Hello, my name is Steve Cocks and just over 12 years ago the then Chairman Ken Edis of the Centre asked me if I could spare a few hours to help a Charity. That Charity was The West of England MS Therapy Centre. I had worked with Ken in a Bristol based software company specialising in corporate pensions and by coincidence our wives had both been diagnosed with MS.
My early life was based in Cornwall and I was educated at Launceston College in the historical market town of Launceston. I left the college with a couple of A levels with no clear idea on the future and at the same time my parents decided to move to Plymouth to start a retail business. In Plymouth I started working at a Power Station on the administration side. I had also been offered a post within Barclays Bank, which I declined as there offer was £620 per year and the energy company offer was £60 a year more. Probably something to do with my Cornish heritage, as I am sure you all know that the definition of a Cornishman is a Scot with his pockets sewn up!
In October of 1971 I met a young lady called Mary. We were engaged quite quickly and married in 1974, so yes it will be 50 years this August and we will be celebrating our Golden Wedding Anniversary.
My career development required mobility and posts were taken in Bristol in 1976 and Guildford in 1981 and my skill set had moved to pension scheme administration. In 1985 I was head hunted to work for Edis International, back in Bristol, who had just won a contract to computerise the administration of the Electricity Supply Pension Scheme. I was therefore a key resource in defining and testing the application for the then 29 administration centres in the UK. I joined the Board of Edis International in 1989 and spent the majority of the next 10 years in business development.
When in Guildford Mary had taken a post in London and was commuting, which she quickly became tired of and therefore we decided to start a family and it wasn’t long before children arrived in the form of Matthew and Chloe. They are now both in their early forties and have blessed us with 4 grandchildren. The eldest of which has just completed her degree and will start teaching in Yate in September.
Mary was unfortunately diagnosed with MS in the late nineties and started to use the MS Centre in Nailsea at the turn of the millennium and has been a member ever since. With this life changing diagnosis I also engineered a career change and moved to work with Prudential insurance in Reading on a project to clean up and computerise their pensions administration with a view to outsourcing that string of the business by 2003. A four year project with the chance to create a small final salary pension for me.
On completing the outsource project I was then able to take voluntary severance with immediate pension. This enabled me to be at home from age 50 to look after Mary rather than bring carers into our home.
I have always enjoyed playing and watching sport. In my youth playing football at a fairly high level, and when my knees said enough, I took up chasing a little white ball with a stick. Golf has therefore been a major interest and excuse for some fresh air for the last 30 years.
I am a Trustee and focus on the financial and accounting aspects of supporting the Management Team and the other Board members. It has been a pleasure to assist the management team and other volunteers at the Brightwell to see the Centre grow and develop into what it has now become.
The early years at Bradley Stoke were financially very challenging and I like to think that I have made a positive contribution by volunteering, business mentoring and acumen to enable the Charity to be the success it is today.
As a carer for someone with MS, Mary and I are eternally grateful for the support and assistance that the Brightwell offers. It is therefore a great pleasure to give something back.
Kindest Regards
Steve Cocks.
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