Appleby In Westmorland : Home of the Stars

THE BEAUTIFUL Cumbrian market town of Appleby In Westmorland is home to three people in the public eye. First is Helen Skelton (pictured below), joint presenter of the BBC Radio Cumbria (weekday) Breakfast show, a programme she broadcasts with Gordon Swindlehurst between 7 and 10 am. Helen's on air personality on the Breakfast Show has been described by Gordon as "Current affairs with a smile" and with a soft voice, Helen is suited to broadcasting, sometimes bringing humour to, a programme based around news. Helen's portrait:


Second in to the spotlight is Helen's brother, Gavin Skelton. Gavin, age 25, is currently part of the successful team at Gretna Football Club, who are currently leading the Scottish Football League First Division. Come the end of this season, Gretna should be promoted to the Scottish Premier League if the team continue their good form. Gavin plays in midfield for Gretna, his most high profile game being the Scottish Cup Final, Hampden Park, May 2006 v Hearts. Gretna pushed Hearts to extra time in the final, Hearts eventually winning on a penalty shoot-out. Prior to joining Gretna, Gavin spent some time with Carlisle United Football Club.

Finally for this feature, Lara Parkin :


Lara, 19, is currently working to promote Stobart Motorsport, taking part in promotional photography (pictured above) to help establish Stobart Motorsport as a team recognised throughout the motorsport world. Lara's first foray into motorsport promotional work was with Paul Bird's motorsport team, from where she was recruited by Stobart Motorsport. In recent media interviews, Lara insists the promotional work is short term, as she is studying in higher education and has a long term interest in sport, in particular, competing in athletics events.

This feature is tied together nicely with Lara being the girlfriend of three years of Gavin Skelton.

Comments on this feature are appreciated, please post by clicking the Comments link below.
If you wish, you may take the opportunity to email me.

Picture credits :
Helen Skelton : BBC Cumbria.
Lara Parkin : Cumberland News.

Alfred Wainwright

TODAY'S post is a simple one - this post is to mark the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of Alfred Wainwright, author of the 'Pictorial Guides' of the Lake District.

AW was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, but moved to Kendal, where he lived all his life.

Learn more about the great man by visiting the website of the Wainwright Society, which you can visit here.

I know I have some of AW's books in the bookcase, beautiful reading, I'm sure you do too.

January 2007 on the short waves

WELCOME to a new year with Reporting From The Fox Tower, which I begin with what I have heard on my short wave radio recently. The Roberts R881 has been busy of late and here are the results:

All broadcasts heard 7 January 2007:

1223-1228 GMT, 5955 kHz, Radio Netherlands (Holland), presumed transmission from Flevo, Holland. Dutch language programme.

1240-1255 GMT, 6075 kHz, Deutsche Welle (Germany), German language discussion programme broadcast to Europe via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

1303-1325 GMT, 6110 kHz, Overcomer Ministry (USA), Brother RG Stair religious preachings (English) broadcast to Europe via Juelich transmitting station, Germany.

1335-1400 GMT, 6140 kHz, Deutsche Welle (Germany), English Mailbag programme broadcast to Europe via Woofferton transmitting station, UK.

1408-1426 GMT, 6155 kHz, Radio Osterreich 1 International (ROI 1, Austria), German language broadcast to Europe via Moosbrunn transmitter, Austria.

1623-1630 GMT, 6195 kHz, BBC World Service (UK), Persian language programme broadcast to Europe via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

1715-1722 GMT, 9410 kHz, BBC World Service (UK), English language sports programme broadcast to Europe & North Africa via transmitter in Cyprus.

1738-1744 GMT, 9510 kHz, BBC World Service (UK), Persian language programme (British football!) broadcast to Middle East via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

1749-1753 GMT, 9530 kHz, Family Radio (USA), Arabic language programme broadcast to North Africa & Middle East via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

1805-1811 GMT, 9660 kHz, Family Radio (USA), Arabic language programme broadcast to North Africa via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

1817-1823 GMT, 9800 kHz, BBC World Service (UK), Azeri language programme broadcast to Central Asia via Skelton transmitting station, UK.

That's my logs for January, I could be accused of laziness this month as most broadcasts originated from the VT Communications transmitting station at Skelton, here in Cumbria. If you're really interested, you can view the transmitting station by travelling the B5305 Penrith - Wigton road, although the tallest mast at Skelton which stands at around 1000 feet tall, can be seen from the M6 motorway when travelling north of Penrith.

Okay, I think we will move on...

Wallpaper Of The Week


Wallpaper Of The Week takes a look at the Brough Pram Race, Friday 21 July 2006, with 'Team 118' (Claire & Holly) taking centre stage, watched by the residents of Main Street.

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Reporting From The Fox Tower, as always, if you would like to leave a message, please post a comment below or take the opportunity to email me.

Bye for now!