Year: 2025

Manchester Central Library is appealing for listeners to help complete its growing archive of historic Piccadilly Radio shows.

The city’s first commercial radio station went on air in April 1974, with Roger Day launching the service by playing the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations. Since last year, over 1,600 programmes have been digitised through a £99,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, preserving decades of local broadcasting history.
Many broadcasts, however, are still missing. The library is asking residents to check their cupboards, attics and cassette collections for home recordings of lost shows such as James Stannage’s late-night phone-ins, Susie Mathis and Dave Ward’s daytime programmes, Mike Shaft’s ‘Taking Care of Business’, and Stu Allan’s influential hip hop series ‘Bus Diss’.
Listeners can have their tapes digitised for free and returned once copied, ensuring these shows are preserved for future generations. The appeal coincides with the Piccadilly Radio Archive: Nobody Did It Better! exhibition, running at Manchester Central Library until 31 December 2025, which celebrates the voices that shaped Manchester’s radio scene from the 1970s onwards.
Councillor John Hacking said the project is “a chance for all of us to be part of preserving Manchester’s broadcasting history,” encouraging anyone with old tapes to contribute. Helen Featherstone from The National Lottery Heritage Fund added that “local radio holds a special place in people’s hearts,” and praised the project for inspiring future broadcasters.
The archive has also collaborated with the Manchester Digital Music Archive and the Greater Manchester Hip Hop Archive, offering young people workshops and training through ALL FM. Oral histories from Piccadilly Radio staff are also being recorded as part of the project.
Former listeners can contact the Library on archiveslocalstudies@manchester.gov.uk to share their recordings.

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Harrogate Hospital Radio has been awarded £18,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund to improve its broadcasting facilities.
The grant will fund upgrades to studio and ward equipment, improving audio quality and connectivity for patients, visitors and staff at Harrogate District Hospital. The volunteer-run station says the investment will help it deliver an even higher standard of entertainment and comfort to those spending time in hospital.
Chair Bernard Mageean said the funding would have a lasting impact on both volunteers and listeners. He added: “We’re incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and to everyone who plays the National Lottery. This grant will make a huge difference to our volunteers and listeners alike. It means we can continue improving our broadcasting equipment and ensure our output remains of a high quality for patients at Harrogate District Hospital.”
Alongside this new funding, the station is pressing ahead with its plans for growth and community involvement. It will soon be inviting new volunteers to get involved in broadcasting, producing, and behind-the-scenes roles as part of its expanding service.
Marketing Manager Oliver Johnson also expressed appreciation for the continued backing of local sponsors, saying their support — together with the National Lottery funding — helps the station’s volunteers make a real difference to patients’ wellbeing.

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