Q: What first inspired you to join our club?
A. I first joined the Lower Blue Mountains RC in 1984. When we moved from NSW, I knew that to find our place, I needed to put into the community by giving before taking. The Emerald Rotary community is full of giving.
Q: What is a personal Rotary highlight?
A: Getting involved with the Gembrook Classic Car event and organising member job allocations for the event, that members enjoy, gives me a sense of contributing.
Q: What Rotary project (current or new) would you most like to be involved in in the future?
A: To stay with the Gembrook Classic Car event but to help develop others to take over in the future.
Q: What is the best thing about being a member of this club?
A: Mixing with a group who are adventurous, generous, kind-hearted and of high integrity.
Q: What is a life philosophy or mantra that you live by?
A: Help people to laugh a lot. It’s so hard to die whilst laughing.
Q: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
A: To foresee the next 20 years and understand the mistakes we need to avoid.
Q: What was your very first job?
A: After completing a 5-year apprenticeship with a Royal Navy contractor, in Brighton England I joined the Merchant Navy, P&O, as an Electrical Officer on SS Canberra and circumnavigated the world 6 times. In doing so I learned that there is no universal normal, we are all individually normal.
Q: Who, dead or alive, would you most like to have dinner with?
A: Two people, my dad who grew from being a Welsh coal miner to Chief Building Inspector of British Rail southern division and my brother John who was severely autistic. I never really understood how he dealt with such adversity. Now that I’m more mature, I would better understand their achievements.
Q: When you are not busy completing Rotary tasks, what do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I love woodwork, having completed a full-time course with one of Australia’s leading Furniture Design and Maker schools in NSW. Currently I design and make jewellery boxes for charity fund raising.
Q: What is the biggest lesson life has taught you?
A: Never let one’s ego get ahead of one’s true abilities.
