John White

An expat Bedlingtonian living and working in other parts of Europe has sent a south east Northumberland community radio station £250 to help fund its next broadcast. The on-line listener of Synergy "“ which broadcast for 28 days during March "“ is keen to see the station fulfill its aim to stage another broadcast before the end of the year. The donator, who wishes to remain anonymous, e-mailed station organisers South Northumberland Radio Group (SNRG) to say that the broadcasts, during the short time Synergy was on air, had been thoroughly enjoyed - adding that "listening gave me, an ex-pat, a rather nice feeling of once again being in touch with my roots and being a part of the community I've always loved". SNRG chairman Colin Heathcote said "We are absolutely delighted to get this entirely unexpected and unsolicited contribution from this listener, who clearly feels that our aim to provide a genuinely accessible community radio service to people in south east Northumberland is worth supporting." The station "“ which played host to nearly 100 guests "“ plans to apply for a second restricted service licence from the government's broadcasting authority, Ofcom. In the meantime it has to raise up to £10,000 to pay for the forthcoming broadcast and related activities. Said Colin: "As we are a community radio station we will be applying to local organisations as well as regional and national bodies for funding. And if people who have listened to us either locally or elsewhere are interested in helping they can contribute by sending a cheque made out to South Northumberland Radio Group at 90a Front Street East, Bedlington , NE22 5AE. Donations can also be made on-line by Paypal to: donate@synergyradio.co.uk."

A broadcasting reunion involving two radio presenters who had not met for nearly 30 years featured in Synergy's final week on the air. The Bedlington-based community radio station which completes its 28-day Restricted Service Licence broadcast at midnight on Friday saw Drivetime presenter John White get together with ex-Radio Wansbeck hospital broadcaster Diana Pasek-Atkinson Diana, formerly of Morpeth who now lives and works in Nottingham, was visiting family and friends and made contact with John who invited her along for an on-air chat. John said: "It was great to see and hear Diana again after all these years. She has occasionally done radio work in the Midlands with stints on BBC Radio Nottingham, and during her Trent University days, with a hospital broadcasting service in the city. "The last time we worked together was on a 48-hour sponsored broadcast to raise money for Radio Wansbeck in the early 1980s, about two years before she left the area. But we have kept in touch and Diana has been listening to Synergy on-line in Nottingham." John's final programme on Friday, which he is co-presenting with Synergy newcomer Becca Bird, will feature Ashington AFC's press officer Brian Bennett, defender Craig Scott and midfielder Andrew Johnson, and Stewart Grimes from Bedlington Terriers. They will be previewing Saturday's games and reflecting on recent performances. Earlier in the day, Colin Heathcote will be interviewing Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery and Red Cross senior community fund-raiser Margaret Musgrave. Colin said: "The past four weeks of broadcasting to people on 87.7FM throughout south east Northumberland has been a wonderful experience for all our presenters. "Our aim was to provide an entertaining mix of music to suit all tastes alongside speech-based programmes which concentrated on community activities, facilities and events. We hope that we have achieved that aim. "Our presenters have showcased local musical talent, presented live outside broadcasts and talked to more than fifty guests. "We are grateful for the many messages of support, including texts, letters, e-mails and phone calls, and we look forward to returning on-air and on-line as soon as possible," he added.