Despite the ongoing credict crunch in the run up to Christmas, shoppers in Scunthorpe have again proved their generosity, donating to the station's annual bedpush and street collection.

Volunteers from the station took to the High Street at the weekend, with their "mock" patient in tow.

Station Chairman Phil Moore said he wanted to thank everyone who donated and pledged the money would be put to a good cause, keeping SHR on air for another year.

SHR's grand tour of Scunthorpe supermarkets starts this weekend. The team are visiting all of the towns main supermarkets, meeting shoppings, collecting requests, raising funds and looking for new members.

You can meet the team at Scunthorpe Sainsbury's on May 8th and 9th.

We'll also be at Tescos on June 19/20th, in Asda on July 7th, the Southgate shopping Mall on August 29th and in Morrisons on September 5th.

SHR volunteer Paul Coates has completed the London Marathan, raising funds for Scunthorpe Hospital Radio.

Paul, who's also a nurse at Scunthorpe General, finished the gruelling course in 5 hours 8 minutes - raising nearly £2000 for the charitable-run station. SHR broadcast a special programme live from London during the run, after being granted special access by the London Marathan organisers - access usually only given to the BBC. It meant staff and patients back home could listen in to see how Paul was progressing and the programme captured the moment he crossed the line to be reunited with his girlfriend and family.

SHR Station Manager Phil Moore, who took part in todays special five hour programme, said he was very proud of what Paul had achieved: "It's the highest figure ever raised by an individual for Scunthorpe Hospital Radio and I know all of the volunteers are tremendously proud of what Paul's achieved. We hope he rests up and look forward to welcoming him back to SHR studios soon."

Donations keep SHR on air

Staff at Scunthorpe's Lloyd's TSB have helped raised funds for SHR, helping keep the station on air. A special inhouse Spot The Ball competition raised nearly £500 for the station - thanks to cash matched by Lloyds TSB head quarters.

Shoppers have also helped out, with £102.74 raised during a recent collect at Scunthorpe's Asda supermarket and £130 raised at the town's Soutgate Mall.

Meanwhile, a donation from a Scunthorpe building society has enabled Scunthorpe's hospital radio station to stay on air 24 hours a day.

The station at Scunthorpe General Hospital has encountered a number of problems recently after checks on the emergency generators caused interference, leaving patients with nothing to listen to.

Now, the Scunthorpe branch of the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society has bought a special battery pack which will ensure the station will keep working if the power goes off .

Programme controller Iain Lee said: "Whenever the power dips, our computer closes down and without someone being available to reboot it, it has to stay switched off until later in the day.

"Now, however, thanks to this kind donation, we'll be able to keep broadcasting to the patients day and night without interruption."