About me
Posted on Friday, February 17, 2006 at 9:35 AM
Born in Leeds, I travelled around the country with my parents as my Father's job (Salvation Army officer) demanded, living in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Barnsley, Woolwich, Lewisham, Wellingborough, Swindon, Hemel Hempstead, Hove and Cheltenham, where I commenced work as a laboratory technician in a Pharmaceutical laboratory analyzing drugs. I then worked in a photographers for some 4 years before joining the Abbey National Building Society - now transformed into the Abeey Bank. On promotion to Assistant Manager I was appointed to Hereford and later to Newport in Gwent. Finally I was promoted manager of a new office in Loughborough.
After some time I decided on a change and worked in the accounts department of a knitwear firm in Leicester. Moving to my present house in Anstey ( can anyone beat living in 15 different towns ? ), I then joined Pollards in Leicester on 12th December 1977 as Management Accountant, now having completed 28 years service - but see and of page for an update !
My work involves the oversight of the accounts department, including sales and purchase ledgers and payroll, and I have worked with three financial directors during my time at the company.
In the mid 1980’s we introduced a computer in the accounts department. The software proved unsatisfactory however , so I went to work on writing a complete new suite of programs which are still being used and developed.
I first came in contact with computers when I worked for the Abbey National and was involved in the local implementation of a wide area network linking over 400 branches. This work proved useful in my Pollard employment as when the offices were re-located in September 1999 I was placed in charge of our computer network ( for my sins ) and this work takes up quite a lot of my time in administration and supervision. The network is in a constant state of development, and this has been particularly so in recent months when links to the computer network and Email system at Slough have been introduced, and the company being taken over by Japanese firm Mori Seiki.
Outside of work my main hobby (apart from computers, of course) is digital photography, particularly of my pet dogs, but also of parish church buildings in North West Leicestershire of which I have a collection of over 60. Some of these are posted on the About Leicestershire web site on the church under photo gallery, and on our church web site. I also attend various photographic exhibitions, notably the annual Focus exhibition at the NEC in February.
My wife and I married in March 1966 - well remembered for England winning the world cup that year - and we have 2 sons and 2 grand children. For some 15 years we also fostered - a very rewarding, but traumatic experience.
All of my family members have always been animal lovers and at present we have 2 dogs, Haze (a smooth-haired Lurcher bitch) and Belle (a tri-colour Jack Russell bitch). In addition we have a pond of goldfish in the garden, and an aviary containing Budgerigars, Cockatiels and Zebra Finches.
In 2004 our church web site was started by Michael Rouse, but due to ill health he had to relinquish this activity, and I took over. Since that time I have re-designed the site several times.
On 31st January 2006 I took (semi) early retirement from full time employment, although I was still retained by the company I worked for on a part time basis in an advisory and consultative capacity until the end of June 2006.
