Latest news with #hospitalradio
BBC News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
York Hospital Radio volunteer Keith Lea to celebrate 60 years
If you've spent time in hospital in York in any of the last seven decades there's a chance you'll have heard a soothing voice which has brought support to thousands of than a doctor, nurse or other member of medical staff, the voice in question begins to volunteer Keith Lea, who is celebrating 60 years of broadcasting on York Hospital Radio.A 16-year-old Keith joined the-then Ebor Tape Recording Club on the 28 July 1965 and hasn't stopped will present a six-hour show on Saturday to mark his 60-year milestone. Keith said: "It has been a personal journey of challenges, triumphs, teamwork, technology, friendships and fun. "Hospital radio is really part of my life, and has been over the whole of the 60 years."When Keith joined, the station was based in a disused pathology lab at the former Fulford Military Hospital. "I was joining a tape recording club. Oops, it's a hospital radio - I didn't realise at the time," he the early days, he would collect requests and help to compile and record the weekly show for 10 York hospitals. He continued to present request shows and work on recorded interviews during the 1960s, and by 1968 was broadcasting the first live shows for the York Hospital Broadcasting Service."My first wife once said that I was married to hospital radio first and her second. My current wife Jan believes that was probably true and still is. But hey, it's good, it's fun, it's exciting at times, and it keeps me going," Keith enthused. In the 1970s the station was based at The Grange on Huntington Road, but needed new studios. Keith helped in raising £63,000 for a purpose-built studio complex, which opened in was also chairman of York Hospital Radio in the mid 1980s, and managed the station's fundraising mobile disco for many years - which started life in the former Willow restaurant in Coney Street six days a week, before becoming fully Keith, 75, presents a show on Saturday mornings, as well as heading up the radio station's outside broadcast team. "One of my favourite memories was like a watershed moment in 2014, when I was still trying to make my mind up what I wanted out of hospital radio, and by that time York Hospital Radio had gone 24/7 using computers... and I'd avoided being trained on the computer system." That year was the 50th anniversary, so he "chose a load of vinyl and CDs and sat down and presented a two-hour programme of music."A spokesperson for York Hospital Radio said his technical knowledge was also vital in helping them keep the station on air. Reflecting on his 60 years, Keith said: "Hospital radio was a treasure trove of opportunities and life experiences which I embraced as a jack of all trades and master of only a few."Ian Clennan, chair of York Hospital Radio, added: "I am immensely grateful to Keith for his unique contribution to hospital radio in the city for six decades, and hope he will continue as an active member with us for many years to come." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- BBC News
Former Harrogate radio DJ on trial for historic sex offences
A former hospital radio DJ has gone on trial for historic sex offences against a teenage boy. Adrian Phipps, 65, denies eight counts of indecent assault against a boy between 1995 and 1996. The offences he is charged with do not relate to his role in hospital Crown Court heard Mr Phipps had been working as a DJ at Harrogate District Hospital when the alleged offences took place at a shop and a playing field in the town. The complainant reported the incidents to the police in 2021 and Mr Phipps, of Station View, Harrogate, was arrested in February 2022. The trial, which started on Monday, is expected to last until Thursday. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Bedfordshire hospital radio station celebrates 50 years on air
A hospital radio station is looking to the future as it celebrates 50 years of 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: Chris Jones said the 50-year milestone was "an amazing achievement" and thanked those who had been part of the station since 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 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 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 is run by a team of volunteers, has 35 presenters and raises money through fundraising now broadcasts online to a much wider audience and will soon be on local DAB digital Jones said they were in the process of getting a DAB licence from 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 has also forged ties with Bedford College and various charities such as the Tibbs Dementia Foundation. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
