What are you up to now?

Meet John and Sheila, the retired teachers who first met at St Martin’s in the 70s. Despite a "feisty" start to their relationship at college, they eventually reunited while starting their careers at opposite ends of the country, and they’ve now been married for 44 years! 

Now settled in Jersey, the pair spend their days with walking football, charity work, and planning their next global adventure. Read on for their memories of Lancaster life and the career paths that took them from classrooms in Burnley and East London all the way to Rwanda. 

Which institution did you both attend?  

St Martin's College. 

Which campus did you study at?  

Lancaster, Bowerham Road. 

What course did you study?  

John: Mathematics. 

Sheila: B.Ed Hons. 

What years did you study with us?  

1975 to 1979. 

What do you miss most about being a student?  

John: All the sports opportunities and the college disco. 

Sheila: Living in halls on campus surrounded by friends. There was no self-catering so we had our meals in the refectory or for a treat had fish and chips from Sweaty Betty’s. Our rooms were cleaned for us and we were treated very well. I had a full free student grant, something my children could only dream of! Looking back, it was a great place to be and I loved the freedom it gave me after living at home. 

What was your favourite place on campus?  

John: The student bar. 

Sheila: I loved the bar and JCR which were the centre of our social life. We had discos on Saturday and Wednesday evenings. There was always something going on and you could easily walk into Lancaster for a change of scenery. We had to watch television together on lounges as no one had tv in their rooms. 

How does your life now compare to what your 21-year-old self imagined?  

John: Never imagined I would be living in Jersey, never thought I would be married to Sheila. I really appreciate the opportunities Jersey has given me. 

Sheila: I didn’t expect to marry my husband, John (known as Pom to most people). We had a pretty feisty relationship at college and only got together when we had our first teaching jobs at opposite ends of the country. We have been married almost 44 years now! I didn’t expect to have the variety of teaching posts which I was lucky enough to experience and didn’t expect to end up living in Jersey. I also didn’t expect to teach in Rwanda in my retirement as part of a Jersey Overseas Aid Project. It was a life changing experience. 

What’s the most useful thing you learnt at uni you still use today?  

John: A passion for different sports. 

Sheila: I discovered that I loved learning, something which wasn’t the case when doing A levels. I learnt how to mix with people from many different backgrounds. I also learnt never to take part in a three-legged pub crawl. Once was enough and was very messy! 

What’s the one song that takes you back to uni days?  

Both: This Old Heart of Mine by the Isley Brothers. It way played at every disco! 

Briefly explain what you do in your job...  

Sheila: I’m now retired but my last job was as head of a primary school with a special provision for deaf children. This gave me an appreciation of what successful inclusive education can be like. 

What does a typical day look like for you both?  

John: After breakfast I might go for a game of walking football or table tennis. In the afternoon I might play Petanque or go to a cultural meeting such as U3A or Jersey Heritage. In the evening I might play chess or pickleball, or just go to the pub. I am a tour guide at a Neolithic tomb, La Hougue Bie and occasionally I might go out on my Kayak. 

Sheila: Now that I’m retired, I have a lot of freedom to choose how I spend my time. I volunteer for a number of charities, travel a lot with John and enjoy long gossipy lunches with my girl friends. 

How did you get from graduation to where you are today?  

John: After College I got a job in Burnley. I went there because it had one of the best Karate clubs in the country. I gained my Black belt and won many national tournaments as part of the Burnley team. When I reached the age of 30, I had a young daughter and could no longer devote as much time to Karate. We decided to try working abroad and I applied for many overseas jobs. Jersey was the first to offer me a post. We originally planned to only go for a few years then move back, but we settled and stayed. I finished up as Head of IT and also responsible for developing IT across the curriculum. I stayed at the same school until I retired. 

Sheila: I had no career plan but enjoyed every one of my teaching posts. I trained for middle years and could work in both secondary and primary schools. My NQT year was spent in massive comprehensive in The East End. I then taught English in a secondary modern school in Lancashire and then moved to a primary school in Burnley where I taught ESL to children newly arrived from Pakistan and Bangladesh. We moved to Jersey in 1987 as John had got a job teaching ICT there. I eventually became deputy head in a fee-paying prep school and ended my career as a primary head. 

What are you currently reading, watching, or obsessed with?  

John: Playing chess, walking football, pickleball and table tennis. I am currently reading a travel book "Sovietstan" because we have a holiday coming up in Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan. 

Sheila: I love reading and I’m part of a book club. One of my favourite books is “A Gentleman in Moscow” by Amor Towles. My husband and I love travelling and we are about to visit Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan on The Silk Road. 

Give us your Lancaster top tips, fave eatery, fave shop, or fave walk...  

John: We recently went back for a nostalgic trip to Lancaster. Really enjoyed the "Light up Lancaster" festival. 

Sheila: We recently visited Lancaster and there were very few of our old haunts still in existence. We did walk by the canal which brought back good memories. 

What's your idea of a great weekend?  

John: Going for a staycation in one of Jersey's hotels with Sheila and friends. Watching Blackpool play football. 

Sheila: A great weekend for me would be a city break. We recently went to Ljubljanica in Slovenia. It had everything, beautiful food, interesting history, fairytale architecture and excellent wine. 

What are you most proud of?  

John: I am proud of my Black Belt in Karate and the tournaments our team managed to win. I also played chess for Jersey on many occasions including the Batumi Olympiad. I am hoping to get selected for the next Olympiad which takes place this year. I am proud that I overcame my fears to qualify as a scuba diver. I went to Rwanda a few years ago with Jersey Overseas Aid to help train teachers. 

Sheila: I’m proud that I had a varied and satisfying career along with juggling family commitments. 

What words of wisdom would you give your student self?  

John: Be nice to people. 

Sheila: Don’t over plan and over think. Take opportunities that come your way and don’t agonise when you make a mistake. 

LINK LINK LINK!  

John: Ten years ago I made a film for Russian TV. It was similar in concept to long lost families, but with a historic bias. It was basically about me tracing my father's family which we believed had been lost during the war. I come from a family of cossacks.  

Watch John’s film here.  

Enjoyed reading about John and Sheila? Why not share your own ‘what are you up to now’? We would love to know what you’ve been up to since graduation… Complete our form here.