Our Team
We’re the hSpark Radio team – a group of passionate volunteers, aiming to bring our community closer together.
Executive Committee
We run the station and are always looking for new members of the team.
Gill Poulter
Strategic Director
Jenni Allen
Development Director
Martin Chandler
Schedule Director
David Throssell
Technical Director
The Team
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
Find out a little more about us and our shows…
Martin Chandler
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Highams Park Home-time, The Guitar Show
Martin, a Design Teacher for some 40 years, is now a consultant in Curriculum matters and Health and Safety. He has a wide taste in music and makes he live shows very community-based, featuring some of the amazing people in the neighbourhood.
Vis the Spoon
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Sunday Warship, Meander Loop, Radio Squid
For years, Vis has been a jobbing Rock’n’Roll compere & ad-lib punk raconteur of some infamy – frontman of many awkwardly unpigeonholeable and consequently unsuccessful punk-ish bands, and host of hundreds of gigs & open-mic nights.
Gail is a professional tarot reader and psychic and author of “Soap the Stamps, Jump the Tube”, an autobiography of her time living in squats and bedsits whilst she was a member of various punk bands and made records – Lost Cherrees, The Pukes, Flowers in the Dustbin.
Michael is a freelance science educator and author of the children’s book ‘I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast’. He also really loves music of many types which is reflected in his weekly live Halenders show.
Martin Levin
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Martin’s Music Mix
Martin started his Hospital Radio “career” with Goodmayes Hospital Radio in 1998. His shows take on the mantra of the old-fashioned Vaudeville Acts – “leave them laughing”. They contain a mixture of music and comedy.
Jenni Allen
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Happy Hour, Theme-Attic, The Showtunes Show
DJ Jenni Allen on MixCloud
Jenni’s a trained and experienced musician and actor. Her shows aim to be uplifting and often centre around drama and music, whether tunes from shows themselves, or filmic and televisual themes bringing drama to life.
UPSIDEDAN is a classically-trained trumpeter and pianist and a local part-time DJ. He brings brand new electronic music and digs into the archives for superb house music, deep house, breaks, and other eclectic sounds.
Mark Glazier
DJ
Shows: Indies with Marky
Mark is based in New York and finds the best new independent music talent to play on his show.
Sid ‘Lucky’ Stovold
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Lucky’s Lost Beatles, Revivals, Rockers
Lucky Sid’s shows are all about long music. He features many recordings taken from old band cassette tapes, flexi discs, obscure privately pressed vinyl records and rare homemade CDs from his own collection. You are unlikely to have heard these tracks anywhere else!
David has years of experience in Radio, from the hospitals of Romford and Whipps Cross, to Central London Radio (CLR) and DJing at the Centrepoint nightclub. Aside from show-creation, David also trains up hSpark new recruits and champions the next generation of talent.
Desen and Vicky
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Desen’s Cheesy Pop, Desen’s RIP Artists
Desen’s shows on MixCloud
Desen and Vicky are best friends.
Desen studied media arts at university and presents whilst Vicky helps to write and produce.
Their shows celebrate artists who are no longer with us and they also love cheesy pop music.
Hazel Bell
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Business in Lockdown, Hazel Bell Meets…
Hazel has led an incredible life and shares her insights and experience as she interviews the community.
#BBCSussex #presenter #actor #highamsparkradio
Croupier, Bunny Girl, Landscape Gardener, Amazing Lady!
James O’Neill
Dramatist
Shows: The Other Place, The Isolation Tapes
James O’Neill’s Radio plays on MixCloud
James writes and produces short radio plays involving thrills, humour and chills. Inspired by the work of John le Carré, Nigel Kneale, Rod Serling, Alan Bennett and many others.
You can read more about James in this blog interview by Paige D.
Dave Milligan
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Round at Milligan’s
Based in Essex, Dave presents with his regular crew. ‘Round at Milligan’s’ is described as a ‘fiercely independent’ show. Find out more at https://milligans.biz/
Mahnaz Bhatti
Presenter
Shows: Awakening Through Covid
Mahnaz has worked as an International Executive and Life coach since 2003 focusing mainly on personal leadership.
She also facilitates an annual Coaching Programme. For more details see www.noorworks.com
Chris Rain
DJ
Shows: From Beyond
Chris creates ambient mixes of Science Fiction and Horror soundtracks. Perfect for long dark nights and witching hour listens. Prepare to be teleported to an inexplicable, phantasmagorical realm far beyond human comprehension.
Bash Kehinde
Presenter
Shows: Styleutions Sheros
Bash is a qualified Life Coach, female empowerment ambassador and founder of the “Styleutions Women’s Circle”. She aims to shine a light on women doing extra-ordinary things, the everyday heroes that keep the world turning, often in the face of adversity.
J Base
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Motown Mix, Hip Hop & RnB, Slow Jamz, Reggae
Jason loves a variety of music. He plays a mixture of genres of many generations including Motown, hip hop, R&B, Dance Hall and Afro Beat.
Andrew Golds
Presenter
Shows: Classical Discoveries
Andrew runs the V&A shop in Highams Park with his wife Val, and is also the Chair of the Waltham Forest Music Society, organising regular events. His shows are an opportunity to share his vase knowledge on the subject.
Charlotte Palmer
Presenter
Shows: Charlotte Meets…
Charlotte is a freelance journalist, broadcaster, food writer and chef at FoodSpecialist.co.uk. Her interviews provide insight into a number of issues and are well worth a listen!
Des Connolly
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Des Connolly’s Dark Side
Des Connolly lets us into his Dark Side, sharing his inner most thoughts and favourite music, for a different take on life.
You!!
DJ and Presenter
Shows: Whatever you want!…
This slot could be for you! Get in touch and tell us your ideas.
What are your passions? What would make a good show? Can you cover a local event and report on it? Let us know!