Hospital Radio Norwich

Hospital Radio Norwich serves the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as a voluntary organisation and registered charity. Established in 1974, it marked fifty years of broadcasting in 2024. Patient befriending on the wards is part of its stated purpose, alongside programmes designed to provide entertainment during a hospital stay.

Personal music choices and dedications feed into the request programmes. The broader output includes interviews with local and visiting personalities, a range of musical styles and national news bulletins. Ward visitors help patients use the free radio service and explain the listening options, making their role practical as well as contributing requests to the programme team.

The themed music includes Number Ones at One, with chart-topping recordings from several decades, and Second Best, which revisits songs that reached number two. Variety Lunch-Box makes room for country, musicals, television themes and occasional comedy, while Mainly Instrumental offers melodic selections. Focus On can feature an interview or a chosen subject. Overnight listening moves towards ballads, classical and lighter music, giving the schedule a gentler alternative to its daytime mix.

The station also reaches care-home residents, people recovering after discharge and relatives listening from home. Although its hospital service includes Norwich City home-match commentary, the broadcaster says that this football coverage is unavailable online. Grants, individual contributions and support from local businesses help sustain the charity, with premises provided within the hospital.