Radio Shows

Hi to all of you visiting this site. You'll find many articles below that describe my time at the Military Hospital Tidworth. There I trained as a nurse, operating theatre technician, gained management experience and found my self managing the department that was responsible for supplying medical devices to wards, departments and operating theatres for use in surgery. Marvellous experience. It was also the place in which I learned, to my absolute surprise, that I wanted to get involved in radio work.

Don't ask me how or why.It was one of those things hat just happened. In another article I'll go into it a bit deeper and discuss my progress in that area.

In he meantime, here's a link to some of my more recent radio shows that are available on Mixcloud. Please feel free to visit as often as you'd like, and even tell a friend about it. 

Thanks again for calling by.
www.mixcloud.com/peter-haynes

Whats Coming Next on WiganFM?

Whitstable Harbour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Its the last day of January 2015 as I write this. A wet wild windy and occasionally snowy month for us here in Whitstable.

Its also a busy month. Lots of family things going on, as well as producing shows for Wiganfm. Each week I present 3 shows, 2 hours each, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They start at 10am UK time and finish at 12md. 

In the first hour of the show we'l have your favourite love songs and a featured artist for the day, as well as your dedications. At 11am, we move on to a new feature which will run for three weeks. On Mondays it will be "Country Connection," the best there is in country music. On Tuesday at 11am its "Let There Be ROCK," and on Wednesday morning we'll move on to Jazz. As you know, Jazz come in many forms...one size definitely doesn't fit all. I play a wide variety of types to suit all tastes.

To Join me, just type wiganfm.com into your search engine and we'll be together in no time at all. If you want to listen via your pad or smartphone, download the Tunein radio app....search for wiganfm. 

I look forward to us getting together on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Hello and Welcome To My Radio

Hello, and thank you for visiting. Many things have happened since I last posted on this site. One major event is that I have returned to international broadcasting, which I left behind way back in 1998.

The reason for leaving was that my work in commercial radio was impacting on my work in management in the National Health Service in UK.

Happily, that is all in the past. I now am back, working with a radio station called Wiganfm. If this link does not take you directly you to the page, please just type wiganfm.com into you browser. It is based in Wigan, which is in north west England.It is what is know as a Community Radio Station. I work on three mornings each week. They are Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. My shows are at 10am UK time and last for two hours. 

If you would like to join me, please just search for wiganfm.com in your browser, or you can download the Tunein radio app to your smartphone, pad, computer or laptop.

I'll update this page more often as the days go by. I look forward to your visiting Wiganfm.com 


wiganfm.com

Such A Long Time.......

Just can't believe how long since I last posted. Been so busy I guess. Since last year I have moved house, decorated, done up the new garden,not alone I have to say, but with the help of my incredibly hard working wife. Don't know where I'd be without her!!

It's not all been just about hard work. Since the days that I was in Tidworth......54 years ago as I write this, I have wanted to get involved in working as a radio producer/presenter. In 1983, I got the chance to do so. I won't go into how, when,where at this time, I'll do that another day. Suffice it to say, I left the business in 1995.

I've always missed the studio environment, and despite my really longing to get involved again, I didn't have the courage to try. Come January 2014, I decided to take my courage in both hands and look around to see who would take on a 67 year old ex-Soldier and ex-NHS manager.I searched the internet and found Miskin Radio. I emailed via the website, and much to my surprise, got an invitation to go for a trial. Have to say here and now, the station manager was a guy that had worked at a previous station I also worked for, did that help? Possibly!!!!! Was I nervous? yep, I certainly was. After a while during which I practiced and and found that it still gave me a tremendous buzz, I was offered a show once a week. 

My first broadcast seemed like the worst thing I'd ever done, and I was ready to walk away. My new boss encouraged me to keep going...so I did. I now do two shows each week, would love to do more but the long distances between home and the studio put me off a bit. Look below, and you'll see a link to my shows, Monday and Tuesday mornings every week, 10am through 12MD UK times.

visit Miskin Radio via www.tunein.com Just put Miskin Radio in the search box and you'll find it.

Not only do I broadcast on that station, I now also work for Veteransradionet. I currently officially have two shows each week, this time on Saturday and Sunday mornings, between 10am through 12MD each day. From time to time I pop up at other times...currently July 2014, I'm on every day from 6pm through 8pm covering for the usual presenter who is unwell. This station is a great set up, run by British Forces Veterans, for Veterans around the world. It supports colleagues in times of stress and hardship, by putting them in touch with the relevant organisations. It is also a great shoulder on which to lean, and a great listener to those with something they want to get off their chest.

Visit us in two ways. Via the Facebook page, veteransradionet, or via www.veteransradionet.com

Hope you'll get the chance to join me on either of the above station, or even both, when you get the chance.

The Late Maj- Gen. Patrick Dignan

Back in the 1960's, while based at Tidworth Military Hospital, I had the priveledge of working with a number of people who influenced my training and future learning. They ranged from Ward Sisters, Operating Theatre Sisters, Operating Theatre Technicians, and even  one or two Regimental Seargeant Majors!!!!

Above all those people though, the one name that stands out for me is a man that we Technicians knew as "Paddy" Dignan. Not that we addressed him as such though! Major Dignan he was at the time, a General Surgeon, which really means that he was capable of operating on most areas of the human body, although I would say that Opthalmic Surgery, ENT Surgery and Dental Surgery were not on his list of "To Do's." He was, to me and to many others, a Gentleman. I never knew him to once ignore anyone as he went about his daily work, acknowledging nurses and addressing them politely and with respect, and treating theatre staff in an equally respectful manner. There were of course, moments when it could clearly be seen that he was deep in thought as he walked through the hospital, his mind probably focussed on his next task.

With such excellent memories of this Gentleman, and the influence he had on my training, and that of others, along with his exceptional devotion to the treatment, well being and recovery of his patients, it was with great sadness that I recently learned of his death. I have attached a copy of the Obituary published in the Daily Telegraph, recording the passing of Maj-Gen. Dignan. I won't try to outdo this obituary, but I can add a couple of things that don't feature in it.

Maj. Dignan, as he was when I knew him, always gave the impression of loving his work, and especially his research programmes. His operating days were Tuesday and Thursday, back to back lists which means he was in theatres all day each day. We technicians looked forward to the publication of his surgical lists, with some trepidation-wondering just how many cases he was able to get through in one single day. I don't ever remember seeing short lists. I do remember lists with up to 20 cases though!!

Also memorable was the research programme he conducted with regard to the treatment of Duodenal Ulcers. The work that resulted from the reasearch was lauded world-wide when published. I can't remember how many Vagotomy and Pyloroplasty operations were carried out during that reasearch, but it kept us all very very busy for some time.

You'll notice I am sure, that I have headed this article Maj- Gen. Patrick Dignan. His full name though was Albert Patrick Dignan.  The Albert part of the name was never mentioned by anyone, let alone him. He is quoted as saying he "abhored" the name Albert. The Dignan part of his name is the anglicised version of the Irish name, O'Duigenan. In his book, "A Doctors Experiences Of Life," published in 1994, tells an amusing story of a car salesman and his insistence on addressing him as Albert. I won't disclose the outcome of the potential sale, you can find that out in the book. I would just say that if you should come by a copy of his book, buy it. I am fortunate enough to have a signed copy-NO its's not for sale!!!

Finally, I would reiterate my total respect for a man who became an outstanding surgeon, as well as being a much loved and sorely missed family man.

R.I.P. Patrick Dignan, born July 25th 1920. Died October 11th 2012.


Related articles

• Patrick Dignan

Seasonal Goings On

English: Tidworth - Tidworth Park Fine avenue of trees in Tidworth Park. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Now it could be, and it has been said, that I am none too bright for my age. Yes, even those closest to me have confirmed what others have thought and said.

The reason I bring this to your attention is thus. Try as hard as I might, I cannot remember what we used to get up to over Christmas and New Year back in the mid to late sixties, other than working of course. Christmas in Tidworth would have been as well celebrated by the men and women of the British Army, based there, as well as the families, as it would have been anywhere. Of that there would be no doubt.


English: Farmland near Tidworth Alongside the A338. Tidworth can be seen in the background. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For my first three Christmases and New Years, I was a single lad with very little cash to spend, as the maximum pay I earned was in the region of £3 a week after tax in 1965. Mind you, food and accommodation were provided as part of my contract with the Ministry of Defence to defend Queen and Country, so I should not complain. (or so I was told) If anyone remembers better than I do what the scales of pay were at that time, I would appreciate you reminding me.

On the work side of things, as many military  patients as was possible were discharged and R.T.U'd. Sorry, that was jargon-unforgivable. It means Returned To Unit. Civilian patients were sent home, some to return once the festive season had expired, and wives and children discharged to home.

One thing I do remember, when working on the children's ward during the build up to Christmas, was the number of very young children being admitted via casualty after being brought in during the very late evenings and in very cold weather. I am sorry to say, that young kids became a bit of a nuisance to some very young parents who were likely to miss out on parties if they couldn't get a baby sitter. (Strangely enough, similar things happens these day in the NHS, but the nuisance relative is the elderly relative.)

On male adult wards at least, Christmas Presents were handed out in the form of boxes of cigarettes. They were boxes of 50 each. They were presents from another country and cost the UK tax payer nothing. Those that didn't smoke still accepted them, as they would become valuable in bartering later on.

Apart from working, as mentioned before, I have no recollection of any particular festivities. If anyone reading this DOES have any memories from that period, please use the comments facility at the end of this article. Thanks.