MP on right wavelength as she opens new studio

YOUNG fundraiser Keanna Sheehy recruited her siblings and friends for a bucket collection to raise more than £130 for charity.

Keanna, 13, who lives in Elland and attends Brooksbank School, was joined by her brother Eesaa, seven, fouryear-old sister Shakeela, and friends Alisha Blue, three, Sofia Hardy, four, and Kamran Malik, 13, collecting cash from shoppers at Cheetamill in Manchester to help needy children in famine-hit East Africa.

Keanna’s mum Barbara said: “They all wanted to help the children of East Africa when they saw their suffering on TV.”

Keanna has been raising charity cash since she was 10 and last Christmas spent the school holidays collecting donations of money, food and gifts in Huddersfield and Elland for the homeless. 1980s. Chairman Mike Binns said: “Hospital radio has long been the training ground for people wanting to get into broadcasting as a career and our station has been the springboard for a lot of talent you’ll hear on the radio across the country today, including local commercial and BBC stations.

“It’s important that we keep up to date with the latest technology so our presenters can get a good understanding of what to expect if they decide to enter the world of broadcasting full time.

“Our new mixing desk fits perfectly with today’s style of radio, which is based around computer play-out systems – a bit like a bigger and more sophisticated version of the MP3 music player you might have at home.”

Vikki Padgett, voluntary services manager at the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “Staying in hospital means being away from family and friends and HWD Hospital Radio really does try to bridge that gap to ensure patients are kept entertained during their stay.

“This is a fantastic resource and Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin tries out the refurbished radio studio with (from left) HWD Hospital Radio’s chairman Mike Binns, engineer Damien Tyson and president Pat Rhodes. it’s great to see the station investing both in upgraded equipment and also in the training of volunteers who could well be our radio stars of the future.”

HWD Hospital Radio is a charity and relies on fundraising and donations to keep running. All its presenters, back-room staff and request visitors are volunteers, with all money going to pay for the upkeep of equipment and broadcasting licences.

The station now broadcasts on the web via its own website at hwd hospitalradio.com