I want to win the war against getting older. Impossible of course but I want to win every battle during the war
So I do what it necessary to be fitter to live longer and to maintain an alert mind so I can enjoy the longer life
I was 80 in January 2023. I still enjoy full time work, sport and family life and I intend for this to continue despite the increasing effects of numerous breaks, dislocations and surgeries all over my body. Rugby is a tough sport but it is a wonderful team sport. Motor racing was great when I was starting to feel too old (40) to play the serious rugby I still played at 38. I won quite a few Jaguar and Porsche trophies but ‘Oh for one more game of rugby’
Age-Fit has evolved during the last 15 years – the most difficult years of my life. Physical capability reducing during the most frustrating period in my whole business life. I had my gym – StoneleighFit – and The Ram Run to motivate me to prolong my years of high intensity interval training and heavy weight lifting. Six years ago my obsession – machine tool engineering – took a positive leap forward and I gave up the gym. However I still maintain those exercises in a less intensive way. Golf has become my personal sport and I play 36 holes every weekend.
Age-Fit exercises are simple – designed to maintain and, if needed, to develop flexibility and strength around the major joints – neck, back, hips and knees, basically these will benefit the whole body and help maintain a healthy posture and, most importantly, to maintain confidence in your balance.
The principle of Age-Fit is keeping the mind alert at all times. Conversation when exercising has serious benefits. That is why your memory bank is so important
My life experiences in international business can start discussions – I built up a millionaire company in the 1970’s, several more during the 1980’s, had it all taken away by government ineptitude and ministerial lies. That cost me all my working capital in a capital intensive industry.
My millionaire years, My obsession and Triumph and Disaster sections in this web site tell why I feel I have a right to say what I think about the way our leaders(?) run the country I love. This I do in my Daily Rant is a great stimulation to chase your blood around at pressure. If you don’t agree with me shout back! Keep thinking, keep talking!
- My business life – during 62 years in the machine tool industry I have several times met those two impostors – Triumph and Disaster, and I treat them just the same
- 30 years of major success enabled me to buy the No. 1 UK machine tool builder, Wickman Bennett. It was losing its place as a world leader and losing money. I took it back to the top and to great profit. Then I had to watch it being destroyed in 1992 by the machine tools for Iraq fiasco
- This link to our website will take you to a lot of information about what we have done
https://www.vtt-wb.com/about-us/
- For me memorable achievements were:-
- – Taking a 3 man family firm to a major engineering group 1961 – 1976
- – Successfully managing the purchase and sale of Timex Dundee plant in 1983 – a potential time bomb – the biggest such deal in history – 2600 precision machines
- – Taking Wickman Bennett back to world class and profitable position 1989 – 1992
- My sporting life – my father was a fine athlete and an international AAA coach
- Despite a business life demanding constant world wide travel I was able to compete quite successfully in athletics and enjoyed a first class rugby career that eventually switched to coaching and management
- The downside of rugby is in my injury history. Broken bones – all 5 lumbar vertebrae, leg, nose (8 times), chin, dislocated shoulder (surgery), dislocated ankle, dislocated fingers and thumbs. For 40 years I have used exercise to minimize pain and negatives caused by these injuries
- Playing rugby for England U19 Schools diverted my plans to be a modern languages/PE teacher via Oxbridge to going first to Loughborough Colleges, enticed by the prospect of 3 years full time sport
- A few weeks into the first term playing 7’s for the College I damaged my shoulder so badly that it required major surgery. I could not continue the course. The injury would keep me out of sport for nearly a year.
- My father thought I could help him in his young 3 man business for six months before going back to the modern languages plan. That 6 month plan was to become a 15 years major success in the machine tool industry
- – For the new owners of a 2000 people company in Czech Republic I managed the first three years of changes 2000-03
- – Webster & Bennett had been destroyed by the VC’s. I bought the wreck, joined a Belgium group and once again took W&B back to world class position 2004-07
- – for the Belgian group I spent a year managing one of their companies out serious 2004, In French language
- – late 2007 the Belgians wanted to take W&B to Belgium. I would not support it. The cost to me was very high losing what remained of my working capital – but I retained my integrity
- I enjoyed a first class rugby career with Blackheath, London Scottish and several top Invitation teams until I was struck down with Bronchial Pneumonia and Pleurisy, age 28.
- Six months later I decided to give up my senior rugby ambitions and to play for Old Elthamians and the Invitation teams. My final game, age 50, was for Blackheath Golden Oldies in South Africa against Former Springboks XV
- During my 40’s I replaced my reducing rugby with motor racing – mainly Lister Jaguar XJS, E Types and Porsche 944 Turbo. All the UK major circuits and in Holland, Germany and Belgium. I enjoyed a fair number of wins😇😇
- We were also head sponsors for several Jaguar meetings
Warwick 2007.- In 4 years from almost zero to the UK’s most efficient machine tool builder
What could have been!
Webster & Bennett back to world class for the second time, this time small size with super high efficiency level – 2007 sales 17 machines, £9m, 31 employees. A first class UK supply chain for 30 ton machined castings to high precision spindles.
I could not believe it when the Belgians said they wanted to take the production to Belgium.
To this day I have never been able to answer my own questions – see next section
Such frustration, such anger – was suicide an option? No chance, not for me! Get up and fight back
Having survived psychologically if not financially the government fiasco of 1992 and then my misjudgement in letting the venture capitalists take control of Webster & Bennett in 1999 leading to its first demise I could not believe I was again faced with success leading to the company being destroyed.
I had always been able to handle ‘Triumph and Disaster’ but this time sheer frustration and disbelief nearly tipped the balance.
I had never been so down in my whole life – had it all been a waste of time?
It took me several weeks to recover and then the support of major companies, like Kaiser Rockwell, and our brilliant supply chain persuaded me to continue to fight for the UK
The Belgians then decided to liquidate the company that was full of 90+% completed machines that they bought’for a song’
Some people say I should have ‘looked after myself’ and accepted the financially generous package and moved the company – no!
| Although I have never been able to get the funding to rebuild the company yet again we have continued in a very small way To keep my mind strong and alert I work at it every day |
Upper left – Porsche trophies top shelf, Jaguar trophies below
Lower left – my 2 best race performances. Win at Silverstone, 2nd at Oulton Park
Upper right – Heineken Amsterdam International Sevens. 1981 – 88 we contested six finals, winning two
Lower right – my Murrayfield Sevens runners up medal
