About HWD Hospital Radio

HWD Hospital Radio is the broadcasting name of The Heavy Woollen District Hospital Broadcasts Association - a registered charity.

50 years on air

HWD Hospital Radio celebrated an amazing 50 years on the air in September 2002. Our first broadcast was a live commentary on a rugby match at Batley’s Mount Pleasant stadium in 1952. It received so many compliments, commentaries were then broadcast on a more regular basis. Batley General Hospital

Regular records requests began in the late 1950s and we later moved to Batley General Hospital, taking up residence in the attic and also broadcasting to Dewsbury General, Staincliffe Hospital and five care homes.

NHS restructuring and the building of a new hospital on the Staincliffe site mean rapid fundraising was needed to build a new studio complex. This was opened by Margaret Thatcher in 1989, beginning a new chapter in the history of HWD Hospital Radio.

Over the years, our studio complex has been extended and refurbished to include the latest digital technology and we now broadcast 24 hours a day to Dewsbury and District Hospital.

Who's who

HWD Hospital Radio members nominate and vote in the Executive Committee each year - responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the association. Here's who's who for 2011/12.

Award winning

HWD Hospital Radio has been recognised in the Hospital Radio Awards - run by the national body the HBA (Hospital Broadcasting Association).

Among our accolades have been a Gold and a Bronze Award for best newcomer, Silver for best female presenter and several Highly Commended presenters, as well as a string of nominations in various categories.

Volunteering and fundraising

HWD Hospital Radio is staffed and run entirely by volunteers and receives no regular income in the way that commercial radio stations or businesses do. However, we have overheads, repairs and ongoing costs which have to be paid for from our own funds, so fundraising is vital.

We receive income from various sources including generous grants and large donations. Since the early 1990s we've held a balloon race in Dewsbury town centre and now regularly attend local galas, fetes and markets with our range of hand made crafts and cards made exclusively for HWD Hospital Radio by Tony and Janet Barrett.

Eric Elliott, Martin Sharpe and Andy Lonsdale are pictured here with their certificates for 20, 30 and 20 years service respectively as a volunteer for HWD Hospital Radio, along with Ann Hallaways (head of voluntary services), Ed Anderson (NHS trust chairman), and Kate Harper (deputy chief nurse).