Surrey Hills Community Radio

What Surrey Hills Community Radio does

Surrey Hills Community Radio (SHCR) is a Leatherhead-based, volunteer-run community radio station that launched in June 2014 and broadcasts across the Surrey Hills area of Southeast England. The station operates as a for-profit private entity (legal structure not fully disclosed) but is staffed entirely by volunteers and offers over 50 weekly music and talk shows spanning rock, pop, jazz, EDM, soul, K-pop, and community content, including a dedicated new-music programme called TRANSMISSION.

The station's product portfolio consists of radio programming as the core product, supplemented by business-support advertising, charity radio content services, show sponsorship, a music submission service for local artists, structured work-experience placements, and Duke of Edinburgh Award volunteering placements. Its technology stack is standard internet-radio distribution rather than proprietary infrastructure: content is delivered via the TuneIn app (mobile, smart TV, CarPlay/Android Auto), a native online player, MixCloud for on-demand listen-again, and voice-activated smart-speaker access (Alexa). The station has no public API, no developer tooling, and no proprietary software components.

Commercially, SHCR generates revenue through a mix of show sponsorships from local small businesses (ShyneFest, Whole Lotta Comedy, Nibble Feast, The Golden Scissors, TW White and others), affiliate fundraising via the Mole Valley Lottery and Easy Fundraising platforms, and listener donations. No pricing is publicly disclosed and no financial figures are released. The station is led by Station Manager Dave Smith and operates from a single studio at 32 North Street, Leatherhead, owned by Chris Dyer who provides the space at affordable rent. In 2024 SHCR received The King's Award for Voluntary Service — the UK's highest honour for a volunteer group, equivalent to an MBE — and hosted a royal visit from The Duke of Edinburgh on 6 March 2024, coinciding with its 10th anniversary.

Name

Surrey Hills Community Radio

Legal name

Surrey Hills Community Radio

Website

https://surreyhillsradio.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Surrey Hills Community Radio is a volunteer-run, Leatherhead-based internet community radio station launched in 2014, serving the Surrey Hills area of Southeast England with 50+ weekly music and talk shows, local advertising, charity programming, and youth skills placements.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Radio Broadcasting

NAICS

Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Radio Broadcasting Stations (516110)

SIC

Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio) (MPABADAE)

Keywords

• Community radio broadcasting
• Local radio station
• Volunteer radio programming
• Music airplay service
• Community media platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Leatherhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Show Sponsorship: Local businesses sponsor radio shows to reach community audience
2. Mole Valley Lottery: Participates in Mole Valley Lottery for community fundraising support
3. Easy Fundraising: Online fundraising through Easy Fundraising platform
4. Donations and Community Support: Voluntary donations from listeners and community members

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Surrey Hills Community Radio is a volunteer-run community radio station launched in June 2014 in Leatherhead, Surrey, broadcasting 50+ weekly music and talk shows to listeners across the Surrey Hills area. Programming is delivered free-to-air through TuneIn, an online player, smart TV apps, smart speakers and CarPlay/Android Auto, with on-demand catch-up via MixCloud. The station supplements its core broadcasts with business advertising packages, music submission/airplay opportunities for local artists, charity content partnerships, and structured work-experience and Duke of Edinburgh Award placements.

Product overview

Surrey Hills Community Radio is a community radio station offering a portfolio of radio programming services. The core offering consists of diverse music and talk shows broadcast to the Surrey Hills area, including genre-specific programmes (rock, jazz, EDM, soul, K-pop), community-focused content, and new music showcases. Supporting services include business advertising, work experience programmes, charity radio support, show sponsorship opportunities, and music submission services for local artists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radio Programming Services Community radio programming featuring 50+ weekly music and talk shows spanning rock, pop, jazz, EDM, soul, K-pop and other genres, broadcast free-to-air to the Surrey Hills area.
• Business Support & Radio Advertising Radio interview opportunities and advertising airtime for local businesses, allowing business owners to chat about their work and play music on air to reach the Surrey Hills community audience.
• Work Experience Programme Structured work experience placements at the Leatherhead studios offering young people and job seekers exposure to radio production, planning and broadcasting.
• TRANSMISSION (New Music Show) A dedicated radio show for showcasing new and original music without genre limitations, accepting submissions from solo musicians, bands, choirs and orchestras.
• Charity Radio Support Assistance for charities to develop and broadcast radio content, helping organisations connect with audiences and produce show content for online and on-air distribution.
• Show Sponsorship Sponsorship opportunities for individuals, groups and organisations to sponsor named radio shows on the station and reach the local community audience.
• Music Submission Service Submission service allowing local bands and musicians to submit tracks for airplay consideration on the TRANSMISSION show, with a station commitment to listen to every track.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Volunteering Placements Volunteering placements for young people undertaking their Duke of Edinburgh Award, with on-air and off-air roles available to fulfil the volunteering component.

Quantifiable outcome

• One of 281 charities and groups to receive the King's Award for Voluntary Service 2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sunnybank TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpsom-based charity helping people with learning disabilities. Partnership created 'Sunny Sessions Radio Show' in 2020 during COVID-19 lockdown to connect with their community. Show celebrates unity and features achievements of Sunnybank members.
• The Orpheus CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialist further education college for young disabled adults. In 2023, SHCR provided 18-week rewarding programme where three students created nine radio shows totaling 72 hours of training.
• Claygate Primary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo-form entry school passionate about learning outside classroom. Partnership provides platform for children to write and perform their own 'Claygate Primary Top 10' countdown radio shows for kids their own age.
• Action for Carers SurreyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting all carers in Surrey including young carers, adult carers and professionals. SHCR supports with activity days at the studio involving recording voices for radio content.
• Leatherhead Football ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimon K provides music and commentary on match days and has become Interim Media Manager. SHCR supported the club during COVID-19 with Q&A sessions with Assistant Manager.
• Freewheelers Theatre and Media CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre and media company in Leatherhead visited by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh as part of his royal tour before visiting SHCR studios.
• Mole Valley District CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Mole Valley Arts e-Live festival which won 'Best Arts Project' award in 2021.
• The Grange in BookhamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation from which DJ Automix/Tom broadcasts his Late Night EDM show.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Radio Verulam: St Albans-based volunteer-run community radio station, UK. Highly comparable to SHCR as a hyperlocal, volunteer-driven internet/community station serving a single town/catchment with sponsored local programming.
• Carillon Wellbeing Radio (Bedford): Volunteer-run, listener-supported community radio station with similar sponsorship and donation revenue model. Useful peer for monetisation benchmarks against SHCR.
• Reigate & Banstead Sounds Radio: Local community radio station serving the Surrey/Sussex border area. Closest geographic and operational peer to SHCR, including charity partnerships and sponsored local programming.
• Chelmsford Community Radio: Volunteer-led community radio station in Essex serving a defined local catchment, with sponsored shows and charity partnerships. Directly comparable volunteer/internet radio model to SHCR.

Emerging players

• Hospital Radio Network (e.g. Hospital Radio Chelmsford): Network of UK volunteer hospital radio stations. Comparable in volunteer-driven broadcast model and local focus, but specialised to healthcare settings; relevant for benchmarking volunteer radio operations.

Others

• TuneIn: Global internet radio aggregator and app through which SHCR is distributed to smart speakers, smart TVs and cars. Critical distribution dependency and potential commercial partner.
• Mixcloud: Audio streaming platform used by SHCR to distribute 'Listen Again' on-demand content. Ecosystem enabler and potential future commercial partner for monetising SHCR's 50+ weekly shows.
• Ofcom (community radio license framework): UK broadcasting regulator that issues community radio licences. Relevant because SHCR appears to operate as internet-only and may have a structural option to obtain a community radio licence to extend reach and unlock grant funding.

Broad incumbents

• 96.4 FM Wessex FM (Bauer Media): Established commercial local radio station operating in a similar southern-England local catchment. Represents the incumbent competitive set SHCR must position against for local advertiser spend and listener attention.
• BBC Radio Surrey: Public service local radio station serving the same Surrey geographic area as SHCR. Relevant incumbent for audience overlap and the local community programming niche SHCR targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sryhilsradio
• Facebookfacebook.com/surreyhillsradio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Surrey Hills Community Radio