I initially thought I would put a widget on the page with two sections (in a table) one with a slideshow in, not realising that it would be that hard to find a slider that runs in an existing widget, would I be better off working out how to set a new container in that area and how would I do that in Atahualpa?
This slider is to show on front page only.

site: http://stevenpotter.com.au/test/
how it needs to look: http://stevenpotter.com.au/test/hirapic1.jpg
Atahualpa Version 3.7.9
WordPress 3.4.2

What do you mean it's hare do find a slider that works in a widget. You can use shortcodes in a widget if you add a plugin that allows it. You can use PHP in widgets that support that and you can put HTML in the standard text widget. What else would you need?