Iain Elsey

Iain Elsey joined Radio Lion in November 1980, at St Luke's Hospital.

Major building work was just being completed to add two-twin studios and a third interview/discussion studio (which was never finally built). During this time no new members had been taken on.

Even though it maybe over twenty-five years ago, Iain still remembers the telephone call from Peter Covey, asking him to start: "I didn't sleep all night...I was so excited" remembers Iain.

Iain started his training on "The Silly Saturday Show" with Peter Covey, reading the local news and later a television guide for the coming week.

Following the completion of the new studios, Radio Lion extended its out-put during March 1981 to include an evening programme between 5pm and 7pm. Iain presenting "After Five", on a Thursday evening for fifteen years. Saturday morning breakfast followed a few years later. In the latter years of St Luke's the late Morris Mangan joined him on "Breakfast in Bed".

For many years sharing ward visiting on both sites, between the two programmes.

Over the years Iain has broadcast fill-ins and special programmes covering every hour around the clock.

When the West wing of the Royal Surrey County Hospital was officially opened in 1992 Iain was in the studio broadcasting a special programme, while Mark Gibbons, was in the hospital foyer, describing the official opening to listeners "live" on-air". Later Iain was presented to HRH the Duke of Kent.

A member of the management committee for many years, in the past, he has held various posts of Studio Manager, Fund-raising, Minutes Secretary and was Programme Controller for nine years.

It was during this period that he wrote and produced a documentary programme of local people's memories during World War II. The programme was entered into the BT Hospital Radio Awards under the Best Non-Music Category. The programme was later nominated for an award.

On Thursday 9th May 1996, along with the programme's presenter, Paul Sysum, Iain attended the award ceremony at the BT Tower in Maple Street, London, W1. Both of them had no ideal, that the programme would win the top prize.

The hospitals Trust Board was later to also award him with an 'Award for Excellent' at their inaugural recognition awards in 1996.

A presence was always maintained at the various local public events and Iain has done programmes from both the former Guildford Town Show and the Surrey County Show.

Live Outside Broadcast's have also been conducted from various locations within the Royal Surrey County. These include "Breakfast in Bed" from the foyer of the hospital, Royal Surrey County Restaurant and on a couple of occasions the programme - came from the loading bay at the rear of the hospital, setting the scene for the hospital's Fun Day later that day.

Over the years Iain has interviewed many local people plus celebrities including Burt Kuock (Kato from the Pink Panther films), the Barron Knights, Michael Knowles - It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Numerous casts of the pantomimes at the former Guildford Civic Hall, the late Goon: Michael Bentine. But the greatest honour was having tea with the former of speaker of the 'House of Commons', the late Lord Tonypandy (George Thomas)... The king of interviewers, Peter Hicks did that one!

The hospitals Trust Board presented Iain with the Volunteers Award at the 2001 recognition awards, after being nominated by a former patient. The citation reading: Having been involved with Radio Lion for over 20 years Iain has held a variety of responsibilities including programming for nine years. Iain has brightened up breakfast times for patients on Saturday mornings for some sixteen years having started broadcasting whilst still at school he decided to join the NHS and now combines his broadcasting with working at the Royal Surrey County Hospital.

Iain was part of the team submitting entries for the 2006 National Hospital Broadcasting Awards. The station was nominated for three of its five entries, including the Station of the Year award, which Iain narrated.

June Snowden (HBA President) presented Iain with his long service award in April 2006, on behalf of the 'Hospital Broadcasting Association', in recognition of twenty-five years dedicated voluntary service to hospital broadcasting and the local community.

Today, Iain is the second longest serving member of Radio Lion, being beaten by Jim Richman by a few years.

He has found the radio station has certainly changed over the years, apart from the hundreds of presenters who must have done programmes over the years. Some of them becoming good friends.

Iain continues to attend the twice yearly 'Hospital Broadcasting Association' (HBA) conferences and for several years represented Radio Lion at the HBA's Southern Regional meetings.

Away from Radio Lion, Iain has presented programmes for the University of Surrey based station Guildford Campus Radio - GCR and along with other Radio Lion presenters; he was also heard throughout the local area, on Y-FM during the summer of 1994. More recently he has also been involved with some programmes for 'Devizes Hospital Radio' in Wiltshire.

Iain was also a contributor to the magazine programme "Nice 'n' Easy with John Henty and Friends". This programme being broadcast on over 80% of the hospital radio stations around the country

During the daytime Iain works for the Royal Surrey County Hospital.