VOLUNTEER members at York Hospital Radio were celebrating a jackpot of their own on Saturday when their new studios were officially opened by broadcaster Alan Dedicoat.

Alan – perhaps best known as being the voice of the National Lottery – took a break from his busy schedule on a whistle-stop visit to York to have a tour of and open the new twin studios.

The studios, which cost £55,000, were made possible thanks to donations from a number of sources, including York Health Service General Charitable Trust, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Leeds-based health plan provider LHF, among others.

Guests from these organisations and others were invited along to see the fruits of their charity, and were greeted by a large number of the volunteer members who work at the station.

Alan, who also provides one of the voices of York Hospital Radio, said: “I think the new studios are fantastic.

“It’s a very professional set-up and something members should be proud of.

“I owe a lot to hospital radio, as that’s where I learned the trade, as did other BBC presenters, Ken Bruce and Charlie Nove, and it’s good to give something back for this good cause.”