A PLAQUE marking four decades of radio on the wards has been unveiled at Poole Hospital.

Hospital Radio Bedside chairman Juli Brown was joined by Poole Hospital chief executive Chris Bown, and hospital chairman Angela Schofield for the unveiling ceremony yesterday.

Juli said: “This marks the fact that we’ve been broadcasting at Hospital Radio Bedside for more than 40 years.

“They’ve very kindly put two plaques up – one in the main reception area and a smaller one outside the room where we actually started.

“We would like to thank Poole Hos-pital for their gen-erosity and support over the years.”

Radio Poole first hit the airwaves on July 21, 1972, not long after the first broadcast of Radio Boscombe, which served patients of the recently opened Poole General Hospital in Longfleet Road.

The station, that went on to become Hospital Radio Bedside, was broadcast from the basement of Poole Hospital, with programmes relayed over a sound system to patients’ bedsides.

Today, Hospital Radio Bedside is now the longest-serving radio station in the Bournemouth area with around 45 volunteers.

It broadcasts to five local hospitals.

Hospital Radio Bedside’s president is Alan Dedicoat, better known as ‘The Voice of the Balls’ on BBC’s National Lottery programme.

The station moved to Westbourne Eye Hospital in 1976, and has been based at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital since 1990 – but it was at Poole more than 40 years ago that the story first started.

Poole Hospital chairman Angela Schofield said: “The contribution Hospital Radio Bedside has made to patients and the hospital over the last 40 years has been incalculable.

“It continues to remain a positive and important addition to the patient experience and hospital.

“Long may they continue to provide this much-appreciated service.”

Visit hospitalradiobedside.co.uk for details.