On 19 July 1943, I was born in Blackpool, (that’s the town with the football team!) on the Fylde Coast, and there I spent the first thirty years of my life. I lived at the North End (nothing to do with that other football club), of the town at Norbreck, where the cliffs are covered with grass, the hotels are small and quiet and where the crowds of holidaymakers are never seen except when they pass on the tram on their way to Fleetwood market. Of course, when I was a child, Fleetwood was noted for trawlers and fish markets, rather than clothes markets. The ‘Fisherman’s Friend’ factory remains, but the fishermen have gone. I attended Norbreck Primary School and then Arnold High School and, on the whole, I enjoyed my school days. I worked hard at those subjects which I liked and did the minimum amount of work (or less) for all the others, and my reports clearly reflected this! They contained frequently those immortal words "could do better." I never knew that exam stress existed. I went on to Bishop Otter Teacher Training College in Chichester - not really in order to learn how to teach, but - yes you’ve guessed it - to continue doing those things I liked - sport, English and Religious Instruction. I discovered that I didn’t like teaching, so I left college after two years and eventually joined the Civil Service. I spent 12 years as a visiting officer in the Social Security Department (National Assistance Board when I joined) and then worked in various other departments until I took early retirement in 1995. ‘Retirement’ has since proved to be a complete misnomer. I then worked part time for the Pastoral Care department at Royal Preston Hospital, and I still spend half a day a week voluntarily visiting in the Ribblesdale Ward. In September 1999 I started my current part time employment as a lay worker for the Preston Circuit on the Cottam and Longsands estates.