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Colin Newman
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Dr. Colin Valpy Newman
| Nickname: |
Both 'Valp' and 'Adolph' were used! |
| House: |
Hawke |
| Years: |
1956-1961 |
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Memories of School:
Too many to list but mostly happy!
I was in Hawke house, but spent final two years as
day-boy prefect and then School Prefect in Junior House.
Since leaving School:
Career: Kenya Regiment 1962, then University of Leicester, BSc 1st class Honours in Psychology 1965, PhD 1968,
became University Lecturer in Psychology at Leicester for one year, then at University of Birmingham 1969 to 1980. In 1980,
I joined the staff of my professional body, the British Psychological Society in the senior post that ended up being
called 'Executive Secretary'. During my time in office staff numbers grew from 19 to about 100 and I oversaw the conversion
of my profession to Chartered status under the Royal Charter of the Society. I was elected to Fellowship of the BPS in
1982, became one of the first 'Chartered Psychologists' in 1988 and was made one of about ten 'Honorary Life Members' upon
retirement in 2000. I am now retired and living in Leicestershire.
Family: In 1968 I married the London girl I first met as an 18 year old psychology undergraduate at Leicester
University in 1964. I am still happily married to Barbara who trained and still works as an Educational Psychologist. Our
first son Richard was born in 1976 and after his degree at Sheffield University now works for the computer firm, EDS in
Sheffield. Our second son Timothy was born in 1977 and after his degree at Leeds University now works in marketing as
Advertising Planning Manager for HBOS in Halifax. Both sons have partners, but no 'grandchildren' yet!
Sport: At university I took up Squash and became captain of the Leicester University team. In the 1970s my wife
and I did a lot of hill walking especially in Wales where one Easter weekend we climbed all 13 mountains over 3000 ft.
After our kids arrived, I took up dinghy sailing and at first started racing in just my club's events. I moved on to sail
two of the fastest and most tricky single handed dinghies, the International Canoe and the International Moth. In 1991, aged 49, I entered my first ever National Championship and finished 4th last. However, I kept trying and now still sail in 'Team GBR' in both my boats. My 'personal best' in the International Canoe was a few months after retirement when I won the 'Silver Medal' in the IC European Championships in Germany in a fleet of 27 boats, despite being the oldest but one in the fleet. In 2003 I had my best year ever in the International Moth, finishing 4th in the UK National Championships (and 'best improver', from 10th in 2002) and winning the Veterans cup for best over 45 but also the Masters title as best (of 9) over 35. As the oldest skiff Moth sailor in the World this was some ego boost for a 60 year old ! ( The hulls are just 30 cm wide and the boats weigh about 60 lbs, being all carbon. They are sailed from wings attached to the hull making the above water width over 7ft wide. Like a bicycle the boats sail upright only when moving, so in a ten race, five day regatta with five hours sailing a day, it is quite a
physical test of endurance. Via 'Google' see the International Moth web site for pictures or that of the International
Canoe which is sailed at up to 18 knots from an 8ft long sliding seat). A month later in France I finished 20th out of 45
from eight nations in the International Moth World Championships and ended up as the current Masters World Champion
(till the next World Championships in Australia in 2005). I serve on both the Class Committees of the boats I sail and am
currently organising the next European Championships for the Moths at Weymouth. Dinghy sailing is a fantastic sport in
which if you keep fit and motivated it is possible to compete against others younger than my sons, still on almost equal
terms. I boast that I am still the same weight, 144 lbs, as when I left the PoW and started in the Kenya Regiment! I still
fit the dinner jacket I was given as an undergraduate in 1962 ! The love of sport I got from my school days has been a
great blessing, though I never won anything at school. It was not until I was 45 in the Tenby Regatta that for the first
time in my life I won any sporting trophy. I now have too many to count along with sailing friends all round the World,
including some from the Olympic teams who also sail Moths and Canoes as they are faster, more challenging boats than most
of those classes chosen by the Olympic selectors.
(Registered - 13th May 2004)
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If anyone wishes to contact Colin, please Click Here
to e-mail him
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