What are you doing these days?
I am currently a business owner and managing director of GNR Consulting Ltd. After 20 plus years in the construction industry mainly dealing with product distribution, my business is a product identification consultancy based in Gosforth, Newcastle. We specialize working closely with civil engineers & technical teams mainly on housebuilder sector. Filling the voids around value engineering & problem solving for things like tackling water pollution for the environmental agency & we have our very own digital design hub which engineers can access online as a registered account holder via our website. This has all happened with being a glass half full personality, not being afraid to ask questions and also not being afraid of being told no.
What are your memories of being at Shotton Hall?
School was a genuinely happy spell for me. I lived in the same street as four of my mates in Lumley Drive and we'd walk to school and back every day up 'the black path'.
Being a decent footballer and on the school team, I was always made feel part of a few groups socially across my year group which always gave me confidence, despite struggling in class with attention span and academia. Mr. Padgham was an amazing support to me in Years 9, 10 and 11. Particularly as I think he spotted potential in me, not just from the school team but the get the best out of me in his English class as well. In the end, I achieved a C in both Language and Literature.
What are some of your biggest achievements?
Just like most lives across the world, there are the highest of highs and lowest of lows to deal with. My first real high was without a doubt playing as a goalkeeper at the old Wembley Stadium back in 2000, whilst being at Darlington FC's Centre of Excellence as a school boy. We played on a Friday night against Peterborough United in front of around 33,000 people. That was the catalyst for me to go on and make it, and in the summer of 2003 aged 16, I signed a three-year YTS contract at the club. I also set up a goalkeeping coaching business for 11 years which also included working at Newcastle United's Development Centre for 2 years. A very proud achievement being a life long NUFC fan.
Fast forward to 2022, I had what would be the moment of my career (this was like a Dragons Den moment), where I had the opportunity to develop a product with one of the biggest housebuilders in the country, Barratt David Wilson Homes. This is where the identity of my business came from following this moment in time.
On top of all that, I have a wonderful family, I've been married for 11 years now to Kathryn (who is also an ex-Shotton Hall student), and we have a beautiful daughter Emily, aged 7, who is following in my footsteps of being a goalkeeper.
How did your time at Shotton Hall prepare your for life after school?
Great question. I think the teachers overall had a wonderful mix of different attributes to look up to and then take with me into the big, bad world. Discipline, patience, humour, empathy & drive to improve and develop into the best version of yourself.
What are some of your future plans & ambitions?
What I know about myself is there's an inner mechanism & engine to keep on improving, striving for better. My GNR business started literally 12 months ago and we already have a new business plan to take it to the next level. Let your life lead you rather than the other way round. Life is a journey (as cheesy that sounds) and things happen every day, some things happen out of the blue and can change your thought process, your plans and even the destination on your sat nav.