It all started when…

The youngest of three brothers, I was born and bred in Birmingham, UK. Qualified in two industries, Hotel Management (from Portsmouth Polytechnic) and Finance. Spent 30 employed years between the two trades, including five years aboard the five star Royal Viking Line cruise ships (RV Sea, RV Sky and RV Star) seeing and working a lot of the world, enjoying visits to fifty or so countries, ranging from Tasmania, Singapore, USA, Canada, Borneo, Vanuatu, Hong Kong & The Solomon Isles to some great transits, like The Panama, Kiel and Suez canals - awesome! A once in a lifetime opportunity, but you have to be prepared to work 7 days a week for 6 months at a time!!

Have also been Hotel Restaurant Manager (Chichester) & Hotel Assistant Manager (Bournemouth) in the UK as well as Special Interest Breaks Manager for 10 years with Forestdale Hotels, based in The New Forest, working with the likes of Artist David Shepherd, Concorde pilot Chris Orlebar, Master of Wines Jonathan Pedley and champion Jockeys Willie Carson & Hywel Davies to provide inclusive breaks and talks for our guests. I am a Full Member (MIH) of the Institute of Hospitality

In finance, I worked with both Sun Life of Canada & BHFS, graduating with both companies and passing through FPC 1, 2 & 3 as well as membership of the LIA

But there is still much to see and do!! I have enjoyed writing since my teen years, particularly poetry and short stories, and will be putting a new mix of both onto the site in the Spring of 2025. I am a full member of the SOA (Society of Authors)

I am now self- employed, freelance writing and offering GHOSTWRITING SERVICES  (see my ghostwriting page for more detail of 'The Garden House on the Corner.. the story of a Berkshire lad’ by Keith Howkins, available now from all booksellers, ISBN 978-1906631512). This is a very successful book written in conjunction with Keith, and is of particular interest to those who reside in either Berkshire (particularly Reading) and Buckinghamshire (particularly High Wycombe). I have limited signed copies available at the moment.

I also continue to run our successful Art business, which I joined in 2008. My wife, Professional Artist Cherie Wheatcroft, very sadly passed away in June 2023 - however, the website is still available to enjoy, browse and buy; www.cheriewheatcroft.com

Music has also been a love of mine since learning the acoustic guitar with the patient help of my step-brother Tony Kelsey (currently playing with the great Robert Plant in ‘Saving Grace’ -he also played in the ‘Bev Bevan Band’, touring with Jasper Carrot and ‘Quill’), and have played in many different hotels, restaurants etc, often with my own songs as well as some of my own favourites. The late greats Dan Fogelberg and Gordon Lightfoot are big favourites, together with Simon & Garfunkel -some of their songs earnt me many meals on the metros of Paris and on the streets of London!! I am finalising and recording my set of material from my own life adventures, and hope to have all available on site from Spring 2025!

For something unusual, people used to say I looked like Billy Connolly, so I did a stint of being 'Billy Conn' (soundalike and lookalike) with my banjo in tow in 2008-2011 and did stand up in many venues including Dorchester, Corfe Castle and Bournemouth, entertaining from 14 guests to 500 !! A little intro I did is available on my 'Billy Conn' page! I now live on the south coast and my motto for each day - live it to the full!!