There is difficulty in putting a date on the first Hospital Station due to the lack of documentary evidence. However it's safe to say the hospital radio has been around in some form or other since the late 1930's.

It is estimated that well over 10,000 people are involved in producing hospital radio programmes nationwide.

THE STORY OF RADIO SUNDERLAND

In Sunderland, the associations inaugural meeting was held in 1953 following a plea in the local newspaper, The Sunderland Echo, for volunteers. Broadcasting commenced during the 1954/1955 football season. The station was formed as the Commentators Association in 1953. The aim was to relay live football commentaries form Roker Park direct to the wards of Sunderland's Hospitals.

During those early years, in a cup tie with Spurs an over enthusiastic commentator jumped up to help a Sunderland forward head in a goal, but he forgot about the low roof of the commentary box and knocked himself out. One of the other commentators, in true Hospital Radio fashion, grabbed the microphone and carried on with the commentary!

Music was introduced to the station output with the advent of the first patients request programme "Hospital Hour", first broadcast on Boxing day 1956.

This marked the beginning of programme development. Other programmes at that time included commentaries on athletics from Ashbrook Sports Ground and Hospital Quiz shows.

Reflecting the wider programming, and following an influx of volunteers the association changed its name to "Sunderland Hospitals Broadcasts" in 1968 and was now broadcasting regular programmes from the old General Hospital in Sunderland on Thursday and Friday evenings.

This was followed by a move to our first permanent studio which was based in an old ward at what was the Havelock Hospital on Hylton Road. Equipment was begged and borrowed, Tyne Tees Television being a major benefactor, donating their old surplus equipment. Due to the enthusiasm and expertise of the then members, the ward was converted into a fully equipped radio studio.

Now that we had a studio and a full and varied programme schedule it was decided that we should have a new snappier identification, so our present name of "Radio Sunderland for Hospitals" was adopted in 1973.

When the new District General Hospital (now called the Sunderland Royal) was opened in 1978 we transferred to a new but very small studio in the Hylton Road Block. Following a vigorous campaign for more working space we were on the move once again & in 1988 the station transferred to its present location in the former nurses home of Monkwearmouth Hospital. Much of the equipment from the General Hospital Studio was transferred to the new studio but the members still set themselves a target of raising £30,000 to build and equip this new studio complex.

In 1996 a new equipment appeal fund was launched with the intention of replacing just about all the equipment currently in use. By now a lot of our equipment was 20 years old and in urgent need of replacement.

In September 1998 we became a registered charity and after a succesful application for Lottery Funding we plan to launch a 24 hour broadcasting service in the late summer/ early autumn.

Now we are members of the National Hospital Broadcasting Association, which has over 300 independent member stations, and this represents the majority of the hospital radio and hospital television stations operating in the British Isles.

It is estimated that well over 10,000 people are involved in producing hospital radio programmes nationwide.