Radio DGH

Radio DGH provides music and entertainment for patients at Eastbourne District General Hospital. The station was founded in 1976 by Adrian Tongue and Philip Bull as the new hospital opened. It developed from an older Record Request Service whose volunteers had taken portable record players around wards at Eastbourne hospitals since 1951.

Personal song choices remain central to its identity. The early service used hospital serving trolleys to bring records directly to patients, establishing a connection between entertainment and individual requests. Radio DGH continued that approach through a studio-based service, building a music collection and programmes for the hospital on Kings Drive.

Len Fisher's Eastbourne People gives local conversation a named place in the schedule, while David Creighton presents Symphonies and Soundtracks. Dan Spiller's Alternative Takeover, Rachel Farrow's Request Show and Paula Dryer's Mix Tape offer contrasting musical approaches. Storytime introduces a regular spoken strand, and Sunday listening includes the chapel service. Decade-themed selections, country, soul and big bands further widen the programme beyond its general music mix.

Volunteers and supporters have helped sustain and develop the station over successive decades. Local fundraising and contributions from charitable organisations supported studio improvements, while online broadcasting later extended its audience beyond the wards. People at home can now share a service rooted in Eastbourne healthcare, with patient requests still linking its history to the entertainment heard today.