Harbour Radio will be broadcasting to the Great Yarmouth area and north Lowestoft from the early hours of Monday – for a 28-day trial to demonstrate a need for such a facility.

The community radio will broadcast on 87.7FM or listeners can go online via www.harbourradio.co.uk, or from a device using the Shoutcast app – and presenter John Rodgers will be the first live on air at 7am with his breakfast show.

The station is broadcasting for 28 days as a trial Restricted Service Licence before applying for a five-year community radio licence. The application will need to be approved by Ofcom and comply to rules and regulations in relation to community radio licences.

Essentially Harbour Radio will need to demonstrate there is a need for a station in Yarmouth which creates social gain and operates on a not for profit basis. The station will be run completely by volunteers who all live in the community and have a passion for the town.

The team which has already been assembled is keen to create awareness of local groups, charities, events, and raise the profile of the town and the people that live and work here.

The stations costs for the 28 days are close to £10,000 and the Harbour team has been working hard to cover these through advertising, sponsorship and donations.

There is a launch party tonight, Saturday, at The Star Hotel from 8pm to 1am where the stations DJ’s, presenters, guests and supporters will gather for an evening of music and fun and fundraising. Admission is by donation on the door.

Nathan James and Vicky Smith are managing the station’s social media output and have been overwhelmed by the response of the public.

The initial broadcast will start at one second into Monday morning with a welcome party with Richard Routledge and Bigg Nevv Moore and no doubt a few other members of the team who will be playing music and connecting with night-time listeners, but the official kick off will be John Rodgers’s Harbour Breakfast.

Anyone wanting to donate or help can contact Harbour by email on info@harbourradio.co.uk or by calling the station on 01493 923877.