A Norwich community radio station is releasing a charity single to help raise funds to relocate after its offices closed.

At the start of the coronavirus lockdown, Future Radio’s landlord, Open Youth Trust, shut its doors in Bank Plain, Norwich resulting in the station losing its offices and studios.

Future, which has been broadcasting in the city since 2000, has been operating remotely since then but now work is underway on the long and costly process of relocating the station to a new home.

As part of that drive, the station is releasing a charity single, This Fine City, on Friday, October 16, a few days after Local Radio Day.

The track, which is a tribute to Norwich, is performed by singer/songwriter Lisa Redford, who is host of Future’s Afternoon Session.

She said: “I was delighted to be asked to compose the single as a tribute to my home city, for the radio station I love.

“The song is a tribute to Norwich and how we’re getting through such a challenging time.

“Future Radio, which is facing some tough times itself, is such an important part of the life of the city, I hope people will enjoy this anthemic celebratory song and help the station to move

to a new home.”

The song, which was produced by Andrew Todd, a volunteer presenter at Future Radio, features the talents of 10 leading local musicians alongside Lisa.

With other local radio stations across Norfolk recently having been taken over by a national brand, Future Radio is now the only local station in Norwich other than the BBC, so the team is eager for the station to remain rooted in the city

centre, where it can be easily accessed by volunteers, guests and artists.

Christopher Remer, income and volunteer co-ordinator at Future Radio, said: “This has been a fantastic effort by Lisa, Andrew, their fellow volunteers and local musicians.

“Although we still have a long way to go, we hope sales of the song will mean we’re able to reopen Norwich’s community radio station for our volunteers, guests and listeners as soon as possible.”

•Go to futureradio.bandcamp.com on October 16 to download the song which will cost £1 to download.