Diocese of Down & Dromore

• 30 August 2007

Familiar Voices

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Bishop Harold invited four people from local radio and television to be ‘guest' readers at his Bible Week in Dollingstown.  These people not only live, but also worship in parishes in the diocese.  Their voices will be familiar to viewers and listeners alike.

Letitia Gwynne, perhaps better known as Letitia Fitzpatrick, is a reporter for Ulster Television.  At the moment she is working mostly behind the scenes on the planning desk.  Letitia is mother of two teenagers, Felix, aged 18 and Martha, aged 17, from her first marriage.  Her second husband, Johnny, died eight months ago.

Yvette Shapiro is the BBC's Business Correspondent, responsible for business and economic coverage on BBC Northern Ireland television, radio and online. Yvette has been a journalist for 20 years, the last 12 of them at the BBC.  She previously worked as business editor of the Belfast Telegraph. She is married to Michael and they have one daughter, Cara, aged three.  They live in Newcastle where they are members of St John's Church of Ireland.

Walter Love has been a BBC broadcaster for almost 50 years, and is an active member of Inch Parish.  His career in the BBC goes back to 1946 when he participated in Children's Hour.  He joined the staff of the BBC in 1958 as a studio manager, working first in London and Edinburgh, before returning to Belfast in 1960.  Walter moved into presentation as a staff announcer from 1960 and worked as television newsreader, and presenter and producer of a wide range of the BBC's local output in radio.  He became a freelance broadcaster in the 1970's and since 2006 has been semi-retired.  He currently presents Jazz Club on BBC Radio Ulster, and is involved in a major interview series for the BBC.

Noel Battye is rector of St Finnian's, Cregagh.  He presents the popular Sounds Sacred programme on Sunday afternoons on BBC Radio Ulster, a programme which has a loyal following amongst many in Down & Dromore.