This page provides a resume of the varying experiences I have had with international, national and local organisations and companies. An obvious way of categorising them was as The Good The Bad and The Ugly.

There are, obviously, good people in Havant and the surrounding area. You might like to compare those mentioned with the Borough Council and its Agents.

Particular thanks are due to Bob Gumbrill (Chief Executive), Max Breeze and Maureen Newton.

The two Groups both contribute positively tot he region. By nature and definition, healers can hardly do anything else.

All of my Healer colleagues have been of enormous help and support.

We first came across Ernie in 1993. He has become a great friend, as well as a reliable one. An Austrian by birth he has lived in this Country for many years. Trained as a butcher Ernie seems to be able to turn his hand to most things and has a great interest in cars, especially engines. He has kept us "on the road" for many years. Ernie said he once re-engined a Vauxhall Cavalier by hand, i.e. including lifting the engine. I have tended to rate him as Havant's Arnold Schwarzenegger

The staff are invariably helpful, particularly the Manager Brian Dundas. He has also been a source of encouragement during our numerous conversations.

Emma used to work at the Stationery store as a "Saturday Girl" several years ago. Before, and since then, Elizabeth, Mary, Helen and Gloria (now at Waterlooville) have always been pleasant and helpful.

Because of the stress of having five years work taken from me I did consult a Doctor and accepted a referral to a Counsellor. Both helped from the point of view of having someone to whom I could talk.

I mentioned the Havant approach to my project in terms of their often repeated phrase "we need to depersonalise it". The Doctor said he thought that sounded more like a euphemism for stealing the Project.

The Counselling only lasted six weeks, as that was all funds would run to. In contrast, my healer colleagues are almost always available. It also seemed that, perhaps, as much was learned from me and the healer's approach as I learned from the counselling.

While replacing the fuel tank on our car just before Christmas 2000 I noticed a large nail in the shoulder of a rear tyre. Once the new tank was on I tried to replace the exhaust but was unable to reconnect one mounting. The car was needed to take my mother back to Clacton, having stayed with my brother and then us for her first Christmas since my father went Home.

I asked Graham Powell, owner of Sycamore Cars, if he could have the exhaust mounting completed properly while the tyre was being replaced. Two cars were moved and our car raised on a four post hoist to do just that.

Afterwards I paid Graham only belatedly realising that he seemed to have only charged me for the tyre and valve and thrown in the fitting and tidying up the exhaust. The Havant situation had come up in a conversation so I assumed that was his way of helping.

Tony Howard's usually engaging banter can take a little getting used to. His business slogan "spares from cars that die happy" gives an idea of his approach. However, for second-hand spares he is the first choice in the area. While not the cheapest, all the spare parts are just that, parts stripped from cars. There is no need to tramp round a field of assorted cars looking for the relevant car and then, hopefully, the relevant part.

I recently learned that Sean Durrant, who had been trying to help me secure consultancy work, was at the Broadmarsh Centre, Havant. Although I was at least half expecting to have trouble locating him, David Woodings, Manager of Broadmarsh, instantly told me where Sean was and directed me to him.

Broadmarsh is clean, well run and pleasant. Unfortunately it is in Havant and Havant has yet to change, thought here is always hope.

It is a great shame that Havant has let down Basepoint but then Basepoint are not alone in that.

While elsewhere Sean Durrant had endeavoured to help me secure consultancy work with a particular company. Circumstances meant that he moved on and I lost track of him for a couple of months but located him through a mutual acquaintance.

The acquaintance recommended that I contact Sean again, as he is very good at his job, telling me something of Sean's background to illustrate the point.

After renewing our house insurance with a different company, via Swinton, we completed a new direct debit mandate. There were problems with payments and we received a series of threatening legal letters from Swinton's Manchester head Office.

Swinton said they were legally bound to word their letters in that way. They never explained why they did not enquire first and then add the legally necessary words with a "sorry but we have to include this as well". I understand that local Office Managers have complained about this approach but Head Office has yet to act. We are only customers without whom they would not have an income.

When I enquired at he Halifax Bank in Havant, on which account the monies were supposed to be drawn, I was told that Swinton had filled in the wrong reference number, that it was not our fault, or Halifax's fault but Swinton's.

With everything else about them in this Web Site, what else is there to say? I naively believed that a public body was publicly accountable and would not dare behave inappropriately. Not so; far from it. Do you want to risk it or stay at a safe distance?

According to Havant Borough Council, talking to or dealing with Havant Borough Partnership is the same as talking to or dealing with Havant Borough Council --- enough said!?

Havant Borough Partnership was entrusted with a £136,000 project. Within months it was taken in a direction radically different to the proposal which secured the funds and the project ceased to exist. The Managing Director of Havant Borough Partnership used the designation "MIEE" on his business card. The Institution of Electrical Engineers stated, in writing, that he is not a Member.

Lloyds Bank agreed to financial arrangements and then went back on them. Jo, my wife, was due to go into hospital for a hysterectomy. Lloyds continued on their reneging track and imposed undue and unnecessary pressure. Taking that sort of approach with someone undergoing major surgery hardly goes with "Legendary Services" which is what they boasted of providing as the time. Actually, that is probably true, though it depends on the Legend. If they align themselves with the darker Legends I would agree with them.

So much for looking after customers.