Big Names Wish Radio Brockley Happy 60th Birthday
Big names from the world of entertainment, sport, literature and business lined up to wish Radio Brockley a happy 60th birthday during our recent special weekend of celebrations.
During a special live broadcast weekend, which ran from 2nd-4th October, we welcomed back many former presenters to present special programmes – some for the first time in many, many years. We also welcomed back founder trustee Barry Cobden who, in a special programme, also spoke to three other original members about their memories.
In addition, we also had phone calls from the Hospital Broadcasting Association (HBA) President June Snowden – a long-time friend and supporter of Radio Brockley. We also had a visit from Mark Kiteley, one of the trustees of the HBA. Plus, Mike Shepherd – the Programme Controller of Radio Clatterbridge in the Wirral – called in to our live shows. Radio Clatterbridge has the distinction of being the UK’s longest-running hospital radio station – celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
We were very lucky to receive many messages of support from inside and outside the hospital. Watch the video below to see messages from David Holmes MBE, Paul Carrack, Joe Craig, Alan Fletcher (AKA Dr Karl Kennedy!), Danny Crates, David Hamilton, Adam Godley, the Radio Jackie breakfast show team, Anthony Horowitz, Graham Dene, Jason Gallion, Alan Dedicoat, and Sir Stephen Fry.
We also received numerous written messages of support…..
Pat Sharp
Congratulations Radio Brockley in Stanmore, your mix was the first I ever spoke into when I was a teenager, now I’m approaching 65 and you’re 60! Do catch up please! Have the best anniversary and keep on keeping those patients company. Here’s to your next 60 years, cheers.
Wandsworth Riverside RNLI
Congratulations on your 60th anniversary from all the crew and volunteers at Chiswick RNLI, now Wandsworth Riverside RNLI having just moved to our new lifeboat station. In 2026 we will also celebrate an important anniversary: 25 years of lifeboats on the Thames. We wish all at Radio Brockley well and look forward to working with you all in the future….
Berry Bros. & Rudd
Congratulations to everyone at Radio Brockley on sixty years of continuous broadcasting. Having traded from St James’s in London since 1698, we know how much it takes to keep something going for decades. The team at Radio Brockley doing it for sixty years on the goodwill of volunteers, for patients at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, is a real achievement. Thank you to everyone who has kept the station on air. We’ll be raising a glass to you on 2nd October and here’s to the next sixty.
The Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway
From an organisation just past its silver anniversary, to one celebrating its diamond anniversary, many congratulations, the service you provide has been much appreciated and enjoyed over the years, long may it continue to do so.
Harlequins FC
On behalf of everyone at Harlequins, we wanted to send our warmest
congratulations as you celebrate an incredible milestone, your 60th Anniversary. Reaching sixty years of continuous broadcasting is a truly remarkable achievement. As the longest-running hospital radio station in London, and technically the oldest independent radio broadcaster in the London area, Radio Brockley has made an extraordinary impact on listeners since your very first broadcast in 1966. As you celebrate this significant anniversary, we hope you take great pride in everything that has been achieved. The legacy you have built since 1966 is something truly special, and we have no doubt that Radio Brockley will continue to make a positive difference for many years to come.
Dogs Trust Harefield
On behalf of everyone at Dogs Trust Harefield, congratulations and a big round of a-paws on an incredible 60 years of service to your local community. Reaching this remarkable milestone is a testament not only to the longevity of the station, but also to the passion, dedication and generosity of the countless volunteers who have given their time over the decades to keep Radio Brockley broadcasting. Their commitment has undoubtedly brought companionship, comfort and entertainment to generations of patients and listeners, and that is truly something worth barking about. On behalf of everyone at Dogs Trust Harefield, we would like to extend our very best wishes to everyone involved
with Radio Brockley, past and present, whose hard work has made these 60 years possible. We also send our warmest wishes to the patients of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, and to the dedicated NHS staff who care for them every day.
Karla Haines, Operations Manager
Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon
On behalf of everyone at the Royal Air Force Museum, I am delighted to congratulate Radio Brockley on an extraordinary 60 years of broadcasting and service to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and our local community. Reaching such a milestone is a wonderful testament to the dedication, warmth and community spirit of the volunteers who have given their time over six decades to entertain, inform and bring companionship to the patients, staff and listeners. As a fellow member of the local community, the team at RAF Museum is delighted to celebrate this special anniversary with you.
Maggie Appleton, CEO
St John’s Church, Stanmore
On behalf of everyone at St Johns Church Stanmore, , I would like to send our warmest congratulations to Radio Brockley on reaching this wonderful milestone of 60 years of broadcasting. For six decades, your dedicated volunteers and brought companionship, encouragement and entertainment to patients and their families at a time when it is often needed most. This is a remarkable contribution to the life of the local community. We are particularly grateful for the countless hours of voluntary service that have gone into keeping Radio Brockley on air since that first broadcast in October 1966. Sixty years of faithful service is a tremendous achievement.
The Revd Matthew Stone, Rector
Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue
Wishing you the happiest of 60th birthday celebrations from down the road at Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue, where we are coincidentally celebrating our 80th anniversary this year. We have several members who volunteer like yourselves at RNOH and many more who have benefitted directly from listening to you whilst undergoing treatments and surgeries there (just in my own case that includes both my sister and daughter, who both remember with fondness listening to Radio Brockley).
David Metzger, Co-Chair Stanmore & Canons Park Synagogue
Queens Park Rangers (QPR)
Queens Park Rangers would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone at Radio Brockley a very happy 60th Anniversary! On behalf of the Owners, Players, Management and Staff, the club would like to send our best wishes to everyone at Radio Brockley, and we hope you have a fantastic time celebrating an incredible 60 years on Friday 2nd October and beyond!
Everyone at Queens Park Rangers
Wenzel’s the Bakers
I wanted to personally send my congratulations to you all as Radio Brockley celebrates an incredible 60 years of broadcasting. Having started Wenzel’s back in 1975, I know how much can change over the decades, so to have been serving your community since 1966 is a truly remarkable achievement. What makes milestones like this particularly special are the people behind them. The fact that Radio Brockley has been run by dedicated volunteers for all these years, giving their time to entertain and support patients, staff and the local community at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, is something you should all be very proud of. Here’s to many more years on air!
Peter Wenzel, Founder & Chairman
J D Wetherspoon
Congratulations to everyone at Radio Brockley, sixty years of supporting patients and staff at the RNOH is a fantastic achievement.
Yell.com
Happy 60th birthday to Radio Brockley! As the first UK Yellow Pages also arrived in 1966, we are especially delighted to share this milestone year with you. Congratulations to all the volunteers, past and present, who have kept Radio Brockley broadcasting and supporting the hospital community for six decades. From one 1966 original to another – happy anniversary from everyone at Yell!