Local connections explored through podcasts

Published: Wednesday 7 October 2026

primary school pupil dressed up as a town crier outside Rutherglen Town Hall holding a podcast poster as part of the town’s 900th anniversary celebrations

Schools across Rutherglen have created podcasts exploring different aspects of the area’s history and heritage as part of the town’s 900th anniversary celebrations.

Nine local primary schools were involved, with the podcasts organised by the R900 Schools Group in collaboration with Rutherglen Library and the Lending Voices team.

Burgh, Bankhead, Burnside, Calderwood, Loch, St Anthony's, St Columbkille's, St Mark's and Spittal Primary Schools were the schools involved.

At Burgh Primary School, the focus was “Famous People from Rutherglen.”

Children researched local personalities, including Archie Yuill, Rutherglen’s Town Crier, and actor, comedian and author Robbie Coltrane. They interviewed local people, including school staff, friends and local MP Michael Shanks, about their favourite things about Rutherglen.

Head Teacher Wendy Gallacher said: “The children wrote and recorded the podcast, incorporating jokes and quiz questions, and designed accompanying posters.

“The podcasts became part of a heritage trail created by Rutherglen Library, allowing local people to explore the area while listening to the different school podcasts and learning more about Rutherglen and its history.

“It helped the children develop their research, communication, teamwork and digital skills while giving them a greater sense of pride in and connection to their local community.”

At Saint Anthony’s Primary School, History Splash! was the river themed podcast created by Primary 7 pupils

The pupils explored Rutherglen’s connection to the River Clyde, discovering its shipbuilding history, including the fascinating story of Seath’s Shipyard, before looking at the transformation of Cuningar Loop from industrial land into a vibrant woodland.

Class Teacher Lisa McKeown said: “To bring their project to life, the pupils interviewed younger children to hear their views on Cuningar Loop, performed ‘The Song of the Clyde’, and created and performed an original poem about the area.

“Pupils gained confidence in speaking during a recording session and learned how to work collaboratively to create a podcast from their research notes. They enjoyed sharing it with the remainder of the school after the podcast launch and were proud that it was featured as part of the Heritage Trail.”

Chair of the council’s Education Resources Committee, Councillor Lynsey Hamilton, said: “Well done to all the schools who took part in this project, I am sure it must have been fascinating for the pupils to learn more about some of the history of their area.”