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LISTEN TO US ON YOUR FM RADIO
THE FOREST GOLD STORY TOOK AN EXCITING TURN IN 2022 AS OFCOM AWARDED US OUR VERY OWN FM LICENCE.
This means people in the St Margaret's area of Epping can now listen on 99.3fm.
Take a look below to find out why this is significant and how it has taken us 45 years to get this far.
1976: The birth of Radio Forest
Radio Forest was born in November 1976. We were the brainchild of local estate agent Heather Thirtle (I guess you could call her our mum). We were established initially to provide music and entertainment to the patients and staff of the Forest Hospital in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
A small team of eight people including co founder Nick Churchill, Noel Carter, Christopher Potter and Kenneth Warriner, built studios and equipment and got the station on air.
In 1978. Stuart McDonald became the first elected Chairman and registered Radio Forest as a charity "to relieve sickness through entertainment".
By 1980
the organisation had grown with 30 people providing a radio service six nights a week. The studios expanded and moved to St. Margaret’s Hospital, Epping in 1980 but continued to broadcast to the Forest Hospital via a landline until it eventually closed.
By 1985
over 40 volunteers were broadcasting, ward visiting and raising funds seven days a week.
The photo above shows some of our volunteers back in 1980 huddled around our first studio at St. Margarets.
1994: Our first time on FM
In 1990, as Radio Forest continued to expand we opened our third on air studio. Further new equipment enabled the station to provide recorded music and information overnight making us one of the first of our kind to provide a 24 hour service.
In 1996
Radio Forest was granted a license by the Radio Authority (later Ofcom), to broadcast on FM for 28 days to the Epping Forest area over the Christmas period. The public response was incredible, enabling the station to compete commercially with other local stations and raise much needed funds.
Below, our lunch time presenter David Bartley (looking very young) in studio 3.
1999: Radio pioneers
A move within St. Margaret's Hospital in 1999
meant the building of a new studio and the embracing of modern digital technology. Radio Forest was once again a pioneer by developing its own digital sustaining service, with the ability to provide a true 24-hour service including local and national news.
2002: Classic Hits Forest Gold
In November 2002
Radio Forest launched its second radio service 'Classic Hits Forest Gold'. Broadcasting a non stop mix of hits form the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
In 2003 Classic Hits Forest Gold launched at Ongar War memorial Community Hospital, in Essex, via a radio link.
By 2005
Radio Forest was also able to provide 'Classic Hits Forest Gold' to Plane, Poplar and Orchard wards at St. Margaret's Hospital.
By
2010 Forest Gold and it's sister station Forest One were broadcasting to the Derwent Centre in Harlow, Saffron Walden Community Hospital, Brentwood Community Hospital and the newly rebuilt St. Margaret's Hospital.
2012: Forest Gold goes global
Many of our audience within the hospitals we served started asking us if there was a way they could continue to listen from home. so in
2012 we celebrated our 10th birthday by launching as an internet radio station.
By 2020 Classic Hits Forest Gold had grown a loyal fan base outside the NHS making us the second most popular internet radio station in Essex on TuneIn Radio (the popular radio app that serves Alexa and Google Play). Over 24 thousand people across the UK and beyond were now regular listeners.
2021: Forest Gold on FM
In 2021
Ofcom issued a handful of FM licences to serve small communities as a 12 month trial. Forest Gold applied and won a licence.
We begin broadcasting on 99.3fm to the St Margaret's area of Epping on 5th September and who knows where this will lead us next.
If you are having problems listening via FM or are not sure how to find us, click here
and get in touch.
45 years in the making
Throughout our 45 year history, Radio Forest has ben run entirely by volunteers. We have been a registered charity for much of that time and despite our success beyond the NHS walls, providing entertainment to hospitals and long term care facilities will always be our number one goal. We are truly grateful for all our loyal listeners who have joined us along the way and continue to support us.
We pride ourselves on producing radio that stands head and shoulders with commercial and BBC radio. Many of our volunteers have gone on to carve professional careers in broadcasting. In fact many of the voices you hear on air today also work in the media.
7th April, 2024 Here's this week's playlist from our Sunday request show. Many of our listeners have been asking if they can get a list of all the songs we play, so here it is. Chris Taylor was in charge this Sunday with producer Lucy. This weeks theme was songs about brothers and sisters. If you haven't heard of us before make sure you join us every Sunday 10am.
Can you continue The Chain? Our new tea time feature seems to have got you talking. The Chain is a collection of songs that all link together. Each weekday evening (except Fridays), Paul Mumford adds two more links to the chain and it's up to you to choose which song will carry on the connection for the following day.
Here on Forest Gold, we love to celebrate peoples birthday's. So here are 5 birthdays in September from musicians that have had a major influence in the music industry. You may even share a birthday with one of these legends.
This year Classic Hits Forest Gold celebrates its 21st Birthday! From the very beginning the aim was to create a radio station we would want to listen to. 21 years on, we are now one of the fastest growing internet radio stations in Essex. But in order for us to continue doing just that we need your help. This is why.
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a band or artist we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 500 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about Duran Duran. But don't get too comfy, it is only 500 words (ish).
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a band or artist we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 250 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about Jerry Lee Lewis. But don't get too comfy, it is only 250 words (ish).
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a band or artist we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 400 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about Chas & Dave. But don't get too comfy, it is only 250 words (ish).
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a musical genre we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 600 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about classical music. But don't get too comfy, it is only 600 words (ish).
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a band or artist we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 400 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about Phil Collins. But don't get too comfy, it is only 400 words (ish).
Here's one of our potted histories. Everything you need to know about a band or artist we play on Classic Hits Forest Gold all squeezed into 400 words (ish) (just in case you were going to count). So pull up a chair and find out everything you need to know about Meat Loaf. But don't get too comfy, it is only 400 words (ish).
Classic Hits Forest Gold
Classic Hits Forest Gold is a service of Radio Forest (CIO), a registered UK charity and a not for profit voluntary organisation. We are not
associated or affiliated to any other media group.
Our local news is provided by
Everything Epping Forest.
Contact us
Radio Forest
The Plain Epping Essex CM16 6TN
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