This year Keith Inman will celebrate 50 years of volunteer service at Warrington Hospital’s Radio General.

Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Engineer Keith started volunteering at the hospital’s radio station in January 1974 after his interest was piqued by an article in the Warrington Guardian about the reopening of the station and asking for volunteers. Keith’s ambition was to be involved in radio broadcasting, and this opportunity also appealed to his interest in radio engineering.

Keith started out doing the engineering behind the scenes along with some presenting, before moving into the day-to-day running of the station as station manager. In 1976, when the radio station became an independent charity, Keith became a trustee and his involvement in the station broadened. In 2001 Keith received the honour of the Radio General studio being named after him and he is now the Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Engineer. Over the years, he has liaised with the different departments in the Trust to help with the smooth running of the radio. 

He has seen many changes to hospital radio throughout the past half-century, including broadcasting from studios in different locations at Warrington Hospital and finally the move of the station into the current ‘The Keith Inman Studios’ in the main entrance. He’s also welcomed digital systems to modernise the station, in 2004 Radio General was connected the hospital’s patient bedside entertainment system and in 2017 an online service was launched.

Keith said: “Over the years the technology may have changed but the aim of hospital radio remains the same - to entertain patients during their hospital stay and visiting the wards to speak to patients about their music requests and enhance their wellbeing while on the wards.”

Keith has been part of many memorable occasions in the life of Radio General, including the station’s first outside broadcast from Warrington Walking Day in 1974. In 1979 he organised an outside broadcast to provide live coverage of the Queen’s second visit to Warrington with Prince Phillip. Other royal visits he has covered include the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1984, for the unveiling of The Mad Hatters’ Tea Party sculpture in the Golden Square, and the 1994 visit of Princess Anne for the official opening of Croft Wing. 

In 2020 Keith was instrumental in keeping the station going throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing new ways of working to overcome the challenges of social distancing.

He said: “Radio, to me, is being involved with what is going on in the town and bringing back to the patients a picture, in sound, events they were unable to attend.

“The feedback we get from the patients and listeners makes volunteering worthwhile and with the new members joining and getting involved, we hope to expand our programming output and ward visiting.”

Simon Constable, Chief Executive of Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals said: “For Keith to have given so much of his time over half a century to supporting the running of Radio General at Warrington is an incredible achievement. 

“Broadcasts from our two hospital radio stations really do enhance the experience of our patients during their stay with us and simply would not be possible without the contribution of a committed group of volunteers like Keith. On behalf of our patients and staff – thank you and well done!”

Keith remains passionate about the benefits of being involved in hospital radio and the opportunities it presents. He added: “Becoming a member of the station gives you the chance to expand your skillset whilst helping the Radio General charity to deliver its aims.

“Volunteers are given training in station programming – studio based or outside broadcast – and are trained in a variety of other skills. Many of the station’s members have gone onto to have rewarding careers in mainstream broadcasting as a result of the experience gained.” 

Keith’s long-standing dedication to the radio station hasn’t gone unnoticed. To mark his achievements, he recently received a lifetime achievement award at the Warrington Guardian Inspiration Awards. This prestigious award recognises a person who has made an outstanding contribution in Warrington over several years. 

If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Radio General member and helping to provide the broadcast, please visit the Trust Volunteers website: https://volunteer.whh.nhs.uk/volunteers/opportunity/10198688

For more information about Warrington Hospital’s Radio General station, and Halton Hospital’s Radio Halton visit: Hospital radio :: Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Trust (whh.nhs.uk)