Tag: family time

Being Bettina’s Dad – The gift that keeps giving

We are coming to the end of our coffees and, in Bettina’s case, hot chocolate. It is a Sunday morning and you can always find us in a café before the weekly shop. Joyce (my wife) is giving me serious eye contact which I am returning back to her. It feels like a face off,… Read More ›

DO WHAT IS IMPORTANT AND LET THE REST GO

My Story There is a certain point in the morning that if I walk down to the book shop, I will pass the security check point at ‘Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe’ (SHAPE) where new arrivals have to show their ID cards to the international military police. It’s November 1983 and I am hoping to… Read More ›

Being Bettina’s Dad: What is Courage without Fear?

“Hello…….Is there anyone there?” Bettina is calling from upstairs and looking over the banister. Our home can be noisy and the atmosphere is always filled with laughter and chatter 99.9% of the time – there are, after all, four adults living together in Bettina’s house. This evening, our house is unusually quiet, two of the… Read More ›

Leadership Pack (October 2018)

Welcome to the October Leadership Pack 2018. Damian Piper from Effective Challenge (http://effectivechallenge.com ) has written another excellent piece especially for our Leadership Pack community called, ‘‘finding your bearings to move forward – what conversation do you need?” Thanks Damian, I especially liked your description of ‘projects’. I am constantly learning and (hopefully) developing as… Read More ›

Being Bettina’s Dad: Enchanting by being fascinating and delightful

Driving home from a family get together in Manchester this weekend, I reflected on how Bettina has, once again, enchanted everyone and I am reminded, yet again, how much she inspires her family. Bettina’s wider family have followed her progress since she came into our world over 30 years ago. A person who was at… Read More ›

Being Bettina’s Dad: A Role Model for Bettina

Climbing out of my snow hole, I received a letter from home. This was no mean feat as I was somewhere in the Arctic Circle and about a month into a winter deployment with 3 Commando Brigade. It was the news I had dreamed of from Joyce– we were going to have a baby! I… Read More ›