After graduating, Peter embarked on a fulfilling teaching career, initially in Leeds as a Physical Education (PE) teacher before venturing overseas. His studies at Loughborough laid the foundation for his expertise in PE and nurtured his love for design.
From teaching PE in the Bahamas to establishing schools in Mexico and Saudi Arabia, Peter's international adventures enriched his experiences and broadened his horizons. When the school that he worked at in Saudi Arabia closed during the Gulf War, Peter and his wife were evacuated to Zandvoort in Holland where they set up a temporary school in a villa in Centre Parcs for those children evacuated from Riyadh.
After the war, they both moved back to the United Kingdom and then on to Dhahran, again in Saudi with Saudi Arabian International Schools Group where he was head of Key Stage 3 and 4. It was an American run group that had 11 schools which included two British curriculum schools. The school was on a campus in Dhahran that included an American Elementary and High School.
After two years at this school, the head of Design Technology left suddenly, and Peter was asked to take over that department. To help with this transfer to that subject, he went on a design course which just happened to be back in Loughborough. It was then that he embarked on a 4-year master’s degree course in design.
Peter said: “It was so strange to be back where it had all started for me, but so rewarding. It was a very proud and wonderful moment for me and my family when I attended the graduation ceremony in July 1998.”
Peter ran the Design Technology department in Dhahran up until 2006 when himhe? and his wife decided to return to the UK, teaching children from year 3 up to the IGCSE group in year 11.
At all the schools, Peter always enjoyed theatre and how much it helped with the development of a child’s self-confidence. Whilst living in Khobar, the western area next to Dammam, he joined the local theatre group where he was responsible for the stage/set design, construction, and painting.
Peter said:
“When we returned to the UK in 2006, I decided that I didn’t want to teach. I joined a theatre group in our village near York where I was again involved in the set design, construction, and painting.
Peter's diverse skill set found new avenues as he transitioned into property maintenance. He started off doing small repairs and jobs at his friend’s houses, setting up a company called ‘Oddjobs and Allsorts’. This became a full-time occupation where Peter designed and built gardens, ponds, barbecue and fire pit areas, patios, and decking areas.
“Loughborough has given me an extraordinary life starting with my physical education qualification that allowed me to teach all around the world and continue with my love of sport. Then to retrain and get a master’s degree in design which allowed me to follow my other love of art and construction, through Design Technology and now helping people to maintain their properties and work in theatre. Thank you Loughborough.”