Shortly before Christmas 1976, Radio Cuckfield, manned by volunteers and assisted financially by the League of Friends of Cuckfield Hospital, started to provide a record request programme for patients in Cuckfield Hospital.
Since that time, Radio Cuckfield (later renamed Hospital Radio Cuckfield) progressively increased the scale and scope of the service available to patients, thanks to the voluntary staff and continuing financial support from the League of Friends of Cuckfield Hospital.
In June 1991, Cuckfield Hospital closed and the Mid Sussex Hospital (later renamed the Princess Royal Hospital) became the general hospital for the Mid Sussex locality.
At the Annual General Meeting held on 19th March 1992, the name of the charity was altered to Mid Downs Hospital Radio.
It is always aimed to investigate the extension of the service to other hospitals, institutions in the locality and other areas as appropriate. This may require the acquisition of further equipment, recruitment of additional staff and more comprehensive financial direction.
Approval for constitution was given by the Charity Commission on the 2nd June 1980 and amended at the Annual General Meetings held on 12th March 1981, 24th March 1983, 19th March 1992, 18th March 1993 and 1st May 2007.