We were delighted to welcome Annette and Peter Gane (above) as Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing at 20.30 hrs for an hour every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Annette and Peter were staying at Chanters Lodge on holiday from UK, and told listeners that they lived in Somerset, in the south west of England. “Not far from my village!” I told Milli Jam and the listeners.

“What made you choose Livingstone for your holiday?” Milli Jam wondered. Annette, a nurse by profession though now retired, revealed that in 2008 she had spent one month as a volunteer with African Impact in Livingstone, amongst other duties helping out at Maramba Clinic as well as at an orphanage in Maramba, a sprawling low cost housing complex in the Livingstone suburbs. Annette had loved Zambia so much that she convinced husband of thirty years Peter, that he must come this year and see the place for himself although he had in mind a holiday in Antarctica!

Annette also explained that during her time as a volunteer she had met Trevor Maluta, an eighteen year old orphan, who in 2008, was about to be evicted from the Maramba orphanage on the basis of age. She had helped and befriended him ever since. Annette and Peter had visited Trevor in Kitwe at the start of this trip, further revealing that he was now happily married, about to become a father and busy working in IT support for a firm of mining consultants on the Copperbelt. “Congrats!” We said. Peter told us that they hoped to welcome Trevor to their home in UK for a visit later this year when he would be in their country for further training.

The music on the show was good and featured tracks from Ella Henderson, Rayleigh Ritchie, Beyonce ft Jay-Z, K’Millian, Ruff Kaida ft P-Jay, Miley Cyrus and Brandy – a great selection of international and local tracks formatted by Milli Jam and Jay. We usually give a prize of a dinner for two for the first person to text us the name of the artist on our ‘oldie of the week’. On this show I asked a World Cup related question that took everyone by surprise, nevertheless Jacki won the prize. My pick of the week was the number one in the Norwegian Top 40, ‘Younger’ from Seinabo Sey. We closed with ‘Wasted’ from Tiesto. Peter said he likes classical music whereas Annette is a fan of Paloma Faith amongst others, including Queen.

Peter told listeners that he was retired, before which he had worked in finance in the corporate world – which he does not miss! He revealed that he is now a trustee on the board of various charities and is also involved in the administration of one of the local schools in his area. The couple have three big dogs and seven grand-children. During their time in Livingstone they had enjoyed the lion encounter, an elephant safari, a one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana, as well as a river safari on the Zambezi the very afternoon of the show. They were still looking forward to high tea on Livingstone Island at the end of their itinerary, before they flew back to England later in the week.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, both Annette and Peter said they would like to be alive, healthy and happy!