A RADIO Woking DJ is celebrating her first anniversary with the community station.

Lara McNamee presents the Lara on Sunday show from 9am to noon, featuring music and interviews with musicians and experts in a wide range of areas, from cooking, baking and gardening to money saving, community and charity news, environmental matters, theatre and cinema.

One of Lara’s favourite interviews was with the rock star Suzi Quatro.

“For me, it’s about bringing people together on many different subject matters, and sharing it back to the local and wider community, through the power of radio,” Lara said.

In her next show, this Sunday, Lara will interview Surrey author Maggie Gilewicz about her book How To Make Sure Your Life Doesn't Suck: A Different Kind Of Guide To Navigating The Ups And Downs Of Life, the actor Stephen Clark about his work on stage and screen, and Barry Steele, who will play the title role in The Roy Orbison Story at the Camberley Theatre.

Recent guests included a French chanteuse who was originally spotted in the 1980s by Marc Almond, and the author, Richard Houghton, about his book on The Jam.

Another studio guest was Stephen, who has learning difficulties and lives in supported housing in Goldsworth Park. He comes into the studio regularly to choose some songs, sing along and sometimes play the drums.

“Talking on the radio has been very beneficial in his confidence and speech – most of all he gets a lot of enjoyment out of coming down,” Lara said.

Lara is engaged to fellow Radio Woking presenter Jon Andrews, whose show is on Wednesdays from 7am to 9am.

The couple narrowly missed out on winning a wedding worth £5,000 at a luxury hotel.

Lara and Jon met when she turned on the Christmas lights in Epsom in 2014 and their story put them through to the finals of a competition at the four-star Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa in the New Forest to celebrate the venue's 1,000th wedding.

“Although we didn’t win, we had a great time and are very grateful for the support we received,” Lara said.

As well as supporting contemporary, local artists, Lara has a passion for music of the 1970s and 1980s.

“Some people wonder where my love of ’70s music, especially TRex, comes from. I have my parents good taste to thank for that,” she said.

For the full story get the 27 February edition of the News & Mail