In this episode of A Blether With..., Michael chats with Lizzie MacDonald, from the Highbacks community garden in Burnhill, about how the project has grown from a small community clean-up effort during Covid lockdown into a thriving local space led by and for local people.

Lizzy talks about her passion for creating positive change in the community, building opportunities for young people, and helping bring people together through projects like the men’s wellbeing group and youth activism work.

She also shares her hopes for the future of the Highbacks — keeping it community-led, free to access, and a welcoming place for everyone.

Highbacks Community Garden on Facebook: Highbacks Community Garden

A huge thank you to South Lanarkshire Libraries’ Lending Voices initiative for providing the podcast equipment and helping make this episode possible.

In this special episode of A Blether With…, Michael Shanks hands over the microphone to the pupils of Burgh Primary School - and no question is off limits.

Turning the usual format on its head, the pupils take on the role of interviewers, putting their local MP in the hot seat and asking about everything from life at Westminster to whether he ever gets nervous speaking in Parliament — and even his go-to lunch order. Their thoughtful questions, alongside a few light-hearted ones, create an engaging and insightful conversation about politics, public life and the importance of young people having their voices heard..

🎙️ Listen now to hear what happens when the next generation takes charge of the conversation.

In this episode of A Blether With..., Michael chats with Carrick McDonald from the Rutherglen Heritage Society about the group’s work to preserve and celebrate the town’s rich history.

Carrick shares how the Society has grown from just six members in 2012 to a thriving community, and how his own background and curiosity about Rutherglen’s past led him to become its convener.

He talks about the Society’s exciting contributions to Rutherglen’s 900th anniversary celebrations -including the creation of the first new book on the town in over a century and a project to restore and replicate Rutherglen’s historic boundary stones. Carrick also invites listeners to get involved in keeping the town’s heritage alive.

Check out the Rutherglen heritage society's website: https://rutherglenheritage.wixsite.com/website-46

A huge thank you to South Lanarkshire Libraries’ Lending Voices initiative for providing the podcast equipment and helping make this episode possible.

https://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/sllc/info/449/digital_resources/1600/lending_voices_portable_podcasting_in_your_library