Since his early teens, Derek has been a big band addict and a Ted Heath fan - the Band Leader not the politician! Music of all types has featured largely in his life and during his student days he regularly attended classical music concerts.

He is a retired Chartered Engineer and during his professional life travelled widely internationally on business and does so now for pleasure.

He has been actively involved in many voluntary organisations serving in the past as co-ordinator of the Voluntary Services Bureau and as a Lay Assessor of rest homes in the Social Services sector.

He currently hosts and presents a monthly music enjoyment programme for the visually impaired and is also Registrar for a Probus Club.

It was when recording for The Talking Newspaper that he realised his interest in radio.