Retiring in late 2014 was brilliant. Half a career teaching mainly English and Art, then half a career in the civil service largely writing and delivering training and presentations was over. I made myself a promise which was to avoid what frustrated or bored me so minimal IT and no dismal senior management to deal with.
In my twenties and thirties I did some freelance cartooning and wanted to get back to that. I also love allotment gardening and cooking so those were definite. We retired back to the sea, having lived in Southsea when first married and missed it when in commutersville nearer London. So, retirement also meant joining Bexhill Environmental Group (which organises beach cleans), doing the publicity for the local art society, and trying various activities through the U3A (University of the Third Age). I now love Bexhill on Sea which is pleasantly eccentric.
My daughter, meanwhile, became qualified as a marine biologist and so by osmosis and her patience I began to gather knowledge about marine issues, plus the occasional physical attack if I cooked the wrong fish. At the excellent Bexhill Festival of the Sea in 2016 I picked up various leaflets – a disease for which there is no cure – and the more I read about MCS the more I thought, ‘This is worthwhile’.
Therefore, in 2017 after the Festival and a chat with Volunteer Manager Kate I joined up as a Sea Champion. Slightly baffled by the number of other organisations with overlapping functions; Clean Seas, Sussex Wildlife and MSC, I thought MCS had the clearer overview.
My daughter, meanwhile, became qualified as a marine biologist and so by osmosis and her patience I began to gather knowledge about marine issues, plus the occasional physical attack if I cooked the wrong fish. At the excellent Bexhill Festival of the Sea in 2016 I picked up various leaflets – a disease for which there is no cure – and the more I read about MCS the more I thought, ‘This is worthwhile’.
Therefore, in 2017 after the Festival and a chat with Volunteer Manager Kate I joined up as a Sea Champion. Slightly baffled by the number of other organisations with overlapping functions; Clean Seas, Sussex Wildlife and MSC, I thought MCS had the clearer overview.
The next consideration was how could I be most useful? Well, teaching and training held me in good stead so I’ve now completed the preparation to go into schools to deliver MCS' education workshops. Then I thought I would draw a few cartoons which may amuse but get people thinking too. I sell my cartoon cards locally but they don’t have a message as such, so this was more of a challenge to balance the two. I hope that they are a useful tool to get people thinking about marine issues. Then next up is to give a talk to the area U3A about plastics in the marine environment.
It’s nice in your sixties to do something new and to use the skills acquired over the years. It’s also nice to be involved with all ages in MCS as many of the clubs, societies and activities available when you retire are a bit shuffler-dominated. Oh, I’m one of those too, so no criticism intended.
It’s nice in your sixties to do something new and to use the skills acquired over the years. It’s also nice to be involved with all ages in MCS as many of the clubs, societies and activities available when you retire are a bit shuffler-dominated. Oh, I’m one of those too, so no criticism intended.
I’d be happy to link up with anyone in the Hastings to Eastbourne area for local activities – please contact me via Kate (kate.whitton@mcsuk.org) if so. Regards, Steve Hall.
