Long-standing hospital volunteer for Shoreham and Worthing remembered for a lifetime of entertaining
A long-standing Shoreham-based hospital supporter and radio presenter has been remembered for a lifetime of volunteering and entertaining.
Malcolm Brett was chairman of the League of Friends of Southlands Hospital, serving as a volunteer for more than 40 years, and was secretary of Seaside Hospital Radio for 34 years before suddenly becoming unwell.
He died on April 14 and the funeral was held at Worthing Crematorium on May 6, followed by a celebration of his life at The Longshore, in Shoreham, with donations to Cancer Research UK.
Malcolm, who lived in Lancing, was a fierce campaigner and dedicated fundraiser, ensuring the League of Friends was able to continue to offer support to outpatients, through its shop and tea bar, after the last inpatient left Southlands Hospital at the end of March 2008.
In June 2104, he was the instigator of a time capsule being buried at Crest Nicholson’s Orchard Gate development, built on the site of the hospital's Harness Block, in Upper Shoreham Road, Shoreham.
He wanted the history of the former workhouse and hospital site to be recorded for the future and placed in it a copy of the book Southlands Workhouse and Hospital, written by the Rev John White in 1990 and completed by Pat Marshall after he died.
Also placed in the time capsule were a copy of the site plans, giving a complete history of the site, and a history of Seaside Hospital Radio, which had been based at the site for 40 years, plus a June 2014 edition of the Shoreham Herald newspaper.
Malcolm had a love of local history and always enjoyed entertaining people. He was involved with amateur dramatics in the 1960s and became part of a touring variety group in the 1970s, performing old-time musical-type shows.
He joined Radio Southlands, later to become Seaside Hospital Radio, in 1983, after moving to Sussex, and was soon elected secretary.
From that moment, he was at the heart of hospital radio, with his love of classical and easy listening music. He was instrumental in promoting the station at both Southlands Hospital and Worthing Hospital.
Malcolm presented Classical Sounds / Classic Hits on Monday evenings for many years and was a regular host on As Time Goes By, broadcasting five days a week.
Among the many regular promotion events he organised were the roadshows at Woolworths in Shoreham High Street, where the outside events unit entertained customers and staff to raise awareness of the station to a wider audience.