I am a retired senior civil servant who spent over 38 years with HMCE (now HMRC). I retired in 1995 but still take an interest in related affairs. My Fellowship subject was Customs procedures in the USA and Canada. The purpose was to improve the procedures in the UK, principally by the use of modern IT.

I have always wished such procedures to be as effective and efficient as possible. I reported back ten major recommendations to my departmental management, of which eight had been implemented by the department by the time of my retirement. Recent Brexit events have given me food for thought and a desire to offer advice to government: needless to say, I doubt that such advice, almost 50 years since my Fellowship, would have been appreciated.

Since my Fellowship I have undertaken two missions for the UN Fund for Drug Abuse Control and several for the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, all of which were related to my Fellowship and my former job. These activities have had – and still have – a significant impact and on government procedures in the UK. Charity giving by Rotary International is now more effective than it ever was. It has left me with great satisfaction and happiness.