Edgar Hopkin

A 15-year career in the Army provided me with a professional health qualification and experience to spend the next 10-years in the North Sea oil and gas industry. It was here I learned that integrating safety with my health training was highly instrumental in augmenting my work in occupational health.

Over the next 12 years I worked at times in primary health care and pre-hospital response in the Middle East and trained formally in Occupational Health. Upon returning to the UK, I settled in to full time OH work.

When an opportunity arose to work in the Middle East once more, I did not hesitate. As part of the H&S function, I appointed and led a team tasked with the introduction of UK style occupational health within the largest integrated dairy company in the GCC.

Returning to occupational health in the UK in 2017, I worked in both the public and private sectors.

Walling for me began around at the turn of the decade. Since my work was mostly desk-based, I wanted to do some physical work while also helping to keep England's lands green and pleasant. Catterick Camp and surrounding areas were well known to me and I was always amazed at the dry stone builds there. Getting out into the dales and moors of North Yorkshire once more became my trigger for dry stone walling.

As course co-ordinator and a Trustee for the Guild, I work with a great group of wallers where sense of humour abounds. I appreciate their support and those of our hosts, in fulfilling course commitments.

My other interests include running, squash, and mountain biking.