The Story of Radio Sunderland
The association's 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 Ashbrooke 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 the 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 they had a studio and a full and varied programme schedule it was decided that they should have a new snappier identification, so the 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 the station transferred to a new but very small studio in the Hylton Road Block. Following a vigorous campaign for more working space they 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.
Read more about this topic: Radio Sunderland For Hospitals
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