Hospital radio station celebrates 50 years on air

A hospital radio station is looking to the future as it celebrates 50 years of broadcasting.

Bedfordshire Health Radio (BHR), formerly Hospital Radio Bedford, is doing a live outside broadcast from The Harpur Centre in Bedford from 10:00 BST until 17:00.

Chair Chris Jones said the 50-year milestone was "an amazing achievement" and thanked those who had been part of the station since 1975.

It has also been broadcasting to Luton & Dunstable Hospital since its station closed in January, and hopes to soon be available on digital radio in the area.

To mark half a century of broadcasting, the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire Mrs Camilla King and Deputy Lieutenant Ms Deborah Inskip are cutting the birthday cake.

One of the first presenters, Frank Palmer, is broadcasting from 14:00 with a recording of the original broadcast from 1975.

Bedfordshire Health Radio has been broadcasting to patients, originally just to hospital beds, and to the wider community about matters relating to health and services.

It started in a caravan before moving into a temporary cabin and, since 1995, has been operating out of a basement studio inside Bedford Hospital's south wing.

It is run by a team of volunteers, has 35 presenters and raises money through fundraising events.

It now broadcasts online to a much wider audience and will soon be on local DAB digital radio.

Mr Jones said they were in the process of getting a DAB licence from Ofcom.

He added they had produced a magazine about the station, which will be distributed across the Luton and Dunstable hospital.

BHR collaborates with the Police and Crime Commissioner for Bedfordshire, Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Healthwatch Bedford.

It has also forged ties with Bedford College and various charities such as the Tibbs Dementia Foundation.

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