There is more to ?????????? than just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

There is more to life than getting up in the morning and going to bed at night.

Friends - it's David writing today's page but hopefully writing for the entire team - Rachel, Jo, Josh, Andy and Sokol.

As a teenager I would go to Villa Park with my mate, Martin, and watch Aston Villa play football - usually lose ! ASTON VANILLA - THE TEAM EVERYONE LICKS !

Rebekah was a fan of Sheffield Wednesday.  When she died in May last year I decided I would go to Hillsborough to watch a game in her memory. I went with all kinds of preconceived ideas and expected to find that which I knew from Villa Park all those decades ago but simply with a different team playing.

WRONG !

Football has changed.  Changed big time. Changed so much for the better.

Sheffield Wednesday has difficulty with its players popping the ball into the net guarded by the other team's goalkeeper but I believe it is still the greatest football club in England.

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

I am on record saying that. I have written it in one of the club's match-day programmes.

I do not get to Hillsborough anywhere near as much as I would like to but when I do the way I am treated always makes me come away with a warm heart. Never mind the result. Yesterday was no exception.

I arrived at the car park and the guy there knew who I was. He made me feel welcome. We chatted, he did not just tell me where to park my car but showed friendship.

Approaching the entrance the door was opened for me nit by an electronic device by by a smiling REAL person. I find it a bit embarrassing, you can not go anywhere in the executive area without having the door opened for you, opened by a smiling member of staff.  If all the smiles at Hillsborough were placed end to end they would stretch to the moon and back.

The lovely lady at the reception desk had our tickets ready in an envelope. Her welcome was, as it always is, something special.

If the players could kick a ball as well as the club chef can prepare a meal then Sheffield Wednesday would win every game ten- nil.

When I made my first visit to Hillsborough at the start of the season I was co-ordinating OurRebekah to support Ronald McDonald House Charities. I am still doing that but now also part of the management team of Radio Love International supporting many charities and good causes.

I want the music we play, the music on our website and daily blog then in May the music we broadcast to support even more charities and good causes.

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

Managed by a man MARCUS BRAMELD who I have yet to meet, Sheffield Wednesday has an amazing and very strong Community Programme.

I have sent Marcus a proposal for something I would like us to do with music at the club to support this programme, it may happen before then end of this season but more likely next. Sitting on our table in the dining room was the sheet of paper above. This is something we can do NOW.

On Saturday 5th May Sheffield Wednesday's Community programme is holding what it calls THE SIX DALES CHALLENGE - a 27 mile walk through the beautiful Derbyshire Dales in support of St Luke's Hospice.

I am the proud holder of The Duke Of Edinburgh's Award and did my two Bronze medal expeditions in the Derbyshire Dales. Twenty-seven miles ?  In my youth that would have been a gentle stroll.  Today ?  We will not know as on that day I am involved with Radio Love International at Bletchley Youth Centre's 50th anniversary celebrations where our city's Mayor David Hopkins will be the guest DJ and telling us all about the day Satus Quo played Bletchley Youth Centre.

Radio Love International Chairman, Rachel, is in charge of that event. Rachel, do we have permission at that event to include lots of Status Quo and to wrap round it the Sheffield Wednesday's SIX DALES CHALLENGE ?

If you don't say YES I will show some of the pictures I took at last Friday evening's ladies Bingo Night.  (I am going to include them in today's music blog anyway ! - ooopppsss Rachel I did  not say that.)

What I want to do is to ask Marcus to pick out one of the fans who has signed up to the challenge then for our team and our listeners to get behind him or her. To support them and to raise more sponsorship for Saint Luke's Hospice.

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

When I got home from the match there was an e-mail from Sheffield Wednesday Director of Communications, Trevor speaking about the boys autographing two shirts for me to take to

Ronald McDonald House in San Francisco next April.

Sheffield Wednesday scored two goals against my old team Aston Villa - one by Sean Clare and one by Lucas Jao.

Well done lads. Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham will be sending you congratulations cards next week.

Fantastic goals from Sheffield Wednesday.

Shame Aston Villa managed to score four !

But.........................................

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

Let's add Sheffield Wednesday's community programme to the portfolio of good causes we support.

Let's have some music. 

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

On Friday Josh and I spent time at Internet Radio Station CRMK.

I have never actually presented a radio programme but over the years I have appeared on several programmes with several broadcasters. (Even the BBC owch !)   With my hand on my heart I can say that the hour spent in the studio last Friday was the best broadcast I have ever been involved with.

Why is that ?

BECAUSE IT WAS FUN.

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

At the moment Radio Love International is playing music into its daily blog and into its website.  NINE DAYS after the Sheffield Wednesday Six Dales Challenge we will go live

with Director of Music Josh's recorded playlists as we build up a team of presenters for live shows.

I loved my time at CRMK, it was so relaxed, it was so friendly, it was SO GENUINE.

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

Between the studio microphones and the loudspeakers of those listening everything was packed with magic. That is how we at Radio Love International need to be.

That's the first song we played here on our daily music blog. We played it again in CRMK's studio on Friday.

I told listeners that in my opinion, and my opinion is correct of course, that FM is old technology. The future of radio is internet broadcasting with people listening via mobile devices.

Listeners to Radio Love International's daily music blog and website on-demand content are within the 18 to 34 year range.  57% listen via i-phones.

CRMK presenter Mike asked how we would extend our listener age range.  Mmmmmm ? Perhaps we need to educate the older generation how to use smart phones.

We also played this in the studio.

That was the very first song played by Radio One, or as I like to call it RADIO MINUS ONE.

Hey Ofcom you are not listening to today's music blog are you ?

Gary just about creeps into our main listener portfolio. Driving back South from Sheffield yesterday I had a CD of retro pop playing in  the car.  Gary knew all about Buddy Holly saying he would have been bigger that Elvis or The Beatles had he not been killed on The Day That Music Died way back in February 1959.

How come the younger generation like music from the

1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's far more than contemporary pop music ?  BECAUSE IT WAS BETTER.

How come Radio Love International's director of music Josh, can be heard when he thinks nobody is listening, singing songs from that era ?  Josh is pushing towards his 27th birthday, Buddy Holly was killed fifty-eight years ago.

Tapping away on his smart phone in the car with retro pop coming out of the loudspeakers Gary asked me if I would like to go with him to watch the show THAT'LL BE THE DAY.

You bet I would !

10th June is now firmly written in my diary.  Better play that Buddy Holly hit I guess.

Sheffield Wednesday has two adopted anthems. HI HO SILVER LINING by Jeff Beck from 1968 and SINGING THE BLUES from 1956 !

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

Get that right and Radio Love International can not go wrong.

Radio Love International grew out of OurRebekah and my own support for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Jo joined us with her passion for her chosen good cause. Josh joined the team with his passion.

During the interview at Radio CRMK we talked about the strength of our team, of our vision and the power behind our fire.  I was asked how we would recruit the presenters when we

take our internet radio station from simply playing recorded music to live shows. Technical man Sokol and I have been friends for a long time, Chairman Rachel and Weatherman Andy are two of my former students. Jo I met for the first time in January as I did Josh.  Both Jo and Josh are now close and firm and highly valued friends.


A stranger is only a friend you have yet to meet. Out there are many, many people who are strangers but waiting to become friends and part of our team.


There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

I have only ever worn ladies knickers ONCE in my life. That was at a drag disco when I was a student. Radio Love International Chairman Rachel I know you are meant to wear them UNDERNEATH your skirt and not on top !

I thought I could come up with silly party games but Projects Director Jo I have NOTHING on you.

That ladies bingo night was CRAZY.  There is not a lot in this world that I can not cope with but last Friday was I out of my depth or was I out of my depth ! ? !

Jo, you organised a fantastic night. I hope you made lots and lots and lots of money.

But.......................................

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

I think people know well my love and passion for Ronald McDonald House Charities. Some

know why Josh quietly supports his chosen good cause. Last Friday, Jo, I was moved close to tears when you took the microphone and told everyone why you set up Jo's Hope.

Jo you are an INCREDIBLE lady.

A couple of thoughts.

At all future Jo's Hope events how about you have a swear box for donations ?  The amount you would have to put in alone would triple the money the event made.

When you were a barrister, had I committed a crime I most certainly would have wanted you

as my legal representative. No judge and jury would ever have dared to convit one of your clients !

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

Jo, Josh I want to make a suggestion. Can we take my reason for supporting Ronald McDonald House Charities, your stories and add them to our website and music blog ?

Supporting charities and good causes is right at the centre of Radio Love International. It is written in our mission statement and filed at Company House as part of Radio Love International Limited.

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

There is more to a charity than just giving money.  Jo you show the world just what that means.

I am looking forward to next week-end. NERVOUSLY looking forward to it and knowing by Monday evening I will be totally knackered !  Does that word mean I have to put something in your swear box ?

Saturday we have a Radio Love International roadshow in the biggest supermarket in the region from 8am to 5pm.

Sunday we are at Bunnings for music to make the sausages sizzle.

Monday we are holding a Music Tombola in Ronald McDonald House Birmingham.

Mrs Josh, aka Lena, I want to play some music for you. Just to remind you how I want my face painting at the Music Tombola.

There is more to a football club than two goal posts with a stretch of grass between them.

There is more to a radio station than a microphone and a loudspeaker.

There is more to a charity than just giving money.

There is more to life than getting up in the morning and going to bed at night.

Radio Love International's chairman, Rachel added this to our mission.....................

EVERYONE get out there and do JUST THAT !