children’s ward. Radio Lollipop broadcasts to the children’s wards at Joondalup from the Radio Lollipop studio at the Princess Margaret Hospital. They have been brightening the Joondalup ward since 1998, playing games, reading stories, singing songs and doing whatever it takes to make the children smile.

On August 5, the youngsters were treated to the usual fun and games, and a celebratory birthday cake. Radio Lollipop Volunteer and professional storyteller Bill Park started with Radio Lollipop five years ago to keep himself busy in retirement. He puts his talent to use on the ward on Tuesday nights and is an avid supporter of the charity. “Sadly, the kids we visit miss out on the everyday joy of just being a kid when having to be in hospital,” he said. “You only need to talk to a parent of one of the kids to understand how much of a difference our volunteers make. We just try to do our part in making a child’s stay in hospital more enjoyable.”

Check out Radio Lollipop Volunteer Pirate Bill at the party.

Radio Lollipop Newcastle would like to challenge all stations to find out if anyone has done a wetter roadshow than us?

Our recent “Young Carer’s Fun Day” in association with Gateshead crossroads was the worst event we have ever experienced in terms of rain. Arriving at the venue in appropriately named Rainton Gate at 9am, the volunteers were met with a downpour of heavy rain that lasted more than 6 hours.

However, that didn’t stop the team from entertaining over 1000 young carers with music and giveaways.

Whilst the children decided it was fun to slide down the muddy field face first, the volunteers were more reserved…it’s unusual to see the Radio Lollipop team trying to stay dry in a water fight.

All of the children involved had a great day, which was the main intention. Many of the children are carers for ill parents or siblings in some of the most deprived areas of the North East of England and for some, it was their only opportunity to really remember what it’s like to be a child and have fun without too much worry of the consquences at the end of the day.

Although crate stacking, football, crafts and games all eventually seemed to end in mudslides, there were smiles all round!

Well done to the organisers for perservering and making it an enjoyable day for these special children.

If you’re one of the 52,000 runners taking to the streets of Newcastle and South Tyneside on October 5th this year, then look out for a familiar face from Radio Lollipop Newcastle. Steve Keys was a volunteer at the RVI from 1994 until 2003, when sadly the pressures of work-life balance meant he could no longer continue to be a full volunteer. He has kept in touch with the station since and helps out whenever he can at any events. He even came back to front the stations 25th Birthday Party in July 2007 and has helped and advised on several roadshows since.

Steve now works professionally as a DJ, Magician and Compere for events across the North East and often across the UK. His clients include:

BBC Radio Newcastle
Children in Need
Newcastle United Football Club
Newcastle City Council
British Transplant Association
Transplant Games
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue
Q-Music Northern
Copthorne Hotels
Holiday Inn Hotels

Steve was even described in the July edition of ‘MagicSeen’ magazine as “One of the most entertaining and talented comperes in the country”.

Later in the year Steve has also been booked to compere the Newcastle Magic Circle’s 75th Anniversary dinner, and is now the resident DJ for Newcastle Eagles Basketball Team, for their home matches at Newcastle’s MetroRadio Arena next season!

Radio Lollipop is proud to have helped Steve on his way to success and Steve has not forgotten the contribution the charity has made in shaping his career saying

“I’ll always do everything I can to help Radio Lollipop. I fully understand how valuable the volunteers’ effort is and want to continue to support and help Radio Lollipop as often as possible. I have a 1-year-old daughter myself and obviously hope that she never needs to go into hospital but if she did, I’d be confident that she would be in the care of some of the most dedicated volunteers in the country.”.

This year has been a roller-coaster for Steve with some high profile jobs coming his way, including being the finish line warm up presenter for the Great North Run – the WORLDS BIGGEST half marathon. He will be keeping the huge crowds smiling as they wait for their family and friends to make the grueling trip from Newcastle to South Shields, 13.1 miles down the road. If you, or anyone you know is running on the day, and raining money for Radio Lollipop as they go, PLEASE make sure Steve knows and he’ll do his best to find you and have a chat at the end.

If you have a fundraising event coming up for Radio Lollipop and think Steve could help you out at all, then he is more than happy to do so.

You can get in touch easily via his website at

stevekeys.co.uk

Last night we were visited by Berrick Barnes a player for our Local Brisbane Rugby Union team The Queensland Reds. Berrick is also currently representing Australia on the International Rugby Union circuit with the Wallabies.

Berrick was able to sign stickers and posters for all the children and there were many photos taken as a keepsake from his visit. One child was a huge Wallabies fan and had a team scarf that he takes with him on all his hospital visits that has now been signed by Berrick and I am sure will be a talking piece among his friends and family and will remain a treasured keepsake forever.

Our thanks go to Berrick and we wish him and the rest of the Wallabies team all the best in the upcoming games in South Africa. Also, our thanks to the Tuesday team, Jaye and Ali for organising and hosting this visit.

Check out Berrick with three of our Radio Lollipop volunteers, Erika, Sally and Kate.