A SWINDON radio personality is aiming to take community radio onto the international stage as he battles it out for a place at a prestigious awards show.

Dave Woods is the chief reporter for Liden-based radio station Swindon 105.5. He also presents the popular Weekend WakeUp show on Saturday mornings.

The 49-year-old, from Gorse Hill, has been with the station for more than eight years.

During that time he has reported live from royal visits, from demonstrations, at high-profile council meetings and from the heart of the community as big decisions are made that impact Swindon’s future.

Dave has even taken Swindon 105.5 on the road, reporting from London as demonstrators marched to protect the NHS and from Brussels as the 2014 European elections were under way.

Now Dave is setting his sights even further afield as he waits to hear if he has secured a spot at the 2017 International Radio Program Awards in New York City.

The prestigious show honours programming from stations, networks and independent producers around the globe.

Dave’s entry, Lydiard: Past, Present and Future, was broadcast last September as a special edition of the Swindon 105.5’s regular daily morning programme, Roundabout Swindon.

The 60-minute show focused on Lydiard Park, which at the time was at the top of the news agenda as the council’s potential move to offload the house and park and a controversial housing development loomed on the horizon.

Researched, edited, produced and presented by Dave, the programme investigated both stories. He looked at the history of the St John family, joined the Swindon Park Run team, reported on on the church’s lottery bid to restore rare medieval wall paintings and gave listeners aninsight into a part of Lydiard Park they may never have otherwise known about.

Dave was only able to raise the entry fee for the awards thanks to the support of his loyal listeners.

“To enter this annual competition isn’t cheap,” he said. “However, I was really proud of the programme, and I think it fits the brief of the category I’ve put it in for, so I hope it has a chance.

“I asked our listeners and friends if they would help me enter, and was overwhelmed at everyone’s generosity, meaning I was able to.”

It is thought that Dave is the first community radio presenter from the UK to enter the awards in their 35-year history.