HBA South Training Day

Access to Football Grounds

One of the trends that came out of the HBA’s consultation last summer was members’ wishes for more regionally based events. This, along with general discussions over the future of conferences and the regions and the similar regional event held in the Wales and West region last year, was the inspiration behind the first HBA Southern Region Training Day held at Winchester Hospital Radio in February.

I decided on a programming and presentation theme to the day with three seminars in total. Nigel and Anna at WHR helped get things organised, working out how many could be accommodated in their conference area, sorting out the buffet lunch, etc. WHR are fortunate to have the space to host such an event and when we started, we thought maybe we’d attract 25 people. Over the following few weeks, the plans came together. Three seminars were planned and during January full details were sent out to stations in the region.

It soon became obvious there would be more than 25 people. In fact 56 people came along for what was an extremely successful day.

The afternoon was split into three sessions with a buffet lunch and refreshments in between. Firstly Paul LeFeuvre from Hospital Radio Basingstoke, from a suggestion, did a presentation on interview techniques, from the equipment to use, how to set up an interview, what sort of things to ask and how to edit it afterwards.

Secondly, Paul Blitz from WHR talked about what’s involved in broadcasting from the wards – why it’s so good and the practicalities of actually doing it. And finally, HBA Programming Advisor Paul Easton talked about presentation issues, answering questions from the audience on timing, understanding your audience, preparing a programme, etc.

Overall it all went very well and the comments received have been very positive. Most stations that came were from the west of the region, so in the future, maybe we’ll do a similar event in the east of the area.

The station to come the furthest was Hospital Radio Plymouth and other stations included Hospital Radio Bedside in Bournemouth, Hospital Radio Basingstoke, Portsmouth Hospital Radio and Radio St Helier.

Thanks to everyone who came along and to Winchester Hospital Radio for hosting the afternoon. Hopefully there will be more regional events both in the south and around the country in the future.