In Every Drop Of Water Is A Story Of Life

I don’t in anyway pretend to be a professional author, I write for my own pleasure – but with a purpose! I became a “published author” more by accident than anything else. My first book, “Girls Not Allowed” was published five years ago, and was a personal account of my association with a South Bristol Youth Organisation. I wrote it to give an historical account of the events that ultimately led to its closure in 2004. The satisfaction was in “writing an account of my involvement there”, and it was my friend Di Toft that advised me to “publish it”. I will ever be thankful for that advice as I now find myself publishing my second book, which in much way continues the theme of the first, “a personal journey”.

“In Every Drop Of Water Is A Story Of Life”, is a memoir with a difference. It commences in 1974 and finishes just last year, in 2018. Much has changed in a period that spans some forty-four years as you would expect. I reflect on some of those changes, what triggered them and what the impact was. There are not many people who can honestly say that there personal life has not been impacted by work at some point, or indeed the other way around, where personal issues impact professional performance. Recession and divorce for instance, two things to create stress in many of our lives – and sometimes they occur at the same time. This book attempts to reflect on the many changes that have occurred during my time at Bristol Water, and to give an honest account on the impact of them, both personal and professional. Importantly for me I write quite openly about the impact of change on the many colleagues I have worked with over the years. This is not a “doom and gloom” book, or one that sets out only to criticise decisions made, after all Political, Social and Environmental changes can impact Businesses. The National Utility Strike in the 1980’s done nothing for the position of the Trade Unions, and for ever changed the “perceived balance of power” in the Water Industry. Now, as we near 2020, Trade Union membership is at its lowest – with many employees not having any workforce representation. Communications between employers and employees are not as good as they should be. With many Utilities employing a “mobile” workforce – effective communications strategies are essential, and yet in many Companies they are dreadfully lacking.

My career at Bristol Water has seen me go through most of the basic human emotions. There has been laughter, tears, frustration, surprise, joy and relief. This book recalls many of the characters I have worked with, and re-lives some of the stories we shared, situations we have faced – and how we came out the other side.

We are all entitled to “have an opinion”, and the ones detailed in this book are mine, others may view things differently. Like many others who have now left and some that are still there, I loved my time at Bristol Water. For me and many others the company had a “family feel” to it for many years, regrettably it seems that is no longer the case. Everything changes and we move on accepting them or not – that’s life, and this book is an account of mine at Bristol Water.

“In Every Drop Of Water Is A Story Of Life” is published by Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) and is available through Amazon Store

You can also contact me direct at: andylewis1953@gmail.com