Member Article

From pounding the beat to keeping the books

Retired policeman Ray Handy is studying hard using his analytical skills which helped catch criminals to now balance the books of his family’s business ventures.

Ray, 55, spent 30 years as a constable in Durham Constabulary – six of those in the force’s major crime team helping detectives input data and analyse intelligence on serious crime investigations through the HOLMES 2 national police data system.

Now he plans to turn those skills deciphering complex information into helping his wife Jacqueline, 51, and 28-year-old daughter Chera-Lise with their business plans after enrolling on a foundation diploma in bookkeeping course with Pitman Training Newcastle.

Ray, from Consett, County Durham, is working his way through six modules of the computer-based course learning bookkeeping and Sage 50 Accounts under the watchful eye of Pitman Training Newcastle tutors.

Newcastle-based business and enterprise support organisation Entrust recently acquired Pitman Training Newcastle, the city’s branch of the specialist secretarial, bookkeeping and IT trainer.

“I’m finding the course interesting and enjoyable, you’re following a programme on the computer but there is an accountant there if you need help,” said Ray.

“With bookkeeping as in police work, you’ve got to be a logical person, to go from one logical step to the next.

“Bookkeeping is something I’ve always been interested in from my days as a police officer. My wife manages the Bees Buzz at The Grove after school club at The Grove Primary School in Consett and they asked me to do their books for them.

“My daughter is thinking about starting up a wedding dress business and she said to me ‘would I do the books for her’ so I thought a qualification would be beneficial for that as well.”

Jill Duffy, centre manager for Pitman, said: “Ray has really applied himself to his bookkeeping course, using the skills he learned over many years as a police officer and combining them with his interest in bookkeeping and his determination to help his family with their businesses.

“As a specialist bookkeeping trainer, Pitman Training Newcastle is delighted to be able to help him achieve the formal qualification he wants, to provide the best possible support that he can to his wife and daughter in their business ventures.”

Ray was a familiar sight to locals in the Derwentside area on the beat as a police constable, covering communities such as Consett, Blackhill and Shotley Bridge during a 30-year career which also saw him work in the divisional communications team.

His work with HOLMES 2 (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) saw him collating and retaining documents for evidence and disclosure as well as inputting data to help investigating officers build a better picture of suspects, their associates and patterns of offending.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Gordon Arnott .