Back in 2005 middlest was a year old and eldest was 4. I spent a lot of time at home with them both and as I kept them busy, the Radio kept me company which it had done since I was a kid. As a teenager I loved Radio 1 l-
I shed tears when Zoe Ball announced her engagement to Norman Cook as I sat on my bedroom floor getting ready for college , I raved to Radio 1 Dance Anthems with Dave Pearce and I partied hard to Danny Ramplings Love Groove Dance Party. I adored Steve Lamacq and lapped up the wisdom of the wonderful John Peel. The years past and I always dipped back in but then I had the kids and it became a staple part of mine and their diet. Middlest and I would dance around the kitchen to Jo in the mornings and when Scott arrived in the afternoon , he added a level of humour much needed in a home, which was struggling.
The years passed and many things changed but the radio came with us and so did the Radio 1 massive. Slowly though , the featured DJs changed and i came close to turning off Radio 1 completely but for Scott who still made me laugh.
And as the kids who as they got older, took him as their own.
Slowly , my tastes altered and I moved over to Radio 2, where I would tune into Steve Wright. To be honest , Steve had become my favourite so when I heard he was being replaced, I was disappointed. I needn’t have been though- the switch has been perfect and I look forward to getting in the car on my drive home from work, to pick up smallest, knowing that Scotts there to keep us company.
So today we have kept you company Scott…….smallest is just getting to know you and proudly marched along with you as we watched you on iplayer before bedtime (“I can do that Scott!”). As I watched him watching you, I thought about life all those years ago; we moved due to difficult circumstances, and the kids and I were fortunate enough to be signposted to the projects funded in part by Children in Need. I know that my children would not be the wonderful people they are today if they hadn’t had the support from such projects , funded by people like yourself who are selfless and want to help others.
So I just want to say thankyou from the other side of the story.
Twenty years on, the people you help today will still remember what you did.
Scott Mills, you are a legend.
Mum’s the word 