The LAST WORD: Mark Crutchley, chief executive, Circadian Trust

November 13, 2015
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Each week Bristol Business News gives a prominent member of the city’s business community the last word on its weekly e-bulletin.

This week Mark Crutchley, chief executive of Circadian Trust, which operates sports and leisure centres in South Gloucestershire, answers our 10 questions.

What was the LAST:

Film you watched? Spectre the latest James Bond instalment with my 14-year-old son; it’s like deja-vu. I used to go in the 70s with my dad when a new Bond film came out. Moonraker would have been the Bond movie which came out when I was 14!

Book you read? I have recently finished Bounce by Matthew Syed, which made me think about redefining what is talent and the nature/nurture/meritocracy argument. I am currently reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. It is making me more conscious of how thoughts and emotions get in the way of living a happier life and as a result I am trying some of the techniques and trying to see the world in a slightly different way. It’s quite deep and requires time to digest.

Music you bought/downloaded? I am reliving my mid-teens youth, as I was bought Our Generation a selection of Mod and Ska classics – takes me right back to 1980-81! I was 15 and 16 and spent many an hour at the youth club disco dancing to these tunes.

Concert or play you went to? I went to see Morrissey at Nottingham Arena on his last tour – another hero of my youth who seems to have maintained his personal beliefs consistently throughout his career, although he has definitely become more eccentric as time has progressed.  On January 3 I will be attending the annual pantomime at Bradley Stoke Leisure Centre which this year is Aladdin.

Sporting event you attended? The WESPORT (West of England Sports Trust) COSE Awards, which we sponsored and I presented an award (Club of the Year). It is always great to see local sports clubs, volunteers and participants get the recognition they deserve for their hard work and achievement. The MC and host was former Olympic medallist and hurdler Colin Jackson. I find listening to world-class athletes enthralling – they sacrifice so much to get to the top. I regularly attend sports events with my children from District Cross Country to weekly rugby matches, but the last event I paid to see was Gloucester Rugby versus Exeter in the European Challenge Cup semi-final in April.

Holiday you went on? We had a family holiday to Tuscany for a week in August. I’m quite lucky that the kids aren’t hung up on sun and beach holidays (yet) and we managed to get to see some sights in Florence, Pisa and Lucca as well as some walking in the mountains.

Restaurant you ate in? The last restaurant I booked to eat in was The Inn at Welland, near Malvern last month. We were meeting up with my brother’s family for Sunday lunch and it is neatly halfway between us. Great food was served and a good time was had by all.

Thing that annoyed you? I had two days off at half-term and on the first morning the washing machine leaked all over the kitchen floor. As it was several years old it was beyond repair; so I spent that afternoon sourcing a replacement and the next day waiting in for it to be fitted. A great use of two days off!

Thing that made you laugh out loud? Watching myself completing an exercise set in the gym on a video taken by the trainer. My comment was “I have got the co-ordination of a giraffe on roller skates on a greasy floor!”

Piece of good advice you were given? Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.

Wolverhampton-born Mark Crutchley has been chief executive of Circadian Trust for nine years. A life-long rugby fan, he studied in York and worked in various parts of Yorkshire for 18 years before moving to the area. Circadian Trust is a social enterprise and registered charity which operates seven sports and leisure facilities in partnership with South Gloucestershire Council. It celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.

 

 

 

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