Listen in the wards or waiting areas
Listen to our programs whilst in the wards or waiting area's of GWH.
We have been entertaining the patients of Swindon hospitals since 1965 and we can even trace our roots back to 1938 making us one of the oldest hospital broadcasters in the UK. Today we provide programmes 7 days a week across the Great Western Hospital site from our studio within the hospital.
You can now listen to us all around the hospital.
Connect your smart device in any area with free hospital Wi-Fi and let us keep you company whilst you wait for your appointment.
Our volunteer presenters aim to create shows that you will enjoy during your time at the Great Western Hospital.
The history of Hospital Radio Swindon can be traced back to 1938 when the charity Toc H in Stratton St Margaret visited the vagrants wards at the Stratton Work house. In those days there wasn’t the technical equipment we have today, just a simple gramophone taken around the wards. The musical offering was expanded to include the sick wards soon after, with requests taken and then played each Sunday.
In 1955, a football commentary box was installed at the County Ground in Swindon and commentaries were broadcast to Swindon Hospitals. It was one of the commentators, Les Harris, who suggested the format be widened to include broadcasting requests, music and chat to lighten the patients stay in hospital. The Swindon Hospital Broadcasting Society came into existence in 1965 and began broadcasting from the cellar of the Toch H hostel on December 30th 1967. In those days as the studio was next to the coal store, coal dust has to be cleaned from the equipment before anything could be broadcast.
Disaster struck in 1976, when a fire in the cellar destroyed most of the equipment and 3,000 records. Keith and Audrey Suter, two members of the society, opened up a bedroom in their homes as a studio and broadcasting continued from there. In 1976, Toc H offered to build a studio on their land and by 1977 the studio was in full use. The Mayor of Thamesdown officially opened it in 1979, at the time Swindon Hospital Broadcasting Society purchased the studio from Toc H for £750,000.
In 1997 disaster struck again. The roof leaked, damaging the ceiling rafters and carpets. Luckily the equipment was undamaged. HRS went off air for three weeks whilst an appeal was placed for local business to help. As a result of the appeal, we were able to repair the roof and continue to broadcast for Charlotte Mews.
At the height of Hospital Radio Swindon, we broadcast to to the Princess Margaret, Victoria and Stratton St Margaret Hospital’s in Swindon, the Princess Alexandra Hospital at RAF Wroughton and the Savernake Hospital in Marlborough. We also broadcast to the isolation hospital in Gorse Hill and the Hermitage convalescent home in Old Town. Sadly as costs increased, we had to reduce the number of hospitals we broadcast to. We broadcast now just to the Great Western Hospital.
In 2007, after lengthy negotiations, we moved into our new studio in the Great Western Hospital where we currently broadcast from on the 2nd floor and as recent as May 2013 the studio was renamed. The studio was renamed the David Penfound Studio after one of our members who was very influential in getting HRS in to the Great Western Hospital.
Listen to our programs whilst in the wards or waiting area's of GWH.
We want to lift your mood whilst staying in the GWH.
Our programs have been specially put together with your visit in mind.
Please call or email us if you would like to hear something whilst you are in the hospital as an inpatient or outpatient, we are here for everyone.
Meet the team bringing you the great programs and our committee below
Hi I am Arthur Perkin I host the Jazz show on Monday evenings and football commentaries from County Ground
How did you join hrs:
I got involved with Hospital Radio when my wife who was running a local paper, was invited to the studio to promote a fundraising event.
As well as money the station also needed help with the football commentaries and I was invited to join the commentary team.
Now nearly 40 seasons and must be hundreds of matches later I still long for the day when Swindon Town will get promoted again.
what is you favourite music artist:
I think your taste in music changes as you get older because songs and music remind you of difference events and different places in your life when you hear them. I still like some of the old jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong and Dave Brubeck and of course the older you get the more songs their are to remember!!
What to expect on my show
Lots of good jazz, old and new!
And if it a football commentary a "Town win"
Hi I am Ken I cohost the sports show on Saturday
How did you join HRS: I’ve been with HRS for many years seeing many changes. I always wanted to work in radio which is why I joined What is you favourite music artist: I like Tina turner and rod stewart What to expect on my show I will look to bring you the latest sports information with a focus on football on a Saturday afternoon.
Hi I am Paul.
I do Tuesdays between 10- 11, and this is "Paul D's Duke box hits" from the 60's to the noughties.
I do Wednesday request show for patients between 12 -2 pm with Arthur covering requests from patients on the wards that day. I joined hospital radio after finding out about it from the hospital website and called up for a meeting with Arthur Perkin. This was 5 years ago. I had been a disc jockey for 20 years previously running discos & parties etc My favourite artist is Elton John, but I have very eclectic tastes. I love Motown and soul music. On my shows I cover: 1 hit wonders, cheery novelty songs , stage performance tracks from the west end shows, and a range of music covering one track each from each decade. Plus, of course customer requests. I also try to add the odd quiz question in, such as guess the year, or what is the link between these songs.
Hi I am John I am very new to Hospital Radio Swindon and will be joining the schedule very soon.
How did you join HRS: I joined in April 2023 as friends who present on Hospital Radio Coventry suggested I would be perfect due to my love of music. What is you favourite music artist: ABBA are my favourite group, but I also love Pet Shop Boys, Queen and anything 70s and 80s. (insert info about artist ‘ genre etc that you like) What to expect on my show Good music and a bit of fun and nostalgia.Hi I am Pete Tayler i host the 7pm to 9pm Tuesdays show on Tuesdays.presenter and technician for the station What is you favourite music artist: My Current favourite Artist is Billy Joel but my music taste is very varied I tend to favour Soul, Motown and Disco for my personal listening . But to be honest if something takes my fancy I will listen to it What to expect on my show 2 Hours of Upbeat music with a very slight bias towards my favoured Genre but with a lot of special features thrown in I especially like putting together a "Round Robin" where I start the show with a song and link all the rest to it and each other and finish with another track By the first Artist or group I started with
How did you join hrs: After 40+ years as a mobile DJ I decided to step back and go in a different direction I worked in I.T. at GWH and got involved with the upgrade of some of the equipment in te Radio studio and it just seemed a natural progression to Volunteer As aHi I am Dave.
I present the Afternoon Show each weekday between 2 & 5pm.
I first joined hospital radio back in 1989 where I was a presenter for about 8 years. I then went on to enjoy a career with BBC local radio and for the past 14 years was Chief News reporter for Swindon 105.5 here in the town. 2024 has seen me return to Hospital Radio Swindon, where as well being on air, I'm also behind the microphone developing content for our programmes and volunteer training.
I have a particularly interested in news, local history and podcasts but occasionally you'll find me listening to Queen and Westlife (well someone has to !!!).
Dave Woods in the Afternoon is a mix of music from yesteryear and today, local information, a spot of trivia and hopefully some fun along the way. Just the thing whilst your enjoying your afternoon cuppa. I hope you'll join me, just don't forget the hobnobs.
Ella has recently joined Hospital Radio Swindon and is currently training. Ella will be added to our program schedule shortly.
Sydney has recently joined Hospital Radio Swindon and is currently training. Sydney will be added to our program schedule shortly.
Arthur is our Chairman
You can email him directly at chairman@hospitalradioswindon.org
Pete is a current member and valuable member of our committee, currently also assisting with all things techinical within our studio
Paul is a current member and valuable member of our committee
Dave is a current member and a valuable member of our committee
Our volunteers are always visiting the wards to meet patients and collect requests or dedications
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