Executive on The Spot, Clive Arnold

Dover Area Chairman, South and South East Board Member.

Clive Arnold kindly allows the spotlight to hover on him for a while.

What is your current job and where do you work?

I work in Valuation Office in Folkestone. My current job is valuation of properties for business rates; from shops, beach huts, holiday homes and factories. I can also be blamed for Council Tax!

How did you come to be involved with CSSC?

When I joined Valuation Office 35+ years ago, I had the application form put in front of me to sign. At that time I was only interested in sport, mainly football. Playing in the Dover Area five a side on many occasions, I was the office sport secretary. I attended a few CSSC meetings with my office manager who was out for a night out for a few pints. We used to meet above a pub in Dover. The Dover Area spent years saving for a sports ground which we were unable to purchase. I then got involved with the AA again when it was re launched. I was a committee member for a few years and became Chair when the previous committee retired. We then worked mainly on grants to clubs bases running some events.

Fortunately for the Dover Area members, the Dover Job centre joined the committee and got the social side going. We have added to social side with ease but are struggling with sports.

When the South and South East Management Board was being formed, it was felt we needed a voice on the committee. Therefore, I was nominated.

Describe your normal week?

My normal week for the CSSC is generally spent catching up with CSSC e-mails and and booking shows and coaches at lunch time with a few visits to the bank each week. I have an excellent team of helpers who keep me under control. Cinema tickets are fun! Roll on e-trading.

I am also Chair of Folkestone Invicta Supporters Club and I spend hours watching non league football. Longest trip was Folkestone to Wales for a 1-0 defeat in February. I love all sports and CSI type TV shows.

Funny CSSC Moments

Patrica Wood talking about sun tans and causing a room of staff to be shocked talking about the Barbados Challenge. Her comment that Clive needs to top his tan like mine was a show stopper.

A CSSC recruitment meeting in France sounds glamorous but it was far from it in sub zero temperatures in Cocquelles talking to two people! We soon brought Pat back to earth and we survived on coffee and kit kats.

We organised a trip to the London Beer Festival coach, we booked it for 20 people who were interested and ended with only one after many drop outs. The trip was saved when we changed the trip to go to the Star Wars Exhibition and one drinker carried on to the beer festival at Earls Court.

The hardest job was presenting a cheque in Barbados to Dover Cricket Club! Tough job but someone had to do it.

What skills do you need to do your job with CSSC?

Patience and the ability to talk! And convince people to join in. I would never cope without Pat Linstead, she is always ready to help.

What about the CSSC frustrates you?

People who book trips and drop out or don't show up.

What do you enjoy about the CSSC?

Meeting new people and seeing how much fun they have at an event.

What would you do with a million pounds?

Give up work! Give some money to my family, some to my Football Club club and split my time between watching sport, holidays, eating out and maybe the CSSC… I would go on more trips!

If you were ever to be stranded on a Desert Island, what music would you ask to take away with you?

An I pod with Classic Rock! And some Motown.