It’s great to be back writing this week's column.

I just want to say a big thanks to Jen & Abbie for putting together last weeks column. It was a great read! More from them in a couple of weeks' time.

The weekend shows here at Irvine Beat FM are really taking off. The amount of calls and texts we are getting at the weekends are really heart warming.

We have always known our weekend schedule was something to be proud of.

That brings me to something special that is happening this Sunday (July 13). Jim Higgins, who presents our very popular Ceilidh Show, has a very special guest. Jim will be welcoming a Scottish legend to his show. Jim has Sydney Devine as his guest.

This will be a must listen to show as Sydney will be talking about his many years as a first class entertainer and let’s not forget that Sydney was also a radio presenter for almost 40 years with both Radio Clyde and Westsound. He regularly sold out the Glasgow Pavillion and The Gaiety Theatre in Ayr.

This is a great coup for Irvine Beat FM. I chatted to Jim earlier and he said “It’s fabulous to have the legend that is Sydney Devine on this weeks Ceilidh Show. I am really looking forward to it”. We are not just about pop music. The diversity in our specialist shows prove that. From country to rock to Scottish music, we have it all at 107.2 Irvine Beat FM.

Next Tuesday (July 15), the Queen’s Baton Relay comes to North Ayrshire. Irvine Beat FM will be at the heart of it all. We have a full Irvine Beat FM Roadshow at McGavin Park in Kilwinning. This is part of a large community event put on by ACES from Woodwynd, Kilwinning.

The baton will pass by the park on it’s way to Kilwinning’s historic Abbey grounds and then down to Kilwinning Sports Club.

The baton then heads to Irvine, where it will visit the Vineburgh Community Centre, Bridgegate & Trinity Church, Fullerton Community Centre, then down to the Irvine Sports Club where Irvine Beat FM will be providing the music for their event.

We are planning to have roving reporters all over the area to capture the atmosphere of the occasion.

Listen out every day at 8.30am and 1.30pm for our Commonwealth Games / Queen’s Baton Relay bulletins. You will hear representatives of community and sports groups chatting about special events and the good work they all do.

It is going to be a day to remember. I hope the weather is kind to everyone that day. Everyone should get out and attend whatever event they fancy. Show support for your community and the Queen’s Baton Relay.

The Queen’s Baton Relay has been an exciting project for us and it will continue till September. It has given some of our volunteers, both young and old, new experiences. Not everyone is good at interviewing, so this has been a good learning curve for us all. Until next week, keep those radios tuned to 107.2 Irvine Beat FM.