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The Chance Meeting
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This weeks feature
It was a chance meeting with Esther Rantzen that changed Gervase Phinn's life. Gervase was giving a talk at the opening of a new office of Esther's 'Childline' charity when he got talking to the former 'That's Life' presenter.
"She asked me on to her chat show to give my views on education and children, and I ended up going on three times. One of the TV executives said it was the first time in 30 years Esther hadn't been able to get a word in edgeways!" |
Esther Rantzen and Gervase Phinn. |
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Following his appearances on Esther's show Gervase, who had been involved in education, either as a teacher or inspector, for 27 years, was offered a book deal by Penguin. The result was the best-selling 'The Other Side of the Dales'. That was about six years ago, when Gervase was 53, but he had actually been writing since the age of 24 and has been responsible for more than 40 books, including poetry, plays, anthologies and textbooks. |
Still takes an interest in education. |
A new collection of children's poems is due this year. A fifth Dales book is also in the works. But although relishing the writer's life Gervase still takes a keen interest in education, and insists teachers are most effective when left alone. "I was in Sweden and they were amazed that children in this country have exams at 7 and 11, 14 and 16. They said that we spend all the time weighing the pig instead of feeding it - and there's a lot in that." |
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