ROBERT 'Iain' Elliott has been involved in Bristol hospital radio for almost 50 years.

For the 8,000 patients in Bristol's major hospitals at any one time, the radio broadcasts are a great source of relaxation and enjoyment.

They have even been known to bring visitors in to see patients just to listen the exclusive hospital broadcasts of Rovers, City or Bristol Rugby matches.

Iain has been nominated for one of four Bristol University Centenary Degrees which will be awarded to people who have made a major contribution to the local community.

After leaving Cotham Grammar School and getting his first job as a laboratory technician at Bristol University, Iain became involved with hospital radio in 1963.

He begged and borrowed electronic equipment to build the broadcast studio and has been chairman of Bristol Hospital Broadcast Services (BHBS) since 1981.

Over the years, he has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds through begging letters and fundraising events.

Iain, 66, a retired electronics engineer, lives with his wife Pauline, 52, in Brentry.

Despite his retirement in 2007 he still spends every Wednesday night as studio manager beaming out programmes.

He also created training programmes for new recruits, now totalling 50, and still goes out shaking collection tins and collecting patient requests for their favourite records.

Pauline said: "Iain is unassuming and committed, even his marriage 30 years ago was arranged around the programme schedules to ensure the studio remained manned.

"He is always there for any member and he has given more than just his time to this charity.

"This would be a wonderful way to recognise a quiet and purposeful man who always puts other's needs first."

Iain said the rotation of 8,000 beds during the year meant that BHBS had up to one million listeners a year.

He said: "I've been involved for 46 years and I would not continue being involved if I did not enjoy every minute of it.

"It's completely free, the patients have to pay for TV and telephone but our broadcasts cost them nothing.

"The only complaints I've known is when our outside broadcasts from one of the big matches has broken down.

"Obviously some of our programmes are pre-recorded because they are available 24 hours a day but one of our team of volunteers is in the studio every day and we have other teams who specialist in the outside broadcasts."