We Take 5 with Radio Horton alumni, Philip Tolmie, to find out what life was like during his tenure at the radio station, and what he’s been up to since.
So, how old were you when you began volunteering at Radio Horton and what first inspired you to get involved?
I began volunteering soon after I finished university, I must have been around twenty-one. I was inspired by my time on the student radio station at university!
What did your volunteering role entail?
I hosted my own weekly radio show. The music, guests and content were all my responsibility, which meant it was often just me and my brother making stupid jokes, but hey we enjoyed ourselves!
The best thing about being part of the Radio Horton team was…
I liked how much freedom there was to make my show whatever I wanted it to be. I would argue that at times it was borderline unlistenable, but Radio Horton let me hone my craft and try all sorts of weird ideas, like when we “commentated” a footie match and just made up what was happening. If I remember correctly, towards the end of the game there was a huge sinkhole and one team fell in so the other team just stood at their goal racking up points.
Where are you now, and were you able to utilise any of the skills gained from your voluntary experience?
I’m currently in South Korea, working as an English teacher. I would argue that my infamous ability to talk for long periods of time without really actually saying anything, and my inability to feel shame – both very handy for a teacher – are due to my years at Radio Horton.
What advice would you give to young people looking towards a career in the media, or to anybody looking to get involved in hospital, health and wellbeing broadcasting?
My advice would be to just do it. It was a lot of fun, and you can put in as much, or as little, effort as you’d like. It’s something you can easily do that is guaranteed to have a positive impact for the community, no matter how small, which makes it worth it.
That said, thinking about my show… hmm. “Positive impact”? Best not to think about it.