Bill Hensley, station manager at Huntingdon Community Radio, writes his last column of 2023.

Our Christmas Open Day was held on December  9 and we were pleased to welcome many of our listeners and supporters to the studios at the Saxongate Building.

Visitors were able to record a Christmas message for family and friends and have a look around the studios, and, of course, enjoy a mince pie.

We were also pleased to welcome Cllr Karl Webb, from Huntingdon Town Council, who also recorded a message. 

The messages will begin to be aired shortly. Thank you to everyone who helped out and supported us.

Karl and Julie Brockett, deputy mayor and mayoress of Huntingdon Town Council, and also chair and treasurer of the Huntingdonshire Nostalgia group, have now joined us as occasional presenters on our community access programme Over to You.

This is aired on Monday evenings at 7pm once a month.

The group shares nostalgia, photos and stories from all ages and is willing to give free talks. Get in touch with us via our website: www.hcrfm.co.uk and let us know what you like best and we will endeavour to include this on the show.

Don’t forget that on Christmas Eve, we will be presenting a programme of carols and readings.

Carols of The Air will start at 10pm and there will be some traditional readings from our volunteer members, as well as poems.

This will lead into Christmas Day and, of course, the King’s address to the nation and Commonwealth will be broadcast in the afternoon.

Our Charity of The Month is the Care Network Cambridgeshire, supporting people to live happier, healthier and independent lives.

The charity offers a range of support services including a short, free home help service following hospital stays.

Our presenter Norman Knapper spoke to Corrina O’Flaherty on December 6 in our Over to You programme - and you can ‘listen again’ if you missed it via our website as shown above. For more information on the Care Network, you can visit its website page.

All that remains now is to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a healthy new year.