Recently I set up the account for Ropers Locksmiths Seaburn Sunderland with HMRC.
I obtained business insurance and also opened business accounts with local suppliers, essentially opening the business up for trade. How did I get here?
The beginning
I was born in Birmingham in the west midlands in the early 1970's where I was raised. My dad was a council employee and my mom was a housewife. At the time I had two younger siblings and generally life was simple. Ropers Locksmiths was not even an embryo at this time.
Early career
After leaving school at the age of 16 I started a horticulture apprenticeship with Birmingham council where i studied and worked until just before my 18th birthday. At this point I decided to leave Birmingham and see the world. I joined the royal navy as a weapons engineer mechanic (WEM “O”).
Initial training was at HMS Raleigh, where I was fortunate enough to win an award for best recruit at the passing out parade (graduation). There was then a long period of specific engineering training at HMS Collingwood before being released into the fleet.
All at Sea
For the next 2 years I served aboard a warship - HMS Ambuscade as a weapon engineer. This took me around the world on various tours, visiting places such as the USA, numerous Caribbean islands, countries such as Chile, Brazil, Falkland islands, Norway amongst others. In summer of 1991 we escorted the queen and prince Phillip around America and the Caribbean with the royal yacht britannia.
This an original picture taken from the Royal Yacht of HMS Ambuscade sailing alongside the yacht. The crew (including me) dressed in tropics uniform saluting her majesty the Queen and Prince Phillip.
Bobby on the beat
I left the Royal Navy in 1994 and joined Northumbria police as a police constable based in Sunderland. This would be my life for the next 27 years. I enjoyed a fruitful career with Northumbria police and experience a wide range of duties including uniformed response officer, community officer, CID officer based locally and within complex crimes teams.
I was also lucky enough during my service to receive basic locksmith training which I am now putting to good use today.
Retirement of a sort
In early 2021 I was weighing up options as my retirement was approaching in March. I realised after much thought and discussion that after a life of serving the queen and country, i did not want to work for another organisation or large company.
I conducted some online research and found that taylors locksmiths carried out more suitable locksmith training in my area for a limited number of students per year. I gave Steve Taylor a call and he agreed that I could become a trainee on his course.
Steve has taken the basic knowledge I had previously learned and took it to the next level with combined online and theoretical training alongside practical assignments and assessments. I have also been given the opportunity for onsite training and shadowing of actual locksmiths in my area.
The topics I received training on range from lock identification, lock picking, bypassing of different types of locks. I carried out numerous assignments around UPVC door locks, UPVC fittings and multi lock systems, Mortice locks and wooden door hardware and also general cylinder lock work. Here is me picking a high security dimple lock.
I am now coming to the latter stages of initial locksmiths training however Steve is providing additional business training to assist in the running and higher chance of success for Ropers Locksmiths Seaburn Sunderland.
Fingers crossed, all aboard the Ropers locksmiths train……. Oh and thanks Steve Taylor at taylors locksmiths.
Call me on 07368313149 or checkout the web site at www.roperslocksmiths.co.uk