Monthly Archives: April 2014

A hopping great giveaway

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Radio Lollipop volunteers in Bristol transformed into Easter bunnies for this season’s big giveaway. On Thursday 17th April, children from all over the hospital were treated to deliveries of goodie bags from the Lollipop team which included Easter themed crafts, crayons, colouring pages and puzzles, stickers and an even a specially themed rubber duck.

The fun continued back in the playroom with more craft activities and games which saw the kids (and volunteers) get competitive to create the best Easter egg shell. The competitions continued on the radio with Bristol Lolliboss Kate’s (aka DJ Splinter) ‘eggstravagant’ show packed full of themed jokes, songs and trivia.

Funding for this year’s Easter Giveaway was kindly raised by the UNITE Group’s head office in Bristol. Employees at the student accommodation company held an Easter themed cake sale and raffle to generate £325 for Radio Lollipop in Bristol which will be charity matched to £650.

Speaking of the event, Thursday night volunteer Holly said “it was great to see the kids getting excited over the arrival of the Easter bunnies. Everyone really enjoyed getting stuck into their goodie bags and the rubber ducks were a particularly big hit, even with the nurses!”

Live to Give Supports Radio Lollipop Gold Coast this Easter

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Kids in the Gold Coast University Hospital did not miss out on the Easter Bunny over the East break as Radio Lollipop Gold Coast Volunteers and Live to Give Projects combined their efforts to spread some colour and joy.

For one family, who were up from New South Wales for a holiday, Radio Lollipop couldn’t have stepped in at a better time. When their 11-month-old son was admitted into hospital for the last two days of their holidays, all plans went out the window.

“It was a really lovely, way to end two very gloomy and stressful days for all of us,” says Rebecca, patients mum. “Instead of our holidays ending on a low, it ended on a high. The kids are still talking about it now.”

With the help of Live to Give Projects, Radio Lollipop Gold Coast gave all the children comfort and entertainment with the kindly donated bunny and duck ‘pillow pets’ along with colourful Easter egg playdoh.

It is little moments like this that remind volunteers that everything they do at Radio Lollipop for the children really makes a difference, one smile at a time.

Birmingham Chairman Runs Mini Race Series for Radio Lollipop

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Birmingham Chair Aidan Thompson is has now completed 4 of his 6 races that he is running, aiming to raise money for Radio Lollipop Birmingham’s new studio, which will launch later this year. Having finished the 7 Pools Run (Sutton Coldfield) 10km in 38th place of 477 runners, and 144th (of 591) in the very blustery Northumberland Half Marathon, and smashing his PB in the Lichfield Half Marathon, Aidan finished 102nd (of 7,000 entrants) in the 8.5mile Great Midlands Run. Aidan finished in 59min55s (some 4 mins faster than he ran the same course last year). Aidan has 2 more races to go, with the Tamworth Gate Gallop and Alnwick Costal Run over the coming weeks. Aidan has raised over £250 so far. Please help him promote his challenge by sharing, sponsoring and spreading the good work of Radio Lollipop.
http://www.justgiving.com/RadioLollipopBirmingham

Cam sings from the heart

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It’s hard to believe Radio Lollipop singing star Campbell MacKenzie was born with a life-threatening condition.

The day-old baby boy couldn’t breathe or feed and was diagnosed with an internal organ abnormality.

He needed urgent medical attention from the team at Starship children’s hospital to save his life.

Today he is a healthy 14-year-old who regularly gives back to the hospital by singing live on Radio Lollipop to entertain the young patients.

Cam has loved music for as long as he can remember.

“I started playing guitar when I was 6 and I really did like listening to music, and it kind of kicked off,” he says.

His first public performance was at a school variety show.

Then, when he was 9 and wanting to raise funds for the Starship Foundation, he started busking on Auckland’s Vulcan Lane.

He later sang at the 2009 Starship Supernova Swing fundraising concert alongside Op Shop frontman Jason Kerrison.

He wanted to do more but was too young to be a volunteer on the wards so he contacted Radio Lollipop to see if he could sing for them.

“I felt like I needed to give something back to the kids,” he says.

Radio Lollipop chairwoman and volunteer Angela Mackie says Cam is an amazing person.

“When he sings he draws people to him. We count him as one of our celebrity guests.”

The effect his singing has on the children is amazing, she says.

“I was once sitting with two girls on the ward and Cam was singing live on the radio.

“When I told them who he was, their faces were shining when they found out he was just an ordinary boy like them,” Ms Mackie says.

“They were gobsmacked.”

Cam would like to continue his involvement as a volunteer with Radio Lollipop when he turns 18.

“I’m not even a proper volunteer now but I still feel like I’m part of the Lollipop family. It’s a good family.”

For the full story, see this Stuff.co.nz article.