WCR began on April 1st 1996. Barry Mole and Mark Barnes, local men to Warminster, approached the director of the Athenaeum Theatre with an idea to for a hospital radio service. Both men had over 35 years of experience in radio between them, and felt the time was right to establish a service in this area.

The theatre embraced the idea as a community project and allocated space at the back of the theatre to develop as a studio. It was decided to publicise the fund raising effort by carrying out an RSL (Restricted Service Licence) to the general public. After raising the funds needed another colleague, electronics engineer Nick Southorn, began to build a basic studio. WCR made its first public broadcast in July that year. The response from the public was so great it was decided there and then that the newly formed organisation would work towards providing a full public broadcast service to Warminster and the immediate surrounding areas. Further RSLs were planned, the next to be the following year again in July and August, however, sadly the theatre went into liquidation and the work on the newly established studios halted and the group need to find a new home. West Wiltshire District Council offered accommodation in the old public toilets attached to Warminster's Assembly Hall. A public appeal, over the air, on the second RSL produced an army of volunteer trades persons who descended upon the new premises and within a matter of days had cleared the old facilities and started work on building the new radio station. The opportunity to build a complete radio station from scratch was a terrific challenge as it was decided to build the facility to professional standards in preparation for holding a full public licence.

The following three years consisted of more RSLs, training of staff, expanding of studio facilities and developing the expertise needed to run a professional radio station.

The station utilises the services of over 30 volunteers to maintain the all year round service to the hospitals and grouped dwellings. Since 1996 the hospital service has broadcast over 60 hours a week of live programming, permanent training courses account for six hours per week.  The organisation also provides public address services to schools and charity organisations in the local area. WCR began streaming in October 2007

WCR's studio three looks out onto a sound stage, where we can broadcast live concerts, record dramas and radio plays, and produce demo CDs for performers. The outside broadcast unit is also capable of broadcasting live in stereo back to our studios and is able to produce high-quality recordings for souvenir CDs.