Sheffield Hospital Radio, which has been broadcasting since 1976, faces the threat of extinction if it can’t receive the necessary funding.
The station is seeking to relocate to a new studio within the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and needs replacements for its 24-year-old broadcasting equipment after the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust deemed its equipment outdated and their studio unsafe.
However, it has only managed to secure just over £100 of its £10,000 funding target, leaving the future of Sheffield Hospital Radio in the balance.
Steve Flowers, a Presenter and Programme Coordinator for Sheffield Hospital Radio, said: “If the radio station can’t continue, then the patients in the hospital will miss out on a station that’s dedicated especially to them.
“40% of our patients don’t have any friends or relatives visiting, so a cheery face from hospital radio members visiting them by their bedside for a chat can really brighten their day. Combined with hearing their favourite song and their name mentioned on air, it can help boost their mental well-being.
Sheffield Hospital Radio is overseen by a team of volunteers who balance their radio duties alongside maintaining relationships with approximately 5,000 patients every year.
“It would be a massive blow to Sheffield not to have its own hospital radio station after serving Sheffield patients for the last 48 years.”
To donate to Sheffield Hospital Radio, find their GoFundMe by clicking here.