WWL Radio

WWL Radio is the volunteer hospital service for Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh. Formerly known as Wrightington Hospital Radio, it has roots going back to 1973. The station serves patients, staff and families across the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with an audience that also includes hospices, care homes and people at home.

Uplifting music, bedside requests and community stories make up its stated mission. Patients and relatives can send dedications, while local organisations are invited to share news of their activities. The station also provides support information and useful links, connecting entertainment with practical material relevant to people receiving care and those supporting them.

Sport is a longstanding part of the service, with commentary covering Wigan Warriors and Wigan Athletic home fixtures. Hospital rugby coverage in Wigan predates the station itself, reaching back to 1954, while its coverage of Athletic began in 1979. Early studio managers included Charlie Fishwick and Phil Howard, both hospital employees. A new studio opened in the Patient Information Centre at Wrightington in October 2013, before the wider WWL identity was registered in 2022.

The registered charity is staffed entirely by volunteers and has received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. Fundraising and public appearances help maintain its work, including broadcasts connected with local concerts and community occasions. WWL Radio's wider name reflects a service spanning three hospital communities while preserving the personal contact that began with its Wrightington origins.