Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Running with terminal cancer
While I am away running across the Sahara this week I will pass a milestone that in the current world is rare – especially considering that in
2014 I was told I may be dead in a couple of years. The milestone? Well, it’s my 40th anniversary of working for NatWest Bank.
I can still recall the naïve 16 year old walking along Tooley Street to the Tower Bridge branch in London on my first day.
It was a different world in every way. Tooley Street had not been fully regenerated since the Second World War, in the bank all the managers were referred to as “Mr” or “Sir” and my first jobs were making the tea, hand-folding bank statements and hand-printing cheque books.
All those jobs have now been automated, and physical cheques and bank statements are a rarity in themselves. There was a pecking order and strictness about the bank which gradually over the course of time has happily become more inclusive and forgiving, making me proud to work for the organisation.
NatWest, just like those around me at home, has been involved in almost every aspect of my life. It has taught me respect, understanding and appreciation of others’ differences. Via my salary, it’s paid for cars, holidays, houses and even divorces.
I have achieved great success alongside heroic failures, but they have always stood by me.
Most recently, I have been working in a team that helps improve our policies on crucial issues such as climate change, charitable efforts and educating children about finances. It gives me a sense of worth that I just would not have had without them.
So, last Tuesday, even though I was in the desert, I stopped at 9am to remember that first day and the good life I have had because of my employer.
I hope that if you employ others you give them the tools so that they can feel proud of what they do. If you are an employee, I hope you do your best to keep the business going for everyone’s benefit – whether you work for them for just one year or 40.
Until next week
Kev