Who Am I?

Updated 26 July 2020.

This  a hard question to answer. What defines who am I?

When I first wrote this, it said I was a 40 something male. Sadly now, I am well into my 50s, but happily still a male. I am by birth from the Land of the Prince Bishops (Co. Durham) although not lived there really since I went to University well over 35 years ago. Despite having lived the last 20 years in the South East…ok Essex, I am still a Northerner at heart and still consider the North East my home.

By qualification and occupation I am both a Chartered Accountant and also a Solicitor.

I am a keen football fan and also an equally keen cyclist. In my spare time, if I am not on the football terraces or on my bike, I am likely to be doing a good impersonation of an alcoholic couch potato.

 I have always had a big interest in civil liberties and human rights and this is why I went into the law. I practice in the criminal law field. I currently work in the investigation and prosecution of serious financial crimes, although in my mind I am still attracted to the idea of defending suspects. I will no doubt find it difficult to resist commenting on matters of civil liberties and human rights in this blog. These will hopefully be an aside to blogging about my life.

I have been divorced for many years. When my now ex wife told me she wanted a divorce, I remember asking her what grounds she had for a divorce. He reply was, well this season alone, Anfield, Goodison Park, Old Trafford, St James Park etc…..

 Relationship wise,once upon a time I had a complicated friendship or should that be a complicated friend? That continued and for many years I have been in a (long distance) relationship with my partner who lives near Newcastle upon Tyne. We have known each other for many years, but never realised that we had a mutual attraction until this year. If only I had taken up the offer of a housekeeper in early 2007 then things could have been so different.  There again if she hadn’t drunk up so quickly and left the Lowther pub all those years ago, things may have turned out very differently.

I’ve been a football fanatic most of my life and have completed the 92 football league & premier league grounds Added to this numerous non league grounds, a number abroad and you start to get the picture. I will watch football anywhere any time. When I was a University student in Manchester, it was not unusual for me to watch 3 or more games a week around Greater Manchester as well as following my beloved Newcastle United. Sadly 3 games a week would be a poor week these days. I am often out most nights watching games ( well I was pre lockdown).

I moved to London  in 2000, I couldn’t afford to go back to Newcastle regularly, so my son and I got season tickets for Leyton Orient and even now I can often be found watching the O’s. My son hasn’t been to Brisbane Road in at least 10 years, but I still go. I have to say the club is incredibly friendly and it is a pleasure to be part of the match day experience there. I am friends with a lovely couple who go to the O’s. I attend as one of their carers, but I sometimes think they provide me with care instead.

I took up cycling in around 2000. Although my father was a former World Vets Champion, I got into cycling accompanying my son to ride in London. This was followed by my commuting to work each day into Central London. Then doing some Sunday rides, then some audax events (www.audax.uk.net) and then a week’s cycling holiday in France with a friend.

From there, I got more and more into cycling and in 2009 completed a solo and mainly unsupported LEJoG and in 2010 annually since I have ridden in the USA with the Police Unity Tour (www.policeunitytour.com). I completed blogs for those events in the past at www.aminearlythere.blogspot.com  and www.bothesidesofthepond.blogspot.com and of course www.spen666.wordpress.com

 I am now simply going to post all on this blog as I haven’t posted enough to justify several blogs for a long time.

Feel free to read them and learn more about me.

I’m currently looking for my next challenge as well as trying to fund raise for the next UK Police Unity Tour. Please feel free to Donate https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/peterbennett2020

Any suggestions gratefully received for a new challenge.