Radio stations licensed to broadcast in the UK require a ‘Public File’.
Each local community radio station in the UK has obligations with regard to its programmes, including its music and local content. These obligations are set out in the station format which forms part of this station’s public file. The file is available in hard copy by post upon request by a member of the public, and serves as one indicator of each station’s output. Comment on the contents of the public file should be made to the station or to the industry regulator, Ofcom.
Our Service
Huntingdon Community Radio is a community radio station that has broadcast to the Huntingdon area since 1995, building up a solid reputation for quality familiar music, community news, features and active involvement through volunteering.
Huntingdon Community Radio was awarded a full-time licence to broadcast in 2009 and is available on FM (104:00 MHz), on DAB+ in Cambridge and online through this website, a variety of mobile applications including our own dedicated Mobile App available from App Stores, smart speakers and other connected devices. The station broadcasts music, news and features 24 hours a day from our studios in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Huntingdon Community Radio is a ‘not for profit’ organisation that can raise half its income from grants and donations. Occasionally, you may hear us advertising for donations – any received are contributed to the HCR Trust (registered charity no. 1060739).
The station relies on advertising revenue, fundraising and donations.
Companies House
Huntingdon Community Radio Limited
Company Number: 03238666
Charities Commission
HCR Trust
Charity Number: 1060739
Ofcom Licence Number
CR0199
News Bulletin Schedule
Huntingdon Community Radio broadcasts News Bulletins in accordance with the following schedule:
Weekdays
National News: On the hour every hour, provided by IRN News.
Weekends & Public Holidays
National News: On the hour every hour, provided by IRN News.
On Sundays, a show with talking points around headlines and stories in the local and sometimes national newspapers airs between the hours of 10:00 – 12:00. (The Bill Hensley Show). A ‘lighter’ show looking at the more unusual news stories both local and national is broadcast between the hours of 14:00 – 16:00. (Sunday Supplement)
At 16:00 on Sundays, Scribblers’ Hour features local authors’ and poets’ work.
Sunday Service, originally introduced during the 2020/21 ‘lockdowns’ is a 20-minute recorded programme of Christian worship and reflection is broadcast weekly at 09:40 featuring the Vicar of Huntingdon Parish.
News Team
Our news service is managed and operated by the Independent Radio News Network (IRN). You can find out more about them here.
Community news, including local events and information is provided during daytime shows and some nighttime programming. This is prepared, distributed and regularly updated during the week by a designated volunteer in the form of presenter read-outs. A portion of these local events and information is also published on our website.
Local news stories from members of the public for coverage on air or on our website, may be submitted by email to: news@hcrfm.co.uk
Programme Schedule
Huntingdon Community Radio broadcasts in accordance with the station’s programme schedule that is circulated to presenters and producers weekly. We regularly update our programme schedule to reflect our changes in programming.
Automation
We typically operate pre-recorded shows from 22:00 – 07:00 with ‘voice tracked’ material by a team of presenters. On occasion, there will be ‘automated’ shows during this period where volunteer availability dictates.
Local Programming
All shows broadcast on Huntingdon Community Radio are locally produced within our transmission area. The station does not carry networked or syndicated programming.
Ofcom Localness Guidelines
Ofcom, the government regulator with responsibility for local radio, has produced localness guidelines that this station adheres to. These guidelines can be read here.
Station Contact Details
You may find our most up to date contact information, for both on air and off air enquiries on our contact us page.
Events/Charities Support Coverage
If you are a local registered charity, or are holding an event of any kind and would like to receive promotion on air, you may email studio@hcrfm.co.uk at any time. Alternatively, you may contact us using the methods detailed here.
On our website and occasionally featured on air, we list events taking place in the local area. You are welcome to submit your event details for coverage, and see other events listed, here.
The station also broadcasts Over to You, a weekly ‘community access’ show. The show airs Monday – Friday between the hours of 19:00 – 20:00 and provides local charities a platform to promote what they do, and engage in a discussion with our host about their impact on the local area. You can find out more about the show here. As at March 2024, recent topics with members of local groups and charities have included Neighbourhood Watch, Arthur Rank Hospice, Town Meetings briefings, Young Farmers, Macmillan fundraising, a dementia community group, Age Concern, a Military Wives Choir, Health and Wellbeing, SSAFA, Huntingdonshire District Council’s ‘Healthy Lifestyles’ drive, International Women’s Day, Huntingdon WI, ‘KICK’ Youth Organisation, CRUSE Bereavement Support, Ramsey Rural Museum and ‘YOPEY’ Young Volunteers.
Over to You is seen as our flagship community platform. In addition to the regular shows, it features additional strands monthly as follows:
The Sky Tonight (with local astronomers from local astronomical associations). The show highlights what can be seen in the night sky for the month and reviews the latest news ‘in space’. The local astronomers are from the Cambridge Astronomical Association and are Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Association which has a close collaboration with the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge.
Ken’s Komputers (in conversation with local businessman Ken Seymour of KTS Computers of St Ives, Cambridgeshire). The programme looks at all that’s new in the field of IT and computing and offers advice to home users.
Huntingdon Nostalgia features two members of the local community who have an interest on local nostalgia and history
Police Spot features an officer at Inspector level of Cambridgeshire Police with advice on staying safe and other matters of policing in the community.
On Fridays, our Spotlight show at 20:00 – 22:00 features local musicians, arts and culture. On occasion, a local band or artist may perform during the show ‘live’. The show also features a ‘Gig Guide’ as an information source for our community.
Huntingdon Community Radio may occasionally appeal for donations to its own charity, the HCR Trust (registered charity no. 1060739).
The station also adopts a Charity of The Month, supporting and publicising a local charity via on air mentions, an appearance on Over to You and via our website.
Drama
We have a thriving Drama Unit – Wavelengths Productions – that produces local drama and content. Its flagship production is the award winning weekly ‘soap’ Huntsford that airs twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays during Afternoon Gold with an omnibus edition that can be heard during Sunday Supplement. Wavelengths has also introduced a monthly sitcom Ambleforth Manor that can be heard during Scribblers’ Hour.
Issues or areas of interest likely to impact on localness
As of March 2024, there are no current issues that impact on the localness of the station. We have worked very hard to regain much that was lost during the pandemic and subsequent lock-downs of 2020/21. Our local content especially in regard to contact with local groups and charities is now back to pre-pandemic levels.
The station’s playlist
Our complete playlist can be requested by emailing music@hcrfm.co.uk. You may also search back the past 28 days of our played songs, here.
The station format
Huntingdon Community Radio is for the people of Huntingdon, serving the whole community with a variety of music and speech to suit local tastes. It encourages a sense of ownership with input into programming from people and organisations from every section of the community.
The station is a licensed community radio station in the UK, governed by Ofcom. You can read our key commitments here.
Complaints
If you have a complaint to make about Huntingdon Community Radio, in the first instance please submit your complaint by email to complaints@hcrfm.co.uk. Emails sent to this address will be delivered to a shared inbox accessible by the Board of Directors, who will then appropriately action your complaint.
Alternatively, you may write to us at:
Huntingdon Community Radio
Papworth Trust Building, Saxongate
Bradbury Place
Huntingdon
Cambridgeshire
PE29 3RR
If you are unhappy with the response you receive, you can complain directly to the regulator, Ofcom (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complaints/complain-about-tv-radio-a-website).