Hospital Sessions Score A Century

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 20, 10 November 1939, Page 48

Hospital Sessions Score A Century

Hospital Session from 3ZB on Sunday, October 29. The Hospital Session has been a feature of the Sunday programme of 3ZB since the station opened. Introduced by " Aggie" and carried on by Bob, with reliefs by David, the popularity of the session may be gauged from the voluntary contributions to what has become an important part of 3ZB’s activity, the Hospital Radio Fund. Individual donations have been augmented by community subscriptions until more than £670 has been received. Of this sum £410 was spent in fitting out the Chalmers Block of the eae Public Hospital (three wards of sore forty beds each) with earphones for each B= SPIERS conducted his 100th

bed. The Children’s Fresh Air Home on Cashmere Hills was supplied with new equipment and extensions, Bob has become a familiar figure on visiting days at the Public Hospital, Laden with flowers, books and periodicals all brought into the station by the many people who are interested in the session, he makes his round of the wards, and leaves a cheery word with the gift. Several instances could be quoted to show another phase of service made possible by the session. A call to a patient one Sunday brought a request for further information about him, and a brother and sister who had had no knowledge of each other for 17 years were united, and an ageing man found a home which otherwise he would not have had. From Pahiatua in the North came a request for information concerning another patient, and this brought about a reunion of two school mates and a holiday which made the convalescence of the patient a very happy one. Among the crippled children a definite field of interest has been established. Many ot the children in other centres became pen friends of those in Christ church, and many more from their beds in their own homes have begun a correspondence with others similarly situated. "Uncle Bob," as he is known by the children, is the clearing officer for many letters sent with the one purpose of bringing into acquaintance those who otherwise would not. know each other.