History of Cotswold Hospital Radio
We began as Cheltenham Hospital Radio in 1974. We then began broadcasting as Cotswold Hospital Radio to Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, St Paul’s Maternity and Gloucester Maternity Hospitals in 1976.
Over and above anything else Cotswold Hospital Radio is here to serve the patients. We visit Cheltenham General and Gloucestershire Royal hospitals to check the radio equipment is working and to explain to patients how to use it. We also chat with them about music and radio in general so we can tailor our programming to cover the sorts of things that patients want to hear. Ward visiting is therefore a very important part of our volunteers’ duties.
Our feature programme is called the Patients Postbag, a request programme. Each evening patients can hear their favourite piece. Whether it be Music, Poetry, Literature or even Theatre.
Cotswold Hospital Radio is a registered charity run by volunteers. We produce programmes especially for patients in Cheltenham General Hospital and Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. We broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
We are also members of the Hospital Broadcasting Association.
The running of Cotswold Hospital Radio is done in accordance with its Constitution, by its Management Committee.
Cotswold Hospital Radio is self funded, we hold fundraising events regularly. However, there are friends who support Cotswold Hospital Radio with their generosity.
Hospital Broadcasting in the UK
All over the UK, patients can hear music, news and information from their local hospital radio service. There are even a handful of hospital television services.
Hospital radio aims to provide comfort and entertainment to patients in hospital with a special mix of music and chat. The service also keeps patients in touch with their family and friends with music requests and local news items.
Like all hospital stations, Cotswold Hospital Radio is run entirely by volunteers. We have no paid staff and get no regular income from the NHS or other Government sources.
The biggest reward for a hospital broadcasting volunteer is to make a patients time in Hospital a little easier.