You need:
a) the TV to be switched on*, and tuned to the Freeview programme you want to record
b) a SCART cable connected between a socket on the TV which supplies an output from the TV tuner (see the manual).....
c) .......to a socket on the VCR which accepts an input. If the VCR has not got SCART, then you may need an adaptor
d) the VCR set to record from the AV (Ext) input used in (c) above
* some TVs have a sort of half-on mode whereby the Freeview tuner is active, but the screen is not.. This will do if you aren't watching at the time. See your TV's manual.