Radio Lollipop
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Radio Lollipop I
RADIO LOLLIPOP - AN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY PROVIDING CARE, COMFORT, PLAY AND ENTERTAINMENT TO CHILDREN IN HOSPITAL
At the end of May 2015 the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay was granted a collection day at Morrisons at Preston Grange and thanks to the generous public visiting the store were able to collect an excellent amount of £ 351.10 to which the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay added £ 148.90 from our Community Services Charity Fund to bring the amount up to £500 which in its whole was denoted to Radio Lollipop.
Radio Lollipop performs an excellent service to make the life of children that are in need of hospitalisation much more bearable in form of play and entertainment as well as through the radio service in the hospital and many of you who for various reasons have had children in hospital at the Newcastle RVI will have had experience of this Charity Organisation which is run entirely by volunteers.
But our contribution did not stop there as the Chair of Community Services at the time, Rotarian Tore Skjærstad asked our Trustees for a fund match on this collection. When the Trustees reported back they simply stated that the ‘request for fund matching of £500, but we decided that we are not going to do this’, and whilst a disappointed face told it all they continued ‘we are going to give you £1,000’, I believe the jaw dropped to the floor.
Radio Lollipop performs an excellent service to make the life of children that are in need of hospitalisation much more bearable in form of play and entertainment as well as through the radio service in the hospital and many of you who for various reasons have had children in hospital at the Newcastle RVI will have had experience of this Charity Organisation which is run entirely by volunteers.
But our contribution did not stop there as the Chair of Community Services at the time, Rotarian Tore Skjærstad asked our Trustees for a fund match on this collection. When the Trustees reported back they simply stated that the ‘request for fund matching of £500, but we decided that we are not going to do this’, and whilst a disappointed face told it all they continued ‘we are going to give you £1,000’, I believe the jaw dropped to the floor.
Therefore, the grand total that was raised for Radio Lollipop from the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay was £1,500, which would contribute to the annual costs of running the local RVI chapter of Radio Lollipop.
So, in October 2015, Radio Lollipop Newcastle had the pleasure of welcoming the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay for the formal presentation of the tremendous donation of £1,500. The cheque was handed to James Pearson, Chair of Radio Lollipop Newcastle by Mr David Wilkinson, Outgoing President and Incoming President Mr Tore Skjærstad who said, “The Radio Lollipop service in the hospital will be familiar to many people, who for various reasons have had children in hospital at the Newcastle, and will have first-hand experience of this charity organisation which is run entirely by volunteers, which we believe is fundamental to the welfare of young people on the road to recovery.”
Other members of Radio Lollipop Newcastle Jonathan Pearson, Sandra Tweddle and Kathy Hudspith were on hand to show our guests around the studio explaining how donations are used to help our teams on their ward rounds and radio presentations. The donation from Rotary will enable the station to extend the range of sensory equipment for our patients.
Radio Lollipop gave a huge thank you to every member of the Rotary Club of Whitley Bay who supported this donation.
If you are interested in finding out more about Whitley Bay Rotary Club, please contact us either on enquiries@whitleybayrotaryclub.co.uk or by telephoning 07419 736989.
