Steve has been very busy in his spare time over the last 12 months helping a friend write his memoirs. That friend is Bill Ford who, until July of 2016, was the Managing Director, and former President and Chairman of the Great Central Railway.

Bill Ford has led the most amazing life running his family business – Ford and Slater the largest UK independent truck dealer in the 60s, 70s and 80s and taking the company to become a plc and then selling to Unilever and becoming head of their worldwide automotive division. There he was in charge of more than 11,000 employees and travelled the world many times over. He has suffered family tragedy, and almost met his own demise on a dozen occasions, through head on motor accidents, flying light aircraft in monsoons in Africa, and surviving cancer and a brain haemorrhage amongst other things, but has lived to tell the tale. The story of his life is now being published, in more than 70,000 words and dozens of never before seen photos and illustrations, with Bill, Steve and Mary spending a great deal of time, effort and skill during February, March and April of this year to get the book ready for launch.

The book launch took place on May 1st at Rothley Court Hotel and photos of the event can be seen below.

If you would like to buy a copy of the book, please email steve@soarvalleylife.co.uk.