David Scarff has been part of Royal Free Radio ever since its launch as Radio Enfield in 1970

David Scarff in the Royal Free Radio studio (left) and (right) as he looked in the 1970s

A local radio host is “hanging up his headphones” after 55 years.

David Scarff was a co-founder of Radio Enfield in 1970 and has been hosting shows on the station – today known as Royal Free Radio – ever since.

During that time David has helped bring companionship and comfort to patients, staff and visitors at Chase Farm Hospital, with the station now also broadcasting to multiple hospitals run by Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Along with some school friends, David helped establish the station with just a small cupboard to operate in and a single two-hour show being broadcast every Sunday night.

Today, Royal Free Radio is part of the Royal Free Charity and is run entirely by volunteers. The station is still based at Chase Farm but also now broadcasts to Barnet, North Middlesex University and Royal Free hospitals, 24 hours a day.

David is the charity’s longest continuously serving radio volunteer. Jon Spiers, its chief executive, said: “On behalf of the charity I wanted to say an enormous thank you for an incredible 55 years of entertaining patients across North London.

“David has made a difference to countless lives across the decades, keeping people company and lifting spirits at some of the hardest moments in their lives.”

David is also the only presenter to have hosted from every studio at the six different sites from which the station has broadcast. In that time, he has used everything from vinyl records to high-tech computer software to present his programmes live from Chase Farm Hospital.

He even met his wife through Royal Free Radio, while David’s daughter now also presents her own show on the station. Recalling his fondest radio memory, he said: “We had a whole ward singing Tulips from Amsterdam once; they phoned in from what was then the telephone trolley and they had the whole ward singing it.

“We got told off by the matron for causing a disturbance, but it was good fun!”

Other highlights include interviewing composer Geoff Love about his career in show business, and receiving a lifetime achievement award from Enfield Council in 2022.

David added: “After 55 years of presenting on hospital radio – 47 on Radio Enfield then eight when we rebranded as Royal Free Radio – I’ll be hanging up my headphones.

“Hopefully, over the years, I’ve given some incentives for patients across North London to get out of hospital quickly rather than tuning in to me!”

Andy Higgins, the current station manager of Royal Free Radio, praised David’s extraordinary service and said: “David is an inspiration to all of us. His dedication, kindness and passion for hospital radio have touched countless lives.

“To give 55 years of voluntary service is an incredible achievement, and we are so proud to celebrate this milestone with him. David will still be with us in the background as chairman of Royal Free Radio but is stepping back from regular programmes.”

To mark the occasion, Royal Free Radio hosted a special anniversary broadcast on Sunday (7th) featuring some of David’s most memorable moments on air and messages from fellow volunteers and previous guests.

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