A radio stalwart who was born and raised in Marlow is to be recognised for his 50-year contribution to the industry with a hidden gems award.

Alan Price-Roberts, who has presented regular shows on Marlow FM for the past eight years, will be honoured with a special recognition award at the station’s Hidden Gems ceremony on November 19.

The former Great Marlow School pupil, whose father, grandfather and great-grandfather were the town’s blacksmiths and wrought-iron artisans, had his first taste of radio on a student exchange trip to the US.

He then went on to became station programme director with The Voice of Peace which made a much-documented journey through the Suez Canal to Eillat and Akkaba delivering aid.

The "Peace Ship" broadcast to millions of Israeli and Arab listeners from the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Tel Aviv and was staffed by a multi-national group of mainly Christian DJs and crew members.

On his return to the UK, he worked on BBC and commercial local radio stations in the South West of England and Wales in various roles including Breakfast Show Presenter at Swansea Sound. 

In 1989, Alan was ‘spotted’ by BBC Radio 2 after making a programme for BBC Radio 4’s Arts Show ‘Kaleidoscope’ and was offered a position as producer for Gloria Hunniford, picking up a Sony Award for Best Sequence Programme in 1989.

He then went on to produce the likes of The Ed Stewart Show, Derek Jameson, David Jacobs, Benny Green, Alan Tichmarsh, Sounds of the Sixties, John Dunn, Ken Bruce and Wally Whyton, picking up two Radio Times Awards along the way for Rockumentaries on Cher and Rod Stewart.  

On retiring from the world of media, Alan opened his own art gallery and antiques shop in Bourne End and decided to start painting again, before moving to South Devon in 2000.

In 2009 Alan joined up again with The Voice of Peace to syndicate two weekly programmes, Alien’s Blues Cruise and his country and Americana show, Americanza.

It was then that Alan discovered his hometown had established an online community radio station called Marlow FM and contacted director and programme producer Paul Mansell to offer the shows for their schedule.

The programmes made the transfer over from online when the station launched its FM service in 2011 but around three years ago Alan decided to concentrate solely on his country and Americana show Americanza, which has proved to be one of the most popular shows on Marlow FM, broadcast every Sunday from 12pm until 2pm.

Alan will be presented with his special Hidden Gems Award at the ceremony and party night at Crowne Plaza Hotel Marlow on Saturday, November 19.

The awards ceremony provides funding to keep Marlow FM on air. Tickets are still available from www.marlowfm.co.uk/party.