For Times Radio reporting from St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, after a weekend at Balmoral Castle, on the final journey of Queen Elizabeth II, this is Calum Macdonald.
Calum. I do congratulate you on the both the written and spoken prose you have given us over the last week it has been illuminating and very moving uplifting but goosebumps. . Especially your evening contribution to John Pinaer's Drive programme. Please commit that piece to writing. Yrs Patrick of Battle EBC 566
Thank you Patrick. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I’ll listen back to the contribution to John’s programme - thank you for the reminder! Calum
Patrick - I quite agree with all your comment. It has been wonderful to have Calum there to guide us through a difficult time, with calmness, thoughtfulness and hope. It really did bring tears of joy when I first heard your voice from Balmoral, and you always know the right things to say, at the right time. Just perfect. LP, 365
I have to say I have really been impressed with Times Radio coverage - you have excelled at capturing the mood, and striking the right tone. This column is, I think, one of your best - if not the best. Eloquent, informative and so very beautifully constructed. A credit to your profession.
As previous comments have said, a beautifully written piece which is well observed. I am always impressed with your confidence and breadth of knowledge when you present on the radio. You also effectively put people at ease and get the most out of any discussion, which makes for great listening. A rare gift in one so young.
Calum - Having followed you from EBC to Times Breakfast and your role as occasional roving reporter, I am consistently impressed by the depth of your knowledge together with the lyricism and maturity of your spoken and written content - all of which belie your years. This is a caring, gentle and uplifting piece that sketches events sensitively and moves the heart. Thank you for it and all you do on Times Radio, which has become the Nation's finest talk radio station. Neil EBC 688
Neil, thank you so much for your wonderfully kind message - and for listening to our station and my programmes and reading my pieces here. Thank you for your considered reply. Keep in touch, best wishes - Calum
I'm a big fan! Luckily for me I discovered you when you started the early breakfast club, for some reason living in France I didn't become a member, but I have been following your career ever since. I love to see young people doing so well and I'm sure you've got a great career ahead of you... as they say here "BRAVO et bon courage"!
Calum. I've just read this beautiful article - a little late I know. I maybe a 75yr old but your prose, and the memories it raised, brought a tear or two to my eyes. Thank you. Mark
It may be that in some places local people getting together for family worship each evening after someone has died (with the coffin in the house) still survives - no idea about a vigil afterwards. I've certainly experienced it in the past 35 years, in Wester Ross, in a Free Presbyterian houshold, and I believe I've heard of it from people in that circle in more recent decades. I'm no longer in Scotland, and listening to Times Radio for perhaps the first time this morning, wondered where you were from, and on looking you up, was interested to see that you are a friend of someone I knew in Wester Ross since he was a baby.
Calum. I do congratulate you on the both the written and spoken prose you have given us over the last week it has been illuminating and very moving uplifting but goosebumps. . Especially your evening contribution to John Pinaer's Drive programme. Please commit that piece to writing. Yrs Patrick of Battle EBC 566
Thank you Patrick. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. I’ll listen back to the contribution to John’s programme - thank you for the reminder! Calum
Patrick - I quite agree with all your comment. It has been wonderful to have Calum there to guide us through a difficult time, with calmness, thoughtfulness and hope. It really did bring tears of joy when I first heard your voice from Balmoral, and you always know the right things to say, at the right time. Just perfect. LP, 365
LP, thank you. This is so thoughtful
Thank you Calum, an excellent piece of reporting.
Thank you Alan - thank you for listening and I’m glad it was helpful
I have to say I have really been impressed with Times Radio coverage - you have excelled at capturing the mood, and striking the right tone. This column is, I think, one of your best - if not the best. Eloquent, informative and so very beautifully constructed. A credit to your profession.
Steve, thank you. This is so kind and I really appreciate it
As previous comments have said, a beautifully written piece which is well observed. I am always impressed with your confidence and breadth of knowledge when you present on the radio. You also effectively put people at ease and get the most out of any discussion, which makes for great listening. A rare gift in one so young.
Thank you so much Hazel. You’re exceptionally kind for saying these things. Thank you
So beautifully written Calum. Thank you for that.
Thank you for reading and taking the time to leave a message too. Thanks so much
Well done a fantastic and moving read. As usual you have excelled
Thank you Steve, this is exceptionally kind of you. Calum
Calum - Having followed you from EBC to Times Breakfast and your role as occasional roving reporter, I am consistently impressed by the depth of your knowledge together with the lyricism and maturity of your spoken and written content - all of which belie your years. This is a caring, gentle and uplifting piece that sketches events sensitively and moves the heart. Thank you for it and all you do on Times Radio, which has become the Nation's finest talk radio station. Neil EBC 688
Neil, thank you so much for your wonderfully kind message - and for listening to our station and my programmes and reading my pieces here. Thank you for your considered reply. Keep in touch, best wishes - Calum
A lovely article Calum, thank you.
Thank you reading and for taking the time to comment. Calum
I'm a big fan! Luckily for me I discovered you when you started the early breakfast club, for some reason living in France I didn't become a member, but I have been following your career ever since. I love to see young people doing so well and I'm sure you've got a great career ahead of you... as they say here "BRAVO et bon courage"!
Thank you for your insightful articles and commentary that describe the whole visual and underlying picture of events. Brilliant.
I’m glad it’s helpful, Sue. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. Calum
Calum. I've just read this beautiful article - a little late I know. I maybe a 75yr old but your prose, and the memories it raised, brought a tear or two to my eyes. Thank you. Mark
It may be that in some places local people getting together for family worship each evening after someone has died (with the coffin in the house) still survives - no idea about a vigil afterwards. I've certainly experienced it in the past 35 years, in Wester Ross, in a Free Presbyterian houshold, and I believe I've heard of it from people in that circle in more recent decades. I'm no longer in Scotland, and listening to Times Radio for perhaps the first time this morning, wondered where you were from, and on looking you up, was interested to see that you are a friend of someone I knew in Wester Ross since he was a baby.