Bronglais General Hospital’s dedicated radio station for patients and staff is celebrating its 50th year of broadcasting this week.

Radio Bronglais, which is run entirely by volunteers, will be celebrating its 50th birthday on Wednesday, 30 September with a “unique day of dedicated programmes” and “special guests from Radio Bronglais’ past and present taking part from far afield as London and the United States”.

There will also be a special interview with Aled Haydn Jones, head of BBC Radio 1 and a former volunteer.

Pete Evans, otherwise known as Big Pete, will be hosting a show from 8am to 12pm, during which he will be talking to the Deputy Mayor of Aberystwyth Councillor Alun Williams and Ceredigion MP Ben Lake.

Sam Thomas, who has brought the station’s volunteers together for the special day’s broadcasts said: “It’s very exciting to reach a milestone like this for us as a radio station. We do our best for the patients and staff of the hospital.

“This year the dedication of the volunteers to provide a service has been proven with volunteers producing programmes from home during the most difficult circumstances.

“We are hoping to celebrate the day with various programmes and by hearing the stories of volunteers past and present.

“If you have any memories, please contact us to share them.”

The first Bronglais Hospital patient-dedicated radio services were started in 1969 by the Bow Street Youth Club, who offered a special evening request show once a week.

However, it was in 1970 that a dedicated hospital radio service was installed for Bronglais Hospital, and was initially known as Radio Atlantis, before renaming itself Radio Bronglais in the 1980s.

Radio Bronglais continues to provide patients and staff with bilingual music on 87.8FM and online, whilst volunteers produce special radio programmes throughout the week.