Hard to love

Why it is hard to advocate for an industry when sometimes the positive only just outweighs the negative.

It is almost a decade since I co-wrote the children’s book “My Dad Does Demolition”.  Immediately after it was published, myself and my co-author - former Institute of Demolition Engineers’ president, John Woodward - visited a number of schools (John in and around the Midlands; myself in the South East of England) to give out books and to perform readings.

I can’t speak for John but, for me, those readings were a truly memorable career high point.

The children were wide-eyed and engaged.  They came with no baggage or prior knowledge, so they didn’t think that all demolition involved explosives, Fred Dibnah or both.

They listened intently as I told them about the massive machines; the recycling; the ability to take demolition skills acquired in the UK to the four corners of the globe; and about the lifelong friendships that are born out of a career in the demolition sector.

Whether John and I inspired anyone to pursue a career into demolition, I have no way of knowing.  But I would like to think that we each gave those children something to think about and to talk about with their friends and parents.

However…