I was born in Liverpool UK. Educated at Walton Technical College and studied Engineering at Liverpool Polytechnic earning a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering.
I suffered an accident at the age of 20 that left me paraplegic I had to abandon my plans to become a Ships Engineer and followed instead an office bound career in engineering design. At the age of 26 I left the UK to travel the world and ended up eventually in South Africa finding employment in Springs in the telecommunications industry. This lasted for six years before I became restless and set off to travel through Africa with his new wife Eliska Puczkova, an artist and writer from Czechoslovakia.
We eventually landed in Malawi and I soon became involved with setting up an organisation to combat the effects of polio suffered by African children. This endeavour took over my life and I established workshops throughout the country making walking aids, wheelchairs and calipers for disabled children. I also became involved with setting up polio vaccination programmes in partnership with Save the Children Fund. The success of these ventures, funded principally through Rotary International, inspired the establishment of the Polio Plus Campaign which has all but eradicated Polio in most countries of the world.
My efforts in Malawi earned international recognition and in 1984 I was received in audience by Pope John Paul at the Vatican. I was also presented with a Melvin Jones Fellowship by Lions International for dedicated humanitarian service.
Following my work in Malawi I was contracted by the United Nations “Impact” Programme on Avoidable Disability. In this capacity I travelled to many countries in Africa initiating Primary Healthcare programmes in rural communities.
Upon my return to South Africa I took up a position as Director of the Heart Foundation. I also worked for a number of different organisations mainly in the health sector as well as working as Director of Development for the Democratic Party (Now the DA).
I have extensive experience in Fund-Raising and media and have raised more than $30 million for the various organisations I have worked with.
I have a diploma in Management Studies from the University of Liverpool and hold a BSc degree in Health Administration. I am currently on the Advisory Board for Liverpool Community Health Trust.
I have been a Rotarian for 30 years and am a Past President of Durban Musgrave and Durban Thekwini Clubs. I was awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship for services to Rotary. I returned to the UK in 2012 following the death of my wife Eliska. I have a daughter, Misha, who is currently a student studying Spatial Design.
I am so happy to be a part of Rotary again after an absence of almost two years. I have investigated a number of Clubs here in Liverpool, however, they all hold their meetings in venues quite inaccessible for me. And in fact there are not too many Clubs in the near vicinity of where I live, Just three! Other Clubs are situated quite some distance away and meet at odd hours.