I’m so enthusiastic about Care Radio! We can help provide the mood music for the daily task of caring for someone. Uniquely, radio can hold hands over the airwaves, bring a bit of cheer, bring people together and can just put that bit of wind beneath our wings. Uniquely, Care Radio does that for you and me who are caring for others.

Care Radio offers me the chance to give something back to those going the extra mile every day. I’ve experienced first-hand the astonishing level of care given by so many remarkable people in our NHS, despite near-impossible circumstances and the lack of pop-star wages! I’m so grateful to be here to have the opportunity to say a heartfelt ‘Thank you for caring’, from the bottom of my heart.

I have been a carer. My sister was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, she lived in New York. She underwent numerous operations and each time I went out to the US to care for her. She had the cancer gene sadly and there was no cure. In May 2018 I went out when the cancer went to her brain. I spent 6 weeks being her sole carer as she became weaker and weaker and unable to do anything. I had never had to care in this way before and it was lonely at times and so very hard. My heart goes to anyone having to care full time for a loved one or as a job.

I have been a carer. My sister was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, she lived in New York. She underwent numerous operations and each time I went out to the US to care for her. She had the cancer gene sadly and there was no cure. In May 2018 I I am proud to be working on Care Radio, having had first-hand experience of the amazing work carers do. My mother recently passed away after 18 months in a care home, most of them during the Covid-19 restrictions where family visits were extremely limited. I genuinely am honoured to be on Care Radio giving something back to the amazing people, paid and unpaid, that selflessly help others every day. If what I do can help in any small way to make a difference, then I’ll do it.

The wellbeing of people and supporting those with less opportunity are the key drivers for all my work. We live in times that elevate the necessity of this approach. Care Radio is born of these times. It is such a good fit for me and I was delighted to be asked to get involved. In all this there will be a lot of fun and great causes that are fun to support will always go far. Let’s do this.

After surviving a pandemic, when hundreds of thousands didn't, I now really understand the expression 'no man is an island'. The medical profession, carers, the general public, politicians and different countries have worked together to try to draw this awful episode to a close. Life is about those around you, those who care for you, love you - those who you can cry with, laugh with, share things with - it's about making memories and sharing experiences - Care Radio is about all these things and that's why I jumped on board.

I’ve chosen to support Care Radio because the last 12 months has taught me just how important it is to look out for those nearest and dearest to you. But sometimes, not everyone has that lucky and carers are on hand to provide that vital support. I also want to help provide opportunities to those young carers in the community who will aspire to do great things alongside the amazing work they do as a carer and by working with the fabulous Lucy Hutton, we’ll do that by supporting the Young Carers programme.

I’ve had some great times in radio over the years, and the ability the medium has to create a one to one connection is second to none. Care Radio has really refocused me on why I loved radio so much in the first place. I’ve been remembering times in those early days in hospital radio when you know you’ve helped to make somebody’s day just that little bit easier. It’s great to know, that even in a small way, we can make a difference by being a friendly voice when it’s needed, providing company and companionship.

I am delighted to be part of the Care Radio team. It offers a terrific opportunity to share the Science of Connection with the public, and I can’t wait to introduce the many people who are putting that science into action in all sorts of settings. Their stories are courageous and inspirational, and I believe that hearing them helps to create a world filled with Compassion, Connection and Care. Yep, that’s the name of my show and now you know how we arrived at it!

I have always enjoyed the close relationship you can have with listeners through the medium of radio, and who better to entertain than a group of people I consider to be real heroes, the Care Community. I hope, through my knowledge of music, my sense of humour , and having a real interest of how music affects your mood, reaches emotions and prompts memories, I am very much looking forward to being on air with Care Radio and spending some time with you.