I came into the world on September 18th 1952 at the Canadian Red Cross Hospital, Taplow, Bucks – only son of Irene and Tom Pain. Until 1971 we lived in Wraysbury – a sleepy little village between Staines and Windsor.  Well it was sleepy for 2 minutes out of every 3 as Wraysbury lies at the end of the western flight path out of Heathrow Airport so we had to pause as aircraft flew overhead.  The noise was dreadful.  I can remember Concorde flying over our house on many occasions. 

In 1971 my parents bought a sweet shop (lucky me) in Windlesham, Surrey which mum ran until she died in 1977. Dad carried on with until 1983 when he sold the business and retired. He still lives in Windlesham but a stroke last year left him less active than he used to be.

I went to Wraysbury County Primary School – the old one in the village, not the new one in Welley Road and was once described in my report as ‘A very sound boy’ or it might have been ‘A very round boy’.  It was probably the second disguised to look like the first – not a lot has changed in the 50 years since then except I am rather more round now.  I moved on to Langley Grammar School and managed 11 O levels and 3 A levels before setting off for the South West and Exeter University.  I read Mathematics and The Sporting Life for much of my time there but did emerge with a second class honours degree.  I shared a room in my first year with someone who played bridge. Being at a loose end on the first Sunday evening with nothing to do I went along to the bridge club.  There were four of us who had never played before so we were sat in a corner; taught the barest of essential things and within a month I was playing.  No regular lessons, just a few all night sessions.  There was no forgiveness if you got it wrong, just derision and humiliation!

Although learning to play was great fun, I was far more interested in the fact that people seemed to be moving from table to table every 15 minutes.  So that was where my interest in tournament directing was born.

After graduating in 1974 and doing my PGCE in 1975 I moved on further south west and found a school willing to take me on as a maths teacher.  I stayed at Ivybridge Community College for 25 years.  I was made Head of Maths in 1984 but gave that up to take on the unusual role of Examinations Officer in 1989 which I did until I quit teaching in 2001.  Being Exams Officer is so similar to TDing that it was a tailor made job for me.

I started Tournament Directing on a regular basis in 1977 when I was asked to go and help at the Newquay Congress.  From then on I ran events throughout Devon and Cornwall and started doing EBU work.  It became quite a busy life – teaching until 3.30 on a Friday afternoon, driving 150/200 miles to run an event all weekend, driving home on Sunday night and being bright and alert for 8.50 on a Monday morning.

In 1986 I met and married Gill who was also keen on TDing. What fun we had scoring events together, sitting in bed scoring the Falmouth Salver (an 11-table full howell) by hand.  We knew how to enjoy ourselves.  In 1995 Gill got her job at the EBU – a bit of a trek from Plymouth on a daily basis where we were living so she moved to Aylesbury and I carried on in Plymouth. We met at weekends and congresses.

By the end of 2000 I was really fed up with teaching. I had suvived two OFSTED inspections and wasn’t keen to face a third.  The doctor had me on happy pills and I was wondering what to do when a job came up at the EBU.  Sandra Landy had developed the Bridge for All scheme but was leaving in April 2001 and they needed someone to take over.  I applied and got the job.  The School were a bit stunned when I said I was going but I left in April 2001 and moved to Aylesbury (Gill was pleased or maybe not) and started at the EBU.

The EBU job has evolved into being Education Manager – looking after EBUTA, the teachers association, TD training and bridge education in schools, in addition to the Bridge for All work.  In May 2006 I took over from Nick Doe as Secretary to the Laws and Ethics Committee.

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of spare time but I do find time to sing with Aylesbury Choral Society. We do two concerts a year in the spring and near Christmas and occasional other concerts.  Our next event will be Masses by Josef Haydn and his lesser known brother Michael in December. 

When I was living in Plymouth I sang with the Plymouth G&S Fellowship.  We always did a major production every year – not just the popular ones like Pirates of Penzance or Mikado, but also the lesser known ones like Patience and Princess Ida.  We were very lucky to be able to do our annual production on the main stage of the Plymouth Theatre Royal and I had the odd minor principal part.  The one I enjoyed most was that of The Learned Judge in Trial By Jury.

I don’t have many other hobbies – I watch sport but don’t take part and Gill and I enjoy good food – that’s not obvious is it?  We both enjoy cooking – using every saucepan in the kitchen usually.  Gill enjoys gardening; I follow round and clear up occasionally.  My main contribution to the gardening effort is taking bags of rubbish to the local dump every now and again and refreshing the gin and tonic.