My mind is like little monkeys running around in my head
Paul 52. From Hartlepool. Film maker/radio broadcaster.
How are you?
I’m absolutely right as rain. A lot of people slow down at my age. I'm just gearing up, I'm going the other way. I got to a point in life where I achieved a lot. I got the house paid off, I've got the car I wanted, I’ve got the work that I absolutely love. In 2016 I thought it's time for me to start giving back to those less fortunate than myself. I started raising money for charities. I raise money by doing lots of extreme, crazy adventures, whilst wearing funky hats!
People say - what’s the hat about? It gives me an opportunity to interact with people, face to face and tell them all about what I’m doing. If I was just running down the street, I’m just the same as everybody else. In life, if you want to get on and be noticed you've got to be different. I give talks in schools. I tell the kids, in life you're going to be judged, don’t be scared to be different, to look different because they are the things that will get you noticed and give you opportunities.
For me it all started when I was 16 years old. Mi dad, who passed away about a month ago, wanted me to work at ICI where he worked. He wanted me to follow in his steps. I had different ideas. He made me sit the exams and I purposely failed them. He said ‘you’re going to be a failure in this life. You're going to amount to nothing!’. That changed my life, it was the a kick up the arse I needed.
I’d left school at 16, the world was my oyster. I wondered how I, this young kid with a chip on his shoulder was going to survive in the world? I rapidly became independent. I left home and went to live in Spain for 5 years. You learn how to survive.
I came back and bought my own house. I didn't have pot to piss in, all mi mates were out drinking and I was just working. That was kind of the path I took. My life literally just grew and grew and grew. I started off sweeping shop floors. I wanted to become the manager. I looked at the boss and thought - he’s no different to me, if he can do it, I can. And that's what I did.