Another side of Lesley Riddoch

Dr Jim Swire

The subject of the Lockerbie bombing is, of course, emotive. I have known Jim Swire for a long time. In a different incarnation in a different time, we both were involved in the screening of a film about the bombing. However, today it was an interview and I am always impressed with the quiet dignity with which Jim carries himself. Today was no different. I hope it came across to you.

Blairgowrie High School Prize giving...celebration

Many events I attend are quiet, thoughtful affairs. When the acting head at Blairgowrie High School, Lynn Bryce asked me to come and give the prizes, I knew it would be different. The kids bounded across the stage, each resplendent in their own style but all bouncing with energy. The waves of enthusiasm from everyone; kids, parents and teachers was just the very thing to lift the spirit. Nice one Blairgowrie.

Multiple email addresses

Guilt is flooding my system as I think of emails sitting unanswered at my BBC address lesley@bbc.co.uk. Because I'm an independent operator I'm not actually in the BBC studio between broadcasts and emails that arrive post programme tend to be sitting in the BBC's internal system, growling at me with impotent rage the following week. But we've managed to acquire a laptop with remote access so henceforth emails to either Feisty or the BBC will reach me fast. Apologies as well to folk who've texted, emailed or called during the RQ programmes to date. Must be the after-effect of having two hours a day to play with in recent times -- 45 minutes goes so fast! I think we've tended to pile in too many guests so there has hardly been room to breathe. That too will change with much more punter space -- so get calling from 1pm on 0500 92 95 00 if the subject interests you and you will get on!

This week our guest is Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was one of the 270 people killed on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. In 2001 a Libyan Adelbaset al Megrahi was convicted of the bombing and sentenced to life. But on Thursday the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission will publish its report, widely expected to suggest Megrahi's conviction is unsafe. It'll be an interesting and emotional programme. I expect no-one will want to argue with Jim, but he has some very critical things to say about the Scottish judicial system. I hope you've time to tune in between 1.15-2pm

Rab Noakes birthday bash

A couple of weeks ago, Rab celebrated 60 years on the planet in some style. Click here to see the photos.

Interestingly enough,there are 333 - half way to 666. Spooky.

Ullapool, midges and the A9

Another flying visit to Ullapool to bask in the warm sunshine and enjoy the wedding of Becky and Gary in the garden at the Ceilidh Place. The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome and the weggie humour of the best man made for a great day.
We stayed at what my husband describes as "a cracking B'n'B ", the Braemore Square . Eddie and Wendy Hughes were top hosts with all the things a gal needed, including the wi-fi broadband that meant I could write my Scotsman column in some comfort rather charging down the A9 to get home. For my husband, it was a boys' paradise with an opportunity to be eaten alive by midges whilst standing by a river with a fishing rod.
Now about the A9, dualling or no. An odd thought. If the dualling of the A9 is not sustainable or eco friendly then where is the alternate plan to dual the rail line. Just wondering...

Things you find in the post

Dundee Chamber of Commerce, in the form of Gary Langlands, invited me to an event earlier this year around their relaunch of the Chamber. Imagine my surprise when their new magazine arrived...I am more used to writing for the back page of No 1 magazine these days than appearing on the front cover.

My book is nearly here...nearly

For anyone who has been around me for the last few months, this will be good news. I have been spending far too much time stuck in the office writing and not enough time oot and aboot the parish. Last year I cycled up the Western Isles and started to write a book about it. Long months spent thumping my lap top are coming to a fruitful conclusion. On July 9, Riddoch on The Outer Hebrides will be published. As soon as I get the go ahead, I will post a copy of the cover here - so keep checking. However, if you want to reserve a copy  then by all means, email me here and I will put one aside for you.

Dundee ... a new home

I am away today across the silvery Tay to check out new studios and see if we can bring the programme from Dundee. I always find Dundee a cheery place once I am in there knicking aboot the parish. Although with the current haar in place, everyone is going to have to be extra smiley. 

Outside broadcast in Glasgow

Yup, we are off to Glasgow and the new Pacific Quay to do an outside broadcast...outside the BBC. As their web site says...

Gordon Murray is the architect behind Phase 2 of the Glasgow Harbour Waterfront development and he’s the main guest in a pre-recorded programme that’s part of the BBC’s UK-wide “Building Britain” event, organised in conjunction with the RIAS (Royal Incorporation of Architects). We’ll have a handful of Scotland’s top architects on hand to explain/defend their design ideas for Glasgow’s prestige project and residents from Govan, Partick and the Gorbals who feel the new Waterfront is a ghetto – quite divorced from their communities.

We have 20 tickets to give away to be part of the audience at the pre-record, in Pacific Quay (the new Waterfront BBC HQ) on Thursday 21 June 1800-1900. If you are interested in being part of the audience, e-mail Lesley with your name, address and the question which you would like to ask.

The question is important -- Lesley is looking for active audience members with attitude!

Running orders change

Trying to prepare and set up a weekly programme is a roller coaster ride. Bids for guests go in and out as the week moves along. This week's Riddoch Questions is going to be an interesting one. The prospect of getting Alex Neil in a week when he called out Scottish Enterprise over an IT system was too  good to miss. So plans are changed and I am going to take the microphone for this one. It is sure to be a good one.