We are ever mindful of the listening needs of our audience. Of course we cannot please all of the people all of the time ­ but we do try our best. Recognizing that listener needs change when one is unwell or hospitalised, CHR focuses on the middle ground of easy listening music. This covers a wide variety of relaxing styles.

Our flagship programme is TLC - The Listener’s Choice ­ a nightly show of requests, dedications and features.

Each night presenters visit different wards meeting listeners and guests offering the opportunity to select that evening’s content.

With the arrival of our 24-hour computerised radio service on Channell 11 and 1431AM, Chichester Hospital Radio has consolidated its role within the hospital by proudly offering a truly community radio service for patents, staff and visitors.

  Who or What is CHR?

A few words about the service we provide

SMILE!' is THE handbook for Chichester Hospital Radio (CHR) listeners, members and supporters. It is an important part of our service to the whole St Richard's Hospital community, and along with this website gives CHR an opportunity to introduce ourselves and to tell you a little more about what we are trying to achieve at the Hospital. Obviously, our core purpose is to provide a radio service for the patients whilst they are in St Richard's. But with all the different radio stations available, as well as more and more TV channels, not to mention walkmans and of course the good old book, do patients need entertainment from a Hospital Radio service? Well yes, because recent research has shown that laughter, music and relaxation are strong factors in improving recovery rates. When CHR considers its broadcasting schedule, all three of these elements are included in its programmes throughout the day, in the hope of raising a smile, bringing peace or often bringing to mind a happy memory.

Presenters at Chichester Hospital Radio are trained to make the service more personal than other radio programmes - reminded by a sign in the studios boldly saying `Think Patient'. When CHR teams venture into the wards to collect requests for our flagship programmes - TLC - The Listener's Choice, on every evening at 8:00 they find themselves meeting patients, some with groups of visitors, some who may not have spoken to anyone outside the Hospital all day. In each instance, the piece of music requested will be a personal favorite and all CHR members are trained to respond to these requests with thought, consideration and humour.

Many presenters from CHR have gone on to careers in professional radio broadcasters in BBC Southern Counties, and Spirit FM started at CHR and have taken the lessons learnt in Hospital Radio into their chosen professions. Others have found management and engineering careers in broadcasting. Hospital Radio is a great place to learn about broadcasting - especially regarding community issues matched with personality presentation. If you would like to become a member at CHR then contact the Membership Secretary at CHR Studios at St Richard's Hospital.

CHR has now been broadcasting full-time for over a year and with its AM service can be heard on the Hospital campus by patients, staff and visitors on conventional radios.

Paul Morris

Hospital Radio & The Healing Process

A hospital is a tightly knit community where good communication is essential if everyone is to work smoothly together.

At St. Richard's there are 2,100 members of staff and over 500 volunteers, each offering their own particular contribution in the terms of expertise and skill. It is also a very busy environment where the pressure is on, continually, to treat people as quickly and efficiently but it is also important that the approach is holistic and contains as much of the `human touch' as possible.

St. Richards is very lucky in this respect. The new hospital environment has been carefully designed to feel welcoming and calm and the courtyards and different types of artwork around the hospital are all very much seen as part of the healing process. The contribution of volunteers in this respect cannot be over estimated and Hospital Radio, through its programmes and ward visiting, helps to support and sustain patients through their stay.

Good communication is essential to the hospital and indeed can be seen as the "glue" that supports and maintains the strong sense of community that exists. In this respect, Hospital Radio has a key role to play directly supporting the healing process that patients undergo during their treatment and subsequent recovery in hospital.

Chief Executive

Voluntary Services

Volunteers - A very special group of people.

We have a very special group of Volunteers at St. Richard's whose common aim generally is to help other people and 'give something back'. With their special brand of 'joi de vivre' their presence helps to make St. Richard's the exceptionally friendly place it is.

St. Richard's offers many rewarding and challenging voluntary roles which provide opportunities to learn new skills or use talents that have sometimes been forgotten.

Chichester Hospital Radio staff can be found each evening on the wards in their unmistakable white polo shirts, chatting to patients and collecting requests for the evening show.

The League of Friends manage the shop 'that sells everything' in reception and the shop trolley service gives patients on the wards the opportunity to buy a newspaper and much more. The WRVS Tea Bar and Pantry provide endless cups of tea, coffee and smiles all day and the Flower Ladies administer care and attention to patients' flowers on each ward. The Emergency Creche Volunteers organised by the WRVS are always on call in case of a major incident thus enabling staff to come into work knowing that their children are being cared for. The British Red Cross, easily visible in their uniforms, assist patients and staff in many clinics in the Hospital and the Handcare team visit patients and give manicures and massages. The Chaplaincy visitors are regular faces around the Hospital as are the many independent volunteers who help patients and staff and the Appeal Volunteers who knit, sell raffle tickets and organise events for us.

The contribution and commitment by our volunteers is widely admired and appreciated by patients, staff and the Trust Board who are kept informed of voluntary activities in the Hospital. Each volunteer is a valued member of the St. Richard's team and we benefit enormously from their goodwill and wealth of experience.

Sue Kimble

TALKING HEADS

In the interests of developing awareness within the community of the work of Chichester Hospital Radio, members are willing to go along to retirement clubs, fundraisers, day groups and any other organisations who like to have guest speakers to chat about the work they do. 

A short but entertaining presentation is given featuring voices from the world of showbiz plus extracts from some of our many professionally produced programmes.

You can find out first hand just what goes into making this voluntary radio service the success it has been for over thirty years.

It might be that you and your group would like to adopt the registered charity as your fundraising project or just simply find out a little bit.

This is another free service from Chichester Hospital Radio although any donations or collections would be welcome.

If a club or organisation would like us to give a talk or would like further details please contact Pete Crew or Bill Barwell at the CHR Studio. 

You can write to us at:

or telephone: 01243 788122 Ext 3000

or e-mail: studio@chr1431.org.uk