I was born and bred in Stafford, where I have remained to this day.

I trained as a Primary School teacher at Chester College from 1966-69. It was there where my love of geography was able to blossom further and my first trip ever to the Lakes was with the College Geographical Society. Since then, I have taken every opportunity to plant 'geographical seeds' in primary children even within the constraints of the National Curriculum.

I have taught in four Staffordshire schools and held various responsibilities in them from Head of P.E. and Games in one to Deputy Head for seven years in another, culminating in 20 years' Headship at my final school. I still practise in Staffordshire and Shropshire and 'am actively involved on North Staffs GA.

I love sport, especially skiing and even enjoy the odd black run. I walk when I can and do a bit of running but nothing like my Stafford AC days when I used to run the Yorkshire Three Peaks Fell Race!

My love of the Lakes is such that I would dearly love to live there one day (in my dreams!). The wonderful friendship and fellowship within the OFC has considerably enhanced my feelings for the Lakes and other delights like the Peak District, which is on my doorstep. I feel highly privileged to be able to support this new sister site and hope my small contributions will be of some interest to members, as I reflect in different ways on 'AW', hoping it will possibly act as a catalyst for members to add their own comments from their considerably greater wealth of knowledge and experience of Lakeland.