Born in Ashford Middlesex, I had the benefit of living with in spitting distance of an open-air swimming pool. Spitting was not allowed of course.

This is where I first swam, I can still remember when pushed myself away from the steps for the first time and sculled back to the side, now some 40 years + I still enjoy the freedom that the water brings, perhaps it is the closest I will get to feel like flying.

With my brothers and sister, we spent most of our summers in the pool, mum would pass food over the wall, we went there in our swim wear and did not have the need for baskets for clothes, so when it was "Red Bands Out" or any of the other colours - we stayed.

The pool was six lanes wide and 36 2/3rd yards long. It had a glorious fountain at the shallow end. Away from the deep end was a paved area for sunbathing and there was a shop that was on a bridge over the River Ash.

Sadly the pool is now a housing estate.

I joined Staines Swimming Club in 1967, this was the year the new pool was built. I was an average swimmer, just pleased to belong and only swam in club gala's. I was proud to be Boys team captain for 5 years. I did do my first "Masters" gala at Southend on Sea in 1984, I was known as a senior.

I stopped swimming in 1990 and put on 2 stone. Di Hargraves, who I had known from Staines and was now with Kingston had been asking me to come back to swimming for some time, so I did. I joined Kingston Royals in 1992 as I realised that I missed the sport.  The coach at the time, Jim Dobinson, persuaded me to enter local competitions.  Ann van Buekelen persuaded me to be Team Manager, which I did for aout 6 years. The local competitions lead on to County, District, National and International events.   In addition to Swimming with Kingston Royals, I joined Kings Cormorants, a pure Masters Club in Wimbledon, coached by Jane Asher.  We have travelled to many a country competing and having fun. All was going along nicely until 1999/2000 when I was coming to the end of the "C" age group 35-39. Moving up age groups in Masters seems always to inspre us to a new lease of life. So I was to move to the "D" age group.  I decided that I wanted to concentrate on my own swimming as I wanted to achive the sub-minute for the 100m Free a dream that most swimmers have.  See the sub one minute page for details.

I was honoured to be the President of the Club for 2001/2.

In 2004 I joined Bracknell & Wokingham Swimming Club after meeting Bob in 2002 and moving there in 2003. Jim is the coach of Bracknell so I knew the standard of training I would expect. I still have membership with Kingston Royals and Kings Cormorants.

I have travelled as far as New Zealand to the 2002 World Masters Swimming event where I achieved a 7th in the 400m Free, 8th in the 800m Free and 9th in the 200m Free.

So going on, what can I say, life is good, swimming is good, if you want to achieve something, believe in yourself that you can and you will - I did.