Roger's parents owned Walkers Bakers & Confectioners at 72 Shropshire St. and the family lived above the shop. He is sure that his present aversion to currants and raisins is the direct result of eating too many in his childhood! He joined the MEB as an apprentice electrician, returned to the bakery making bread, cakes and pies. He left to work for English Electric at Stafford as a fitter wire man in 1967 and became active in the union. He joined Palethorpes in 1972, working as an electrician in the refrigeration plant. He became works convenor for the General Municipal & Boilermakers Union. In the process he learned about the business side of food production and the activities of the Company. During this time the Company grew from 200 employees to nearly 1000. Production changed from ham, bacon and sausage to pies and pasta. With the rapid growth came rationalisation and Roger was made redundant in 1995.
Roger works for himself as a gold blocking printer but spends most of his time as a County Councillor. He has represented Market Drayton on Shropshire County Council since 1981.
With a low wage economy and high unemployment in the town, Roger actively sought the allocation and development of land for employment and helped to establish the Tern Valley Business Park and the eventual arrival of 1000 jobs at Muller. The challenge is now to secure greater prosperity for the town. His continued interest in the workforce is reflected by a concern to forge greater links between the businesses in the town and the Grove School and Shropshire College. Roger became Leader of Shropshire County Council in 2001. |
