COVENTRY Hospital Radio has celebrated half a century on the air with a special 50-hour live broadcast to patients.
The volunteer-run station is based at University Hospital and beams out 21 different shows to entertain patients while they are being treated as well as the wider community.
The station began as Walsgrave Radio in 1972 before joining the Hospital eight years later, when it became Coventry Hospitals Broadcasting Service before changing its name a second time around the turn of the millennium.
Barnie Choudhury started at Coventry Hospital Radio before moving on to broadcast with the BBC.
He said: “Hospital Radio taught me to be a professional. I followed in the footsteps of the giants that set the station up in 1972, they are my teachers, friends and the reason why I became a pro broadcaster.”
Presenter Simon Tidmarsh, who volunteers for the station alongside working in the Surgical Services team at the hospital, said: “It’s truly marvellous to be celebrating 50 years and to bring so many of our volunteers together to commemorate the occasion.
“It brings us all a great deal of pleasure to be able to serve our patients across the hospital and give them something to look forward to throughout their stay and we hope to continue doing so for another 50 years and more.”
Coventry Hospital Radio is funded entirely by donations.
Visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/coventry-hospital-radio to help them continue cheering patients up on air.
