A BRADFORD hospital’s radio station celebrates its 65th birthday on Tuesday, October 17.

Radio Royal began at Bradford Royal Infirmary in 1952 – with a simple record player and a few borrowed records of hits sung by artists such as Vera Lynn, Frankie Laine, Doris Day and Nat King Cole, who were topping the charts at the same time as Queen Elizabeth II was crowned and tea rationing came to an end.

To mark the station’s 65 years of broadcasting at Bradford Royal Infirmary, past and current presenters, volunteers and guests gathered for a special party and cake.

Radio Royal chairman and presenter George Sumner said: “Over these past decades Radio Royal has been a real bedside friend, making a huge contribution to the lives of the thousands of patients who have tuned in.

“These days we no longer have records of course or even CDs! Technological advances mean that all music is stored on a computer, which enables us to grant requests for thousands of songs.”

The station was started by hospital electricians in their spare time and was originally called The Medicine Chest. Early day presenters had to borrow records from a local music shop to play patients’ requests. Once played, they were put back in their sleeves and returned the same night.

The first song ever to be played on the hospital airwaves was ‘Here in My Heart’ by crooner Al Martino.

Nowadays, patients tune in to around 10,000 hours of Radio Royal output every month thanks to their bedside entertainment system.

And the broadcasts are shared in 83 different countries, including the US, Canada and Australia over the internet.

Listeners can also tune in via the Tune-in app on their smartphones.

Mr Sumner said: “We like to believe that music and the hospital radio brings comfort to patients as well as entertaining them. It all helps as part of the journey to recovery.”

To celebrate the anniversary, the station will be playing hits from the 1950s on Tuesday, October 17, and guests popping in to the studio will include honorary Radio Royal president and former world snooker champion Joe Johnson and 1960s songwriter Sammy King, who penned Penny Arcade – a worldwide hit for Roy Orbison.

Volunteers are always needed and people do not need a radio background.

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“Volunteers can help by collecting requests from the wards, conducting interviews or even with supporting outside broadcasts. If anyone is interested we would love to hear from them,” said Mr Sumner.

To find out more, call Radio Royal on 01274 364917.