TASHY WHO
Not wishing to be dictatorial, I am giving you a number of choices here. You can either go off and find out why this whole
thing is called Tashy Does, read a little post about my life which, amazingly, is almost completely true or gloss over one of the most comprehensive CV's ever, up to 2019, or
read a few notes about mistakes I have made in the past in my dealings with people, both professionally and personally.
WHY TASHY DOES? ABOUT ME. A SORT OF CV. NOTES.
1 - WHY TASHY DOES?
In our modern world, most parents give their children easily pronounceable names like Jen, Dave, James, Tom, Dot (blame Tom) or Sam but that wasn’t always
the case. In my day people were still rebelling against rationing and therefore they used as many letters as their coupon book allowed to name their children.
This story is going somewhere I promise.
I started to speak at an early age but unfortunately whilst able to discuss the inadequacies of
neuro-linguistic programming, I couldn’t pronounce my own name, at least not the full version. A further complication within the confines of my part of our family
was that we used our second given name and for me that was Richard. This I could not say and not wishing at that stage to be known as a Dick, this occurred somewhat
later according to some, I, so my mother said and she kept a note of these things, called myself Tashy. I would run around the house saying “Tashy do” all day,
although during the potty training period I understand “Tashy done” filled the confines of our home and indeed my terry towelling nappies.
The first born is always special and so mother religiously filled in a “Baby Book” with news of all things I did and when I did them. Luckily this stopped in
my teen years, though, not apparently before I first put my finger up my nose.
On the other hand my sister’s early existence, and indeed her nose, was almost non-existent, in written form, and she has been slightly miffed about this for
most of her life. More would have been heard of this had she not been treated as almost non-existent by all who never knew her.
So, there it is, Tashy always wanted to do. Some would argue this has been the case ever since and I would be inclined to agree. If a job is worth doing, I
want to do it because I know I won't be satisfied with it if someone else does it. And if I do it then I won't have to pay someone to come back and redo it nor
do I make an enemy for life with my desire for perfectionism.
For those interested in more detail, and useless anecdotes, my actual first given name was William. We were heavily into royalty. It was only later in life,
when my own son, David James, known as Dave and therefore with no royal pretensions in England at all, came home from school and announced that he had told his
friends that I was a Willy Dick, that I truly resented my parents for the first time. By then my father was dead and my mother may still have been making notes,
so I kept quiet.
However I thought it best if you read what Tashy got up to rather than Willy or Dick, but rest assured, mother, father and those still living, they are the
same person.
Back to the top
2 – ABOUT ME.
So, who is this person who is sharing his life, or parts of his life, with you. Here is a little potted, or possibly potty, bio and, amazingly, much of it
is nearly true.
I was lucky enough to be born on my birthday and have celebrated this fact every year since. My mother and father, who, coincidentally, on that same day, became
my parents, made sure I had everything I wanted as a child, but not until I had grown up. In those days some children, as they got older, saw very little of their
parents and indeed I saw little of my mother as a child, as she was fully grown-up by the time I was born.
I don’t discuss my age; age is only relative and, these days, most of my relatives seem younger than I am. I share my age, for four months of the year, with a
member of the British Royal Family and have written to him asking if he would like to share his wealth and status with me, obviously only for the same period. I’m
not greedy. I am still awaiting his response. I have subsequently discovered that his wife actually does share her birth-date with me, although, until now, she has
failed to invite me to what would actually be my birthday party. As a further clue to my age, or ability to hang on as some call it, if you add up all the numbers
in the year I was born (e.g. 1+9+9+2, if I was born in 1992 – haha), you get 23. This won’t happen again until 2399. I may miss it.
People who knew me when I was young say that I took after both of my parents but, luckily for them, they could run faster so it took me a while to catch them.
I was brought up in West London and people still sometimes bring me up there, in a vomiting sort of way. I have two sisters, one half-sister, who I obviously call
sis and who is older than me and one full sister, in name anyway; mentally the house is still out, but she has been almost 4 years younger than me since she was born.
Who says girls grow faster than boys?
I went to school at 5 but it was closed and didn’t open till 8.30am the next day. It was cold waiting. I attended four different schools before I was 11 but
have since improved my sense of direction. The headmaster, at my senior school, said I was a gifted pupil. Well, actually he asked why my parents had left me outside
the school gates tied up in wrapping paper, but it’s the same thing isn’t it?
I had an unusual style in school. I once had to write an essay on the causes of the French Revolution and I wrote about the wheel. If they had never invented
the wheel, how could the French have revolved? We also had to write about the reasons for the Second World War and I wrote about the fact that people had learned
to count. My favourite subject at school was statistics, probably. But I never wrote an essay on it because I think, on average, the range of what I would have said
and the mode in which I was writing it, would have meant there was no correlation between what I wrote and the title, which would have been very mean. I might also
have deviated from the standard required, possibly while chewing on a mint cake (that one’s subtle).
An example of my popularity among my teachers was that when I received the Maths prize in my prep school, I was given the book Robinson Crusoe and, as a book
mark, a one-way ticket to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Anyway, I successfully passed all my exams before I left but then someone noticed and made me come back and take them. I got mixed results; some were mine and
some belonged to the person next to me who I copied. Unfortunately, he was doing a different subject. I failed renaissance maths and chemistry literature although
I did surprisingly well in physical geography and was sent to see the head for my attempts at performing biology.
Six months before I left it would appear that my school tried to enter the vocational training market and asked everyone to get behind us. Sadly this venture
collapsed a few years later. It was foolish to try ship building anyway. Among my fellow pupils were the son of a Prime Minister, the future editor of the Daily
Mail (scary), the future captain of the Cambridge University boat race crew and a famous historian with far too many names. Indeed he and I have followed similar
careers as I learn he has occupied chairs at Tufts University and the University of London while I have sat down in many different places too. I did try to
introduce him to pop music but I think he preferred more classical standards. In later life I am told he particularly liked “Georgia” even if he did momentarily
confuse it with a Bee Gees song as I seem to recollect his lights almost went out.
Many pupils at my school made a name for themselves but I chose to keep the one I had as my woodwork skills were limited. In fact, I used to fret for hours in
class and name plate making was an anathema to me, causing considerable stress although luckily I never had an anathema attack while doing it. I was, subsequently,
asked to leave the woodwork class as the teacher felt one year was rather a long time to spend making a wooden spoon. I followed my teacher’s advice and went to
pottery where I stroked the clay into a pot but sadly this sank in the kiln, causing damage to other pots and I think our tutor forgot which lesson it was, as he
shouted out “rowlocks” or something very similar. This sentence will only be remotely funny, or clever, or possibly both, to any Old Gower who was taught by Geoff
Page or anyone who knew him; I don’t just cater to the masses. I then moved into the art class where I took an “O” level gaining the lowest possible grade of 9.
I suppose when you are doing the still life bowl of fruit and your tutor asks why you are doing the imaginative part of the exam, the clues are all there.
I came top in physics but only on the occasion when we measured our own horse power. I was apparently just over three-quarters of a horse. This was early in
1965 and my fame spread so quickly that they took my initials and named a horse bred about that time after me. Personally I thought it was rum deal. I have always
been a visual learner (Professor Gardner please note) but was nearly thrown out of Latin for this trait. Someone translated a part of dear old Julius’ Gallic Wars,
possibly Book 5 if you wish to check, and announced that he had flung his cohorts across the river. I still find this an amusing sight along with him marching with
his mustered bands, which I envisaged as the elastic type covered in a product by Colmans. There were other moments that stick in my mind, including when I opened
the eyes of my old English master, who had possibly queued to buy many of Dickens’ novels when they first came out, when I started laughing at a part of Far From
the Madding Crowd. I explained that Sergeant Troy, dressed in his military finery, and choosing to turn his horse on the spur of the moment, amused me. “I never
saw that before”, he said, looking at me in admiration before ruining the moment by asking me what part of speech would I say that was. I went into hyperbolic
litotes, not wishing to under or over play my hand, but eventually told him that I felt Dr Spooner would say it was a piece of shining wit, although I also felt
Hardy had something obscure in some of his writings.
After school I went to work in London but they told me to go home and do my homework and come back when I grew up. I never have grown up but I did go back
for 14 years. For many I worked with, it seemed a long sentence. However, I have just checked it and it’s only 10 words.
I started work as an actuary and didn’t realise how much fun that would be in later life. No one knows what an actuary does and is too scared to show their
ignorance and ask. They just have to figure it out, while they hold you in some sort of awe. However, not knowing is nothing to be embarrassed about as I didn’t
know what is was when I started work either. Unfortunately, I did the job for ten years and still don’t know. I think we worked out how long people would live,
how much we could get for investing the money they gave us and how much we could pay back to them in their retirement. I do not feel in any way responsible for
the pension crisis, as my boss told me in 1974 there would not be enough money to pay pensions by the end of the century. Obviously, we immediately acted on this
but chose much ado about nothing.
I then returned to education, discovering they hadn’t missed me. They hadn’t even fired a shot. I worked with YOPS, YTS, CTAD, COIC, RSA, TDLB’s and then
learnt to read and realised it all meant nothing. After that, I set up my own company training people on the new Amstrad word processors which were bringing
computers to the masses and the cause of diabetes to the business world (too much sugar if you missed that one).
Then I fulfilled the ambitions my parents had for me by starting to travel. I can well remember my mother telling me to get out of her house, get out of
her way and to get out of my dirty socks. I even had a GPS system on my pram, programmed for the middle of the Sahara Desert. No stupid little sandpit for me.
Also, I understand that my great-grandfather, who worked for the Ordnance Survey, was the first person to officially measure Ben Nevis. I assume he got it spot
on but sadly, along my way, I have made mistakes with my choice of colleagues, partners and desert co-ordinates, becoming snowed under and drowning in my workload
far too often for a man heading to the Sahara. Maybe it has all been a mirage, although I cannot recall meeting any French pilots recently.
In 1994-5 I ran a very successful learning resource which you can read about
here. That was the beginning of a wealth of ideas and a poverty
of achievement. The poverty has passed and my time rolling in the gutter, though a major drain on my own sense of life, has gone. I am now thinking about
opening the vault containing that wealth which I sealed back in 2004 when I thought someone else had access to the code.
So now I am finding life as a parent and grandparent far too busy to worry about any mistakes I may have made in the past. As one of my sporting heroes
recently said, or more accurately sang, my way is my decision so I don’t blame anyone else.
Thanks to all my children for being who they are. I am immensely proud of every one of you.
Oh, and it is a fact that I have never really matured. In 1970 the age of majority was lowered to 18 so, when I reached 21 later that year, I did not
officially become an adult. When I had reached 18, three years earlier, the age had been 21. So to all of you out there telling me to behave like an adult,
I don’t need to because I am not one.
Enjoy my rambling.
Back to the top
3 – A SORT OF CV.
The following is a none-too-serious, or professional, CV, mainly intended for my children and grandchildren, to let them know, and in some cases demonstrate,
what I have done over the years. Some of the ideas for doing this have come from the fact that my own mother was an inveterate diarist and my daughter and I have
just begun to go through those diaries which cover, in some detail, her life from the age of 14 until her death at 79. Unlike my mother’s writing, there are no parts
of this piece that are written in shorthand and cannot be decoded.
It is written in reverse order. The usual education and employment is at the bottom of this piece. I have also given some examples of the work I have produced
in this fabulous, for me, life.
When producing this, as well as mother’s diaries, I based it on my memory; it is long and, luckily for me, so is my life. When interviewing an elderly Maori
gentlemen in New Zealand some time ago, I asked him, “have you lived here all your life?” “Not yet”, he replied. This CV is not complete either; it is best
described as a CVMP, which, if my Latin hasn’t completely failed me, is a curriculum vitae meae partem. It goes up to my 70th birthday in 2019.
TRAVEL
2002–2009 visited and/or lived in Poland, Germany, Thailand, Australia, Brunei, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and South Korea.
1985–86, 1994–95, 2001 – travelled around the UK coastline, (2001 trip was only England) years before the BBC Coast programme.
Back to the top of CV
WRITTEN WORK
Travel
2006 – Commissioned to write tourism piece, with photographs, by Whangarei District Council in New Zealand
2005–2008 – Wrote and photographed over 300 mini reviews (average 400 words) for own website on tourism places in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga and
Samoa. Some examples are
1994–95 – Wrote and provided photographs for a series of 12 articles for Holiday UK magazine based on coastline journey
1994–95 – Wrote around twenty articles for local newspapers during coastline journey
1985-86 – wrote an unpublished diary of the year spent travelling around the coast. Each week was covered and my children also wrote their own diaries as
part of their education during that year.
Education
2004–2008 – Wrote 80% of all material on learning website relating to travel in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. Website was hacked after I split
from my partner with whom I worked. Funny that. I still own and possess all my material, though not on any site.
2004-2005 – worked with Catholic Education Office in Western Australia to develop project with them.
2002–2004 – Designed, developed and wrote 10 learning resource projects for teachers and pupils relating to their own lives and neighbourhood.
1998–2001 – Developed idea for “Discover Europe” project
1997 – Wrote four primary geography text books – Evans Brothers
1996–1997 – Reworked previous project to make it available for parents who had chosen, or been forced, to educate children at home. Worked with organisation
called Education Otherwise
1994–95 – Designed, developed, wrote, photographed and produced Coastline Project, a 12 page weekly resource used by 50 Primary Schools in the UK. This was
an incredible task to undertake single-handed and one of which I am very proud.
1992-94 – Designed, developed and facilitated back-to-work programmes and courses for unemployed adults
1990’s – Designed, developed, wrote and facilitated numerous management courses on topics such as motivation, negotiation, problem-solving, leadership and
communication skills.
1990’s – Designed, developed, wrote and produced complete NVQ training courses in Business Administration (Admin and Finance) – being first tutor in Essex to
guide trainees through to Level III
1991 – wrote NVQ level II Business Finance Resource Book – CTAD/Hobsons
1987 – wrote “Learning to Manage” for CTAD/COIC
1986 – Wrote “Learning to Learn” for CTAD/COIC
1986 – Designed, developed, wrote and produced complete one-year training course in both clerical and retail skills for 16-year-old trainees at Colchester
Chamber of Commerce
1984 – Co-wrote “Role Play and Simulations in Training” for CTAD/COIC
Other
2002-2008 – wrote over 75 poems unpublished because they are still not quite right
1997-99 – had 8 poems published in anthology of love poems
1989 – wrote set of children’s stories for my own children, as yet unpublished (the stories not my children)
1984 – wrote several comedy sketches for secondary school end-of-year concert
1964 – research work for fellow pupil who was writing article on Tokyo Olympics
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TV/VIDEO
2012 – filmed, edited and produced a 50 minute video of my granddaughters doing their own ‘bake-off’. One of the hardest to produce as I had one camera,
two children, in one kitchen, cooking different things and no chance of any retakes. Great fun
2010 to present – filmed, edited and produced family videos for each year
2011 – Filmed, edited and produced short film re Airshow for Assisted Buys Cars and a week-long record of local carnival for the association
2009 – Edited and produced 15 minute short film, shown at film festival in New Zealand, about the Sacred Journeys on the Whanganui River
2009 – Requested by Waiheke Island Company to produce montage of photographs showing the island at its best. All photographs used were taken by me.
2007-2008 – Filmed and edited numerous short clips for website during travels in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa
2007-2008 – up to half-a-dozen interviews on Samoan TV news programmes, when I became a celebrity, or maybe achieved notoriety, there
2007 – 3 minute interview for Fijian television
2006-2007 – Two interviews on TVNZ, New Zealand’s BBC, breakfast show.
2003 – Wrote and co-directed 25 minute documentary on our work shown on Polish TV
2003 - Scripted, directed and co-compered 2½ hour concert relating to project link between Poland and Australia – also inadvertently performed one song.
Subsequently discovered that the young lady who sang the first song and my song at the end hasn't been impeded in her career by associating with me. Her name,
according to the sleeve notes I wrote for the "Make it Happen" song. was
Maria Antkowiak and it was a pleasure to work with her then.
2002-2003 – Four interviews on Polish TV plus chat show appearance
2002 – Wrote, directed, co-filmed and edited a 90-minute pilot TV programme “Living as….”, based on an idea by my partner
2002 – Wrote and directed 30 minute pilot cookery programme in Poland
2002 – Wrote, directed, co-filmed short 10 minute Potty Guide clip in Poland. I apologise for the sound and quality on all these 2002 clips, which were made
with the co-operation of a Polish TV company. Sadly I only have in my possession a video version, sometimes just the raw footage, and that video had travelled the
world with me for, at least, seven years. I hope you can still see and hear enough to enjoy.
1986 – 92 – Filmed and edited numerous 5-30 minute videos made by trainees as part of their training programme
1985 – Wrote, directed, filmed and edited 10 minute induction video for Colchester Chamber of Commerce
1983 – Wrote, directed, filmed and edited 16 minute induction video for Essex County Council
1976 – filmed in 8mm, spliced (yes, really) and edited wedding video for friends
1966 – made short (4 minute) 8mm animation in parents back garden.
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MUSIC
2004 – Reworked Ode to Joy words and One World Song for Fremantle Christmas Concert, Western Australia. The school I worked with had a large intake of
immigrant children, many of whom had fled their war-torn countries. It was extremely nice to have the following comment from the young lady who played keyboard
on our live performance
Hi, Richard. I'm Su Jin from Beaconsfield Primary School. It was great fun at Fremantle Festival Last night. My parents really enjoyed watching
Fremantle Festival and so do I! Thank you for organising the concert for us. I really like the One world song. It's very interesting and wonderful.
I think the song says same as what I 'm thinking. I want peace. I hope that there's no war in the world. Anyway thank you for giving us the one world T-shirt and
the flowers. I think you are always doing good things for people. I hope to see you again.
Su Jin Lee - pupil, Beaconsfield Primary School, Western Australia
and the guy who organised it all was pretty happy too.
Richard was of great assistance to me during our Christmas celebrations. In a volunteer capacity he worked with two school groups and a group of
recently arrived refugee children to write and perform songs which celebrated world harmony. He obviously worked well with teachers and students alike, and
developed a great rapport with children with limited English. He brought an international sensibility to our Christmas celebrations, which was appreciated by a
large crowd......... I find him both an intelligent, generous and compassionate person who will reward all who engage with him.
Phil Thomson - Cultural Development Coordinator, Fremantle Council, Western Australia.
2003 – Recorded, as vocalist, 15 songs in Poland, 5 of which were my compositions. Recordings all made in one take in a Polish sound engineer’s kitchen;
really. You’ve heard of house, you’ve heard of garage; this is kitchen.
All my songs were done in collaboration with Pawel Lucewicz, (pictured at piano) who orchestrated
the One World Song.
2003 – Wrote words and music for song “What if…” for concert in Poland.
2002 – Wrote words and tune to a song for the project I was working on while in Poland. My partner arranged for the local music school to help make the
tune into music. Was introduced by the principal to a guy who would help. I had assumed this would be some music teacher. Instead was greeted by a young man
with hair longer then mine who listened to my tune and within one day had produced a demo CD with two versions for me to hear.
Two days later I got a phone call from Pawel who said I should come into the school about 5pm that afternoon. He was going to record a vocal demo version
and I should be there. I duly turned up and discovered the reason I should be there was because Pawel had decided I would sing the vocal to his instrumental
demos. In the school hall. With people moving around. And a proper recording engineer in the school box. We did one version and then Pawel came down and said
we would now do one completely live and he would accompany me on the piano. That's where the photo above came from. We did it and you can hear an extract. I'm
sure you'll agree that's enough.
Next Pawel arranged an orchestra, some singers and we contributed with a recording studio. There were some rehearsal days in the school and
then it was time to record. It was a magical time for me and, from the faces I was watching, for many of the youngsters involved who had never been
in a recording studio before. This is the finished version.
At the end of the recording, my partner asked Pawel, who claimed, justifiably, that he could play a piece of music in any style, to do the song in a jazz style.
He agreed, shut me in the vocal sound booth with instructions to sing along, and went off to the piano. I had no idea what he would play but it was great fun.
Incredibly, in my view, we finished at exactly the same time.
1999 – Wrote special words to Ode to Joy for opening of EU financed computer suite at Newlands Primary School, Ramsgate.
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RADIO
2004 – half hour radio interview in Perth, Western Australia with a lady who, if I remember correctly, had her bike in the studio with her. She was also
impossible to find and not very clued-up on why she was doing the interview.
2003 – 10 minute radio interview in Poland which was far more satisfactory as it was for a student radio station and the young interviewer had done her homework.
Sadly, in the finished version, she spoke in Polish so I have no idea what was said to me in this recording.
1994-95 – weekly 5 minute strand on local radio regarding coastline journey (sometimes live, sometimes recorded. One given from outside the gates of
Sandringham, on bended knee, just in case)
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WEB DESIGN
2014-19 designed, coded, produced three websites for own work. Education one is here, the
photographic one is here and you are reading the other one.
2012 – 2015 designed, coded, produced and maintained website for car sales business,
run by my eldest son. Have now taught him to update it himself.
2011 – designed, coded and produced website for intended coastal journey. The website was withdrawn a year later for several reasons. One was the collapse of
a company who had agreed a sponsorship deal, secondly the government’s new curriculum was earmarked for a 2014 start date and we wanted to ensure we fitted in with
this, and thirdly there were some defamatory, libellous and false statements made by a disgruntled ex-partner and a possible employee who I had rejected.
It was at this stage that I went into retirement. It would appear that the modern world, and the internet, allows systematic bullying and a barrage of lies to
be published as fact. Our own police force have explained to me their difficulty in stopping such events, although investigations are still going on. However,
Tina Maze, amongst others, convinced me to once again take my life under my control and make my way, my decision. By the way, she doesn’t know this.
2011 – designed, coded, produced and maintained website for Arrow Car Sales (site now defunct)
2010 – coded and produced website for personal coach who happens to be my ex-wife (site now as defunct as our marriage)
2008 – Coded and produced website for IslandHomeHolidays in New Zealand to instruction, also filmed short film clips and took photographs (site now defunct)
2007 – Coded and produced website for young children about travel
2006 – Coded, produced and then updated travel website
2004 – Re-designed, coded and produced website for project I was working on in Australia and New Zealand.
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OTHER NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXPERIENCES (well I think they are)
2012 – ran an It’s-a-Knock-out competition as part of a wedding reception for a friend of my daughter (I don’t choose her friends)
2011 – beat my eldest son 4-1 in an hour of badminton. He claimed he was unwell.
2007 – experienced earthquake while in Samoa (5.8 on richter scale).
2007 – time with turtles in Samoa
2007 – interview with Samoan Prime Minister, kept waiting for 3 hours, Guess he may have been asleep. To be fair, he had just been presented with about
20 mats, 10 cartons of sardines, 20 of corned beef and a couple of hides of beef amongst other things.
2007 – watched Palolo festival in Samoa
2007 – spent 6 hours in small boat whale watching in Tonga. Never saw one, so taken out the next day, free of charge. Never saw one again but got
caught and drenched in sudden tropical storm. Man who ran the hostel where we were staying rang our crew to tell them there was a whale right outside the
hostel. We were a few miles away, getting wet.
2007 – met with aide to King of Tonga
2007 – interview with Tourism Minister in Fiji (I forget her name) but met Frank Bainimarama, the leader of the coup held in 2006 and, since then, the
Prime Minister. Found him a most reasonable man but was worried I would call him Bananarama as I had been doing, in private, in the previous weeks. In 1972,
my parents were having a house built in St Osyth in Essex and I had to pick up the key as they were still in London. The builder’s name was Siddons but,
thanks to The Goodies, I knocked on his door and asked for Mr Gibbons
2007 attended Kiwiburn Festival in New Zealand.
2006 – Zorbed
2006 – Jet boat ride
2006 – Walked on a glacier
2006 – co-interviewed Dr Pita Sharples, NZ MP and co-leader of Maori Party
2005 – helped crew and steer America’s Cup yacht in Auckland
2002 – drove at 267 kph on German autobahn, legally.
2002 – flew for the first time, luckily I was inside a plane
1997 – spent much of summer playing tennis against a neighbour, 20 years younger, who claimed, to a friend, he would ‘beat the old man in a game’.
Played once or twice a week for six months and he never won a set. Once beat him 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 and the last two games were agony because I knew I would never be
able to get that score again.
1996-2001 – spent a lot of time with speech therapist helping my son with his dyspraxia. Learnt so much about how we speak etc and, indeed, the working of the
human brain. Thank you Ms Gildersleeve, as you were. James’ subsequent successes, apart from those at cricket, are partly due to your hard work and knowledge
1982–1986 – ran various superstar competitions for kids for local charities
1982 – undertook army assault course at Colchester garrison with group of young trainees – they enjoyed it, I didn’t like the height of the scramble net
1982 – instigated and organised ‘Wivenhoe Mile’ for local carnival
1977 – received serious eye injury when playing squash and taking the maxim keep your eye on the ball too seriously. Six weeks of eye drops 3 times daily and I
hate having anything in my eyes. Told not to play again as similar injury could result in loss of sight. Played tennis one month later and managed to edge ball into
same eyebrow. Luckily tennis ball too big for eye. Been great advocate of big balls ever since
1973 – hit one and only six in final competitive cricket game.
1972-1976 – Amateur rally driver in national and restricted events – 3 victories, 2 seconds and, on the 1974 Crowsfoot Rally, got completely lost and, scarily,
drove wrong way down forest stage for half a mile or so till we realised. My navigator was permanently car sick, he was a great mechanic, meaning I often navigated
and drove.
1971 – while umpiring in cricket game (batting side often provided one umpire) gave batsman run out then noticed no one had appealed. Fielders then noticed my
raised digit so quickly picked my nose and, following appeal, gave it not out.
1970 – fielded for Old Boys team during opening stand of over 200 against Honor Oak, Spent much time in nearby field, retrieving ball. On same day watched first
half of England v Germany world cup game in clubhouse, then left and drove home to Harrow from Honor Oak, arriving in time to see final whistle and watch extra time
and see England defeated.
1969- dislocated shoulder during another game against a hospital team and had it put back inside one minute by more trainee doctors.
1969 – briefly paralysed when playing St Thomas’ Hospital at Rugby after being asked to play in scrum as our prop had got lost. I reckon the trainee doctors
knew which nerves to squash. Before each Saturday rugby game, mother insisted I have a cooked breakfast which I duly ate and then went upstairs and threw up. Was
always very nervous before playing either cricket or rugby.
1968 – played 20 minutes of seven-a-side practice game with severely torn ankle ligaments but too shy to tell anyone. Took 10 minutes to remove rugby boot in
changing room. Then walked home, over 2 miles. Six weeks in plaster. Inadvertently trod on football in back garden 4 weeks after incident while not having a kick
about as instructed.
1968 – chose to play in house cricket match on afternoon of History ‘A’ level. Took exam in morning and then placed under Colditz conditions until 2.00 pm and
start of exam for everyone else. We won the game.
1968 – School 3rd XV at Rugby. Once coached by Bruce Davies, who told me his little sister could tackle better than me; basically I was happy to agree. Also,
briefly, coached by Ian Robertson, now BBC rugby correspondent. I don’t think he had a sister, or, as a back himself, he liked me more.
1968 – School 3rd eleven at Cricket
1968 – awarded house colours for cross-country running for finishing seventh in 4½ mile run across Hampstead Heath. Award rescinded five minutes later when it
was discovered I had only covered half the figure-of-eight course; something at the time of the award that was known only to me. Was told to continue but suffered
sudden, and near fatal, attack of cramp shortly after and had to retire. Never liked running, unless it was competitive and 400 metres or less.
1965 – suffered delayed concussion in rugby game, travelled home and collapsed on stairs, being sick over mother. Seemed fair as she had been bringing me up
since birth.
1964–72 – broke/dislocated 3 fingers on left hand, 2 on right while fielding in cricket games. Only stood at short leg because I already had two, both fairly
square. Now am suffering for this as, in cold weather, fingers seize quite easily.
1964 – In inter-house cricket league ended with season figures of 54-17-105-35 including one spell of 8-5-7-8. In 15 innings scored nearly 30 runs. I think
I was a bowler. Asked to captain for one game, won toss, elected to bat, decided to open, out first ball and then it rained.
1953 – fell from father’s car doing 30 mph, the car not me, when going round a roundabout. Bounced on head so no real damage. Not quite accurate as suffered
delayed concussion that night
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WORK
1984–present – Freelance writer, media producer, photographer, resource developer
2001 – Third coastline trip
1996-2000 – Freelance, developing resources and home-schooling my eldest son from my second marriage. He recently achieved a First Class Honours degree in
Law and History in New Zealand.
1994-1995 – Second coastline journey as school project
1991–1993 – Training Manager at Portals of Harwich where my company provided the tutors. Essentially, for two years, I was employing myself. Was once sent
a reluctant participant on one of the ‘back-to-work’ courses we ran. The tutor sent him to my office, with no explanation why, and the guy sat down and said he
could see no point in being there, he wouldn’t get a job. I began to explain the benefits of such a course and how he could perhaps begin to find something he
would enjoy or had done in the past, maybe as a hobby, when he stopped me and explained he had just come out of prison, having done 15 years for murder. I quickly
agreed the course was not for him and he left.
1988-2000 – Owner of ComputerUse Training Organisation
1986–1988 – Head Tutor/Trainer at Colchester Chamber of Commerce. Once ran special course for retail workers, helping them identify potential shoplifters.
Course covered by local press who, next week, ran a story titled ‘Teaching them the tricks of the shoplifting trade’, with my photo next to it.
1985–1986 – First coastline journey with family
1983–1985 – Resource Development Manager and Tutor at CTAD
1982–1983 – Life and Social Skills Tutor for Essex County Council
1981-1982 – Youth Work with Essex County Council
1978-1981 – Sedgwicks as a Pensions Manager, looking after schemes with several million pounds invested annually.
1968-1978 – GRE Group in the Life and Pensions sections; actuarial work
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EDUCATION
1962-68 – UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL – HAMPSTEAD
‘A’ levels
Statistics
History
British Constitution
Economics ‘AO’ level (who knows?)
Use of English ‘O’ levels
Maths – twice (don’t ask)
Additional Maths
English Language
English Literature
History
French Failed
Latin
Science
Art (with distinction – I believe) 1959-62 – QUAINTON HALL PREPARATORY SCHOOL – HARROW – they took me back 1962 – on for third place in 440 yards (yes I am that old) race in schools sports. Ran past father who shouted something at me. Looked back to see what he meant and lost one place. Later discovered he said ‘turn it on’ and not ‘turn around’. He never coached me again.
1961 – Maths Prize – runner-up
1960 – Maths prize
1957-59 – LEEDS GRAMMAR SCHOOL, JUNIOR BRANCH, LEEDS
1957 – on first games day at this school was due to play rugby but had only played football back in the south. Arrived down to breakfast and found a
complete drawing of a rugby pitch and all playing positions, names and some rules.
That’s good parenting and he was there for me, when needed, every day for the rest of his life, and, in spirit, ever since. The kindest man I have ever known.
1956-57 – RICHMOND HOUSE AND FAR HEADINGLEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL, HEADINGLEY, LEEDS
During this time my mother was seriously ill and I used to walk to and from school on my own, at the age of 7. Does that happen nowadays or was the
world really a safer place then?
Met Eddie Waring one afternoon when he arrived to pick up his son, who was at the same school. Recognised him straight away as
there were loads of kids crowded round his car. My first meeting with a TV star, which he probably wasn’t then. Went home for early bath.
1954-56 – QUAINTON HALL PREPARATORY SCHOOL – HARROW
THE BEGINNINGS
1949 – born, apparently 3 weeks late, the last time I was late for anything, on July 17th at 8.10am, just in time for breakfast
1948 – conceived in Geneva, or, less likely as my father-to-be hated flying, on a plane back from Geneva. I am possibly part Swiss which explains
my love of chocolate and timekeeping and maybe skiing.
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4 - NOTES
All thoughts and views are mine. I do not intend any offence.
Like, it would appear, a fair number of people, some ex-associates of mine used the internet to publish a load of lies in an attempt, in my view, to
justify their own inadequacies and failings. One was a young lady with whom I had been in contact about employment and who then lied to me and others about
her situation. She conned me out of some money and then tried to get more. Despite anything you may read, she was never employed by me. Furthermore, in my view,
her abilities, as described on the CV she sent me, are false. Her level of English is way below any standard I would accept and her drawing ability is laughable.
Even her uni had to warn her about her behaviour. I would ask you to ignore anything you may see from her.
The second person was my ex-partner. I am told the two had never been in contact but their two websites appeared within a week of each other and were so
similar it was laughable. In this case I am afraid it is a case of jealousy. Her writings, considering what she and I went through in Samoa, are disgusting. She
makes innuendos and false statements, is undoubtedly guilty of libel and defamation and is also quite happy to use material gained illegally by the man she
married after I left her. While in her company in 2008/9 I was subjected to her appalling behaviour, including having all my telephone conversations taped.
Luckily, I had been warned and was aware of this. Nevertheless it is not only illegal but also the behaviour of someone who really knows how to live in the gutter.
Her reasons are that she cannot bear to think anyone could succeed without her, despite the fact that I succeeded very well before I met her. 90% of what she says
on her site, if it still exists, is false. The police have investigated her publishings but it would appear that prosecution is impossible unless you have a
lot of money to spare and even if I did I wouldn't bother.
Anyone who knows me will be well aware of the lies and, quite frankly, if anyone believed the rubbish, I wouldn't want to be associated with them in any
way. As the policeman told me, “if you had done any of the things she said, she would surely alert the police and I can confirm that there is no police
investigation into you anywhere in the world”. Enough said.
Back to the top
The first born is always special and so mother religiously filled in a “Baby Book” with news of all things I did and when I did them. Luckily this stopped in
my teen years, though, not apparently before I first put my finger up my nose.
On the other hand my sister’s early existence, and indeed her nose, was almost non-existent, in written form, and she has been slightly miffed about this for
most of her life. More would have been heard of this had she not been treated as almost non-existent by all who never knew her.
So, there it is, Tashy always wanted to do. Some would argue this has been the case ever since and I would be inclined to agree. If a job is worth doing, I
want to do it because I know I won't be satisfied with it if someone else does it. And if I do it then I won't have to pay someone to come back and redo it nor
do I make an enemy for life with my desire for perfectionism.
For those interested in more detail, and useless anecdotes, my actual first given name was William. We were heavily into royalty. It was only later in life,
when my own son, David James, known as Dave and therefore with no royal pretensions in England at all, came home from school and announced that he had told his
friends that I was a Willy Dick, that I truly resented my parents for the first time. By then my father was dead and my mother may still have been making notes,
so I kept quiet.
However I thought it best if you read what Tashy got up to rather than Willy or Dick, but rest assured, mother, father and those still living, they are the
same person.
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2 – ABOUT ME.
So, who is this person who is sharing his life, or parts of his life, with you. Here is a little potted, or possibly potty, bio and, amazingly, much of it
is nearly true.
I was lucky enough to be born on my birthday and have celebrated this fact every year since. My mother and father, who, coincidentally, on that same day, became
my parents, made sure I had everything I wanted as a child, but not until I had grown up. In those days some children, as they got older, saw very little of their
parents and indeed I saw little of my mother as a child, as she was fully grown-up by the time I was born.
I don’t discuss my age; age is only relative and, these days, most of my relatives seem younger than I am. I share my age, for four months of the year, with a
member of the British Royal Family and have written to him asking if he would like to share his wealth and status with me, obviously only for the same period. I’m
not greedy. I am still awaiting his response. I have subsequently discovered that his wife actually does share her birth-date with me, although, until now, she has
failed to invite me to what would actually be my birthday party. As a further clue to my age, or ability to hang on as some call it, if you add up all the numbers
in the year I was born (e.g. 1+9+9+2, if I was born in 1992 – haha), you get 23. This won’t happen again until 2399. I may miss it.
People who knew me when I was young say that I took after both of my parents but, luckily for them, they could run faster so it took me a while to catch them.
I was brought up in West London and people still sometimes bring me up there, in a vomiting sort of way. I have two sisters, one half-sister, who I obviously call
sis and who is older than me and one full sister, in name anyway; mentally the house is still out, but she has been almost 4 years younger than me since she was born.
Who says girls grow faster than boys?
I went to school at 5 but it was closed and didn’t open till 8.30am the next day. It was cold waiting. I attended four different schools before I was 11 but
have since improved my sense of direction. The headmaster, at my senior school, said I was a gifted pupil. Well, actually he asked why my parents had left me outside
the school gates tied up in wrapping paper, but it’s the same thing isn’t it?
I had an unusual style in school. I once had to write an essay on the causes of the French Revolution and I wrote about the wheel. If they had never invented
the wheel, how could the French have revolved? We also had to write about the reasons for the Second World War and I wrote about the fact that people had learned
to count. My favourite subject at school was statistics, probably. But I never wrote an essay on it because I think, on average, the range of what I would have said
and the mode in which I was writing it, would have meant there was no correlation between what I wrote and the title, which would have been very mean. I might also
have deviated from the standard required, possibly while chewing on a mint cake (that one’s subtle).
An example of my popularity among my teachers was that when I received the Maths prize in my prep school, I was given the book Robinson Crusoe and, as a book
mark, a one-way ticket to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Anyway, I successfully passed all my exams before I left but then someone noticed and made me come back and take them. I got mixed results; some were mine and
some belonged to the person next to me who I copied. Unfortunately, he was doing a different subject. I failed renaissance maths and chemistry literature although
I did surprisingly well in physical geography and was sent to see the head for my attempts at performing biology.
Six months before I left it would appear that my school tried to enter the vocational training market and asked everyone to get behind us. Sadly this venture
collapsed a few years later. It was foolish to try ship building anyway. Among my fellow pupils were the son of a Prime Minister, the future editor of the Daily
Mail (scary), the future captain of the Cambridge University boat race crew and a famous historian with far too many names. Indeed he and I have followed similar
careers as I learn he has occupied chairs at Tufts University and the University of London while I have sat down in many different places too. I did try to
introduce him to pop music but I think he preferred more classical standards. In later life I am told he particularly liked “Georgia” even if he did momentarily
confuse it with a Bee Gees song as I seem to recollect his lights almost went out.
Many pupils at my school made a name for themselves but I chose to keep the one I had as my woodwork skills were limited. In fact, I used to fret for hours in
class and name plate making was an anathema to me, causing considerable stress although luckily I never had an anathema attack while doing it. I was, subsequently,
asked to leave the woodwork class as the teacher felt one year was rather a long time to spend making a wooden spoon. I followed my teacher’s advice and went to
pottery where I stroked the clay into a pot but sadly this sank in the kiln, causing damage to other pots and I think our tutor forgot which lesson it was, as he
shouted out “rowlocks” or something very similar. This sentence will only be remotely funny, or clever, or possibly both, to any Old Gower who was taught by Geoff
Page or anyone who knew him; I don’t just cater to the masses. I then moved into the art class where I took an “O” level gaining the lowest possible grade of 9.
I suppose when you are doing the still life bowl of fruit and your tutor asks why you are doing the imaginative part of the exam, the clues are all there.
I came top in physics but only on the occasion when we measured our own horse power. I was apparently just over three-quarters of a horse. This was early in
1965 and my fame spread so quickly that they took my initials and named a horse bred about that time after me. Personally I thought it was rum deal. I have always
been a visual learner (Professor Gardner please note) but was nearly thrown out of Latin for this trait. Someone translated a part of dear old Julius’ Gallic Wars,
possibly Book 5 if you wish to check, and announced that he had flung his cohorts across the river. I still find this an amusing sight along with him marching with
his mustered bands, which I envisaged as the elastic type covered in a product by Colmans. There were other moments that stick in my mind, including when I opened
the eyes of my old English master, who had possibly queued to buy many of Dickens’ novels when they first came out, when I started laughing at a part of Far From
the Madding Crowd. I explained that Sergeant Troy, dressed in his military finery, and choosing to turn his horse on the spur of the moment, amused me. “I never
saw that before”, he said, looking at me in admiration before ruining the moment by asking me what part of speech would I say that was. I went into hyperbolic
litotes, not wishing to under or over play my hand, but eventually told him that I felt Dr Spooner would say it was a piece of shining wit, although I also felt
Hardy had something obscure in some of his writings.
After school I went to work in London but they told me to go home and do my homework and come back when I grew up. I never have grown up but I did go back
for 14 years. For many I worked with, it seemed a long sentence. However, I have just checked it and it’s only 10 words.
I started work as an actuary and didn’t realise how much fun that would be in later life. No one knows what an actuary does and is too scared to show their
ignorance and ask. They just have to figure it out, while they hold you in some sort of awe. However, not knowing is nothing to be embarrassed about as I didn’t
know what is was when I started work either. Unfortunately, I did the job for ten years and still don’t know. I think we worked out how long people would live,
how much we could get for investing the money they gave us and how much we could pay back to them in their retirement. I do not feel in any way responsible for
the pension crisis, as my boss told me in 1974 there would not be enough money to pay pensions by the end of the century. Obviously, we immediately acted on this
but chose much ado about nothing.
I then returned to education, discovering they hadn’t missed me. They hadn’t even fired a shot. I worked with YOPS, YTS, CTAD, COIC, RSA, TDLB’s and then
learnt to read and realised it all meant nothing. After that, I set up my own company training people on the new Amstrad word processors which were bringing
computers to the masses and the cause of diabetes to the business world (too much sugar if you missed that one).
Then I fulfilled the ambitions my parents had for me by starting to travel. I can well remember my mother telling me to get out of her house, get out of
her way and to get out of my dirty socks. I even had a GPS system on my pram, programmed for the middle of the Sahara Desert. No stupid little sandpit for me.
Also, I understand that my great-grandfather, who worked for the Ordnance Survey, was the first person to officially measure Ben Nevis. I assume he got it spot
on but sadly, along my way, I have made mistakes with my choice of colleagues, partners and desert co-ordinates, becoming snowed under and drowning in my workload
far too often for a man heading to the Sahara. Maybe it has all been a mirage, although I cannot recall meeting any French pilots recently.
In 1994-5 I ran a very successful learning resource which you can read about
here. That was the beginning of a wealth of ideas and a poverty
of achievement. The poverty has passed and my time rolling in the gutter, though a major drain on my own sense of life, has gone. I am now thinking about
opening the vault containing that wealth which I sealed back in 2004 when I thought someone else had access to the code.
So now I am finding life as a parent and grandparent far too busy to worry about any mistakes I may have made in the past. As one of my sporting heroes
recently said, or more accurately sang, my way is my decision so I don’t blame anyone else.
Thanks to all my children for being who they are. I am immensely proud of every one of you.
Oh, and it is a fact that I have never really matured. In 1970 the age of majority was lowered to 18 so, when I reached 21 later that year, I did not
officially become an adult. When I had reached 18, three years earlier, the age had been 21. So to all of you out there telling me to behave like an adult,
I don’t need to because I am not one.
Enjoy my rambling.
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3 – A SORT OF CV.
The following is a none-too-serious, or professional, CV, mainly intended for my children and grandchildren, to let them know, and in some cases demonstrate,
what I have done over the years. Some of the ideas for doing this have come from the fact that my own mother was an inveterate diarist and my daughter and I have
just begun to go through those diaries which cover, in some detail, her life from the age of 14 until her death at 79. Unlike my mother’s writing, there are no parts
of this piece that are written in shorthand and cannot be decoded.
It is written in reverse order. The usual education and employment is at the bottom of this piece. I have also given some examples of the work I have produced
in this fabulous, for me, life.
When producing this, as well as mother’s diaries, I based it on my memory; it is long and, luckily for me, so is my life. When interviewing an elderly Maori
gentlemen in New Zealand some time ago, I asked him, “have you lived here all your life?” “Not yet”, he replied. This CV is not complete either; it is best
described as a CVMP, which, if my Latin hasn’t completely failed me, is a curriculum vitae meae partem. It goes up to my 70th birthday in 2019.
TRAVEL
2002–2009 visited and/or lived in Poland, Germany, Thailand, Australia, Brunei, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and South Korea.
1985–86, 1994–95, 2001 – travelled around the UK coastline, (2001 trip was only England) years before the BBC Coast programme.
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WRITTEN WORK
Travel
2006 – Commissioned to write tourism piece, with photographs, by Whangarei District Council in New Zealand
2005–2008 – Wrote and photographed over 300 mini reviews (average 400 words) for own website on tourism places in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga and
Samoa. Some examples are
1994–95 – Wrote and provided photographs for a series of 12 articles for Holiday UK magazine based on coastline journey
1994–95 – Wrote around twenty articles for local newspapers during coastline journey
1985-86 – wrote an unpublished diary of the year spent travelling around the coast. Each week was covered and my children also wrote their own diaries as
part of their education during that year.
Education
2004–2008 – Wrote 80% of all material on learning website relating to travel in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga. Website was hacked after I split
from my partner with whom I worked. Funny that. I still own and possess all my material, though not on any site.
2004-2005 – worked with Catholic Education Office in Western Australia to develop project with them.
2002–2004 – Designed, developed and wrote 10 learning resource projects for teachers and pupils relating to their own lives and neighbourhood.
1998–2001 – Developed idea for “Discover Europe” project
1997 – Wrote four primary geography text books – Evans Brothers
1996–1997 – Reworked previous project to make it available for parents who had chosen, or been forced, to educate children at home. Worked with organisation
called Education Otherwise
1994–95 – Designed, developed, wrote, photographed and produced Coastline Project, a 12 page weekly resource used by 50 Primary Schools in the UK. This was
an incredible task to undertake single-handed and one of which I am very proud.
1992-94 – Designed, developed and facilitated back-to-work programmes and courses for unemployed adults
1990’s – Designed, developed, wrote and facilitated numerous management courses on topics such as motivation, negotiation, problem-solving, leadership and
communication skills.
1990’s – Designed, developed, wrote and produced complete NVQ training courses in Business Administration (Admin and Finance) – being first tutor in Essex to
guide trainees through to Level III
1991 – wrote NVQ level II Business Finance Resource Book – CTAD/Hobsons
1987 – wrote “Learning to Manage” for CTAD/COIC
1986 – Wrote “Learning to Learn” for CTAD/COIC
1986 – Designed, developed, wrote and produced complete one-year training course in both clerical and retail skills for 16-year-old trainees at Colchester
Chamber of Commerce
1984 – Co-wrote “Role Play and Simulations in Training” for CTAD/COIC
Other
2002-2008 – wrote over 75 poems unpublished because they are still not quite right
1997-99 – had 8 poems published in anthology of love poems
1989 – wrote set of children’s stories for my own children, as yet unpublished (the stories not my children)
1984 – wrote several comedy sketches for secondary school end-of-year concert
1964 – research work for fellow pupil who was writing article on Tokyo Olympics
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TV/VIDEO
2012 – filmed, edited and produced a 50 minute video of my granddaughters doing their own ‘bake-off’. One of the hardest to produce as I had one camera,
two children, in one kitchen, cooking different things and no chance of any retakes. Great fun
2010 to present – filmed, edited and produced family videos for each year
2011 – Filmed, edited and produced short film re Airshow for Assisted Buys Cars and a week-long record of local carnival for the association
2009 – Edited and produced 15 minute short film, shown at film festival in New Zealand, about the Sacred Journeys on the Whanganui River
2009 – Requested by Waiheke Island Company to produce montage of photographs showing the island at its best. All photographs used were taken by me.
2007-2008 – Filmed and edited numerous short clips for website during travels in New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa
2007-2008 – up to half-a-dozen interviews on Samoan TV news programmes, when I became a celebrity, or maybe achieved notoriety, there
2007 – 3 minute interview for Fijian television
2006-2007 – Two interviews on TVNZ, New Zealand’s BBC, breakfast show.
2003 – Wrote and co-directed 25 minute documentary on our work shown on Polish TV
2003 - Scripted, directed and co-compered 2½ hour concert relating to project link between Poland and Australia – also inadvertently performed one song.
Subsequently discovered that the young lady who sang the first song and my song at the end hasn't been impeded in her career by associating with me. Her name,
according to the sleeve notes I wrote for the "Make it Happen" song. was
Maria Antkowiak and it was a pleasure to work with her then.
2002-2003 – Four interviews on Polish TV plus chat show appearance
2002 – Wrote, directed, co-filmed and edited a 90-minute pilot TV programme “Living as….”, based on an idea by my partner
2002 – Wrote and directed 30 minute pilot cookery programme in Poland
2002 – Wrote, directed, co-filmed short 10 minute Potty Guide clip in Poland. I apologise for the sound and quality on all these 2002 clips, which were made
with the co-operation of a Polish TV company. Sadly I only have in my possession a video version, sometimes just the raw footage, and that video had travelled the
world with me for, at least, seven years. I hope you can still see and hear enough to enjoy.
1986 – 92 – Filmed and edited numerous 5-30 minute videos made by trainees as part of their training programme
1985 – Wrote, directed, filmed and edited 10 minute induction video for Colchester Chamber of Commerce
1983 – Wrote, directed, filmed and edited 16 minute induction video for Essex County Council
1976 – filmed in 8mm, spliced (yes, really) and edited wedding video for friends
1966 – made short (4 minute) 8mm animation in parents back garden.
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MUSIC
2004 – Reworked Ode to Joy words and One World Song for Fremantle Christmas Concert, Western Australia. The school I worked with had a large intake of
immigrant children, many of whom had fled their war-torn countries. It was extremely nice to have the following comment from the young lady who played keyboard
on our live performance
Hi, Richard. I'm Su Jin from Beaconsfield Primary School. It was great fun at Fremantle Festival Last night. My parents really enjoyed watching
Fremantle Festival and so do I! Thank you for organising the concert for us. I really like the One world song. It's very interesting and wonderful.
I think the song says same as what I 'm thinking. I want peace. I hope that there's no war in the world. Anyway thank you for giving us the one world T-shirt and
the flowers. I think you are always doing good things for people. I hope to see you again.
Su Jin Lee - pupil, Beaconsfield Primary School, Western Australia
and the guy who organised it all was pretty happy too.
Richard was of great assistance to me during our Christmas celebrations. In a volunteer capacity he worked with two school groups and a group of
recently arrived refugee children to write and perform songs which celebrated world harmony. He obviously worked well with teachers and students alike, and
developed a great rapport with children with limited English. He brought an international sensibility to our Christmas celebrations, which was appreciated by a
large crowd......... I find him both an intelligent, generous and compassionate person who will reward all who engage with him.
Phil Thomson - Cultural Development Coordinator, Fremantle Council, Western Australia.
2003 – Recorded, as vocalist, 15 songs in Poland, 5 of which were my compositions. Recordings all made in one take in a Polish sound engineer’s kitchen;
really. You’ve heard of house, you’ve heard of garage; this is kitchen.
All my songs were done in collaboration with Pawel Lucewicz, (pictured at piano) who orchestrated
the One World Song.
2003 – Wrote words and music for song “What if…” for concert in Poland.
2002 – Wrote words and tune to a song for the project I was working on while in Poland. My partner arranged for the local music school to help make the
tune into music. Was introduced by the principal to a guy who would help. I had assumed this would be some music teacher. Instead was greeted by a young man
with hair longer then mine who listened to my tune and within one day had produced a demo CD with two versions for me to hear.
Two days later I got a phone call from Pawel who said I should come into the school about 5pm that afternoon. He was going to record a vocal demo version
and I should be there. I duly turned up and discovered the reason I should be there was because Pawel had decided I would sing the vocal to his instrumental
demos. In the school hall. With people moving around. And a proper recording engineer in the school box. We did one version and then Pawel came down and said
we would now do one completely live and he would accompany me on the piano. That's where the photo above came from. We did it and you can hear an extract. I'm
sure you'll agree that's enough.
Next Pawel arranged an orchestra, some singers and we contributed with a recording studio. There were some rehearsal days in the school and
then it was time to record. It was a magical time for me and, from the faces I was watching, for many of the youngsters involved who had never been
in a recording studio before. This is the finished version.
At the end of the recording, my partner asked Pawel, who claimed, justifiably, that he could play a piece of music in any style, to do the song in a jazz style.
He agreed, shut me in the vocal sound booth with instructions to sing along, and went off to the piano. I had no idea what he would play but it was great fun.
Incredibly, in my view, we finished at exactly the same time.
1999 – Wrote special words to Ode to Joy for opening of EU financed computer suite at Newlands Primary School, Ramsgate.
Back to the top of CV
RADIO
2004 – half hour radio interview in Perth, Western Australia with a lady who, if I remember correctly, had her bike in the studio with her. She was also
impossible to find and not very clued-up on why she was doing the interview.
2003 – 10 minute radio interview in Poland which was far more satisfactory as it was for a student radio station and the young interviewer had done her homework.
Sadly, in the finished version, she spoke in Polish so I have no idea what was said to me in this recording.
1994-95 – weekly 5 minute strand on local radio regarding coastline journey (sometimes live, sometimes recorded. One given from outside the gates of
Sandringham, on bended knee, just in case)
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WEB DESIGN
2014-19 designed, coded, produced three websites for own work. Education one is here, the
photographic one is here and you are reading the other one.
2012 – 2015 designed, coded, produced and maintained website for car sales business,
run by my eldest son. Have now taught him to update it himself.
2011 – designed, coded and produced website for intended coastal journey. The website was withdrawn a year later for several reasons. One was the collapse of
a company who had agreed a sponsorship deal, secondly the government’s new curriculum was earmarked for a 2014 start date and we wanted to ensure we fitted in with
this, and thirdly there were some defamatory, libellous and false statements made by a disgruntled ex-partner and a possible employee who I had rejected.
It was at this stage that I went into retirement. It would appear that the modern world, and the internet, allows systematic bullying and a barrage of lies to
be published as fact. Our own police force have explained to me their difficulty in stopping such events, although investigations are still going on. However,
Tina Maze, amongst others, convinced me to once again take my life under my control and make my way, my decision. By the way, she doesn’t know this.
2011 – designed, coded, produced and maintained website for Arrow Car Sales (site now defunct)
2010 – coded and produced website for personal coach who happens to be my ex-wife (site now as defunct as our marriage)
2008 – Coded and produced website for IslandHomeHolidays in New Zealand to instruction, also filmed short film clips and took photographs (site now defunct)
2007 – Coded and produced website for young children about travel
2006 – Coded, produced and then updated travel website
2004 – Re-designed, coded and produced website for project I was working on in Australia and New Zealand.
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OTHER NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AND EXPERIENCES (well I think they are)
2012 – ran an It’s-a-Knock-out competition as part of a wedding reception for a friend of my daughter (I don’t choose her friends)
2011 – beat my eldest son 4-1 in an hour of badminton. He claimed he was unwell.
2007 – experienced earthquake while in Samoa (5.8 on richter scale).
2007 – time with turtles in Samoa
2007 – interview with Samoan Prime Minister, kept waiting for 3 hours, Guess he may have been asleep. To be fair, he had just been presented with about
20 mats, 10 cartons of sardines, 20 of corned beef and a couple of hides of beef amongst other things.
2007 – watched Palolo festival in Samoa
2007 – spent 6 hours in small boat whale watching in Tonga. Never saw one, so taken out the next day, free of charge. Never saw one again but got
caught and drenched in sudden tropical storm. Man who ran the hostel where we were staying rang our crew to tell them there was a whale right outside the
hostel. We were a few miles away, getting wet.
2007 – met with aide to King of Tonga
2007 – interview with Tourism Minister in Fiji (I forget her name) but met Frank Bainimarama, the leader of the coup held in 2006 and, since then, the
Prime Minister. Found him a most reasonable man but was worried I would call him Bananarama as I had been doing, in private, in the previous weeks. In 1972,
my parents were having a house built in St Osyth in Essex and I had to pick up the key as they were still in London. The builder’s name was Siddons but,
thanks to The Goodies, I knocked on his door and asked for Mr Gibbons
2007 attended Kiwiburn Festival in New Zealand.
2006 – Zorbed
2006 – Jet boat ride
2006 – Walked on a glacier
2006 – co-interviewed Dr Pita Sharples, NZ MP and co-leader of Maori Party
2005 – helped crew and steer America’s Cup yacht in Auckland
2002 – drove at 267 kph on German autobahn, legally.
2002 – flew for the first time, luckily I was inside a plane
1997 – spent much of summer playing tennis against a neighbour, 20 years younger, who claimed, to a friend, he would ‘beat the old man in a game’.
Played once or twice a week for six months and he never won a set. Once beat him 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 and the last two games were agony because I knew I would never be
able to get that score again.
1996-2001 – spent a lot of time with speech therapist helping my son with his dyspraxia. Learnt so much about how we speak etc and, indeed, the working of the
human brain. Thank you Ms Gildersleeve, as you were. James’ subsequent successes, apart from those at cricket, are partly due to your hard work and knowledge
1982–1986 – ran various superstar competitions for kids for local charities
1982 – undertook army assault course at Colchester garrison with group of young trainees – they enjoyed it, I didn’t like the height of the scramble net
1982 – instigated and organised ‘Wivenhoe Mile’ for local carnival
1977 – received serious eye injury when playing squash and taking the maxim keep your eye on the ball too seriously. Six weeks of eye drops 3 times daily and I
hate having anything in my eyes. Told not to play again as similar injury could result in loss of sight. Played tennis one month later and managed to edge ball into
same eyebrow. Luckily tennis ball too big for eye. Been great advocate of big balls ever since
1973 – hit one and only six in final competitive cricket game.
1972-1976 – Amateur rally driver in national and restricted events – 3 victories, 2 seconds and, on the 1974 Crowsfoot Rally, got completely lost and, scarily,
drove wrong way down forest stage for half a mile or so till we realised. My navigator was permanently car sick, he was a great mechanic, meaning I often navigated
and drove.
1971 – while umpiring in cricket game (batting side often provided one umpire) gave batsman run out then noticed no one had appealed. Fielders then noticed my
raised digit so quickly picked my nose and, following appeal, gave it not out.
1970 – fielded for Old Boys team during opening stand of over 200 against Honor Oak, Spent much time in nearby field, retrieving ball. On same day watched first
half of England v Germany world cup game in clubhouse, then left and drove home to Harrow from Honor Oak, arriving in time to see final whistle and watch extra time
and see England defeated.
1969- dislocated shoulder during another game against a hospital team and had it put back inside one minute by more trainee doctors.
1969 – briefly paralysed when playing St Thomas’ Hospital at Rugby after being asked to play in scrum as our prop had got lost. I reckon the trainee doctors
knew which nerves to squash. Before each Saturday rugby game, mother insisted I have a cooked breakfast which I duly ate and then went upstairs and threw up. Was
always very nervous before playing either cricket or rugby.
1968 – played 20 minutes of seven-a-side practice game with severely torn ankle ligaments but too shy to tell anyone. Took 10 minutes to remove rugby boot in
changing room. Then walked home, over 2 miles. Six weeks in plaster. Inadvertently trod on football in back garden 4 weeks after incident while not having a kick
about as instructed.
1968 – chose to play in house cricket match on afternoon of History ‘A’ level. Took exam in morning and then placed under Colditz conditions until 2.00 pm and
start of exam for everyone else. We won the game.
1968 – School 3rd XV at Rugby. Once coached by Bruce Davies, who told me his little sister could tackle better than me; basically I was happy to agree. Also,
briefly, coached by Ian Robertson, now BBC rugby correspondent. I don’t think he had a sister, or, as a back himself, he liked me more.
1968 – School 3rd eleven at Cricket
1968 – awarded house colours for cross-country running for finishing seventh in 4½ mile run across Hampstead Heath. Award rescinded five minutes later when it
was discovered I had only covered half the figure-of-eight course; something at the time of the award that was known only to me. Was told to continue but suffered
sudden, and near fatal, attack of cramp shortly after and had to retire. Never liked running, unless it was competitive and 400 metres or less.
1965 – suffered delayed concussion in rugby game, travelled home and collapsed on stairs, being sick over mother. Seemed fair as she had been bringing me up
since birth.
1964–72 – broke/dislocated 3 fingers on left hand, 2 on right while fielding in cricket games. Only stood at short leg because I already had two, both fairly
square. Now am suffering for this as, in cold weather, fingers seize quite easily.
1964 – In inter-house cricket league ended with season figures of 54-17-105-35 including one spell of 8-5-7-8. In 15 innings scored nearly 30 runs. I think
I was a bowler. Asked to captain for one game, won toss, elected to bat, decided to open, out first ball and then it rained.
1953 – fell from father’s car doing 30 mph, the car not me, when going round a roundabout. Bounced on head so no real damage. Not quite accurate as suffered
delayed concussion that night
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WORK
1984–present – Freelance writer, media producer, photographer, resource developer
2001 – Third coastline trip
1996-2000 – Freelance, developing resources and home-schooling my eldest son from my second marriage. He recently achieved a First Class Honours degree in
Law and History in New Zealand.
1994-1995 – Second coastline journey as school project
1991–1993 – Training Manager at Portals of Harwich where my company provided the tutors. Essentially, for two years, I was employing myself. Was once sent
a reluctant participant on one of the ‘back-to-work’ courses we ran. The tutor sent him to my office, with no explanation why, and the guy sat down and said he
could see no point in being there, he wouldn’t get a job. I began to explain the benefits of such a course and how he could perhaps begin to find something he
would enjoy or had done in the past, maybe as a hobby, when he stopped me and explained he had just come out of prison, having done 15 years for murder. I quickly
agreed the course was not for him and he left.
1988-2000 – Owner of ComputerUse Training Organisation
1986–1988 – Head Tutor/Trainer at Colchester Chamber of Commerce. Once ran special course for retail workers, helping them identify potential shoplifters.
Course covered by local press who, next week, ran a story titled ‘Teaching them the tricks of the shoplifting trade’, with my photo next to it.
1985–1986 – First coastline journey with family
1983–1985 – Resource Development Manager and Tutor at CTAD
1982–1983 – Life and Social Skills Tutor for Essex County Council
1981-1982 – Youth Work with Essex County Council
1978-1981 – Sedgwicks as a Pensions Manager, looking after schemes with several million pounds invested annually.
1968-1978 – GRE Group in the Life and Pensions sections; actuarial work
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EDUCATION
1962-68 – UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SCHOOL – HAMPSTEAD
‘A’ levels
Statistics
History
British Constitution
Economics ‘AO’ level (who knows?)
Use of English ‘O’ levels
Maths – twice (don’t ask)
Additional Maths
English Language
English Literature
History
French Failed
Latin
Science
Art (with distinction – I believe) 1959-62 – QUAINTON HALL PREPARATORY SCHOOL – HARROW – they took me back 1962 – on for third place in 440 yards (yes I am that old) race in schools sports. Ran past father who shouted something at me. Looked back to see what he meant and lost one place. Later discovered he said ‘turn it on’ and not ‘turn around’. He never coached me again.
1961 – Maths Prize – runner-up
1960 – Maths prize
1957-59 – LEEDS GRAMMAR SCHOOL, JUNIOR BRANCH, LEEDS
1957 – on first games day at this school was due to play rugby but had only played football back in the south. Arrived down to breakfast and found a
complete drawing of a rugby pitch and all playing positions, names and some rules.
That’s good parenting and he was there for me, when needed, every day for the rest of his life, and, in spirit, ever since. The kindest man I have ever known.
1956-57 – RICHMOND HOUSE AND FAR HEADINGLEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL, HEADINGLEY, LEEDS
During this time my mother was seriously ill and I used to walk to and from school on my own, at the age of 7. Does that happen nowadays or was the
world really a safer place then?
Met Eddie Waring one afternoon when he arrived to pick up his son, who was at the same school. Recognised him straight away as
there were loads of kids crowded round his car. My first meeting with a TV star, which he probably wasn’t then. Went home for early bath.
1954-56 – QUAINTON HALL PREPARATORY SCHOOL – HARROW
THE BEGINNINGS
1949 – born, apparently 3 weeks late, the last time I was late for anything, on July 17th at 8.10am, just in time for breakfast
1948 – conceived in Geneva, or, less likely as my father-to-be hated flying, on a plane back from Geneva. I am possibly part Swiss which explains
my love of chocolate and timekeeping and maybe skiing.
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4 - NOTES
All thoughts and views are mine. I do not intend any offence.
Like, it would appear, a fair number of people, some ex-associates of mine used the internet to publish a load of lies in an attempt, in my view, to
justify their own inadequacies and failings. One was a young lady with whom I had been in contact about employment and who then lied to me and others about
her situation. She conned me out of some money and then tried to get more. Despite anything you may read, she was never employed by me. Furthermore, in my view,
her abilities, as described on the CV she sent me, are false. Her level of English is way below any standard I would accept and her drawing ability is laughable.
Even her uni had to warn her about her behaviour. I would ask you to ignore anything you may see from her.
The second person was my ex-partner. I am told the two had never been in contact but their two websites appeared within a week of each other and were so
similar it was laughable. In this case I am afraid it is a case of jealousy. Her writings, considering what she and I went through in Samoa, are disgusting. She
makes innuendos and false statements, is undoubtedly guilty of libel and defamation and is also quite happy to use material gained illegally by the man she
married after I left her. While in her company in 2008/9 I was subjected to her appalling behaviour, including having all my telephone conversations taped.
Luckily, I had been warned and was aware of this. Nevertheless it is not only illegal but also the behaviour of someone who really knows how to live in the gutter.
Her reasons are that she cannot bear to think anyone could succeed without her, despite the fact that I succeeded very well before I met her. 90% of what she says
on her site, if it still exists, is false. The police have investigated her publishings but it would appear that prosecution is impossible unless you have a
lot of money to spare and even if I did I wouldn't bother.
Anyone who knows me will be well aware of the lies and, quite frankly, if anyone believed the rubbish, I wouldn't want to be associated with them in any
way. As the policeman told me, “if you had done any of the things she said, she would surely alert the police and I can confirm that there is no police
investigation into you anywhere in the world”. Enough said.
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