Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 21

INTERVIEW
carried forward by Mark.
“We trade very consciously as a family
firm and to us, people are never just a
number,” he says. “We love the fact that
we often deal with different generations
of the same family, both on and off the
Island, because it shows that our name is
trusted by them”.
Terence is also known across the Island
for his ability to have fun and send
himself up. Many will remember him
gamely dressing up as “The Duchess
of Nettlestone” when his daughter’s
primary school couldn’t find a real VIP for
one of its fetes.
He also used to dress as Santa Claus
for the Seaview playgroup formerly
owned by his wife Alison– making sure
he applied extra whiskers so his daughter
wouldn’t recognise her dad!
And he has always been big on
staff parties and Christmas gifts for
employees.
“I’m keen on that,” he says - “not
accolades, but simple appreciation of
people”.
This is recognised by the fact that
over half of his staff have been with the
Practice between ten and twenty years.
There was some appreciation for
Terence himself in 2014,when he and
Alison were invited to the Queen’s
Garden Party in recognition of raising
£120,000 for the Earl Mountbatten
Hospice and Naomi House and Jack’s
Place in Winchester.
This fundraising feat was achieved
through Terence’s love of a good
party: when he arrived in 1971 he
launched a Christmas event for
local business people and friends
which, over the years, has turned

“We love the fact that
we often deal with
different generations
of the same family,
both on and off the
Island, because it
shows that our name
is trusted by them.”

into a big diary event on the Island - an
all-day celebration
with music, carols,
wine and a
five-course
dinner.

Held at a different venue every year,
the annual lunch has raised muchneeded funds for the cancer sufferers
and particularly children’s cancer
charities.
It’s ironic that when he
began the fund raising,
Terence had no idea that he
would be stricken with cancer
himself.
In fact he met Prince
Edward, the Earl of Wessex
in 2008 and spoke about
the fundraising – little
realising that a few months
later he faced a grim
diagnosis of his own.
During his therapy
and recuperation,
he continued to be
involved in running
and then attending the
Christmas lunch, as it
was one po sitive action
he could focus on and
he says – “I want to
continue this as long as
I am able.”
“I guess I feel it’s my
baby” he says, “and I
still have a strong belief
in the overriding effect
of love and support - in
whatever you do”.
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