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Don't forget the AHBS webshop raises funds for AHBS and doesn't cost you any more. If you use Amazon, Blah DVD or Play.com to name but a few, go via our shop and we earn money too! www.ahbs.org.uk/webshop

Now if you use a search engine, ie: Google, Yahoo etc etc you can now use a search engine that pays AHBS everytime you use it! Go to www.everyclick.com register AHBS as your chosen charity (our charity number is 263108) and everytime you use it, money is earnt for AHBS - go on give it a try and home and work and tell all your friends and colleagues too!

Musical Extravaganza planned for Friday 30 th March
Following on from the success of the musical extravaganza held at Ashford School last May, AHBS Fundraising Officer Bob Davidson and Mark Wilson are organising another event for this year. Last years event raised £300 for AHBS. More details will follow soon, but put the date in your diary!

AHBS volunteers past and present joined with a host of special guests this weekend to celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service (AHBS), the hospital radio station for the William Harvey Hospital.

The Big Birthday Bash took to the air for 72 hours from 7:30pm on Thursday 9 th November through until the evening of Sunday 12 th November. During that time current and guest presenters hosted the programmes and there were link ups with former AHBS members who are now working in the media. These included Helen Fisher who is at GMtv in London and Matt Jones who is now station manager of Dearne FM in Barnsley .

AHBS linked up with over twenty fellow hospital radio stations up and down the country from Edinburgh and Inverness to Truro and Jersey , and also near neighbours Canterbury , simultaneously broadcasting to the William Harvey Hospital as well as around the other hospitals.

Special programmes included an hour of AHBS history with AHBS Vice-Chairman Jan Pickett who has been with the service for 34 years and recollected AHBS through the years. As part of the AHBS 35th Big Birthday Bash, KMfm Group Programme Controller, Steve Fountain went "back to the floor" and presented a hospital radio show.

AHBS Head of Programmes & organiser of the Big Birthday Bash, Phill Thorne said; “It has been some undertaking to pull it all together but we broadcast a wide variety of music, speech and entertainment over the four days.”

“We couldn't have done it without the fantastic team of volunteers and the support we had from around the hospital and other hospital radio stations.”

Hospital Broadcasting Week

AHBS held features on-air to support National Hospital Broadcasting Week 2006, from Saturday 1st April 2006 to Sunday 9th April 2005.

AHBS said goodbye to The Music Room, based in the County Square Shopping Centre, recently following their announcement they were closing down. Ashford's independent music store had been a strong supporter of AHBS and had worked with us since the shop opened several years ago. We wish them all the best with their other store in Folkestone.

Under the name John Brabourne he was an accomplished film producer whose credits included Sink the Bismarck! (1960), Death on the Nile (1978) and A Passage to India (1984); and he was married for almost 60 years to Countess Mountbatten of Burma, the daughter of Earl Mountbatten

Until he was 10, John spoke Hindi as fluently as English. During the latter part of the war he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards and returned to India as ADC, first to General Slim, then to Admiral Viscount Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander, SE Asia. It was during this period that he first encountered Patricia, the elder of Mountbatten's two daughters, who was serving as a Wren; he would later recall that he "fell totally under her spell". But in 1943, John Knatchbull's brother, the 6th Lord Brabourne, was shot by the Germans after escaping from a prison train in northern Italy, and Knatchbull succeeded to the peerage. Three years later, at a ceremony at Romsey Abbey, attended by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, it was as Captain Lord Brabourne that he married Patricia Mountbatten, attended by Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

In 1960 Brabourne was appointed deputy chairman, under the chairman Viscount Slim, of British Home Entertainment, which introduced coin-in-the-slot television. Four years later, under Brabourne's chairmanship, Pay-TV (a precursor to the pay-per-view television of today) gave direct reception of the Cassius Clay-Henry Cooper boxing match to several thousand viewers in London.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Brabourne produced several films based on Agatha Christie's detective novels. Star-studded ensemble pictures, they are now regarded as classics of the genre, particularly Death on the Nile, which starred Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, David Niven and Maggie Smith, to name but a few.

Brabourne subsequently went on to become a director of Thames Television from 1975 to 1993 and its chairman between 1990 and 1993. That same year he was appointed CBE. As well as AHBS, Lord Brabourne was an enthusiastic supporter of Norton Knatchbull School (founded by his ancestors), the Kent Trust for Nature Conservation, he was Pro-Chancellor of the University of Kent and governor of Wye College.

Latterly, Lord Brabourne and his wife lived at their comfortable 18th-century family house, Newhouse (so-called because it post-dated the Knatchbulls' nearby ancestral home), in Mersham, Ashford Kent.

Lord Brabourne died on Thursday 22nd September, 2005 with his wife and six children at his bedside. His son, Lord Romsey, succeeds to the peerage.

Hospital Broadcasting Week 2005 puts the spotlight on the work of around 260 local hospital radio stations that operate in the UK.

Hospital stations are run entirely by volunteers, who carry out all the tasks needed to keep a station on air from collecting requests from the patients to making the programmes and fundraising. Stations are completely self-financing and receive no regular funding from the Government or the NHS.

"Hospital Broadcasting is considered by the medical profession as therapeutic for patients - taking their minds off their ailments by enabling patients to see a friendly face for a chat at their bedside and having the opportunity to listen to their favourite music as well as taking part in programmes. It can really help them to keep in touch with their community and keep their spirits up while away from home and family.

"All members of hospital radio stations are voluntary and the best compliment they can receive is a 'thank you' from the patient or their family."

AHBS will have more programmes on throughout the week and a stand in the hospital foyer. On Saturday 9th April a mammoth 12hour request show will take to the airwaves presented by Phill Thorne and Adam Dowling with many more members of the team dropping in during the day.

AHBS has been shortlisted for an award at the National Hospital Radio Awards for the second year running.

Christina said; "The subject of bullying in schools is one that not only affects the victims, but trickles through to the families concerned. Ashford South introduced a "Buddies" scheme to help tackle this and we wanted to show the positive effect. Whatever the outcome of the nomination, it is great to know that the professional judges consider our work of being of very high standard".

AHBS teamed up with the town's ASDA superstore to bring a little Easter fun to the wards of the William Harvey Hospital during the Easter break.

Chris said; "The ASDA store is part of the community in Ashford and we like to put something back. It is so good that we have been made so welcome at the hospital and can do a little bit to put a smile peoples faces around the hospital at Easter time."

The excited crowd of over 400 gathered to witness the demolition work get underway on the Luddenham and Bredgar flats. Spectators cheered as the crane moved in and the first pieces of the Luddenham flats came crashing down. The event, on the Stanhope estate in Ashford, was witnessed by residents, council officers and councillors and also attracted widespread local and national media attention.

One resident who got an extra special view of the action was nine-year-old Luke Saunders of Lynsted Close. Luke was the lucky name picked out of the hat and his prize was a much envied seat in the cab of the crane as the demolition got underway. He was a ccompanied by long time Stanhope resident and Parish Council Chairman Palma Laughton.

An afternoon of fun led up to the demolition, with children taking part in a fancy dress competition dressed as houses, flats and Bob the Builder! Face painting, hot food, refreshments, music supplied by Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service and a demonstration from the Phoenix Baton Twirlers was just some of the entertainment on offer as Stanhope residents celebrated the demolition.

Local young people provided vibrant artwork to brighten up the fencing surrounding the demolition site. The demolition, which is due to be completed by Christmas, was a precursor to the start of the Stanhope PFI regeneration contract, which is hoped will be signed during 2005.

AHBS will once again be present at the Switching On event of Ashford's town center christmas lights.

A volunteer from AHBS has earned herself a place as a finalist in the Ashford Try Angle Awards.

Joanne Strange was a finalist in the "Service to the Community" category of the awards, beating around twenty other nominations for her award which was presented at a special awards evening held at the Liquid Nightclub in Ashford (29th June). Her finalists award certificate was presented by Eurovision singer Lisa Andreas from Gillingham. Lisa is only sixteen and represented Cyprus in the Eurovision contest recently, and has herself been nominated for a Try Angle award in Medway.

AHBS, like all hospital stations is run entirely by volunteers, who carry out all the tasks needed to keep a station on air from collecting requests from the patients to making the programmes and fundraising.

Speaking after the awards evening, AHBS Chairman Daniel Jones said; "Support from volunteers such as Joanne is invaluable to continue our aim to cheer up patients during their stay in the hospital. Joanne always puts in 100% and I was delighted that her dedication to AHBS, together with her other voluntary work, has been recognised publicly in this way as she thoroughly deserves it."

AHBS joins colleagues all over the UK to promote national Hospital Broadcasting Week this week.

Hospital Broadcasting Week (Saturday 3rd - Monday 12th April) puts the spotlight on the work of around 260 local hospital radio stations that serve NHS hospitals in the UK. AHBS, like all hospital stations is run entirely by volunteers, who carry out all the tasks needed to keep a station on air from collecting requests from the patients to making the programmes and fundraising. Stations are completely self-financing and receive no regular funding from the NHS.

During the week a display in the hospital foyer will explain to patients, visitors and staff about AHBS and the service it provides, as well as details for people wanting to find out more about volunteering. We will also be promoting the Service in the town centre on Easter Saturday.

Pat Watts, Hospital Manager for the William Harvey Hospital said: "Hospital radio provides patients with an invaluable source of entertainment, so it is great to see the service being celebrated each year. The volunteers involved in the service are so passionate and dedicated and they really do go out of their way to ensure they keep patients as cheerful as possible.

As well as entertaining our patients at the hospital, members also, in their own time, ensure that whenever possible they support and attend the many local events in the area. I would like to use this opportunity to thank all those involved with hospital radio across East Kent for the tremendous work they do."

June Snowden, the president of the UK Hospital Broadcasting Association, said:."Hospital Broadcasting is considered by the medical profession as therapeutic for patients - taking their minds off their ailments by enabling patients to see a friendly face for a chat at their bedside and having the opportunity to listen to their favourite music as well as taking part in programmes. It can really help them to keep in touch with their community and keep their spirits up while away from home and family. All members of hospital radio stations are voluntary and the best compliment they can receive is a 'thank you' from the patient or their family."

If you would like to find out more you can visit the display at the hospital reception this week, or see AHBS in Ashford town centre's performance area on Saturday 10th April where AHBS will be for the Easter Family Funday . You can also log on to the website at www.ahbs.org.uk or you can call AHBS on 01233 616226 for further information

The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service (AHBS) has again been chosen to play an integral part in the towns three big events this year.

AHBS, the hospital radio service at the William Harvey Hospital, will be in the performance area in the town centre and working with the Ashford Town Centre Partnership (ATCP) for the East Family Funday, the Music and Motors Show in September and the Christmas lights switch-on in November.

The Easter Family fun day will take place on Saturday 10th April from 10:30-3:30 in the town centre and AHBS will be in the performance area by Woolworths entertaining shoppers with music and fun & games. Also joining the AHBS team will be folk group Crooked Style and dancing from the Stourettes.

AHBS will be fundraising for the service, which is a registered charity and relies on donations and sponsorship to remain on air. The Easter bunny will also be helping with fundraising collections and helping the children with the Easter Egg Hunt.

The Easter Family Funday also coincides with national Hospital Broadcasting Week, which puts the spotlight on the work of around 260 local hospital radio stations that operate in the UK. During the week, stations will be promoting their work in their hospitals and local communities. AHBS will be promoting their service to shoppers and trying to attract new volunteers or sponsors for the service.

On Friday 19th December children in hospital in East Kent found some magical visitors on their wards as the pantomime cast from the Marlowe Theatre production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs paid them a visit.

George Wood (Prince Lorenzo), Laura Brown (Snow White) together with the seven dwarfs visited children during the day along with Shaun Williamson (Muddles) and co-star Dave Lee (Herman the Henchman). This is the second year the panto cast from the Marlowe have given up their free time to visit the three hospitals and follows on the success of last years visit which was the first time the panto stars had visited all three sites (Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate - Kent & Canterbury Hospital, Canterbury and William Harvey Hospital, Ashford).

Two volunteers from The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service (AHBS) have received awards in recognition of their work at the William Harvey Hospital radio station.

Joanne Strange (16) and Helen Gallaway (18) were presented with certificates of achievement from the Millennium Volunteers scheme at presentation evening at the North School, Essella Road, Ashford on Saturday 13th December by Ashford Councillor Mick Hubert and Ashford MV Co-ordinator Sonya Wratten.

Joanne and Helen, both of Willesborough and sixth form students at Highworth School, joined AHBS last year. Joanne is in Year 12 studying 5 AS Levels and Helen is studying 3 A-Levels in Year 13. They both give up their free time each week to help with the running of the service for patients at the hospital as well as combining their studies, part-time jobs and voluntary work with the Guides.

Bikers from all over East Kent and some from further afield travelled in convoy to bring smiles to young people stuck in hospital over the festive period.

Sunday (14th December) saw the annual bikers toy run organised by Hothfield couple Brian and Eileen Johns. Around 100 bikes and their riders brought Christmas presents to the ward. The bikers were met by Hospital Play Specialist Rachel Taylor and the presents given to children in hospital over the Christmas period on the ward and also some to those cared for in their own homes by community nursing teams.

AHBS provided a special programme bringing all the action to patients with presenters at start of the run, reporting "live" from a motorbike in the convoy, in the hospital car park as the bikes arrive and on the ward.

Organisers Eileen and Brian Johns with AHBS
presenters Jan Ridley and Christina Newton
and Padua Play specalist Rachel Taylor.

The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service (AHBS) has again been chosen to play an integral part in this years Christmas celebrations in Ashford town centre. Following the success of last years event where TV presenter Angellica Bell joined the AHBS team to light up the town, this is the fourth year that AHBS has worked together with the Ashford Town Centre Partnership (ATCP).

AHBS will be providing music & entertainment from 11am to 5:30pm from the performance area in the heart of the towns High Street for this years Christmas Family Fun Day which takes place on Saturday 15th November.

It is a day of festive fun & entertainment to get people into the Christmas mood and promote Ashford, organised by ATCP. There will be live music & entertainment on the AHBS stage all day, including local singer Jade Blackman, the Norton Knatchbull Jazz Band and fun and games with the AHBS team.

The climax to the day will come when Toyah Willcox, star of this years Marlowe Theatre panto Snow White, will join the AHBS team on stage. At 4:15pm Toyah will switch on Ashford’s Christmas lights together with another VIP, nine year old Eilis Hall from Ashford.

Eilis is the special guest of AHBS who will be helping Toyah light up the town. During the summer holidays Eilish was a patient on the William Harvey Hospital's Padua children's ward. Following an accident, she was in traction with a leg injury and unable to get out of bed for four weeks at the hottest time of the year whilst her friends were enjoying the sunshine. Despite this, she was always bubbly and cheerful and was chosen by AHBS and staff on the ward for the special treat.

AHBS Chairman Daniel Jones says; "We have been involved with the Christmas lights events over the last few years and we are thrilled to be working with the Town Centre Partnership again. We are also delighted that Eilis is able to join us on the day. She took part in our request programmes while she was in hospital and was always smiling despite her injury."

You can find out more at the Ashford Town Centre Partnership website www.ashfordtcp.co.uk/

On the 31st October the AHBS Friday night programme crew decided, if the children of the Padua ward couldn't get out to do some 'Trick or Treating', then Halloween would come to them courtesy of AHBS, the hospital radio station at William Harvey Hospital. So Witch Jan, and Ghostly Paul, took their bag of goodies up to the Padua Ward to spread some Halloween havoc, with a little help from ward staff!

The children were delighted to see the pair, and every child received a Halloween treat. Paul and Jan returned to the studio to play the many requests they had received that evening, and carried on the theme of Halloween by playing songs like 'Monster Mash', and 'Witch Queen of New Orleans', to name but a few!

Jan Ridley, Friday night presenter/Secretary
and Paul Hudson, Programme Assistant.

AHBS chosen as Mayor’s charity

Mayor of Ashford Cllr Bob Davidson has chosen The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service to be one of his three charities for the year of his term of office. The other two charities are North School Farm and Ashford Arthritis Group.

Cllr Davidson and his wife Daphne will be fundraising for their charities throughout the year with a variety of events and the proceeds divided equally among them.

Cllr Davidson said: "As Mayor I have chosen Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service as one of my charities because both myself and Daphne were impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the volunteers running the service. For such a small group of volunteers they are able to provide the entertainment for patients in the William Harvey Hospital, the comfort of listening to a locally produced radio service with individual input for those in hospital.

To provide such an individual service means they have to visit patients each day to find out what type of music they wish to hear. This service gives patients assurance they will be visited on a regular basis by the volunteers collecting requests, thus ensuring they have some communications with the radio station as well as being able to inter-act with live broadcasting."

Mayor and Mayoress of Ashford Cllr Bob and Mrs Daphne Davidson
with Jan Pickett and Phill Thorne at the Mayor's garden party

Generous staff and customers from Ashford's ASDA superstore have shown their support of AHBS with a cash donation from the stores charity fund.

ASDA events co-ordinator Chris Davey was joined by Mayor and Mayoress of Ashford Cllr Bob and Mrs Daphne Davidson at a reception at the hospital on Wednesday 4th June to present the cheque for one thousand, five hundred pounds to the AHBS management committee. The guests were entertained at a buffet reception before joining the Wednesday night team in the studio where they were shown a "live" request programme in action.

ASDA chose AHBS to be their local Charity of the Year and throughout the last year have been busily fundraising for AHBS. ASDA and AHBS have also worked closely together on a number of joint ventures over the last year which have included the Jubilee celebrations, a store talent competition, a family fun day and most recently when the ASDA Easter Bunny Warren spent the morning at the hospital.

AHBS Chairman Daniel Jones said "ASDA has supported AHBS since the store opened in Ashford. Without the support of ASDA and the local community, AHBS would not be able to sustain it's current service or plan improvements for the future. We would like to thank everybody, both ASDA staff and customers, for their efforts."

The reception coincided with Volunteers Week, which highlights the important role volunteers play in society and aims to encourage more people to give some free time to become a volunteer.

Ashford's Carnival Association chose the William Harvey Hospital for the annual selection evening to choose the next carnival queen for the town.

The event, which in previous years has been held at the Stour Centre, took place at the hospital social club on the evening of Sunday 13th April where fourteen young hopefuls took their turn to convince the judging panel that they were the town's next carnival queen.

As well as choosing the social club, The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service was chosen to provide the music and sound system for the evening.

The judging panel was made up of Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr Michael Claughton and wife Daphne, Lisa Tremaco (Arts Officer) and Sarah Barber (Marketing Manager) from Ashford Borough Council and Leo Whitlock, News Editor of the Kentish Express. Also in attendance were carnival courts from all over Kent.

The winning court was chosen as Miss Ashford 2003 Alexia Lewis, Princesses Danielle Gregory and Carly Cleave. Carly was a patient the previous week having broken her right arm. This didn't stop her though, attending sporting her fluorescent pink plaster cast.

AHBS's Richard Collins & Janice Ridley (back left & right) and
Sarah Lock & Jan Jones from the WHH Social Club with the 2003
carnival court for Ashford - Miss Ashford 2003 Alexia Lewis, Princesses
Danielle Gregory and Carly Cleave.

160 bikes - the highest number in the events 8 year history - descended on WHH on Sunday (April 13th) for the annual bikers Easter Egg run organised by Hothfield couple Brian & Eileen Johns for the Padua children's ward.

This is the eighth year that they have organised the event which attracts motorbikes of all shapes and sizes, all bringing Easter eggs to the ward, from all over Kent. They also organise a toy run each Christmas. The bikers met at the Halfway House public house, Challock before heading for the hospital at 2pm.

AHBS, the hospital radio station provided live coverage so that patients & staff could hear exactly what was happening. AHBS presenter Jan Ridley broadcast live coverage as a pillion passenger on one of the bikes.

The eggs were gratefully received on behalf of the ward by patients Jessica Burns and Bradley Earl both 2 years old. As well as making sure that patients in over Easter get an egg, patients being cared for at home by the community nursing teams will also benefit.

The kind hearted bikers also fundraise to support the Kent Ambulance Trust Rapid Response Appeal. Their donations support rapid response bikes and cars which enable Kent paramedics to respond to the most serious of 999 calls faster than an normal ambulance within the government target of 8 minutes.


Sarah-Marie Sage - AHBS & Louise Wright - RNIB

An AHBS volunteer joined others at Charter House, Ashford for a sponsored abseil raising money for the RNIB on Saturday 15th March. The difference between her and the other 160 people that took part over the weekend, was that she recorded her descent for a special AHBS programme!

Seventeen year old Sarah-Marie Sage told her colleagues at AHBS, the hospital radio station at the William Harvey Hospital, that she wanted to do the abseil after the station began to promote the event. The plan was then hatched to wire her up with a microphone and record her commentary of the event as well!

Although a small charity itself, AHBS regularly supports other fundraising events and there are distinct links to the RNIB. "We often find patients on the wards who find the radio invaluable if they have sight problems," comments Sarah-Marie. "When I heard about this I just knew I wanted to do it!"

William Harvey Hospital is home to East Kent's specialist ward for head and neck patients. Watching television can often be a struggle for the patients on the ward, so being able to listen to the radio is always welcomed and appreciated. Hospital Radio is a very personal medium and can be easily enjoyed by people who are blind or partially sighted.

Louise Wright, Kent Fundraising Manager for the RNIB said: "Completing an abseil of 120ft is truly memorable and great fun, it is also a personal achievement. Without the commitment from volunteers like Sarah-Marie and the assistance from local promotional work these events would not be a success. All donations received from the abseil at Ashford will support the people of Kent who suffer from sight loss."

The Music Room has announced that it is the latest Ashford business to support the work of the Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service (AHBS).

The Music Room, based in the County Square Shopping Centre, will provide the charity run service with the top twenty singles each week and is sponsoring a truly local chart show on the radio service for patients in the William Harvey Hospital.

The Music Room chart will be broadcast each Saturday morning on AHBS and will feature the Ashford top 20, based on record sales in the store. Having the latest releases each week will also mean AHBS can continue to provide the music chosen by patients who want to hear some of the latest songs.

AHBS presenter Phill Thorne says; "The Music Room have been very forthcoming in their support of AHBS and we are very glad to have them on board. A local company supporting a local charity is very good for both parties and shows that companies can be of help to charities without parting with large cheques".

Neil Puxty, Assistant Manager of the Music Room added; "When AHBS approached us, we were more than happy to help wherever we could."

It is with sadness that AHBS learned that Beryl Hanning passed away at home in Ashford on Friday 22nd November following a brief illness.

Beryl, together with husband Ron, were founding members of The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service launching the service in 1971. Beryl was secretary with Ron as Chairman for 13 years and during this time she was heavily involved in most aspects of the service including fundraising as well as ward visiting at the former Willesborough and Ashford Hospitals in the 1970s and 80s.

Both she and Ron fought tirelessly to get the service off the ground and to keep it going through threatened closures, several re-locations and hospital moves.

Jan Pickett, AHBS Vice-Chairman, has known Beryl for 30 years and has been in regular contact with Ron and Beryl. Ron & Beryl attended Jan's 30th anniversary reception at the hospital back in August this year.

Jan said, "Beryl worked tirelessly for the Service and has eased the stay of countless numbers of patients over the years, the service wouldn't be were it is now without the work of Beryl and Ron."

This Sunday (8th Dec) saw nearly 100 motorbikes cruising into WHH. It was the Christmas Toy Run to the Padua Children's ward, an annual event is organised by Brian and Eileen Johns from Hothfield. The bikers from across Kent met at The Halfway House pub at the Challock crossroads at 1pm on Sunday before leaving for Ashford at 2pm. The procession headed from Challock through the town and up to the hospital along Hythe Road.

The bikers were met by hospital Play Specialist Rachel Taylor before being treated to chocolate biscuits, mince pies & steaming mugs of tea on the ward. The bike run is open to any biker, the only condition is that they must bring a present!

All patients admitted to the ward between now and Christmas will receive a present, thanks to the generosity of the bikers. Also, some patients cared for by the community teams in their own homes will also benefit. Bikers came from all over Kent to join in, even some members of a bike club from Norway joined in.

The Ashford Hospital Broadcasting Service will be helping to light up Ashford on Saturday 16th November.

AHBS has been chosen to play an integral part in this years Christmas celebrations in Ashford Town Centre and will have a stage in the lower High Street for this years Christmas Family Fun Day.

There will be entertainment all day from 11am to 6:30pm all around town and music & fun on the AHBS stage, including dancing, live performances and lots more. The climax of the day comes at 4pm when Children's BBC Presenter Angellica Bell will be joining the team live on stage to judge a fancy dress competition. A lucky Ashford youngster will have the chance to meet Angellica and join her on stage. Then at 4:30 Angellica and AHBS stage the Christmas lights switch on - turning on the Christmas lights across the centre of town from the AHBS stage.

This is the AHBS's biggest outside event of the year, so come down and join us and meet the AHBS team.

Party for Jan’s 30 years service

A surprise reception was organised last Friday (16-08-02) for AHBS's Vice-Chairman Mrs Jan Picket as she notched up her 30 anniversary working with hospital radio. Members past and present came from as far away as Scotland. Jan joined the service in 1972 and it wasn’t long before she was helping out with programmes and eventually hosting her own. She has held many roles over the years and played a key role in the stations management committee and with fundraising.

Also present was Deputy Mayor of Ashford Cllr Bob Davidson who spoke of Jan’s dedication. Presenting Jan with a 30 year Long Service Certificate from the Hospital Broadcasting Association, hospital radio’s national body he said: "Many people rarely stay in the same job for 30 years, yet here is someone who has devoted 30 years unpaid service to the borough. When I retired from the army after 25 years service, I left with a pension. Here's a lady whose done 30 years and she's not retiring and all she gets is - thank you."

Chairman of East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, Mr Peter Hermitage presented Jan with a large basket of flowers and letter of thanks from Trust Chief Executive, David Astley, saying that volunteers were an essential part of the NHS in East Kent.

"On behalf of all of us in East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, thank you for the efforts you have made on behalf of our patients over 30 years. The efforts of voluntary services in our hospitals play a big part in hospital life and the well being of our patients. Devoting 30 years of your life to it is a big commitment for which we thank you."

AHBS Chairman Daniel Jones presented Jan with a plaque commemorating Jan’s service. One of the stations studios will be dedicated "The Jan Pickett Studio". The main on air studio was dedicated to her late husband Mike who had also had a long involvement with the service.

Other surprises for Jan included a celebration cake produced by ASDA Ashford, in the shape of a patient in bed. Jan works for ASDA and the Ashford store has made AHBS it’s Charity of the Year for 2002.