Hi. My name is Lindsey Barrell and I joined Hospital Radio Chelmsford in February 2009 after seeing an article in the Essex Chronicle with current Chairman, Graham Medhurst, appealing for volunteers.

At the time I was on a short break from work due to illness and I thought it was a perfect time for me to apply. I had wanted to do some sort of voluntary work for quite some time, but as I was then running my own business, I had been too busy to do so.

I started as a Trainee Member on the Wednesday Night Request Show and I have been fortunate enough to have met some of the most fantastic people during my time here, people who I class as my closest friends, my second family.

In the last 20 months I have progressed onto 3 further shows on top of the Wednesday Night Request Show, of which I am now joint Duty Officer (and Hospital Radio Mum) to a fab bunch of people.

I have my own ‘baby’ in the Flashback to the Seventies Show on Wednesdays from 6 to 7.30pm where I indulge my passion for all things seventies and endeavour to give the patients a real taste of seventies music of all genres.

I can also be heard, currently, on Sundays and Mondays.

I have organised quite a few social events to enable our members to get to know each other and have also assisted on various outside broadcasts such as Baddow Fun Run , the Broomfield Open Day and more recently the Open Day for the new wing.

I am currently serving on the Committee as Membership Development Officer and it is now my job to appeal for new volunteers and to then ensure they all get trained and looked after. I am also Vice Chair so I am assured, should the Chairman not be available, I might have to do something very important one day.

I love being a part of Hospital Radio Chelmsford. For me it ticks every box and it really is like my 2nd family!!