Southampton Hospital Radio
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Alumni

Tim Marshall

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I contributed to Southampton HBA while at university between 1972 and 1975. Most memorable moments were a live OB from Southampton Hospital for H.M The Queen's visit, interviewing Morecambe and Wise at The Gaumont Theatre and doing a live commentary from a hot air balloon flying from the Southampton Show. This experience significantly helped me to join the BBC where I became Head of Events Group and was responsible for TV production of major national events, sports, factual and entertainment content. 

In 1990 I moved to Walt Disney as Senior Vice-President responsible for all international TV production. In March 2005 I became CEO at Janet (UK), the organisation responsible for developing and managing Janet, the UK's powerful world class research and education network. 

I graduated from Southampton University in Sociology, I am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and of the British Computer Society and a member of the Royal Television Society. I have been engaged by the Athens, Beijing and London Olympics as a quality controller of international TV production. For my charity work I produce the annual Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall - broadcast each November on BBC1. 

I cannot thank friends at Southampton HBA enough, particularly Jane Smith (nee Baron), Alan Lambourn, Jim Dale and Ian Ward for helping me to get my foot on the first rung of the broadcasting and events ladder.

Tim Marshall, High Wycombe, Bucks.

Pete Simpkin

I was a member from the mid sixties until my departure from Southampton in 1971.

At the time of my joining I was an engineer at the old BBC studios at South Western House and joined HBA to widen my broadcasting experience and to do what I could to support the tremendous work being done to bring a little bit of entertainment and distraction to hospital patients.

My first visit was to the home of Chief Engineer Geoff Allcock where the request programmes were recorded....in his garden shed. John Stranger and Zena Millard were the presenters. We eventually moved to cellars underneath the Toc H youth hostel at the top of Winchester Road.

I produced and presented a wide range of shows from requests to major OBs.....among the latter Princess Margaret's visit and the 200th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers' sailing on the Mayflower ..... both with Alan Lambourn commentating. I was able to introduce several colleagues to HBA including Clive Jacobs (South Today presenter), Carole Stone (who went on to produce any Questions for Radio 4), Arthur Brookes (Engineering) and Peter Maggs.

As a result of all my experience I got a Producer/Presenter job at BBC Local Radio at Pebble Mill Birmingham and this lasted until my retirement.

I cannot thank Southampton HBA enough for letting me have a go at broadcasting and have fond memories of the people already mentioned as well as the late Guy Garrett and Sonya Garrett (now Delamere), Dallas Stone, Ken Flood, Paul Shoosmith, Edwin Course and many others.

Best wishes and continued success Southampton HBA!

Pete Simpkin

Alina Jenkins - BBC South Today Weather Reporter

Over the past 4 years Alina Jenkins has become a familiar face of weather in the South. But this has only been one segment of a 12 year career in the media, part of which was spent with the Hospital Radio team in Southampton.

From an early age Alina was very involved in dance and theatre, training at the local Parkewood School of Dance in Eastleigh. then at 16 she won a coveted place at Laine Theatre Arts in Epsom, where she stayed for three year working alongside Victoria Beckham (who at this stage was just a young performer dreaming of stardom!).
Victoria went on to achieve international fame whilst Alina instead took to international waters, performing as a dancer on the Orient Lines cruise ship 'Marco Polo.' Her 7 month contract took her to Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius, Argentina, Chile, the Falklands, Antarctica, New Zealand, Australiam the South Pacific and Indonesia.

On her return to the UK Alina was signed by a London acting agency and over the next few years appeared in many comercials including Pantene & Head and Shoulders and also featured in a few television programmes including Red Dwarf, Crime Traveller, The Preston Front & The Politician's Wife. She also played numerous roles on stage including the lead as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet and excelled in the role as Mrs Darling in Peter Pan.

The arrival of their son Max in 1999 meant that Alina and her husband David decided to move away from London and return to their home town of Southampton and it was at this time time that Alina became involved in Southampton Hospital Radio.
After a very intense six week training course with Steve Mullane & Tony Harding; Alina and the other new recruits were nervously led into the studio for the first time where they were allowed to get behind the microphone and actually present a show. Even after all her acting and theatre exploits Alina admimts to being very nervous (if you had Steve sitting in the adjacent studio you would be too!) but she soon settled into the role and spent the next 18 months as a volunteer, producing and presenting shows.

It was her experience at Southampton Hospital Radio that gave her the confidence to approach the BBC and in 2001 she was a runner up in the BBC Talent Scheme.
A regular spot on the Radio Solent Travel desk came her way which in turn led to a position presenting the weather for Solent and Southern Counties Radio. From here it was a natural progression to the TV and after a successful screen test for BBC South Today and a period of intensive training with the Met Office, she was offered the position of Weather Presenter.

Her daily schedule includes creating and preparing TV graphics, keeping on top of the forecast data, presenting up to 4 TV bulletins and up to 10 radio bulletins. So the job is demanding not only of time but also of mental agility - Alina has no autocue whilst in front of the camera and she must be able to change the duration of her bulletin to fit the time available.

Despite all this Alina says one of her enduring 'nervous' moments will always be the audition for the radio presenter's job at Southampton Hospital Radio.

Tim Cole - SGR FM, Suffolk

I was with HBA in Southampton from about 1997 - 2001 presenting the Saturday Club and a slot on Thursday evenings.

I went on to do some freelance presenting work with 107.8 Southcity FM, Orchard FM, Spire FM and various other south coast stations.

I got a full time gig presenting drive on 102 Spire FM in Salisbury, where I stayed for a year, during which time we were Sony nominated for station of the year.

I was then asked to apply for the daytime job at Suffolk's SGR FM (tsa 500,000). Which is where I still am; presenting each day 10am - 3pm and Saturday breakfast.

Since getting the job i have added some 18,000 listeners, increased hours and made quite a name for myself.

Of course none of this would have been possible without Southampton HBA.

If you were a past member of Southampton HBA why not contact us and tell us what you are up to now?! We'd like to know how your time at Southampton HBA has influenced what you are doing now. It doesn't have to be broadcasting anything interesting that we can mention here. Perhaps you found a vocation at Southampton HBA, perhaps you decided Charity work was your thing and you are now part of a large (say national charity). Perhaps you learnt a skill at Southampton HBA that has helped you in life.