Radio Warneford celebrates official opening of its new studio complex

Radio Warneford has celebrated the official opening of its new studio complex at Warwick Hospital.

The event, at the studios in Lakin House, was attended by the Town Mayors of Warwick, Royal Leamington Spa and Kenilworth, who are joint patrons of the station, alongside one of Radio Warneford’s founding members, a representative from the Hospital Broadcasting Association and Radio Warneford’s Chief Engineer, who has designed and installed the new studios.

The event was hosted by one of Radio Warneford’s Trustees, Andy Dowell.

Radio Warneford also held a ceremony to name both of its broadcasting studios after two former members – Graeme Meanley MBE and John Glare – who did much to enhance the life of the station and raised thousands of pounds each for both the Radio Warneford and for their other charities.

Members of Graeme and John’s families attended and unveiled plaques for each studio.

The Town Mayor of Warwick, Councillor Dave Skinner, performed the opening ceremony, outside the entrance to the new studio in Lakin House, on behalf of the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust by handing a ceremonial key one of the station’s founders, John Flaherty, who was instrumental in setting up Radio Warneford as “temporary Christmas entertainment” in December 1973.

In his opening message, the Mayor of Warwick said Radio Warneford has received fantastic support from the South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust along with the SWFT Charity.

The Trust have provided the space in which to create the new studio complex and the station looks forward to working closely with the Trust moving forward.”

The Mayor then announced the opening of “Radio Warneford’s Squire Studios”. The complex itself has been named after the Chief Engineer, Mike Squire, who has been a volunteer at Radio Warneford since 1974 and has almost single-handedly designed, installed and maintained all the stations’ studios since that time.

After the opening ceremony, the special guests moved inside to witness members of Graeme Meanley and John Glare’s families unveil plaques to name the two studios. Andrew and Maureen Meanley, Graeme’s son and daughter-in-law, and James Glare and Elizabeth Cooper, one of John’s sons and daughters, each unveiled their plaque, which was accompanied by a short piece about the work of each of the men and a photograph. The plaques will each be placed on the door to the respective studios and the photographs and personal information on the wall inside.

Guests were then given a tour of one of the new studios as Radio Warneford Duty Producer, Cliff Proctor, broadcast a live programme. The mayors were able to have a music request played for them during their visit, choosing tracks by Peter Gabriel and Elton John.

Later in the evening, the special guests joined Mark Jones, SWFT Associate Director of Strategic Estates and Capital Planning, Liz Waters, SWFT Senior Capital Programme Manager, and over forty current and former members of Radio Warneford at the Bishops Tachbrook Sports and Social Club to mark the studio opening and to celebrate more than fifty years of broadcasting for patients. Two of Radio Warneford’s Trustees, Louise Kalus and Andy Dowell, hosted the evening.

The Town Mayor of Warwick, Councillor Dave Skinner, made a speech praising the support that the hospital trust has given to Radio Warneford. He thanked everyone who had been part of keeping the station in operation for more than fifty years. The Town Mayor of Royal Leamington Spa, Councillor Judith Clarke, proposed a toast to Radio Warneford, and Alan Chalmers, Town Mayor of Kenilworth, cut a cake, decorated as a radio studio console, to mark the 50th anniversary.

Roy Dickel, a Trustee and Co-Secretary of the Hospital Broadcasting Association, which supports and looks after the interests of hospital radio stations across the country, presented long service awards, not only to the station itself for fifty years on the air, but also to individual members. On the night, Valda Reid received an award for 35 years as a volunteer, Paul Deavall for 20 years, Chris Ackroyd for 15 years and Andy Dowell for 40 years. There were also awards for members who were unable to attend the evening event – Mike Squire for 50 years, Gayle Harris and Adrian Newell for 20 years and Lynn Taylor for 10 years.