WELCOME TO RUGBY HOSPITAL RADIO CHARITY NUMBER: 512419
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Volunteering
Contact Details
Contact Details
Are you passionate about what we're doing? Let us know! We are always looking for volunteers to help us make our vision a reality.
We need presenters, fundraisers, technical expertise, administrators and organisers to keep the charity and the station going.
You’ll bring benefit to hospital patients by helping maintain a service that provides them with information, reassurance and entertainment.
If you are able to make a regular commitment, we’d like to hear from you. Please note the minimum age for joining the service is 18.
Contact Details
Contact Details
Contact Details
Charity Number:
512419
Contact Details:
The Hospital of St.Cross
Barby Road
Rugby
Warwickshire
CV22 5PX
Telephone: 01788 663493
Email: secretary@rugbyhospitalradio.co.uk
Visit our Facebook Page.
Our History
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Our History
Our founding was in 1972 when a group of teenagers from a Rugby youth club began broadcasting to patients in St Cross. Initially, they were only able to broadcast for a couple of nights a week using disco equipment, which they had to set up and take down each time.
The broadcasting service steadily grew and in 1981 the hospital allowed the station to use a room in the roof space of the Victorian building as a permanent studio.
In 2010 we moved out of the attic to a new location on the hospital site, which has now been converted into an impressive studio, and in 2012 we celebrated our 40th anniversary.
Our Thanks
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Our History
Supermarket Collections
We would like to express our gratitude to the local community for your generosity and goodwill in helping Rugby Hospital Radio.
If you have put some coins, or better still notes into the tins when our volunteers have been collecting at Tesco, Sainsbury's and Asda, you’ve helped keep us going, so thank you very much indeed.
Local Business Sponsors
Several local businesses sponsor programmes; their help is a valuable source of regular funding.
Our most grateful thanks to the following companies:-
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
A notable year for musical birthdays, 1972 saw Geri Halliwell, Liam Gallagher and Eminem enter the world. It also saw the inception of patient favourite Rugby Hospital Radio which is celebrating 50 years of broadcasting this year.
The station hosted a special celebration which saw attendees including radio volunteers past and present, UHCW Chair Dame Stella Manzie and even Rugby Mayor Councillor Carolyn Watson-Merret.
Founded by a group of teenagers from now-defunct Fareham Youth Club, they began broadcasting to patients at the Hospital of St Cross and were initially only able to broadcast once a week using disco equipment.
From a small room adjoining the hospital chapel to a nurses' recreation hall kitchen, the service has seen a handful of studios in its time and in 1981 the station was able to move into its first permanent residence in the roof space of the Victorian building.
In 2010 following the closure of the Victorian building, the team moved to a new location on the hospital site which was converted from a former storage annexe into the combined library and studio space it still operates out of today.
Named in tribute to one of the station’s longest serving members, notably as Chairman, the Richard Green Studio offers a modern suite of technology bringing music from every decade to the ears of patients in Rugby 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“We are grateful to all the people of Rugby for their support and donations over the years, and to all the organisations who have supported us, especially the Friends of St Cross," shared Jim Austin, Rugby Hospital Radio Chairman.
“Our St Cross site management and the UHCW NHS Trust have always been incredibly supportive and we would not be able to run the station without this backing.”
Latest News
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Rugby Hospital Radio celebrates 50 years on the air
Rugby Hospital Radio is broadcasting live again with a special ‘socially distanced’ arrangement. Now they are asking the public to send requests for relatives and friends in the hospital.
“The hospital management were very keen to find a safe way to bring us back to site”, says Chairman Jim Austin. “We are very grateful to site manager Janine Beddow and her team at St Cross and UHCW Trust volunteer coordinator Kristine Davies for their help.
Contact our Secretary with your requests
Telephone: 01788 663493
Email: secretary@rugbyhospitalradio.co.uk
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery
Opening of The Richard Green Studio.
Pictured Mike O'Connor, Phil Smith, James Austin and Mavis Green.