Les Hoggan (Station Director/Presenter)
After a boring life in IT, I escaped in 2015 to pursue a career in photography, Creative Strathaven/Frets Creative and running Strathaven Echoes. Our paper has a regular feature called ‘The people who make our community’ and that is the theme of my show “Avon Valley Discs/Meet Avondale’s Community”. You will hear all about their lives and their music, their likes and also what Avondale means to them. I’ll also be presenting ‘Business Blethers’ where I interview local business owners, learning about their lives, their careers and also play their favourite music.
Kenny Quigley (Station Director/Presenter)
Hi I’m Kenny Quigley presenter of the Breakfast Show and Avondale Country. Now happily retired and living in Avondale, I was keen to be involved in some way in the local community. I had the idea for Avondale Radio in the spring of 2021 and after months of hard work from everyone on the Avondale Radio team we are now on air. I was a club DJ in Glasgow for 20 years before I had to get a proper job but continued for awhile doing the odd DJ gig before picking up the guitar again and playing in various bands. I now play bass in a covers band and I also write the Music Box column in the Strathaven Echoes.
Nancy Luke (Station Director / Station Scheduler/ Presenter)
Hi my name is Nancy and I schedule the amazing variety of programmes you hear on Avondale Radio. Before I retired, I worked as a Community Physiotherapist in the Clydesdale area of Lanarkshire and this new venture enables me to keep a community involvement. I also present Celtic & Eclectic, a programme of traditional and contemporary music from Scotland and around the World. When I’m not building the weekly Avondale Radio output or finding music for my show, I love pottery, painting, gardening and of course playing my bodhran.
Niamh Boyle (Marketing Manager/ Presenter)
Hi I’m Niamh, my role is to work on the marketing and social media presence for Avondale Radio. I currently study Media and Communications at GCU. I also host Sleepless Nights on a Friday night from 10pm-12am where I can subject people to my music taste and obsession of internet culture. Apart from that I also enjoy running, trying to read through as many modern classic books as possible and of course music including anything from hyper pop, electronic to K-pop and alternative.
Matt Watt (Marketing Team)
Hi I’m Matt, I’m a Business graduate who is one of the marketing Executives for Avondale Radio. I really enjoy music and in my spare time I play the bagpipes. Although working more behind the scenes, as a team we have worked hard to bring this to the local community. I have created the logo for the station and I’m looking forward to create more content in the future so stay posted on our social media pages.
Danielle Hay (Presenter)
Hello. I’m Danielle, I’m a new (ish) resident of South Lanarkshire, having moved here in 2018 from Oban, Argyll. I am a stained glass artist and love all things craft. And I’m a bit of a doggy nut, with 3 of my own herding dogs, although they only herd our cats. My music tastes are eclectic I love everything from ac/dc to zz top, with a diversion to patsy cline and Jim reeves. I love rockabilly music and I will be presenting a regular show full of rockabilly to keep you bopping. And if you need a wee bit of brain training I will be hosting a “pub quiz on the radio”, I look forward to speaking you all soon.
Angus Allan and Murray Herbert (Presenters)
Hi, my name is Angus Allan and I co-host the Avondale Radio show Crossbeats with Murray Herbert. We met for the first time in a queue at a music festival in Edinburgh called Frenzy. Murray and I didn’t know each other then. Our family had just moved to Strathaven. The morning after Frenzy, we all went for the first time to Avendale Parish Church on the Sunday morning. Astonishingly, Murray was also there on the Sunday morning with his family! It was an amazing beginning to a long-lasting friendship. I love all sorts of music–especially live music. It’s a privilege to hear gifted musicians and songwriters using their skills to tell stories, entertain, share their faith, and to connect emotionally, intellectually and spiritually with audiences. In our show, we intend to share some of our favourite music, have a chat, and introduce ourselves and listeners to new music. It will all have a connection, but I guess you’ll have to listen to the show to find out more!
Angela Foster (Events Co-ordinator/Presenter)
Hi, I’m Angela and I will present Musical Melodies. I will be bringing hits from Broadway and the modern day, including film adaptations, for your listening pleasure. I have always loved musicals and how they can transport you to another world, that has you rooting for the heroine or picturing yourself high on an Austrian mountain top singing your heart out. Growing up, I had the full Rogers and Hammerstein collection to content myself with and have loved those shows ever since. I think the Sound of Music VHS had to be replaced. I watched it that often! The local community has plenty to offer show wise, and I have been fortunate enough to attend many of these productions and I am partial to a festival or two. My preferred music genre is rock, but I can listen to almost anything. I am looking forward to the chance to share my favourites with you and for you to share yours with me. Now, on with the show!
Fred Ellsworth (Presenter)
I’m Fred Ellsworth. Having taught History for over thirty years, I’m now a Commonwealth Graves Commission volunteer and an occasional battlefield tour guide. I’ve written a few books, including those on Western Front Battlefields and Queen’s Park Football Club during the First World War. I’m also the author of books on Strathaven, Avondale and Glassford’s Roll of Honour in both world wars. A very average golfer, I also watch most sports. As well as listening to music, I enjoy film, books and art. I’m still trying to learn Italian and am kept in check by Lewis, my Korat cat. I’m presenting a weekly series on 50 Years of Classic Albums. Each episode will feature one album. Some of those were acclaimed at the time of their release, others were subject to critical review. All are albums which have influenced other musicians and about which there is a great back story to be told. Later in the year I will be presenting a weekly series about Strathaven, Avondale and Glassford’s Roll of Honour in the two world wars. Each episode will place the lives of those who died within the momentous events of those conflicts and will include songs, poems and extracts from letters and diaries. In advance of the series launch, it would be really great to hear from anyone out there with information to share.
Billy Stewart (Presenter)
I’m a Folk Singer/Songwriter from the Lanarkshire village of Overtown. I perform with and I’m a founder member of the popular Scottish folk band HAGGERDASH with whom I have recorded several CDs. I am is also involved with Stonehouse Folk Club and The Lanarkshire Songwriters. I’m the presenter of Folk ‘N’ Everything on Avondale Radio having previously been a presenter of Folk Music programmes on Avon FM and Alive FM. My programme will include mainly Folk music but will have sprinkling of everything else. You are certainly likely to find many of the influences on my music from The Corries, McCalmans, Gaberlunzie and Hamish Imlach to name but a few right through to Lonnie Donegan, John Prine, Kate Wolf and Steve Earle.
Ian Pitt (Presenter)
My show will cover all types of 60’s music with a focus on the Beatles, Stones, Kinks, Who, Beach Boys and many others covering Merseybeat, Flower Power, The Summer of Love, Psychedelic Rock and the Beginnings of Heavy Rock. I enjoy music from all decades especially the 60’s, Strathaven Striders Running Club, Growing Vegetables, Learning Guitar and my Favourite Holiday Destination – Nice, South of France where my 2 sisters, brother in law and 3 Nephews live.
Stevie Hay (Presenter)
Send me an email with your favourite 3 rock/metal tracks and what they mean to you, could be where you met your wife, when first child born, admire the guitar, drum work. You name it they are your tracks. I relocated to Strathaven in August 2020 with my wife Mary to suit our business needs. I am a very community orientated person. First choice of music is always rock/metal, I can play drums and would like to learn guitar. Passionate about motorcycles and currently own a Yamaha XJR1300 SP . I have never read a book cover to cover and do not intend to start now. Excited to get on air with Avondale Radio. I love the fact that when out and about in the town I meet and talk to so many friendly people.
Adamo and Stuart (Presenters)
Dads’ Club is a mixture of chat, music and listener interactions via email or text monthly. Stuart and Adamo are both working parents, keen musicians and terrible patter merchants. We will chat through parenting in 2022, after a global health pandemic and try to help residents of Avondale navigate their way through this year with laughs, tunes and terrible ‘Dad banter’.
Join us for some well needed fun after two turbulent years. Every show will have a ‘Dad Joke’ section and a ‘Dad Dilemma’. One example might be, ‘How does one try and encourage their child to listen to guitar based rock? Tune into Dads’ Club to find out!
Feel free to email or text any topics you may wish included in this fun show about parenting in the 21st century to. We hope you enjoy Dads’ Club.
Andi Struthers (Presenter)
I am Andi Struthers, born and brought up in Glassford or The Glessart. as it is better known .My love of music, started when I was given a Red Dansette Record Player, for Xmas when I was 10. I was a proud member of the David Bowie,The Monkees & the David Cassidy Fan Clubs back in the day and can still remember seeing David Cassidy in the early 70s, when he made a pit stop to The Olympia in East Kilbride .My passion for all things Radio ,started when I used to listen to Radio Luxembourg,& Radio Caroline , and in particular to Johnnie Walker , of whom I am still a huge fan of to this day. Musically I love everything from Alexander Brothers, to Brothers Osborne ,to The Brothers Johnson ,with my favorite genre of music being Soul/Funk& Disco. I joined Hospital Radio in my early 20s and in later years ,have been lucky enough to have been involved in a few local Radio stations. So I am delighted to be involved in Avondale Radio and look forward to playing you some relaxing Late Night Love Songs.
Stevie Maxwell (Presenter)
Hi, I’m Stevie, and I have been involved in music in one way or another since I was a teenager. My first band which I joined as lead singer when I was 19 were called Max & The Factors (yes, I know 🙄), which really gave me a desire to always be involved in music in one way or another. I have worked as a DJ at various times over the past 25 years, including a stint as a Wedding DJ while living in Portugal, where I did a bit of radio work as well. In recent years I have been playing in a band again with a great bunch of guys who have similar tastes in music as myself, and we have recently got back into rehearsals after Covid. I love all music, as the quote goes, Motörhead to Mantovani, but my biggest love is Rock music, all types of the genre from Classic, folk, country, Southern, Prog, Glam and everything in between, and this is what I will be covering in my show, Sounds from the Howf, where I will delve in to the deeper cuts in some well known albums, introduce some new tracks and revisit some old bands you may have forgotten about, also telling stories about the tracks I play and remembering great (or not so great) gigs from my memory and that of anyone who would like to share their stories with us. I look forward to this new beginning and bringing my own little world to you all, Cheers, Stevie Max.
Helen McCabe (Presenter)
Hi I am Helen and I will be presenting Thinking Allowed on Mondays from 3-4pm. I will be bringing you a listening experience that will provoke thoughts, feelings and reflection on different aspects of life’s triumphs and struggles, highs and lows in the hope of finding some internal and external solutions that may help us all to keep going. I have always been interested in how people tick, what motivates us and what brings us joy, excitement, anguish and shame in the hope that in the end we can accept not only ourselves but show compassion and understanding to others. There will be a combination of my random thoughts on what I have watched, read and learned from my career as a Speech and Language Therapist and a life-long voyeur of life and the human condition. I also hope to bring some guests onto my show that can share their knowledge, expertise and experiences too. And just in case all the chat gets too much I am hoping to pick some solid crowd pleasing hits to inspire you along the way. I would love to hear from my audience too so please contact me through the Avondale Radio Facebook page
Katy “KT” Watson (Presenter)
Hi guys my name is Katy Watson, but I like to be known as KT. I have a love for music covering all genres. Music is something that helps me to relax, unwind or just make me think of good times. I hope to share emotive music both chill out and popular to help you
forget about everyday stresses. Presenting is something I thoroughly enjoy and wish to continue in my future career. So, keep an ear out for me in the near future.
Alan and Louise Mairs (Presenters)
Hi! We are Alan and Louise Mairs and have been playing music together since the early 1980’s and are highly regarded as foremost exponents of Bluegrass music in Scotland. We have toured four times in the USA, as a duo and also with the Mairs Family Band. As promoters of live music, we have hosted many local and touring international bands since 2008. We hosted Acousticnights@the MeetingPlace in Rutherglen for twelve years and when the pandemic hit, we started AcousticnightsONLINE every Friday evening for 17 months, providing a platform for musicians who had lost out on live gig performances. We are delighted to be part of Avondale Radio and look forward to presenting ‘Bluegrass and Beyond’ We will bring you two hours of the music we love, the high lonesome sound of Bluegrass music with a cool mix of Cajun, Blues, Americana and featured guests from the USA, Europe and beyond.
Stuart Quigley (Presenter)
G’day, I’m Stuart Quigley and will be bringing you the show Aussie Tracks, born in Glasgow and growing up in Castle Douglas and Ayr, I moved to Australia with my wife 38……yes 38 years ago! I have grown to love the Aussie lifestyle and music. I will bring you an eclectic mix of music from Down Under, some artists you will know and some you may never have heard of, but might inspire you to check them out a bit more. The music scene in Australia has always been vibrant and in my spare time I play bass in a cover band that’s been gigging for almost 20 years. Love to get out to see bands and enjoying the great outdoors with plenty of BBQ’s! If you have any favourite Aussie artists and would like to hear them on the show why not contact me through the Avondale Radio page.
Bill Campbell (Presenter/ Marketing)
Hi, my name is Bill Campbell.
Despite not having a musical bone in my body, I have appreciated
recorded music for most of my life. I am always amazed when anyone tells me that they don’t like/listen to music. Everybody’s life should have a soundtrack. My personal music collection numbers well over 4000 items across all formats (well, no 78’s), and after a long absence, I have returned to attending live music events as well, spurred on by the excellent Frets Concerts at the Strathaven Hotel.
Apart from music, one of my other main passions is American Football. I’m a long-suffering New York Jets fan, and have even managed to get along to see them twice. Closer to home, I have a long interest in the domestic game, having been involved with the East Kilbride Pirates since 1990. Lockdown also saw me drawn into collecting NFL Trading Cards, a hobby that both me and my bank manager may live to regret.
My weekly show on Avondale Radio (Thursdays 6-8pm) is called Made In Scotland and will be a celebration of Scottish pop & rock across the years. It will feature many of your favourites, and maybe one or two that are not just so familiar.
Danny Matheson (Presenter)
I’ve been involved in Community radio for many years now having presented a variety of different shows. I have a very wide and varied taste in music which reflects in my shows. I’m a firm believer that music should be enjoyed. Through my time in radio I’ve presented a Scottish ceilidh show, folk music, an 80’s show and and many non specialised programmes. I still work hard on my “day job” and I see music as the way to release the stresses of the day. I also enjoy my holidays and am lucky enough to have travelled extensively around the world. Through broadcasting I’ve met a lot of wonderful talented musicians and I’m lucky enough to call many of them friends. Through the years I have been sent a lot of music from musicians and whilst some of it may not have been suitable for radio I have always listened to every piece of music sent to me. If someone goes to the trouble of recording music and sending it to me the very least I can do is listen to it! I always have a lighthearted approach to broadcasting. My aim in a programme is for people to have a smile on their face at the end of a show.
Robert Louth (Presenter)
My name is Robert Louth. I have been a professional Horticuralist/Dendrologist/Landscape designer and lecturer for the Royal Horticultural Society for over forty years. I am skilled in all things plant based and look forward to answering any questions you have.
Lewis (Presenter)
Lewis here. I am so excited to be a part of the Avondale Radio Family. I love all kinds of music, including rock and dance, but really enjoy listening to classical music with my dad. My show, Classically Unique will be playing traditional classical songs, as well as cover versions and film scores. My hobbies include building lego, collecting pokemon cards and all things dinosaur! which i may give you some facts on during my show!
Hope you can join me every Sunday between 10-11am.
Tam Nardini (Presenter)
Hi, my name is Tam Nardini and I’m going to be presenting Monday Lunch with Tam. I’m retired now from working for Rolls-Royce for 40 years. I have played guitar in rock bands since I was 14 and only recently stopped playing. I am passionate about music especially Rock and Metal but I listen to a variety of different types of music and this will be reflected in my lunchtime show. Love live music and really glad to see the live scene picking up after the last few years. Kept busy babysitting my granddaughter and grandson and now excited to be entertaining you here at Avondale Radio! Hope you enjoy the show and please get in touch with any requests or suggestions for what you would like to hear in the show.
Fiona Preston (Presenter)
Hi I’m Fiona. Following a long career with one of the ‘Big Six’ energy companies I left to seek pastures new through my writing, mostly as a hobby and from a very young age (once upon a time…). I have two books published, with the third one in my Arnasaid Trilogy almost complete. I also write children’s books and currently, ‘The Glugg Beastie Belly Gang’ is being illustrated. I will be presenting The Book Club on a monthly basis as part of Avondale Radio’s new club series. I plan to make The Book Club a bit different to regular book clubs (think off-piste, tangents etc.!) I will be inviting lots of fabulous local writers to join in the happy chat around writing, publishing and marketing, interspersed with some eclectic choices of music. I have been involved with amateur musicals since I was a teenager, firstly as a playing member then as a producer and had my own theatre group for twelve years. I now sing with one of the largest choirs in the UK, Merchant Voices.
Derrick Louden (Presenter)
I’m Derrick, happily retired after 38 years in the food industry & I now get to do what I always wanted! I’ve lived in Bothwell now for 33 years. I love travel, especially Asia where my work took me for over 30 years, Portugal & France, food, wine (too much), cycling, skiing, movies & most of all music, since my first punk concert in 1978 at the legendary Glasgow Apollo. I also ran a club in Glasgow with friends in 1985/1986 called SPLASH ONE. I recently co-sponsored & contributed a number of my concert photos to the recent book by Chris Brickley – “16 years : Gigs in Scotland 1974 – 1990”. I aim to focus mainly on the punk & post-punk from the period 1976 – 1979, but not exclusively & there will be music from all genres & periods before & after. I’m not a fan of musical labels & I believe there are only 2 types of music……good & bad & I aim to play only the good! I hope you will enjoy listening to music you may know & love & maybe you will be introduced to songs you haven’t heard before & hopefully you will enjoy those as well. Music you don’t know is just music you haven’t heard yet.
Robert Howe (Presenter)
I am a fairly unique creature in that I am Strathaven born and bred and lived in the community my entire life. I have been collecting jazz and other genres for over 55 years and have amassed a collection of over 10,000 albums in vinyl or CD format. I have a pretty decent collection of blues, soul, rhythm and blues, rock, folk and world music, however, my main love is jazz. My jazz collection pretty much covers the history of jazz but I take great pleasure in discovering new talent and following their career paths. Jazz is now universal and every country in the world has a jazz scene. This has enriched the music as cultures have been incorporated into the jazz language. I take great pleasure in introducing others into my sonic world and share the joy and pleasure that music can give us to make the world a better place.
Nigel Thomson (Presenter)
Retired a few years ago from the world of work and no looking back. Life is fun if I fill it with the right folk and activities. Rotary Club of Strathaven is one of my strong interests but I also find time to play golf, sing in a local choir and attend live music concerts’
Jo Watson (Presenter)
Hi, I am Jo and I recently joined the brilliance that is Avondale Radio. After training in Musical theatre and touring various countries in the performing arts, I decided to come back and create a home in Bonnie Scotland. I completed another degree in Media and communication to utilize my passion for videography and producing shows for the up-and-coming talent of Scotland in musical theatre. These include tours, pantomimes and corporate gigs. My music preferences range from musicals to rock, classical to pop and everything in-between. Therefore, the show I present “What a Year!” takes a look at a year in the life of music and all the genres associated of the time with little stories and antidotes of the time to either reminisce with or learn. I hope you come with me on a journey through amazing years of music.
Ross Doig (Presenter)
Hello I’m Ross, presenter on Avondale, I present on Saturdays from 12-2pm hosting the Saturday lunchtime vibe. I study Broadcast Production at University with a focus on radio. In my spare time a like to hang out with friends and family, play video games and listen to music.
Jim & John (Presenters)
Did you hear the one about the Irishman & the Scotsman? Well if you haven’t then it goes something like this: The Irishman, John had a dream that he wanted to be a Radio presenter as he had the gift of the gab and thought he could bring some sunshine into the daily lives of the listeners.
John used the power of AI & subliminal messaging to convince the Scotsman, Jim, that he had exactly the same dream…..
So far, John’s plan has worked out and thanks to the lovely people at Avondale Radio, we now have a show filled with a weird & wonderful mix of music and a comical sideways glance at life.
Thomas McCaffrey (Presenter)
Hi I’m Thomas McCaffrey and I am the host of Avondale Sports on a Sunday afternoon between 1 and 3pm. I will be discussing the sporting results from the last week, interviewing some of Avondale’s sporting stars, and highlighting the people of Avondale’s sporting achievements. I am currently studying journalism at Glasgow Clyde College and have aspirations of going into radio presenting full time after finishing my education. I have a passion for sport and have competed in everything from football to wheelchair tennis. I look forward to bringing my sporting knowledge to Avondale Radio and creating, what I hope to be, an entertaining and informative show!
Davy Jones (Production Advisor)
Avondale Radio 