Helping others help themselves in an ethical way

Jun 15 2009 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

As we hurtle through uncertain economic times, a new world order is taking shape, where social enterprise is king and co-operation is key. Andrew Mernin meets a man who aims to change the world by helping others help themselves

THE QUESTIONNAIRE

What car do you drive?
Tatty old Peugeot estate (Diesel/140,000 on the clock) I tend to buy old work horses and drive them till they fall apart

What’s your favourite restaurant?
Oblo’s in Eyemouth

Who or what makes you laugh?
Irony

What’s your favourite book?
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

What was the last album you bought?
Donna Summer (Greatest Hits)

What’s your ideal job, other than the one you’ve got?
I went self-employed in ‘95 with telling advice from my brother, ‘you’ll never work for anybody else again’, and I haven’t. So I guess self employed but working outside - maybe a fisherman.

If you had a talking parrot, what’s the first thing you would teach it to say?
Stop shaking

What’s your greatest fear?
Drowning

What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever received?
Have fun! And seriously, keep your eye on costs – look for the mutual benefits – it’s not all about profit

And the worst?
‘Don’t do it’

What’s your poison?
Wine

What newspapers do you read, other than The Journal?
I don’t, but lean toward the Guardian

How much was your first pay packet and what was it for?
Gardening at £3 per hour

How do you keep fit?
Walking my dog, Ben, and looking after four kids

Which historical or fictional character do you most identify with or admire?
The unknown soldier

What’s your most irritating habit?
An inability to even pretend to multi-task. And according to my brother leaving kids and dog fur all over his house

What’s your biggest extravagance?
A house in Shetland

Which four famous people would you most like to dine with?
Nelson Mandela
Bill Clinton
Goldie Hawn
Bob Marley

How would you like to be remembered?
Somebody who lived a long time, somebody who embraced life, who was willing to “have a punt”