Spotlight on GTO Julia Passmore

Three things I can’t live without

my diary – I still keep a paper copy (don’t trust the computer as it has a habit of breaking down when I most need it) and my diary keeps all the information I need on where I’m going and when, meetings, and holidays planned for this year and forthcoming years plus day trips etc.  I keep all my diaries so can trace back the places I’ve been and when if necessary for at least the last 20 years.

my mobile – not just to be able to make calls but when trying to find places when planning journeys, walking and not wanting to get lost, keeping up to date with news whilst away, reading a book, photos etc. and a million other things I keep on it, I’d be really lost without it.

and most important, my husband Michael – he is my rock, always calm, lets me talk things through with him (even 3 am when I can’t sleep for ideas!!), makes sure I don’t miss trains, coaches, meetings (health issues sometimes mean I need a little extra help getting going in the morning) and generally making me laugh when its been a difficult day.  We work as a team in everything,

One word I would like people to associate with me?  Trustworthy.  I know my members trust me, both with details of health problems, financial problems and treat me as one of the family.

One question I would like to ask someone dead or alive?

As a child we never questioned our parents, they were always right and we were brought up to be respectful at all times.  My mother died when I was 17 and my father several years later.  I would love to have an adult conversation with them and ask them to tell me about their younger days – I know how they met during the war but my father never talked about his war service, he found it too upsetting, but I would like to hear first hand how he coped at such an awful time.

Funniest thing on a trip?

It wasn’t actually on a trip but a trip I had arranged and was promoting to my members.  For many years I took my members to the Embassy Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield in May..  This particular year I was really excited because I had been able to obtain 50 tickets for the final in excellent seats so I sent out a flyer to everyone suggesting if they wanted to go to book immediately as places were limited. (I was running the Association for the Boots Company at the time).

One manager phoned me up and stated he was really interested in attending but I had neglected to state who would be playing.  I politely asked if he followed snooker, which he did.  I therefore explained it was a knock out competition with the final 2 players in the final.  He said he knew all that, he just wanted to know who they were so he knew whether it was worth going!! As I couldn’t tell him he didn’t book.  Needless to say I have laughed about this story numerous times and never get tired of telling it.

Best thing of being an AGTO GTO and with Central Branch

I have been with AGTO since its inception and was on the original steering committee deciding on its name.  I lost my original number when I let my membership lapse due to not working for 6 months, this has always disappointed me.  I have always enjoyed the friendliness of the members, the willingness to help each other with new ideas and suggestions of places to stay, coffee stops etc.  The network of friends I’ve built up over the years I know I can always call on for help and advice.  The feeling of not being alone but part of something much bigger and very important, bringing pleasure to so many people through what we do.

Central Branch has struggled with meetings since Covid, mainly because we cover such a wide area, so meeting up at Showcases and other National Meetings is a great opportunity.

We don’t have any fam visits in the pipeline for this year but hope 2025 will be a great year for both Central Branch and AGTO as a whole – together we can make it happen.