A FORMER volunteer DJ with charity radio station, NH Sound has hit back at claims by the station’s new bosses that they have no connection with another station, Upbeat Radio, after the disappearance of studio equipment from the station’s base in Nevill Hall.

Rob Gorman claims he was informed by new station boss, Nathan Edwards that the station had been ‘Rebranded.’

He told the Chronicle, ‘When I read the article on the plight of NH Sound (Chronicle January 24), I was very surprised at some of the statements of the new management claiming no connection with Upbeat Radio given that I had been sent a text stating quite the contrary.

‘I am one of the presenters who was still broadcasting at NH Sound, on Dr Bobs Rock Lobster. I was the one who found the station premises empty on Thursday, December 20th, exactly one week after doing my last show.

‘I sent a text to Nathan Edwards asking what was going on and he replied, ‘Due to a number of reasons, the trustees have decided to relocate and rebrand and turn off the transmitter.The keys have been handed back in and we are based in Blaenau Gwent.’

In a subsequent text Gorman claims Edwards told him that Upbeat Radio was the rebrand of NH Sound. ‘He declined all requests from myself to tell me where they had relocated, as did the other trustees’ said Gorman.

However, Abergavenny based charity fundraiser, Chris Copner, who has been campaigning to get to the bottom of the mystery of the relocated station, informed the Chronicle, ‘I went to track the location of the radio station to help out the team.

‘Using Companies House I managed to find a company address listed under a newly formed company, Upbeat Radio.

‘I then located the building at Park Gates Business Centre, Morgan Street, Tredegar which is a split use building with different rooms.

‘No signage was present on the exterior of the building but closer inspection of the entrance hall revealed the door buzzers for NH Sound (pictured). I managed to gain access to the building by ringing another buzzer on the doors and the gentleman told me that NH Sound has two rooms within. Unfortunately there was no answer from NH Sound.’

Edwards had declined to reveal the location of the equipment, telling the Chronicle ‘As you are aware, Up Beat Radio has its name dropped into this in the conversation trail.  They are completely separate companies and not involved with NH Sound in any way at this stage.’

NH Sound was set up in 1979 to serve patients, staff and visitors but is currently only available via an internet link. Many former presenters are vowing to start a new community radio station for Nevill Hall and Abergavenny and have begun fundraising for new broadcasting equipment.

Another former DJ, David Holman, told the Chronicle on Tuesday, ‘We had a meeting with the health board recently. They said that there is no space now at the hospital for a radio station. We are now looking at starting a new community radio station.’

An unconfirmed report has suggested that Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s Corporate Services department have requested that the new radio station management cease calling themselves NH Sound as they now appear to have nothing to do with the Hospital.

The Government’s Charity Commission website states that NH Sound was registered on September 7, 2010 and was removed from the register on January 14, 2019 as it had ceased to exist.