Volunteering with Radio CW

Colin Bell told Royal Borough about his work as a volunteer at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital’s radio station, RadioCW.

What does RadioCW do?

Hospital radio is there to make people’s time in hospital a little bit better. We play music and chat and our volunteers visit patients at their bedsides every day to collect requests and dedications. Our aim is to create that feel-good factor – something that has even been proved to speed up healing.

How did you get involved?

I was receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer in 2004 when some of RadioCW’s volunteers came onto the ward. I obviously wasn’t feeling great, and just seeing some new people and listening to the song I had requested made a difference. I told myself that if I got better I would come back to Chelsea and Westminster and be a part of the radio station. Needless to say, I’m still here and I’m still volunteering at the station.

So volunteering changed your life?

It has certainly played its part. Before I was diagnosed with cancer I had not worked for eight years. Then I had to go through chemotherapy and let my body recover, quite a long process that left me with no energy. I’d lost my confidence and didn’t know quite what to do. Volunteering at RadioCW gave me the chance to get out and meet people and also helped build up my stamina and confidence.

So what do you do at RadioCW?

I love the sound of my own voice and used to have a show called Tea and Cakes with Colin, but it was a lot of work and I still get tired easily. Now I act as a stand-in for other presenters and show new volunteers the ropes, but mostly I go round the wards to talk to patients and get requests. I know how much it meant for me to see a friendly face, so I try to do the same for other people.

How would you sum up what volunteering means to you?

It proved to me that there was life after cancer. Getting involved with the radio station even led to me getting a job at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. On a more general level, volunteering has opened up new opportunities for me and given me new friends and greater confidence.

Find out more

Find out more about volunteering at RadioCW by calling 020 8746 8423 or visit the RadioCW website. All volunteers receive training and support, and no previous radio experience is necessary.