Page 9 - Oundle Life October 2021

Africa is close to my heart, and some of the finest moments of my life have been there – and a charity that can have such an impact on young people’s lives and their future, makes something like African Promises school building and eco projects a winner in my head and my heart.
Are you a member of any sports clubs? I should be, but when working I don’t have the time, with rugby coaching most weekends. When I retire, who knows?
Most challenging moment? A few personal ones, a few professional ones, but I guess ones where people’s lives might be at risk, often on expeditions, should top the list. A cliff face in Australia, a herd of buffalos in Kenya, and some rattlesnakes in the Grand Canyon come to mind.
If you were granted one wish for Oundle, what would it be? An underground ring road and car park complex, as Bruges in Belgium has.
my study window across the Nene towards Cotterstock but it’s about to be built on (sad face) – so any vista towards St Peter’s I guess.
Who makes you laugh? An eclectic mix
of Radio 4 comics – and my present ‘go to’ streaming humour is Famalam on BBC Three.
Dinner out or at home? Home cooked every time – too stingy to go out much!
...and a favourite tipple to go with it?
Probably a delicious Barnwell bitter product. Dog, cat or iguana – who’s at home? Cats. What brings you joy? Music – Mahler and
Midnight Oils bookend my life.
Who inspires you? It’s probably a terrible
cliché, but in my new role, my predecessor Tony Robinson – he was instructive in how to bring diverse groups of people together in tough times, and also in how to bounce back from council based disappointment.
Image credits: Tim Stubbs & Susie Valentine-Pyle
Your favourite local view? I would say from
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