A husband and wife team from Aylesbury have been recognised by Buckinghamshire Council for over 50 years of volunteer work.

Mark and Stella Withey, who are volunteers at Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio, have raised thousands of pounds for the charity whilst also presenting several shows.

Stella co-hosts the ‘Magazine Show’ with fellow presenter Colin Morton on a Friday evening as well as solely presenting her ‘Golden Oldies’ show on a Thursday night, whilst Mark is best known for hosting the ‘Aylesbury Chart Show’ every Saturday morning between 9am to 1pm.

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Mark has been with the station since 1988 whilst Stella joined in 1999, before the two married in 2004.

Mark, who works for the council, said: “We are very aware many patients have few or no visitors, so we are able to provide entertainment and information and also a link to friends and family through requests etc.

Bucks Free Press:

Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio

“It’s a real pleasure to make patients stay in hospital just a little easier during their stay and working with the staff at the hospital.

“During lockdown we have continued to produce programmes and broadcast 24 hours a day and though we have not had full access to our studios many of us have been producing shows from home.

“And I never thought I’d be at the station for this long.

“Stoke Mandeville Hospital has around 400 volunteers across the hospital, and they work incredibly hard to make sure that everyone is welcome and OK.

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“Volunteers across the hospital do a lot from just being there for someone by holding their hand to helping out in a ward.

“It’s good to see so many people helping out, especially during a time like this and I just really enjoy doing what I do at SMHR."

Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio were also recently mentioned in the House of Commons.

After Aylesbury MP Rob Butler mentioned that hospital radios played an important factor for patients on May 18, Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, responded by saying: “My honourable friend should be very proud to represent Stoke Mandeville Hospital, and Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio - because he's right.

“Hospital radios are always important, as at times like this when visitors haven't been able to go into hospitals, it's even more important, and I'm very, very pleased that he raised it.”

To read more about Stoke Mandeville Hospital Radio, go to www.smhr.co.uk.