Joining the Dots - Episode 10 - Coeliac Disease & the big Bank Holiday Quiz

Joining the Dots - Episode 14 - Volunteers Week

It's Volunteers Week [https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/news/latest-news/volunteers-week-2026-thank-you-to-our-health-board-volunteers/], a time when we celebrate the people who volunteer across a host of charities and organisations and remember that without them, many of the things we take for granted simply wouldn’t happen. So, a huge shout out to those of you who volunteer and a big thank you for all you do. Volunteering Wales [https://volunteering-wales.net/] is the place to start if you want to dip your toe into volunteering but you also want help to identify what and where is best for you. They aim to make volunteering easy for volunteers and organisations across the country and there are loads of volunteering opportunities on their website . They currently have 2622 advertised and the opportunities range from befriending to being a Welsh translator to a support assistant, a driver, sitting on a youth-led grant panel to being an oral history recorder. Here at Hospital Radio Glamorgan [https://www.radioglamorgan.com/presenters/], our station is run entirely by volunteers, that means everyone on air and off it gives up some of their time to keep our station running, online, in the hospitals and on DAB and via our app. And on this show, some of our volunteers share what being able to contribute to the station means to them. Jayne Jones [https://www.radioglamorgan.com/2023/07/05/jaynes-running-the-cardiff-half-marathon/] wakes us up on a Sunday morning and she’s on air between 7-10am. Jayne is a huge music fan and also contributes specialist music shows across the station. Jayne is also a runner and has run to raise money for HRG. Andrew Woolfe is the voice who brings us Music Was My First Love [https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/news/latest-news/hospital-radio-glamorgan-awards-long-serving-volunteer-with-honorary-life-membership/]. He's had some incredible guests over the years. The programme is now into its eighth series and we hear from one of its latest guests and our oldest volunteer, John Webber [https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/news/latest-news/hospital-radio-glamorgan-awards-long-serving-volunteer-with-honorary-life-membership/]. Saturday Matinee's Jill Brinkworth also shares her reasons for volunteering at HRG and beyond. Jill is also fundraising for the station this month (June) by cycling the 54 miles from London to Brighton. You can support Jill HERE [https://www.radioglamorgan.com/2026/05/06/jills-cycle-challenge/]. We hear from the station's chair, Jamie Pritchard, too. Jamie has broadcasting in his blood and he shares how volunteering at Hospital Radio Glamorgan started and what the station has meant to him over more than two decades of involvement.

Joining the Dots - Episode 13 - Disappointed but not defeated and do you meditate?

Our weekly mix of informative, uplifting and interesting conversation designed to help us join the dots in life. We’re onto programme 13 of this relatively new show. Unlucky for some, but not for us! Our focus is on accepting disappointment without feeling defeated. University of South Wales Sports Journalism final year student Sam Hill [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-hill-j/] spoke to Rosie Eccles [https://teamwales.cymru/people/rosie-eccles/], the Welsh light middleweight boxer who is the epitome of strength, decency and determination. Sadly, she’s had to give up on her Olympic dream, but she won’t let that define her. Hers is a story of inspiration. And we mark May's World Meditation Day with a look at the NHS information [https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/mental-wellbeing-tips/how-to-meditate-for-beginners/] on meditation and what the benefits of it are. There are many, many groups available and lots of meditations accessible online.

Joining the Dots - Episode 12 - Stroke, Skin Cancer and the Choir of Man

May is action on stroke month and skin cancer awareness month. We found out what’s happening in and around the Cardiff and Vale health board area to support stroke patients and why the campaign for all of us to check the moles on our skin is particularly pertinent at this time of year, as we head into the warmer weather. A stroke is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention as every second counts A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Identifying a stroke isn’t always straightforward, but the NHS guidelines suggest following these steps to do so: The acronym they recommend is FAST, wholly appropriate given the speed with which diagnosis needs to happen. FAST stands for FACE; ARM; SPEECH and TIME. After a stroke most people need support and at the stroke rehabilitation unit in Llandough Hospita [https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/our-services/clinical-gerentology/stroke-rehabilitation/]l, there’s important work going on to help rehabilitate patients, including art therapy sessions. Esther Lewis is a trainee art psychotherapist doing a masters degree in Art Psychotherapy and in November she set up sessions for stroke patients. Art therapy isn’t an art class, but a chance for the patients to explore their feelings through the act of art creation. The Stroke Association [https://www.stroke.org.uk/] charity is looking for lived experience telephone support volunteers across the country. If you’ve had a stroke over one year ago, or care for someone who has, and feel you could support someone in their recovery journey, this role is for you. No-one likes to hear the word cancer, and skin cancer is no exception. However, 90% of skin cancer cases are preventable, and if detected, diagnosed and treated early, almost all cases are curable. Melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK are at an all-time high, and Cancer Research UK says rates of melanoma – which is skin cancer that can spread – have increased by almost a third over a decade. The charity says 17,000 cases each year are preventable. Cases are up across all age groups, but particularly among the elderly. Cardiff and Vale Macmillan Skin Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, Anwen explained the five simple sun safety tips to protect the skin and reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. Remember: SLIP, SLOP, SLAP, SLIDE & SHADE. And the Skcin charity’s mobile app also got a mention. It’s free and is available from their website [https://www.skcin.org/resources/the-skcin-mobile-app/].

Joining the Dots - Episode 11 Mental Health Awareness (Bipolar) and Lupus disease

Our special guest this week is Ben Jeffreys, mental health advocate and the CEO of Welsh Judo. After a lifetime of suffering with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, and diagnosed with anxiety, Ben discovered he had been misdiagnosed and was told he had bipolar disorder. He shares his personal story and his frustrations around the way mental health continues to be framed. We also find out about Lupus, an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body, affecting the joints, skin, kidneys, and more. It’s sometimes called “the great imitator,” because it can mimic many other illnesses, which often means that diagnosis can take many years to establish. The charity Lupus UK [https://lupusuk.org.uk/] is 35 years old this year and is working to continue research activity as well as providing support for the disease. Some of the charities, organisations and resources that might be helpful are listed below. Mind Cymru [https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/mind-cymru-mind-in-wales/], offers a range of information for those living with a mental health problem, or those supporting someone who is. Samaritans Cymru [https://www.samaritans.org/samaritans-cymru/about-samaritans-cymru/], aims to work with people to create a safe place where they can talk about what is happening and how they feel, and help them find their own way forward. There are around six hundred Samaritans volunteers across Wales working in nine Welsh branches. These volunteers respond to calls for help every day of the week via telephone, e-mail, text and in person at branches or at events in Wales. Helpu [https://helpu.org.uk/] The Mental Health Hub for Men in Wales. Their philosophy is built around the idea that connection is protection and their aim is to create a one-stop space for men who want a comprehensive platform to support their mental well-being. They offer valuable resources, support and a chance to share stories by linking up with a range of groups and organisations, including Andy’s Man Club and Men’s Sheds.

Joining the Dots - Episode 10 - Coeliac Disease & the big Bank Holiday Quiz

May is coeliac disease awareness month. Only 36% of sufferers are currently diagnosed in Wales, which means around 20,000 people in the country are predicted to be experiencing unexplained and often debilitating symptoms. Coeliac UK is urging the public to ask, “Is it coeliac disease?” and take the charity’s free online self-assessment [https://isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk/] to find out. People can check if they are experiencing symptoms associated with coeliac disease and can find out if they should be considered for testing for the condition, based on published clinical guidelines. Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition affecting one in 100 people in the UK. When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, their body attacks its own tissues, causing damage to the gut and leading to possible serious health complications if left untreated. The only treatment is a lifelong, strict, gluten-free diet. And, as it’s a Bank Holiday, we have a QUIZ, which requires connecting the letters rather than joining the dots! Check out the questions below and let us know via email, joiningthedots@radioglamorgan.com how you did. Q1. This letter represents both names of one of Wrexham football club’s Hollywood celebrity investors. Q2. What do we call the profession of a scientist who studies atmosphere and oceans in order to be able to forecast the weather? And if you need another clue, BBC Wales’ Derek Brockway is one. Q3. This letter is one of the seven vowels of the Welsh language and it’s also the last letter of the Welsh word for Wales. Q4. You would dial 999 if you had one of these – we’re looking for the first letter of the word. Q5. Opened in 1966 this suspension bridge connects Wales and England and has a number in its name, but what is its first letter? Q6. What is the first letter of the first name of the Welsh actor who has just been named in the cast of the second series of Celebrity Traitors? Unscramble the six letters to make a word which is relevant to something happening next month. You can find some more clues in the podcast version of the show.