Member Spotlight: Sandy Findlay, Partnership Director, ABGi

Each week we get to know one of our members slightly better. This week we find out more about Sandy Findlay, Partnership Director, ABGi.

     1.  Favourite quote of saying?  

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step”? It’s attributed to Chinese philosopher Laozi (Lao Tzu). There are a lot of situations in life where I’m deterred from starting something because of the enormity of the task ahead of me and I’m trying to teach myself to look at the individual small steps.

  2.  Career highlight?

I can’t actually think of many “career highlights” (one of my Sunday School teachers was always warning us of the dangers of living on past glories) but I guess being invited to meet Nelson Mandela! At the time I felt someone must have appreciated the hell out of the work I was doing. I never did get to meet him though.

    3.  Why do you love pro-manchester?

The sense of community amongst members, I think the regularity communications and events has created a real sense of community.

    4.  What are you reading at the moment?

The Black Swan by Nassim Taleb (exploring how we deal with the unpredictable in life). I’m also dipping in and out of The Book of Chuang Tzu (another Chinese philosopher). I usually have a couple of books on the go at the same time as I get bored very easily and when I do I put the book down for a few weeks and move on to something else then come back to it with a fresh perspective. I don’t just read Chinese philosophers, I’m just as likely to be reading Ian Rankin, Christopher Brookmyre or Stephen King.

    5.  What are you watching at the moment?

I’m not very good at following TV series, again I get bored very quickly: I start watching something for a couple of episodes and then lose interest. I do watch a lot of documentaries and have just finished watching Trevor McDonald’s “The Secret Mediterranean.” I will watch anything that is about exploring the world we live in.

    6.  Favourite meeting place in Manchester?

The Midland Hotel. It’s a great location and a nice relaxed atmosphere.

    7.  Favourite lockdown activity?

Devonshire cream teas in the conservatory! In the early days of lockdown my wife tried to break the monotony by ordering cream tea packages from a company in Devon, we stopped work early and sat in the conservatory and stuffed our faces on scones with clotted cream and jam (and a glass of prosecco).

    8.  Most creative meal that you cook?

I really don’t cook. It’s the one household chore I don’t do. I cook to survive when my wife is away, but I would never subject anyone else to the trauma of eating a meal I had prepared. To me eating is a much more rewarding hobby than cooking and I love eating out with friends. My favourite meal is always fish: scallops, monk fish or lobster (if someone else is paying).

    9.  Most creative thing you’ve seen on a video call during the lockdown?

I think peoples’ antics when trying to stop their children, partners and flat mates video bombing conference calls. There have been some classics, like my colleague slowly sinking out of view (like a sinking boat) as he was trying to shoo away his two-year old son who was scrambling around his legs. As time has progressed, we have all become a lot more relaxed to unplanned interruptions but in the early days it was good fun.

    10.  Most mundane task you’ve completed since being in lockdown?

Calling my colleague, Georgina, every day to make sure she is still alive and staying sane!

    11.  Do you write a blog that you’d like us to share?

I don’t write a regular blog; I do contribute a lot of blog material for our partner organisations but can’t think of anything particular at the moment.

    12.  What are you looking forward to doing again the most after lockdown?

Eating out.