Hospital Radio To End This Christmas

Volunteers who provide local radio programmes for patients in Buckland Hospital have decided to call it a day.

At a meeting on Thursday 30 November it was decided to wind up the Gateway Hospital Broadcasting Service.

Established in 1968 the GHBS once served four hospitals in Dover. The first to go were the Isolation Hospital and the Eye Unit, both in Noah's Ark Road. These were followed by the Royal Victoria Hospital in High Street.

"With some rather large bills to pay for the coming year, such as insurance and copyright fees and the uncertain future of Buckland, it was decided to pull the plug now rather than pay the bills and have a diminishing audience," said spokesman Terry Nunn.

"All the indicators are that Buckland will cease to be a hospital as such by March. Once Christmas is over the service will hold another meeting to decide what to do with the assets. The cash in hand will go to a local charity, but the fate of the mixing disk and other equipment will be a problem. There is also to be considered the thousands of records, tape and CD's that have been collected over nearly 40 years."

The very last programme will be the Carol Service on Friday 22 December. This will be followed by a "wake" at the studio when all past and present members and others who have been involved are invited.

Mr Nunn can be contacted on 01304 205411.