On 29th September 1966 a new radio station launched in Dorchester exclusively for patients in the old Dorchester Hospital in Princes Street. It was called the Dorchester Hospital Broadcasting Service and played record requests for one hour a week from a tiny studio originally located in the Conservative Club. That station was followed by one at Herrison Hospital and, in the 1990s, the new West Dorset Hospital which eventually became Dorset County Hospital. The station at DCH was called Ridgeway Radio and many of its members started KeeP 106, your community radio station of today, together with some former presenters from Wessex FM. On 29th September 2026 we broadcast a special edition of our magazine programme North, South, East & West to celebrate 60 years of voluntary radio in Dorchester. Several guests in the programme recalled memories from those 60 years of hospital radio and we featured music from that year, 1966. You can listen to the programme below…
Some photos of the occasion by Nick Billings (click to enlarge)

Standing, from left, Andy Venton, Mike Streeter, Rob Mott, Andy Worth. Seated, Heather and Peter Foster
- Presenters Peter & Heather Foster
- Andy Worth interviewing the Mayor, Cllr Les Fry
- Andy Worth interviewing the Mayoress, Julie Fry
- Andy Venton and Pete reminiscing about old times
- Rob Mott with Pete & Heather in the studio
- Mike Streeter with Pete & Heather
- The Mayor & Mayoress in the studio
- Kieran Williams with Pete & Heather in the studio
- The Mayor & Mayoress
- Andy Worth sharing memories with Pete
- Martin and Debbie Fiddick with Pete & Heather































