Mike Walsham

# Mike Walsham was born in Crawley, Sussex, just before the outbreak of WWII.

# He attended boarding schools in Horsham and Cranleigh where he enjoyed most sports, but more particularly athletics.

# After graduating in Chemistry & Physics at London University in 1962, he and three male friends travelled round Canada and the USA for three months.

# He married Sandra Gledhill in October 1964 and they lived in Surbiton for six years.

# His first job was in pharmaceutical research, but after two years, he joined a well-known international computer company. He started as a system analyst, but transferred to sales and marketing in 1985.

# From 1972, he was assigned to work in Ethiopia where he, his wife and two small children lived before being transferred to Zambia in October 1973 for eighteen months.

# During his time in Zambia, he drove with eight others from Lusaka to Tanzania and successfully climbed Kilimanjaro. In addition, he took his Private Pilot's Licence at the Lusaka Flying Club and went on to become an instructor.

# In January 1992, after 26 years in the computer company, he left to set himself up as a self-employed consultant in the computer industry.

# From 1994 till the end of 2000, his consultancy employment took him to live and work in Ethiopia, Botswana, South Africa, and Zambia.

# He is thoroughly committed to his family of four children, nine grandchildren and to his local Church of England church where he was Church Warden for five years.

# He has a strong interest in most sports, particularly at an international level. He plays squash and jogs regularly.

# He is a keen classic car enthusiast, having owned three Triumph TR4As and a TR5 over the years.

# His enjoys most forms of music, but particularly jazz.

# He was a crew member on a 42ft yacht in 2002 from Menorca to Croatia, and again on a 44ft yacht in 2004 from Southampton to Croatia.

# He has written many articles for his church's Parish News on subjects such as: Ark of the Covenant, the Knights Templar, the Cathares, the Battle of Agincourt, the Scramble for Africa.

# He moved to a village in the Chilterns in Hertfordshire in November 1975 where he still lives with Sandra.