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The event saw Radio Wimborne presenters take turns behind the decks, inviting members of the public to make donations to the Dorset-based children’s hospice in return for hearing their favourite songs and making requests.
The Radiothon was officially opened by Town Mayor Jeff Hart and Town Crier Chris Brown, who had written a special “cry” to celebrate the occasion. Chris is also a presenter on Radio Wimborne, where he is known as Dapper Dan and hosts the station’s popular reggae show.
As Wimborne town centre began to come to life, Veronica Ryder was first on the decks at 10.15am, followed by a lively live performance from musician “Dorset Phil”, who entertained the growing crowd with his original songs — including his enthusiastic celebration of cider!
Radio Wimborne presenters Juli Harman and Daniel Carter followed with their own 45-minute sets, attracting requests and donations from passers-by.
Daniel provided one of the funniest moments of the day when a couple requested a song to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. He announced that they had been married for “60 happy years”, only for the lady to respond with a laugh:
“I didn’t say they had always been happy!”
The Radiothon then went live on air for a special three-hour broadcast. Nicky Prior, presenter of Radio Wimborne’s Monday Magazine Show kicked off the live radio show, keeping the crowd entertained with a selection of funky tunes alongside requests, while also taking photographs, filming and live-streaming the event for the station’s social media.
At 1.45pm, Radio Wimborne’s newest presenter Roseanna Dean took to the decks for her first live station event, receiving a warm welcome from the team and the crowd.
The afternoon culminated in a spectacular performance by local singers Cadence Collective, following a final DJ set from Radiothon organiser Simon Fuller, co hosted by David Emes. The choir’s performance attracted a huge audience, with even staff from shops around The Square coming outside to enjoy the music.
Behind the scenes, Radio Wimborne’s technical guru Glen Fowler ensured that the sound remained crystal clear and that the live broadcast link operated perfectly throughout the event.
A team of volunteers also worked hard behind the scenes to set up and support the event, including organiser Simon Fuller, David Emes, Jo Toy, Steve White, Steve Richards and Mike Hardy.
The final amount raised for Julia’s House is still being calculated, with Radio Wimborne looking forward to announcing the total.
Radiothon organiser Simon Fuller has been congratulated for organising the event, while special thanks have also been given to Dorset Phil and Cadence Collective for their fantastic live performances.
The event also highlighted the commitment of Radio Wimborne’s presenters, technical team and volunteers, who give their time to support the community station and its events.
A Radio Wimborne spokesperson said:
“Our first Radiothon was a fantastic day for a fantastic cause. We loved every second of it, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who came along, made a donation, requested a song, stopped to listen or helped create such a wonderful atmosphere in The Square.”
They added:
“A huge thank you goes to everyone involved, particularly our presenters, volunteers and technical team, who give so generously of their time. We’re also extremely grateful to the people of Wimborne for supporting the Radiothon and Julia’s House.”
