Established 1979 Company Number: 11693988 VAT Registration Number: 284 0522 13 +44 (0)1606 836036 +44 (0)7871 701585 [email protected]

RPRA General Manager Stewart Wardrop

 

 

JIM EMERTON CHATS TO

RPRA GENERAL MANAGER

STEWART WARDROP

 

The manager of the RPRA is a lofty position. Do you relish this opportunity Stewart?

Absolutely. After 30 years in the manufacturing industry I wanted to do something different and believe me, this job is very different

What are some of the current objectives of the job and the organisation?

This is something that I’m slowly getting the RPRA council to consider. At the March Council meeting I asked them to start considering exactly what future they envisaged for the RPRA and the sport of pigeon racing. This will be revisited again at the October Council meeting when hopefully I will get some more feedback and we can start setting the future strategy and direction.

How can we raise the profile of pigeon racing on a UK/global level i.e. via education and the media?

Only with professional help and unfortunately it comes at a cost. Our press coverage needs to be raised by a factor of 10 or 20 times before it will even start to resonate with the public. We are lucky that there is a deep underlying fascination with pigeon racing – we just need a lot of help to bring it to the surface! Education programmes are another avenue that will need professional resources. Without a properly thought out and delivered programme it will not get accepted and taken up by the relevant educational authorities.

What about a TV slot featuring the Royal Pigeon Racing Association in conjunction with the Queen’s celebrations?

Would you believe this was a suggestion put to council in March - costing around £4,000 - and unfortunately it was turned down! So now we are attempting to get the film made by other routes – probably sponsorship or through a “friendly” organisation.

Can we help to further advance the perception of the RPRA in the eyes of the fancy at large?

Definitely. By working together and achieving things – witness the Raptor Alliance. Early days but some real progression is being made.

Do you enjoy the personalities associated with your vocation?

It’s good to talk to the fanciers. I attempt to answer every email and letter but again our communication routes (even though we have the BHW) still leave a lot to be desired. Our fancy needs to be fully informed and involved, especially in the decision making processes.

Have you any humorous/colourful anecdotes to relate to us?

Too many to mention. I’m keeping a record of the best ones and only when I retire will I go to print but some of the things we hear can make you react in a multitude of different ways – from toe curling anguish through to absolute laugh out load. Make no bones about it, pigeon fanciers are an odd lot!

Do you like the idea of charismatic leadership in motivating your personnel?

You’d have to ask the staff at the Reddings. I know that I can be very frustrating at times and that I do set very high targets and expectations of everyone. As with all things, some people willingly accept change whilst others struggle and need a little prodding along. I also rarely accept “can’t” as a reason not to do something sensible. Invariably you get the response “we can’t do that” because the original problem has not been explained adequately. The staff at the Reddings and the BHW are very knowledgeable. My task is to get the staff working on the important things whilst automating or removing the things that don’t improve the sport or the service we give to our members.

Can you describe the evolution of your background in pigeons please?

Dad has kept pigeons for 60 plus years so I grew up with them. My kids (and wife!) stop me having pigeons at the moment. I will when the kids get older!

Any ideas to further perfect the BHW magazine, in terms of its structure and subject matter? How can we project it better in the world at large?

Electronic versions on the internet. We need to encourage a wider range of scribes to contribute. Maybe some guest pieces from non fanciers.

Biography - In Stewart's own words

Aged 51 – born Gloucestershire – lives Gloucestershire.

Apprentice trained engineer – worked in plastics industry, starting new factories all over the UK and Europe. Ended up aged 40 as main board technical director for £200 million plastics business (grew from almost nothing in 10 years!)

Subsequently ran a furniture making factory then a diamond grinding products factory.

At aged 50 a mid-life crisis thing maybe. Got very disillusioned with manufacturing so wanted to do something different! It was going to be retraining as a teacher but then the RPRA came along!

Wife Helen works as a part-time playground supervisor at a local school.

3 kids aged 16/14 and 9. All sports mad – even the daughter plays cricket. Both my boys are very good footballers (certainly better than I was although their granddad was a tidy player!). My youngest lad recently played for Mid Gloucestershire league representative team.

Hobbies: football (Swindon supporter but also watch Forest Green Rovers – a local Blue Square Premier side).

I’m also treasurer and secretary for a local youth football club. We have over 300 boys and girls ranging in age from 4 to 18 and the club is growing rapidly! We are successful and modern and kids are flocking to join us!

At home both the wife and I are full time taxi drivers for the kids!

We both fund the Bank of Mum and Dad.

Peace and quiet? Only at 6.15am each morning when I take the dog for a walk. I have a mad cocker spaniel – the only thing in our house who actually listens to me and does what she is told!