GOOD year, bad year? As 2013 draws to a close, we ask Annie Wood, a co-founder of Radio Clyde and now a freelance broadcast media and employability trainer: ‘How has it been for you?’.
Briefly, what is it that you do?
I am a freelance broadcast media and employability trainer, plus a fundraiser, trustee and board member of the Glasgow Simon Community, which seeks to combat homelessness. Almost 40 years ago, to the day, I was involved in the setting up of Radio Clyde, which is preparing to celebrate the anniversary in style. We’re hoping for a big turn-out of the original folk at a party in January.
Choose three words that sum up 2013 (so far), from a professional point of view.
Interesting, varied and challenging.
In 2012, what was your biggest professional ambition for 2013, and to what extent did you achieve it?
It was to continue to find and be asked to do interesting work that makes at least a small difference. One thing I did achieve was to manage a musical – Health Scare, the Musical – which we have staged at 14 NHS hospitals in the Central Belt, entertaining patients, staff and audiences. That’s been since late last year until recently.
I have also worked with Glasgow-based Insight Radio for the RNIB, helping young people with sight loss gain more confidence by learning broadcasting media skills and being ‘on air’ at the RNIB’s Edinburgh studios.
Latterly, I’ve worked with many culturally-diverse parents, encouraging them to become more involved with their children’s education by being part of their school community and participating in Parent Councils.
It’s been a year of change, with friends moving away and I now have ‘empty nest syndrome’.
Any changes this year in technology, legislation, the economy, etc that have had a relatively significant impact on the business?
I still feel that businesses and the voluntary sector are still feeling the impact of the recession and are still having to look closely at their financial situation before going ahead with work and hiring people.
2014 is going to be a busy year for everyone in Scotland, with so much going on, what with the Ryder Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Referendum and Homecoming Scotland.
The year starts for me with a party celebrating 40 years of Radio Clyde coming ‘on air’ – so the ‘Radio Clyde family’, about 90 people, are getting together in January to celebrate making pioneering broadcasting history.
I am also looking forward to the AGM of the Glasgow Simon Community and meeting the widow of the charity’s founder, Anton Wallich-Clifford, who founded the Simon Community, in London, in 1963.
I am also planning to set up a new venture in 2014, but for now I’m keeping it ‘under wraps’. I am very excited by it.
