“Lessons For A Full & Good Life From a 20th Century Father to 21st Century Child” by Roy Ward

Roy Ward 1934 – 2012

A tribute by Chris Ward

Dad_chris

My father was born into a very different time to today.

Sue, Sandra and I grew up in the 1960/70's with the bedrock of mum and dad behind us and the safety of Anglesey Avenue where everyone was ‘uncle’ or ‘auntie’ and everyone knew your name – where you had tea in whatever house you happened to be in at 5pm, where you came in when it got dark & where you didn’t talk to strangers.

Dad was of a time when men were real men – private people, keeping their emotions to themselves. Dad worked, Dad told us to wash up or wipe up, to set the table, to eat our dinner if we wanted our pudding (which when it was tinned pears or peaches with evaporated milk – you did), Dad threatened to cook Snowy our rabbit for dinner, Dad made toys for us, Dad worked on the car, Dad cycled.

Like any child, my strongest memories of Dad and the life lessons he passed on were from when I was born till I left home.

I am having a good life in a different age to my dad - but when I have reflected over this week  - and in fact over most of my life – the reason I have experienced some success at work, play and love is due to the critical lessons my dad taught me and that have dictated the way I live my life.

These lessons were far more important than anything I learnt at school or through work. These are not the lessons of how to be cleverer or get more money - these are the lessons of how to live the best and fullest life.

I want to share Dad’s key lessons with you, they may come from a different time but they provided the bedrock to both Dad and my own happy life– they are as relevant today as they will be at any time. 8 key lessons from 8 decades of experience.

My mum can verify all of this is true of dad and my kids can verify that I follow them to the letter…

 

“Lessons For A Full & Good Life

From a 20th Century Father to 21st Century Child”

by Roy Ward

 

1 EXPECT NOTHING MORE OF YOUR CHILDREN THAN FOR THEM TO DO THEIR BEST

Work hard and do your best at everything you try; homework, cycling, helping at home. Life doesn’t owe you anything. This was Dad leading by example. Critically though – and this is how dad must have differed from many other fathers - there were no further expectations placed on us, if we did our best – that was simply enough  - nothing more was expected from us. There was no pressure to achieve anything beyond what we could.

I am happy because I know I have worked hard and do not have any pressure or expectations to have done even more so.

 

2 ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

Mum would often say “there’s no such word as ‘can’t” but dad really showed it to me when we went to see the Careers Officer at school. It wasn’t about University (whatever that was?) it wasn’t about dad wanting me to be a lawyer, dentist, draughtsman or doctor. It was about dad coming with me with his full backing while we told the careers officer I wanted to be….a Formula 1 motor racing Driver. I wanted to be James Hunt. And to be fair to him the Careers Officer went off to investigate and a week later reported back that we needed to be millionaires if that was to happen – which it sort of didn’t!? But it showed me that my dad thought it was possible

 

3 WATCH THE PENNIES

It seemed Dad loved the idea of beating the supermarkets at their own game (we didn’t know it was out of necessity). I remember walking back and forth between Sainsbury’s and Presto as Dad compared prices and made sure he got the best deal in town for the weekly shop.

Dad didn’t want to waste any money on a good car. they were there simply to get you from A-B. So we’d have one of the cheapest ones possible and then with his genius skills he’d keep it running for years upon years upon years. A policy he instilled in me as my first mini cooper cost £80 & had holes in the floor, but Dad had the engine out of it and kept it going long after its shelf life.

 

RIDE A BIKE

Meanwhile though, a bike isn’t about getting you from A-B. A bike provides the opportunity to gain the most pleasure there is from life, to enjoy the simplicity that life should be about, to cycle through sunny country lanes, to keep fit, to pass the time with friends, to wear lycra!, to get away from all the stresses and strains (and kids!) for a few hours.

This was dad’s time – if you don’t cycle – you don’t know this –– but there is nothing better in life – honestly.

I was bought up expecting to cycle everywhere – even all the way back from Portsmouth when I ended up much further than ever before at about the age of 15. My bike gears broke and got stuck in top gear -  I phoned home, expecting some sympathy and an offer of a lift – but nope – I was expected to ride everywhere – even in top gear “We’ll put your dinner in the oven” was the sympathetic offer I received

 

5 EAT MORE CAKE

All cyclists have only one thing in common – not a love of lycra or shaved legs but a love of cake – a sweet tooth. Normally it is chocolate but dad was slightly different. With him it was fruit cake – in whatever guise you can get fruit into flour & sugar – a slice of cake, scone, you name it, it was devoured.

Everyone likes Cake, Cake makes you happy, you can’t ever eat enough but the magic is if you cycle you can eat as much as you like – dad did and so never had an ounce of fat on him.

 

6 PUT FAMILY FIRST / STAY MARRIED

Mum and Dad always put us first. Dad made brilliant toys, mum made brilliant dinners. They also put their marriage first. Everyone has stresses and strains in their marriage – It is sometimes impossible to stay together.. Mum and Dad had their arguments, me and Helen do, Sandra and Steve do, Sue and Phil do – but we are all still together  - and we are all the better for being so. This is a tribute to my mum and dad who so ingrained in us that we stick together – however hard it gets…

 

7 EMBARRESS YOUR KIDS

My kids will verify I follow dad’s lesson to the ultimate degree. Molly, when I try to talk to her about fashion, music or anything on Channel 4. Bob, when I refuse to upgrade, change, improve or throw over a cliff our Fiat ‘ugly bug’ Multipla car.

Dad did the same to us. Did he really have to beat every other dad on the holiday camp to win the knobbly knees competition? Did he really have to turn up for a fathers v sons football match with the skinniest, longest legs and shortest, tightest white shorts and socks?!

 Yes he did. Because he was living his own life and if you can embarrass your kids you can live with any sort of embarrassment. The thought of being embarrassed is what stops most people attempting something new or doing what they want – dad didn’t have that, and much to Bob’s regret – nor do I!

 

8 Finally, with the onset of Alzheimer’s came the last lesson and a side to dad we hadn’t often seen before. He started to show his emotions and feelings  – on many levels. Alzheimer’s is an horrendous illness  - often more for the partner and carers than for the sufferer themselves.  But, it was great to see some Dad setting the example that IT’S ALRIGHT FOR A DAD TO SHOW HIS EMOTIONS – a lesson that Helen will verify that I still struggle with but it’s the final one. It took a lifetime to pass over from father to son – and one that I am still working on.

Dad had a great life and following his guidance his grandchildren will also get the same chance. Dads presence will live on through jack, Maddie, Katie, Emily, Louise, James, molly, Bob, Rose & Audrey.

 

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Coffice / The future workplace

Click here to download:
Coffice.pdf (1.18 MB)
(download)
Chris Ward icjward@gmail.com @chrisatcoffice

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Can I get the wi:fi password?

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Coffice_brochure.pdf (848 KB)
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With a smartphone, fresh cappuccino, occasional muffin(!) and laptop with wireless internet, the person sitting next to you in a busy coffee shop sharing two feet of table top space is one of the people leading the changing face of work.

Millions of people are already generating success, making millions of dollars, engaging millions of people AND living a more fulfilling life by working out of cool local coffee shops, delis and chains like Starbucks.

Do you work hard and productively but dislike having to do it in an office, don’t like working in the silence that now prevails in the modern office, own a laptop you love, spend time on Twitter and Facebook, can work with the sound of crying babies, like tearing the latest cuttings out of newspapers to read later, and drinking hot freshly roasted coffee?

Then you are probably already a Coffice worker and you should join us at the forefront of the new work / life ethic that enables you to enjoy success NOW, both at work and through a fulfilling life.

Coffee shop working now provides the best space and tools with which to launch and build a successful idea or business. It’s the new mobile work phenomenon.

Chris Ward made millions as a coffice worker. In Coffice, he’ll show you how anyone can.

“Having a coffee together is so much more important to creating something than a business meeting” Jack Dorsey, Founder of Twitter

“It is no secret that the best place to write, in my opinion, is a café.” JK Rowling

Having a lifestyle that involves successfully working from a great local coffee shop is what millions of workers aspire to achieve and what the new world of digital technology and wireless internet has made possible. It’s a phenomenon, millions are already doing it and here is the guide everyone’s been waiting for: to enable them to ‘get started’ as a realistic aspirational career move and the manifesto on how to make millions doing it. 

 

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Top Ten Christmas 2011

My new ‘Beats By Dr. Dre’ headphones

http://beatsbydre.com/Default.aspx 

 

The second best espresso I’ve ever had - at

http://www.cafesverlet.com/ 

 

Visiting Café des 2 Moulins in Paris – from Amelie movie with our own Audrey (6) who is named after Audrey Tattou

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/may/06/top-10-cafes-paris

 

Paris’s Radio Nova – been going 30 years but just discovered it – brilliant mix of cool music http://www.novaplanet.com/

 

Getting 5 tkts at 5.15pm for Louvre that closed at 5.30pm and running with kids to make up half the people standing in front of Mona Lisa at closing time

http://musee.louvre.fr/zoom/index.html

 

Watching the 8pm Eurodisney parade after 3 bottles of 6.7% German beer

 

Xmas eve breakfast with family at the very cool Urban Reef coffee shop, deli, restaurant http://www.urbanreef.com/

 

New years eve with 17 others round the dinner table at friends in French Farmhouse

 

Getting most of Molly’s (15) Xmas presents ‘right’

http://www.hollisterco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomePage?catalogId=11558...

 

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Blue Dot for: charities, non-profits & social enterprises

contact:

chris ward

chris@bluedotworld.com

Click here to download:
Blue_Dot_4_Charity.pptx (5.61 MB)
(download)

 

The new social currency being used by great causes, celebrities, businesses and citizens who are making their community & the world a better place.

Bringing the marketing & fundraising power, used by the biggest brands and causes, to every non-profit & social enterprise, every day of the year

 

Contact:

Chris Ward 07932 746 591

chris@bluedotworld.com

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Blue Dot For Businesses


Click here to download:
Blue_Dot_4_Business.pptx (5.03 MB)
(download)

The new social currency being used by great businesses, celebrities, causes and citizens who are making their community & the world a better place

Turning good companies into great businesses using cause marketing

 

Contact:

chris@bluedotworld.com

07932 746 591

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Coldplay & Noel Gallagher launch Blue Dot, the new social currency - for people changing the world

Blue Dot is the new social currency given to people who actively support their favourite charities, motivating millions of consumers to support any cause they believe in.

People can get Dots for sharing any non-profits on social media, volunteering or donating to over 100k charities globally. With their Dots they access exclusive celebrity products & career experiences and a personalised ‘Active CV’, that records all their good actions and can help them get promoted or a new job.

Already prior to launch, an amazing reaction…

Within moments of the site going live, Noel Gallagher offered the last chance to get tickets to his debut UK dates exclusively to Blue Dot citizens http://bit.ly/rcTc9M. Within 48hrs, thousands of positive actions had been taken for causes, including cash donations to over 30 UK different charities. Now, Coldplay are using Blue Dots in the UK, and also now also in the US, http://www1.networkforgood.org/bluedot to offer the chance to see them live to their fans that have got Dots by supporting any of over 100,000 global charities.

At launch over 1 million Dots will be distributed: For volunteers with VInspired, donors to any of 9000 charities on Justgiving & 100,000 charities on NetworkForGood in the US, or ‘sharers’ of global non-profits on Facebook. The UK Government is awarding Dots to 10,000 teenagers who volunteered with charities as part of their NCS and Payroll Givers are to get Dots.

Dots get you amazing products and experiences:

Coldplay, Stone Roses & Radio 1’s Annie Mac tour tickets.

Free audio book and £10 donated to the charity of your choice from Audible.co.uk & money off MP3’s from Amazon.co.uk.

Get to shadow Denise Lewis & top execs from Facebook, Yahoo, Wired etc

Blue Dot founder Chris Ward: “I was previously Creative Director of the UK’s Comic Relief, where we work first hand with major stars and brands to create attention-grabbing moments that engage millions of people in volunteering and charitable giving.

I created Blue Dot, as a genuinely new & innovative way to enable every single Cause to create that same impact, every single day of the year.”

Natasha Hill, Marketing Director, Cancer Research UK: “Blue Dot can be to charities what Nectar is to shops.”

Blue Dot has had a tremendous reaction from the biggest names in charity, entertainment and brands and is now live in Beta at www.bluedotworld.com and signing up charities & partners (providing products), ahead of launch in early November.

 

Tessa Jowell, Labour Party Shadow Minister

“Blue Dot is a social currency beyond money that will garner what is precious. People giving their time, people giving their commitment, people doing the things that they love and then getting the kind of rewards that make them want to do it all over again.”

 

Craig Newmark (Founder Craig’s List) 

“Blue Dot could become the real life implementation of Cory Doctorow's

idea of Whuffie.” 

 

www.bluedotworld.com 

http://www1.networkforgood.org/bluedot (US)

http://www.facebook.com/BlueDotWorld

@bluedothome

 

Contact:

Chris Ward / Founder / chris@bluedotworld.com

07932 746 591 | @chrisatcoffice | uk.linkedin.com/in/chrisatcoffice

 

Notes

Blue Dots are recognised by HMRC as applicable for Gift Aid.

Listen to Radio 1’s Annie Mac explain all about Blue Dot and play her favourite tunes of 2011 in her special Blue Dot Radio Show http://bit.ly/nTExIZ

Click on ‘What is Blue Dot’ at www.bluedotworld.com for

Welcome letter from founder Chris Ward

8 important facts about Blue Dot

How it’s named after Carl Sagan’s famous ‘Pale Blue Dot’ speech

 

Further Quotes

“We might be the largest charity in the UK but we have the same challenges as all charities in the UK, large or small. It is harder and harder to engage with consumers and harder and harder to get those important donations, so Blue Dot is really welcome.” Natasha Hill, Marketing Director, Cancer Research UK

“BITC welcomes Blue Dots and is certain they enable our member companies to recognise & reward the good activity their existing, and potential future, employees do.” Stephen Howard, CEO Business In The Community (representing 850 major businesses)

"Blue Dot, celebrating, rewarding and recognising the good that people do is enormously powerful.” Jess Moore, Commercial Director V Inspired

 

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Blue Dot Draft Homepage

It's taking some shape - comments appreciated - and ideas for straplines to make the store element the coolest on the virtual high street

Best yet.....

"Changing Lives - Not Changing Rooms"

"Spend Time, Not Cash or Credit"

what's your best?

The inspiration for Blue Dot: see Carl Sagan video at www.bluedotworld.com

Home_0-3

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Blue Dot

How a product sells more and helps 9,000 charities at the same time - in 7 easy steps.

Click here to download:
Blue_Dot_post.pptx (3.63 MB)
(download)

To work with Blue Dot please contact:

Chris Ward

Blue Dot World

chris@BlueDotWorld.com

0044 7932 746591

uk.linkedin.com/in/chrisatcoffice

 

twitter.com/chrisatcoffice

facebook.com/chrisjward

Skype: icjward

 

 

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'Engaging Millions In Good Causes'

 

Red Nose Day 09   1GOAL World Cup 2010 
Mandela Day 2011 LDN Olympics 2012

 

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Chris Ward wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

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Arjun,

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Chris Ward

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