RADIO GLANGWILI HISTORY

 

 1971: Urdd members, led by Sulwyn Thomas, experimented with recorded programmes and a ‘live’ broadcast from Teifi Day Room. After this, a more permanent arrangement was needed. The League of Friends donated £75 towards the purchase of equipment. 

 

1972: Christmas day 1972 saw the official ‘on air’ broadcast to the patients. The first studio became known as the ‘broom cupboard’ which was near Teifi ward. The programme lasted some two hours. Following this success, and demand, more programmes were broadcasted on Saturday mornings and Sunday evenings. Not long after, we had broadcasts seven nights a week.

 

1975: End of 1975, the broom cupboard became too small, so a Portakabin was purchased at a cost of £4000 which was raised by the volunteers.

 

1976: On June 19th, 1976, the first broadcast was relayed to the patients from the new studio.

 

1981: Wyn Jones, our technical person made history by broadcasting for 20 hours non-stop in Welsh.

 

1996: Due to the poor condition of the Portakabin, the studio was moved to the current location which is at the top of the nurses’ home, new wing.

 

2000: At the beginning of the new millennium, it was decided to apply for a transmitter licence and broadcast on FM. It was after this time that Radio Glangwili started to provide a 24 hour service, being sustained by a 30 CD carousel.

 

2007: More improvements were made to update the equipment. We were fortunate in receiving £5000 from the National Lottery, £500 from the Carmarthen Round Table, and £1000 from Tesco. This enabled us to purchase a high-tec computer system which we currently use.

 

2013: In April 2013, the 20 hour record for non-stop Welsh broadcasting was broken by Alun Jones, who happens to be Wyn Jones’ son. He managed to broadcast for 24 hours continuously in Welsh.

 

2015: After 2014, when more young people than ever before came to Radio Glangwili on work experience (12 over 8 weeks with 4 of them having since joined as regular presenters), the demand for work experience was unprecedented with over 35 requests to join us on work experience by the end of February.