Trust AM
Encyclopedia
Trust AM is the operating name of the hospital radio
station serving the Doncaster Royal Infirmary
on Armthorpe Road in Doncaster, and the Bassetlaw District General Hospital
on Blyth
Road in Worksop
. There were plans to extend the service to the Montague Hospital in Mexborough
, which is part of the same NHS Foundation Trust
, although these had to be shelved when it was discovered that the patient bedside network could not support the radio service.
Started from an idea in the summer of 1972, supported by the Worksop Lions
, Radio Kilton had its 1st Broadcast on Saturday 2 December. In the beginning, equipment was limited and programmes consisting of music and requests only went out at the weekend. By Autumn of 1976 the station had its first purpose built facility, known today as Studio A. In the following years membership and programming expanded and soon after the radio had its first outside broadcast. Continued expansion was seen in the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 2000, broadcasting went on free-to-air on 1278 MW, broadcasting 24/7. After a little more organization came another name change to what we know now as Trust AM.
Over at Doncaster, Radio Danum started in November 1980 and within a year was broadcasting over 74 hours a week with over 48 presenters. The station had a varied output even back then. In its first year it was attending events like the Finningley Air Show
. The station even had their own amateur dramatic productions. Over the years Radio Danum became more successful and even had a special anniversary broadcast in the week the station became 10 years old! However, since the mid to late 90’s the station suffered from a lack of volunteers and funding. Since then the station has been incorporated with Trust AM to become part of the larger organization. An updated Doncaster studio was (re)opened in September 2005.
Staffed by Volunteers and operating 24 hours a day, the station aims to provide "More Variety" to its listeners with a blend of music based mainly on the 50's to the 80's, but with even older songs, and newer ones, added to the mix. Dedicated request
shows take to the air every weekend, Trust AM also provides specialist shows for Brass Band
, Big Band
, Jazz
, Classical and much more.
The charity is controlled by an Executive Committee who meet at least 4 times per year. The management team meet in between those times to discuss the day to day running of the station. Unlike most radio stations, Trust AM do not have a single station manager. Instead, a team of up to 9 members share the responsibilities and make joint decisions. This has proved to be a very successful formula.
Bassetlaw Hospital has two studio
s, Doncaster Royal Infirmary has one. All are equipped to a high specification with many modes available to the on-air presenter. From gramophone records, through cassette tape, to CD and even computerised playout systems. A new jingle
player system, using a touchscreen
monitor, is being installed in May 2009. The music library
holds in excess of 140,000 tracks.
Listeners can hear the broadcasts via headsets
connected to the internal hospital network, or on a normal radio
by tuning to 1278 kHz on the medium wave band, medium Wave is not yet available at Doncaster.
The Trust AM Roadshow van visits several events throughout the summer months, such as the Worksop
Show, the Lions International Disabled Games day and Woodsetts Gala. Quite often a special license will be obtained to allow parts of these events to be made into an outside broadcast. The van is fitted out as a full mobile radio studio with external PA facilities and a directional transmitter link.
2009 will see the 3rd annual Hangar
Dance
take place at the North Notts Arena in Worksop
. This is organised by Trust AM members and is based on the 1940s, when dance bands would play in aircraft hangars for the entertainment of local people . The event is a fund raising opportunity for the radio station and other charitable organisations. In 2007 the Bassetlaw Breastcare Appeal was the main benefactor. 2008 supported the Worksop Lions.
The Oldest DJ In Town, Len Bratley
, is 83 years old in 2009 and presents two Nostalgia themed shows per week, covering the earlier part of the 20th century. Len has been featured in several newspapers and even appeared on TV for his role with the station.
Hospital radio
Hospital radio is a form of audio broadcasting produced specifically for the in-patients of hospitals. It is primarily found in the United Kingdom.-History:...
station serving the Doncaster Royal Infirmary
Doncaster Royal Infirmary
Doncaster Royal Infirmary is a district general hospital of 800 beds, located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Each year the hospital treats around 150,000 patients along with 95,500 A&E patients .Doncaster Royal Infirmary started life as the Doncaster Dispensary on French Gate in 1792...
on Armthorpe Road in Doncaster, and the Bassetlaw District General Hospital
Bassetlaw District General Hospital
Bassetlaw Hospital, Worksop, is one of the key hospitals in the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust[www.dbh.nhs.uk]. The Hospital has 305 beds...
on Blyth
Blyth, Nottinghamshire
Blyth is a village in the Bassetlaw district of the county of Nottinghamshire, in the East Midlands, north west of East Retford, on the River Ryton.-Geography:...
Road in Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
. There were plans to extend the service to the Montague Hospital in Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
, which is part of the same NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Foundation Trust
An NHS foundation trust is part of the National Health Service in England and has gained a degree of independence from the Department of Health and local NHS strategic health authority.Foundation Trusts are represented by the , .-Function:...
, although these had to be shelved when it was discovered that the patient bedside network could not support the radio service.
Started from an idea in the summer of 1972, supported by the Worksop Lions
Lions Clubs International
Lions Clubs International is a secular service organization with over 44,500 clubs and more than 1,368,683 members in 191 countries around the world founded by Melvin Jones Headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, United States, the organization aims to meet the needs of communities on a local and...
, Radio Kilton had its 1st Broadcast on Saturday 2 December. In the beginning, equipment was limited and programmes consisting of music and requests only went out at the weekend. By Autumn of 1976 the station had its first purpose built facility, known today as Studio A. In the following years membership and programming expanded and soon after the radio had its first outside broadcast. Continued expansion was seen in the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 2000, broadcasting went on free-to-air on 1278 MW, broadcasting 24/7. After a little more organization came another name change to what we know now as Trust AM.
Over at Doncaster, Radio Danum started in November 1980 and within a year was broadcasting over 74 hours a week with over 48 presenters. The station had a varied output even back then. In its first year it was attending events like the Finningley Air Show
RAF Finningley
RAF Finningley is a former Royal Air Force station at Finningley, South Yorkshire, partly within the traditional county boundaries of Nottinghamshire and partly in the West Riding of Yorkshire, now wholly within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster....
. The station even had their own amateur dramatic productions. Over the years Radio Danum became more successful and even had a special anniversary broadcast in the week the station became 10 years old! However, since the mid to late 90’s the station suffered from a lack of volunteers and funding. Since then the station has been incorporated with Trust AM to become part of the larger organization. An updated Doncaster studio was (re)opened in September 2005.
Staffed by Volunteers and operating 24 hours a day, the station aims to provide "More Variety" to its listeners with a blend of music based mainly on the 50's to the 80's, but with even older songs, and newer ones, added to the mix. Dedicated request
Request
Request may refer to:*a question*in computer science, a message sent between objects*in computer science, a request in Hypertext Transfer Protocol*ReQuest Dance Crew, a hip-hop dance crew from New Zealand*Request TV, a defunct pay-per-view service...
shows take to the air every weekend, Trust AM also provides specialist shows for Brass Band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
, Big Band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Classical and much more.
The charity is controlled by an Executive Committee who meet at least 4 times per year. The management team meet in between those times to discuss the day to day running of the station. Unlike most radio stations, Trust AM do not have a single station manager. Instead, a team of up to 9 members share the responsibilities and make joint decisions. This has proved to be a very successful formula.
Bassetlaw Hospital has two studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
s, Doncaster Royal Infirmary has one. All are equipped to a high specification with many modes available to the on-air presenter. From gramophone records, through cassette tape, to CD and even computerised playout systems. A new jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
player system, using a touchscreen
Touchscreen
A touchscreen is an electronic visual display that can detect the presence and location of a touch within the display area. The term generally refers to touching the display of the device with a finger or hand. Touchscreens can also sense other passive objects, such as a stylus...
monitor, is being installed in May 2009. The music library
Music library
A music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions...
holds in excess of 140,000 tracks.
Listeners can hear the broadcasts via headsets
Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeakers, or less commonly a single speaker, held close to a user's ears and connected to a signal source such as an audio amplifier, radio, CD player or portable Media Player. They are also known as stereophones, headsets or, colloquially, cans. The in-ear...
connected to the internal hospital network, or on a normal radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
by tuning to 1278 kHz on the medium wave band, medium Wave is not yet available at Doncaster.
The Trust AM Roadshow van visits several events throughout the summer months, such as the Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
Show, the Lions International Disabled Games day and Woodsetts Gala. Quite often a special license will be obtained to allow parts of these events to be made into an outside broadcast. The van is fitted out as a full mobile radio studio with external PA facilities and a directional transmitter link.
2009 will see the 3rd annual Hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
Dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
take place at the North Notts Arena in Worksop
Worksop
Worksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
. This is organised by Trust AM members and is based on the 1940s, when dance bands would play in aircraft hangars for the entertainment of local people . The event is a fund raising opportunity for the radio station and other charitable organisations. In 2007 the Bassetlaw Breastcare Appeal was the main benefactor. 2008 supported the Worksop Lions.
The Oldest DJ In Town, Len Bratley
Len Bratley
Len Bratley is a presenter on the Hospital Radio Station, Trust AM, based in the Bassetlaw District General Hospital in Worksop. Len celebrated his 80th birthday in 2006 and is dubbed 'The Oldest DJ In Town'....
, is 83 years old in 2009 and presents two Nostalgia themed shows per week, covering the earlier part of the 20th century. Len has been featured in several newspapers and even appeared on TV for his role with the station.
Hospitals served
- Doncaster Royal InfirmaryDoncaster Royal InfirmaryDoncaster Royal Infirmary is a district general hospital of 800 beds, located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Each year the hospital treats around 150,000 patients along with 95,500 A&E patients .Doncaster Royal Infirmary started life as the Doncaster Dispensary on French Gate in 1792...
, DoncasterDoncasterDoncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"... - Bassetlaw District General HospitalBassetlaw District General HospitalBassetlaw Hospital, Worksop, is one of the key hospitals in the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust[www.dbh.nhs.uk]. The Hospital has 305 beds...
, BassetlawBassetlawBassetlaw is the northernmost district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population according to the 2001 UK census of 107,713. The borough is predominantly rural, with two towns: Worksop, site of the borough offices, and Retford... - Montague HospitalMontague HospitalMontague Hospital is in Mexborough, a district of Doncaster. It is part of the Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust, which also takes in Bassetlaw District General Hospital and the Doncaster Royal Infirmary....
, MexboroughMexboroughMexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
External links
- Trust AM, The station's own website.
- Hangar Dance, Annual 1940's event organised by Trust AM.