We are fortunate here at 2NURFM to have as many as 50 volunteers who donate their time to keep the radio station running through its day to day activities such as on-air presenting, rostering and general administration.
Without the dedication and tireless efforts of our volunteers, we simply couldn’t do what we do.
If you would like to volunteer at 2NURFM, please fill out the Volunteer Application Form and we’ll be in contact with you.
Message from the Station Manager, 2NURFM
20,000 people give their time to the community broadcasting sector every year and this is a great time of year to recognise the monumental time, effort and energy volunteers put into stations.
2NURFM relies on the generous support of over 60 volunteers who are passionate about our station and give so generously of themselves and their time.
I’d like to recognise their amazing contribution to our station and our community and thank them so much for all they do.
I’d also encourage anyone who is interested in volunteering at 2NURFM to contact us by using the form on this page.
Best wishes,
Shane Peak, Station Manager
2021 Volunteer of the Year – John Slaven
Congratulations to John Slaven who is our Volunteer of the Year 2021 and to Dakota Tait who is our News Student of the Year for 2021.
John Slaven has been a part of the 2NURFM Family since 1981 – an amazing 40 years, when he joined the station as a volunteer announcer. In that time, John has been the regular Tuesday afternoon host and host of 2NURFM’s popular Country Program on a Sunday afternoon. John has a fantastic knowledge of all country music genres and never misses the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival. Thank you John Slaven, 2NURFM’s Volunteer of the Year for 2021.
2020 Volunteer of the Year – John McGahen
Congratulations to John McGahen who is our Volunteer of the Year 2020 and Kayne Stephens is our News Student of the Year for 2020. John McGahen has been a part of the 2NURFM Family since 2000 when he took the reigns as the Station Manager. After retiring from the Station Manager role and an illustrious career in radio, John’s passion for broadcasting couldn’t be quelled and he enthusiastically joined the ranks of the 2NURFM Volunteer team.
For over 10 years, John has been gently waking Newcastle and the Hunter on Sunday mornings with his ever popular Sunday Sunrise Show. Along with Sundays, John’s alter ego “Shotgun Jack” regularly spins the tunes for 12 O’Clock Rock on Saturday afternoons. John’s musical knowledge is regularly put to good use and his dulcet tones can be heard popping up at anytime of the day. Thank you John McGahen, our Volunteer of the Year for 2020.
Royce McCormack
Royce McCormack has been volunteering at 2NURFM for 38 years. In 1982, it was Royce’s love of music that made him volunteer at 2NURFM. Starting with the station as Cecily Water’s Producer, Royce has had many roles. Royce’s main role is doing all the Announcers Rosters – a task that saves Todd many hours of work each week. Royce also fills in on air as a presenter, has been a member of 2NURFM’s Advisory Board and currently is a member of the Program Committee.
Royce worked at Energy Australia for many years and is currently employed by the Wests Group as a Concierge, mainly at New Lambton. Royce has another love apart from 2NURFM. Cricket! He is currently the Secretary of the Newcastle & District Cricket Association and has been one of Newcastle’s best cricketing umpires for many, many years. Thank you Royce for all that you do for 2NURFM. We really appreciate you! The photo below is Todd presenting Royce with his Volunteer of the Month award.
Volunteers of the Year – Peter Vrtkovski and David Baus
At our 2019 Christmas Function, we presented some of our Volunteers with Service Awards. Pictured here (from L to R) is David Baus (Volunteer of the Year – Off Air), Station Manager Shane Peak and Peter Vrtkovski (Volunteer of the Year – On Air).
We also presented Giles Carney (10 Years), Ray Hugo (30 Years), Tima Oto (20 Years), David Tabrett (10 Years), Tony Vidray (10 Years) and Isabel Everett (University of Newcastle Student of the Year) with their Service Awards. Congratulations to you all. We’d be lost without you!
Tony Vidray
Tony Vidray has been a volunteer presenter at 2NURFM for 10 years! In 2020 Tony’s program Left of Centre celebrated it’s 10 year Anniversary.
Tony is married to the lovely Tracy and is an amazing father to his three beautiful daughters and spends his days working as an Accountant at AV Chartered Accountants. Thank you Tony for your quirkiness and humour for the last 10 years!
Phil Bates
2NURFM’s Elder Statesman Phil Bates has been part of the fabric of 2NURFM since 1980. Through the years, Phil has held many roles including Operations Manager, trainer and mentor to countless presenters who have moved on to successful careers.
Phil has also been the voice of many programs at 2NURFM, currently co-hosting Classic Folk. As a successful multi-instrumentalist, he’s a respected part of the Newcastle live music scene and folk community.
Phil’s other love is Boccia and accolades include a gold medal in the 2014-15 New Zealand Titles; silver in the 2015 Australian National Singles; gold in the 2015 Australian National Pairs and gold in the 2015 Tasmanian Titles. He was the second-highest ranked player in the country in 2015.
Thank you Phil for all you do for us here at 2NURFM. We really appreciate you!!
Isabel Everett
Isabel has been volunteering here in the 2NURFM Newsroom for over 12 months and just 3 weeks, finished her Communications Degree with the University of Newcastle. Her work placement was at the Newcastle Herald, but her true love is radio journalism.
Isabel was born and raised in Gloucester where her family currently lives. She has an older sister who lives in Foster and a younger brother, who is still at school. Isabel loves reading, music and going to festivals with friends.
We are very pleased that Isabel wants to keep volunteering at 2NURFM to keep her hand in, as she looks for her dream job in radio journalism. Her bubbly, bright happy personality will always be welcome here at 2NURFM.
Bailey Radcliffe
Bailey started volunteering at 2NURFM in 2019 and has been instrumental in developing 2NURFM’s Systems efficiency. Bailey, 19 yo, is a born and bred Novocastrian from Raymond Terrace and went to Irrawang High School. Bailey is currently studying Sound Engineering at TAFE. In his very limited spare time, he plays bass guitar in a hard rock/heavy metal band, playing original music. From everyone here at 2NURFM, thank you Bailey for all your efforts! Our “Systems” are indeed, extremely grateful!
Ray Hugo
Ray Hugo started as a Volunteer at 2NURFM in 1989. For more than 30 years Ray had several roles with the station. He was a Producer for Peter Pickhover but started his radio career hosting Listener’s Digest, featuring Peter Pickover. Ray has produced and hosted 1,228 Hunter Rostrum programs for 2NURFM and has recorded artists from around Newcastle – mostly at the Newcastle Conservatorium or Newcastle Town Hall – with the assistance of 2NURFM’s Graham Wilson.
Ray’s library of local performers was huge, as was his vinyl, cassette, CD and tape library (much to his wife Nelda’s dismay). He had over 2,500 LP’s and thousands of CDs. He saw technology change a lot too in his 30 years. From tape to cassette, DAT, vinyl and CDs.
Ray worked at BHP as the Purchasing Officer until 1988 when he retired, giving him more time for his beloved hobby. He set up a small home studio where he produced his weekly program and brought it to 2NURFM on CD to play to air each week.
Ray was assisted by his lovely wife Nelda, who accompanied him to the 2NURFM studios every week. Ray also was the Chairman of the 2NURFM Program Committee and sat on the 2NURFM Board of Directors. Ray was a born and bred Novocastrian and fortunately for 2NURFM, he brought his lifelong passion for classical music to the studio via Hunter Rostrum.
Sadly, Ray passed away on 4 March 2020.
Janelle Eckermann
Janelle Eckermann is one of our fantastic volunteers who works on reception here at 2NURFM. Janelle doesn’t have a regular day, she fills in whenever we need her and at times, at very short notice and is an absolute ray of sunshine whenever she’s here. Janelle attended Newcastle University and was a primary school teacher for over 30 years in Newcastle, Penrith and the Hunter Valley.
Janelle lives with her family in Lake Macquarie and loves to go walking, enjoys her vocal training and she is a goddess of domestic duties. Her son Peter and his wife Amanda both work here at the University of Newcastle too.
Jane Klein
Presenter Jane Klein started volunteering at 2NURFM in 1983 and in this our 40th year of broadcasting, Jane celebrates 35 years at the station and is a volunteer program presenter hosting Classic Folk with Phil Bates and hosts Thursday and Friday Afternoons and also sits on the 2NURFM Program Committee.
Jane was a TAFE language teacher and started with 2NURFM with the “Papertalk” Team. Volunteers came to 2NURFM to read newspapers on air for people (and the print handicapped) who wanted to listen rather than read their news. One of the team Jane worked with on Papertalk was NBN Newsreader Paul Lobb.
Jane then went on to host a program called “Our World” with Felicity Biggins, where they would interview someone living in the Hunter who was from another country.
Jane met her husband Geoff on a blind date in Sydney and the pair lived in Germany for quite a while before returning to settle happily in Newcastle. Asked what Jane loves most about volunteering at 2NURFM she said “being part of the team and making things happen. Interacting with listeners and playing the music that they love”.
David Baus
David Baus is one of our Administration Volunteers. David is a database whiz and knows his way around an excel spreadsheet better than anyone! He also is very handy at fixing broken poles for our promotional banners and is the CEO of the Office Laminator. David, also known as the Mayor of Hinton, is married to the lovely Pauline and they have two beautiful daughters Tracey and Cheree. Tracey and Cheree have given David and Pauline four gorgeous grandchildren Ben, Millie, Noah and Piper.
David worked as a State Safety Manager for Workpac and loves nothing more than helping out the family with various jobs and chores. When asked what he will do when he retires, David replied “Keep Active and healthy and do some travelling”. We hope you never retire David! Thank you for all you do for us here at 2NURFM. You are MUCH appreciated.
Margaret Johnson
Margaret Johnson is a born and bred Novocastrian who has always listened to 2NURFM. Before her retirement, Margaret worked at the University of Newcastle reporting on evaluations of courses and lecturers, which is how she came to learn about 2NURFM. She heard an announcement, asking for volunteers for the radio station.
Margaret was married to Kevin (who sadly passed away in 2003) and they have 2 beautiful sons. Margaret and Kevin made Stroud their home. Margaret’s hobbies are walking on the beach at her beloved Fingal Bay, bike riding, gardening and looking after her grandchildren. She likes to be busy and one of her favourite pastimes is baking for the very grateful 2NURFM staff.
Margaret is our valued Thursday Receptionist and we can’t wait to see her smiling face every week. She is a ray of sunshine and works tirelessly for us. Thank you so very much, for all you do for us Margie! We really do appreciate it!
