There was cake, champagne and congratulations this week as BBC Radio Cornwall's staff and listeners came together to celebrate thirty years of broadcasting.

The radio station started broadcasting from its base at Phoenix Wharf in Truro on January 17, 1983 when presenter Chris Blount spoke the first words, "It's six twenty five, you're tuned to BBC Radio Cornwall on Medium wave and on stereo VHS".

To mark the anniversary, the airwaves have been full of memories, familiar faces and familiar voices. 

Managing editor Pauline Causey said: "BBC Radio Cornwall has emerged over the past thirty years as one of the BBC's most consistently successful services, in terms of audience figures and the level of support and involvement we have from listeners. It obviously helps that people in Cornwall have a deep interest in their locality, but there's no doubt that BBC Local Radio has, over 30 years, contributed to and underpinned the bonds in our community.

"We were helping to build a Big Society when David Cameron was still at school. We were a social network long before the internet.

"The community role will be key for our future. We're conscious that our licence fee funding gives us a privileged position and we're keen that each pound we spend gives listeners more than a radio service. We support local events and we foster Cornish talent.

"Our BBC Introducing programme for new and unsigned musicians, bands and artistes has just been extended to two hours.

"We will be working in every public emergency to give listeners the information they need - our record is more than 200 school closure decisions checked, confirmed and broadcast in 90 minutes. We will be working with our TV and web BBC colleagues to make sure licence fee payers get news and information they can trust wherever they want it. And we'll continue our conversations on social media - if it's easier for listeners to talk to us on Facebook or Twitter you can find us there.

"But if the power is cut, the phone lines are down or you're just not hooked up to the internet, we will still be there on the radio. For another 30 years and beyond."

The links between radio station and the Cornish public has led to some highly successful charity appeals over the years. Just this week, the Phoenix Stroke Appeal punched through the £400,000 mark - BBC radio Cornwall has been publically supporting the appeal since June 2011.

Assistant Editor Daphne Skinnard said "The amazing response we've had to Phoenix follows in the footsteps of our listeners raising more than £600,000 for the Sunrise Appeal for cancer care in Cornwall, and nearly £400,000 towards the new Children's Hospice at Porthpean for the Precious Lives Appeal.

"The Cornish public is astonishingly generous, especially in these tough economic times."