A former head of department, communicator, author, poet,
film screen writer, and humanitarian worker offering more
than twenty years dealing with problem families.
KEY SKILLS
Strategy
Identifying new premises for work
Instigating Speedy Justice reports with the Scottish Police.
People
Management
Interviewing and supervising both professional and clerical staff
Supervising two offices 75 miles apart, eight professional staff and six
clerical staff.
Resolving conflict in Earthquake zone of south east Asia
Relationship
Skills
Conducting team meetings. Staff appraisal duties. Organising events
Personnel
counselling.
Financial
Authorising expenditure in department within budget limitations.
Key
Achievements
Conducting children’s hearings, prosecuting denied
offences in the Sheriff Courts
and defending Appeals in the Sheriffs Courts at Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, Ayr
and
Kilmarnock.
Training
Panel members inducting new reporters to their posts.
Public
Speaking engagements.
Illustrated presentations on SCRA,
Pakistan’s Earthquake and
on being an Author.
CAREER HISTORY
EMPLOYER DATES
Muslim Hands International Jan – March
2006
Camp Manger of 2,245 victims of the South East Asian Earthquake
at Mundihar
SPS Dumfries 2004-05
Writer in Residence Dumfries Prison Female Wing until it
closed.
SCRA 1984 – 2003
From Assistant Area Reporter in 1984 to Regional and Authority
Reporter from1996 – 2003.
Central Regional Council 1980 - 1984
Educational Social Worker based at St. Modans High School,
Stirling.
Overseas Council C of S 1973-78
Fraternal worker of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Secretary of the Tema
Council of Churches and Secretary of the Community Organisation Project.
EDUCATION
London University MA 1980
Glasgow University Dip Reporter Studies 1975
Moray House College CQSW Dip. SW 1969-72
Edinburgh
Glasgow Academy Higher: English History.
Ordinary: Mathematics, Arithmetic, French.
English, History, Physics
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS
Full clean driving licence.
Languages: Akan Twi and French.
AWARDS
2001 UK Award for Interagency work awarded by the Community
Care Magazine. (London)
2006 Muslim Hands International Award for services to the
South East Asian Earthquake March 2006 Islamabad.
COMMUNITY POSITIONS
President of Dumfries Burns Club 2000 (I am a direct descendant
of Robert Burns)
1994-2003 Chairman of the Dumfries branch of SASO (The Scottish
Association for the Study of Offending)
National Council member of SASO 1996- 2003
Convenor and Secretary of the Institute of Contemporary Scotland
1998-2003
Cross Party member of the Media Interests group. The Scottish
Parliament. 2007-
INTERESTS
Playing the piano and clarinet. Singer - Song writer, compost
production, all things West African. Novelist, writer, poet
and film script writer.
PUBLISHED WORKS
Novels
Restless Waves - a travel novel published by AuthorsOnLine.co.uk
and
Touzie Seas, the American version of Restless Waves under
Lulu Publishers
Operation Oboe published by AuthorsOnLine.co.uk and in the
USA by Harvest Books.
Self Help Books
Ponderings – a collection of short
stories and poems for those with failing
eyesight. Published by AuthorsOnLine.co.uk
Have You Seen My …ummm…Memory?
A self help Memory book. Published
by AuthorsOnLine.co.uk
Biography
Poet’s Progeny The descendants
of Robert Burns, his influence in their lives.
Published by AuthorsOnLine.co.uk
Humanitarian
7 Point 7 (On the Richter Scale) The diary of the Camp
Manager at Mundihar
NWFP Pakistan
NHS Booklet
It’s Me – Honest it is. This booklet was commissioned
by the West of Scotland University’s School of Nursing
and is sponsored by Alzheimer Society and Age Concern.
ARTICLES
The Scottish Review, New Society, Glasgow Herald, Medicine
Today and local press.
FILM SCRIPTS
The Call – a short Educational
film script concerning a child experiencing parental
death.
Chaz the Friendly Crocodile – a short educational film script addressing
anti-
social behaviour by children and delivering a contract of responsibility for
children.
The Solo Oboe – a full-length film script. It is based on my novel Operation
Oboe.
- b. 6.10.50, Bishopton Renfrewshire,
although my passport says Glasgow.
- m., Jocelyn M France BSc, MSc, ;
- 2 daughters. Educ. Kirriemuir Reform
St Primary, Glasgow Academy; London University; Moray
House College; Jordanhill College.
- Fraternal worker and missionary,
- Secretary to the Tema Council of Churches,
Chair Nungua Youth Committee, Ghana, West Africa, Overseas
Council, Church of Scotland 1972-78;
- Postgraduate student 1978-80 SOAS:
Educational Social Worker, Central Regional Council,
1980-83;
- Kilmarnock & Loudon Reporter 1983-88,
Area Reporter, Kyle & Carrick with Cumnock and Doon
Valley 1988-92, Principal Reporter, Dumfries & Galloway
1992-95; Regional Reporter 1995-1996, Authority Reporter
1996-2003.
- Past President Dumfries Burns Club
(direct descendent of Robert Burns) 2000;
- Chairman Dumfries Branch of the Scottish
Association for the Study of Delinquency 1998-2003.
- 2002 Convenor of the Dumfries branch
of the Institute of Contemporary Scotland;
- South West Scotland contact for Ghanaians
in need; London University SOAS Alumni Scotland contact.
- Public speaker
-Publications: Operation Oboe (novel),
Editor of Poet’s Progeny (The Bard’s family
tree as a Scottish historical commentary).
Have You Seen My...umm...Memory? Self help book with
medical biography and entertaining memory strength
and weakness episodes.
Ponderings: A book of short stories and poems in large
and bold print for those with diminished eyesight
in mind.
Restless Waves a novel set on a world cruise where
the Writer in Residence aboard uncovers passengers’
demons. Ornithology and philately, sumptuous meals
and debt, drug running and painting and a disaster
in the South Atlantic. In brief on-shore adventures
as well as on-board suspense.
And 7 point 7 (On the Richter Scale. The diary of
the camp manager in Mundihar. There are sad days and
nights with orphans crying to sleep, then there are
happy days playing cricket when Miller is always out
first!
A diary of this humanitarian post where this inter-faith
initiative is published to raise money for Muslim
Hands International’s reconstruction in Pakistan
and to prepare the way for families to return to their
devastated areas of the North West Frontier Province
of Pakistan and Kashmir.
The diary includes, adventure, personal stories, heroism
and death, romance and love – 24 pictures are
in the book.
- Recreations: all things West African;
piano, clarinet and xaphoon playing. Weakly playing
weekly badminton!
- Jan - March 2006 Camp Manger at The
Muslim Hands International Tent Village at Mundihar,
North West Territories, Pakistan.
Strategy
