5 Years Out of Work and counting...

Last night I worked out over the past five years I've applied for approximately 2200 jobs. And yet, I still find myself unemployed! So, it came as no surprise recently when I discovered I'm now a UK government statistic, as apparently there's 14.5 million over 50's (mainly men) in this country who haven't been able to get work since the pandemic!

Why? Well, apparently, we're all, "overqualified".

Or is it more a case of employers no longer can, or want, to pay salaries expected of someone with decades of knowledge and experience? Instead, they favour fresh, young talent who they can mould into their own shape at a fraction of the cost? I'd be interested to know your opinion.

Five years without an income is tough. VERY tough! Personally, I've been living off my own savings of just £9,000 per year over the last five years and now the fruit tree is getting thin. I'm not eligible for any Government assistance and as such I've fallen through the net.

Because I can budget and know how to save money, I've been able to survive without any loans, credit cards or previous financial assistance. But when you get an unexpectedly high bill like I did recently (£1200 quoted for work on the car) then it can sting. I know I'm not on my own, but I felt I just had to write this down in the hope that someone may look at my LinkedIn profile and say, "we need him - you're hired"! (Click on the link to view my LinkedIn profile). https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-walker-024090b9/?isSelfProfile=true

I’ve just signed up with another 4 recruitment agencies and am happy to travel up to 30 miles from Bournemouth (UK). My door is always open, and I'm available to chat anytime. Feel free to get in touch and I look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, if you don't need me right now, please do keep me in mind for the future. Hope you have a great week and speak to you soon.

David.

So You Want To Write A Book!

 

Writing a book is easy. Getting it bought by the public is the hard part. Just when I thought I’d completed the task of researching, writing, editing and finding a publisher – I was then faced with the real challenge of getting people to read my work!

To give you an example, “From Handbags to Hand Grenades” was released in January 2025. Since then, I’ve repeatedly contacted over 800 media outlets from newspapers to TV – yet so far, all I’ve managed to do is secure just three interviews in obscure and hard to reach far corners of the British Isles.

I also have multiple social media profiles and make bi-monthly contributions to over 440 specially targeted groups to those who I think would like the book. After combining all the figures from each group I’m looking at a collective potential audience of roughly seven million views of my posts every two weeks. Yet, this again was slow on the uptake and all I seem to attract are hordes of fake marketing agents and scammers who try and offer me their services. It’s been a bit of a surprise with how little the overall response has been, and a very steep learning curve.

However, there is something positive in all of this. Despite the knockbacks, the mistakes I’ve made and the constant worry of whether I’ll make any money; I can be proud to say I’ve produced something out of nothing. And that something is now being read by others who are enjoying my work and leaving a string of five-star reviews across the board. I found out recently my book is being sold in 86 countries which was a real boost and has now recently become available in audio format – as well as Paperback and Kindle.

Promoting and selling is like a rollercoaster, full of highs and lows and you never know what’s coming around the corner. If someone had told me before I embarked on this three-year journey what I was going to be facing, then I may have had second thoughts. But here I am, and I’m glad that despite the difficulties faced, I’d say to anyone who’s thinking about doing this to go for it. The feeling of something tangible in your hand that you’ve created is like nothing in this world - even more so when you see that others are enjoying it too. It’s quite awesome and something I’d highly recommend. If this is one of your dreams in life, then you ought to give it a go.

From Handbags to Hand Grenades by Mark Robertson is the inspirational true story about former Police Officer Kathryn West. The book talks about her life, career and dangers met every day for officers on the thin blue line. From the Tavistock Square bombing to Grenfell Tower, West’s first-hand experience talks candidly of chilling tales and memorable moments of life on the beat during her 30 years in the MET. Paperback and Kindle available on Amazon, with the audio version available to download from Audible. Click on the links below to order your copy today.

 

For Paperback and Kindle (UK) Click here.

Paperback and Kindle (Rest of the world) Click here.

Audio version Click here.

#london #crime #Truecrime #Murder #terrorism #mitcham #wandsworth #tooting #wimbledon #raynespark #clapham #croydon #claphamcommon #grenfell #grenfelltower #westminster #collierswood #claphamcommon #richmond #belgravia #whitehouse #Politics #Politicians #greenwich #tolworth #sutton #cheam #ewell #merton #brixton #kingstonuponthames #truecrime #policewoman #policeofficer #truecrimelovers #truecrimefan #truecrimebooks #crimebooks #policelife #reallifepolicing #policeinaction #londonpolice #metpolice #ukpolice #ukcops #thethinblueline #truecrimeaddict #truecrimestories #londonstreets #policelife #onthebeat #lifeontheline #truecrimeobsessed #truecrimeallthetime #reallifeheroes #reallifestories #newbookstagram #newbookstoread #bookshelf #newbookrelease #uniquebooks #britishauthor #britishbooks #britishwriter  #metpolice #ukpolice #truecrimefans #truecrimebooks #handbags #hand #grenade #grenades #handgrenade #handgrenades

Sale of Marmite Collection

Sale of Marmite Collection.

Are you a lover or a hater? 

Dear visitor,

This page is for the sale of Marmite products which belonged to my beloved late wife Laura. As some of you will know, she passed away from Cancer in 2020 at the age of just 45. More info about Laura can be found here.

Laura was a collector of Marmite memorabilia and wanted others to benefit from her incredible collection, which originally amassed over 300 items. Some pieces have now been sold and I'm now starting the next round of sales which you can have for exceptionally low prices. 

In the picture below, you will see two sizes of box described as small and large with the items contained within the box written on there. To keep things simple, a small box is priced at £10 and a large box at £20. However, if you purchase two boxes or more, you get all subsequent boxes after the initial one for half price!!! 

With reference to the other products, they are done on a price per item basis, but the sames rules as above will apply - buy the first item at full price and get the second item for 50% off. Carriage cost will be extra based on weight and sent by Royal mail using either a tracked and signed for method - or Special delivery whichever works out best as per the consignment. 

To place your order, please email me on davidwalkerfj@gmail.com and put MARMITE SALE in the subject line. Include a clear description of the boxes you would like along with a full name, address and post code. I will then reply back confirming availability, along with the total price including the carriage and payment details. Once payment has been received I will ship out the items to you. Please note - under new rules that PayPal has recently set out, I have decided not to accept PayPal as a method of payment.

Please help me to keep the memory of Laura alive by owning a part of her special collection. She was a caring and wonderful person who always went out of her way to help others. If you have any questions then don't hesitate to get in touch where I will try and answer them as best I can. All jars are in extremely good condition with very little wear / tear / damage as they were originally stored in either a display cabinet, or set of drawers as you can see in the photo below. 

Please note - due to their age, the contents of the jars should not be eaten. No responsibility will be accepted for anyone who attempts to do this. Everything is for decorative purposes only. 

Thank you in advance. 

David. 

Buy one item and get a second for HALF PRICE!!!

Mega Marmite Sale

 

Love it or Hate it, Marmite is one of Britain's long standing staples and is as traditional as Fish and Chips, London Taxi's and waiting in a queue. For years, true lovers have been excitedly increasing their personal collection of memorabilia from 250g jars through to tea towels, spoon sets, books, stickers and more. But what you are about to see is an offer that no true collector can afford to miss, as I'm offering you the chance to win ALL of the stock below, for the incredible price of just £50 !

The collection belonged to my late wife, Laura who passed away from Cancer in February of 2020 and this was her beloved pride and joy which she amassed over several years ever since she was a teenager. Originally the stock was much larger and it was Laura's request that I sell off her collection to raise funds for charity. Over the past few months a total of £6500 (including Gift Aid) has been raised which has gone to the British Heart Foundation, and now the remainder of her collection which is still pretty huge is being sold off in a LIMITED EDITION RAFFLE. Just 150 tickets are available to purchase with all monies raised to be donated to St Raphael's Hospice in South West London. 

To purchase a ticket, click on this link here which will take you to David Walker's Just Giving Page for St Raphael's Hospice.

The prize on offer is to win Laura's personal collection which you can see below. Be sure you read the rules of entry BEFORE paying for a ticket, as no refunds will be available afterwards. You can click on each picture which will then reveal a larger image. 

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE FOLLOWING RULES IN DETAIL BEFORE MAKING ANY DONATION PAYMENT.

Rule 1 - Each ticket costs £50 and is paid in the form of a donation directly via the St Raphael’s Hospice Just Giving Page, which can be found at the bottom of this blog. No money will pass through David Walker’s hands and as such, no refunds can be given.

Rule 2 - You can enter as many times as you like, but the cost of the ticket remains the same at £50 for each and every ticket. No reduction can be made for bulk purchases. 

Rule 3 - The competition will open at 9am on Monday 11th November 2024 and will remain in place until 12 midnight on Friday 28th February 2025. However, David Walker reserves the right to bring things to a close earlier if all 150 tickets are sold before this time. 

Rule 4 - Gift Aid can be added to your donation and David Walker asks that you include this to help increase the fundraising for St Raphael’s Hospice. However, it is not a mandatory requirement, and you are under no obligation to do so.

Rule 5 - Once you have made your donation, you MUST email David Walker on the following email address confirming that you have read and understood the rules, and that a payment has been made. He will then verify your payment and allocate ticket number(s) which will be emailed back to you. If your email does not state that the rules have been read and understood, then your ticket number(s) cannot be allocated. Failure to do this will result in you not receiving your ticket(s) and will be deemed as just a kind donation made to the cause. The email address to use is davidwalkerfj@gmail.com

Rule 6 - The draw will take place by means of all entrant’s names and corresponding numbers placed into a container and one name will be picked at random. David Walker aims to have this filmed with the footage placed online for everyone in the public domain via social media to see, so you must be comfortable with people seeing your name. The winner will then also receive a direct email confirming their win.

The final two rules refer to the winner receiving the prize. The reason of which can be best demonstrated by the following three photographs. 

Rule 7 - Due to the sheer size and weight of the prize, the winner of the competition (or their designated representative) will need to be able to go to Dorset to collect the items in person. The collection is located approximately 8 miles in a straight line north from Bournemouth near to the town of Ferndown. NO ITEMS WILL BE DESPATCHED BY COURIER - THIS IS A COLLECTION ONLY PRIZE! As you can see, I've tried to wrap as many items up in protective bubble wrap, but not everything is covered. It would be advisable for the person making the collection to bring some protective items with them as well, to aid in the safe transit of all the items. David Walker cannot accept responsibility for any items which become damaged once they leave his premises, and it is down to the person making the collection that they are happy to transit the items before leaving. Please do not book your own courier such as Parcelforce or any of the many other delivery companies out there, as the items will not be handed over to a commercial operator. 

Rule 8 - The winner will then have 30 days once their name and ticket number has been chosen to collect the items. If this doesn’t happen, then they will automatically forfeit their win, and a second draw will take place whereby a different winner will be announced. Should this happen, then the second winner will also have one calendar month to collect the items and so on, until the full prize has been claimed. 

To purchase a ticket, click on this link here which will take you to David's Just Giving Page for St Raphael's Hospice.

On behalf of Laura and myself, I'd like to wish you good luck, and hope that you will enjoy and cherish her beloved collection as much as she did. It gave her many years of happiness and joy whenever she received another piece to add to the pile. David on the other hand just rolled his eyes into his forehead and whenever asked if he like the latest piece, simply replied... yes dear! 

Laura Walker 1974 - 2020

Further details about Laura and her journey with cancer can be seen here. 

Full disclosure. The competition prize is to win Laura's personal collection of Marmite memorabilia as seen in the images above. Some items are duplicated and these items are included within the prize. I've tried to be as open, transparent and honest as I possibly can - but I'm only human. So if you happen to spot any errors either on this blog, or when you come to make the collection if you are the winner, then understand no maliciousness was ever intended and that I've tried to describe as much as possible for you to see in advance before any monies have been paid. Thank you. 

 MEGA MARMITE COLLECTION SALE!

Search Twitter / X #megamarmite

Love it or Hate it, millions around the planet are attracted to Marmite. This collection belonged to my late wife Laura Walker, who passed away in February 2020 from Cancer. She requested that her collection was to be sold off with the proceeds donated to the British Heart Foundation. The images below shows the entire collection available on offer. Prices start at just £10 per item which anyone who collects it will know, is a real bargain! 

If, however, you would just like to make a donation to the British Heart Foundation without making a purchase, you can do so via the Just Giving website here. 

You can read about who Laura was and her journey with cancer here. 

EMAIL ME:   davidwalkerfj@gmail.com   to place your order.

Most items have Marmite inside and the lid still sealed. However, due to the ages of the product, consumption is not recommended. 

The whole collection consists of over 200 items!

Prices start at just £10 per item. If you have any questions, see something that you like or want to reserve something in advance, email me at davidwalkerfj@gmail.com and place your order today!

Shipping may be possible on some items but I discovered that Royal mail prices were a lot more that originally thought, so please be advised that packing and shipping costs could be as high as £15 for a standard 250g jar. Larger items of course will cost more. 

Here's a newspaper article from the Bournemouth Daily Echo on Saturday 22nd June 2024 which does show a few more items to be sold - the story even made front page!

Photo Credit: Dorset Echo

Laura Walker

BBC Dorset ran the story online 25th June 2024. You can view it by clicking on this link here.

Listen to the news article on 107.8 Radio Jackie in London here.

Dorset Echo here.

BournemouthOne.com Radio Station Article here.

BBC South Today early evening News 28th June 2024 

BBC South Today late evening news 28th June 2024 (Short version)

Also seen in the Sun, Daily Star and Mirror Newspapers.

This is a hand held recording of my Channel 5 debut on the Storm Huntley Show 27th June 2024.

 You may be able to get a higher quality image by clicking here.

Like, share and donate, to make Laura's legacy help benefit others! 

Thank you. 

Marmite Collectors Sale

Specialist Jar Price List - based on a 250g sized jar

 

Summer of Love                                                                     £100

Newport number 150                                                             £500

Sun / Superhero’s / Camper Van                                             £50 per jar

Any metal lid jar 2oz                                                                                                     £175

Gene Project                                                                           £50

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road                                                 £150

Rocketman                                                                             £150

Heritage                                                                                 £100

Paddington Bear in a box                                                     £50

Pride                                                                                       £50

Marmighty (with Egg Cup)                                                  £50

Valentine                                                                                 £25

Guinness                                                                                 £25

Brexit                                                                                      £25

Hypnosis                                                                                 £20

Trick                                                                                       £20

Treat                                                                                       £20

I love You                                                                                £20

Large Ceramic Rare Jar                                                         £250

Pin badges                                                                                 £5

Set of 7 Brown jars                                                                 £180

Set of 9 Brown jars                                                                 £200

Tea Pot                                                                                     £20

XO Boxed                                                                                 £30

XO Unboxed                                                                            £25

Jigsaw Puzzle                                                                          £10

Large Ceramic Cookie Jar                                                     £120

Memo Board                                                                             £20

Set of 4 Collectors Spoons                                                     £40

2017 Calendar                                                                         £5

Wooden Cheeseboard Knife Set                                             £25

Cookbook                                                                                 £5

Ceramic “Marmite” Serving Dish                                         £120

Cufflinks (Unboxed)                                                                £5

Cufflinks (Boxed)                                                                     £10

Peanut Butter Spread                                                             £10

St John Skelton                                                                        £60

Compact Mirror                                                                     £15

Classic Cars x 4                                                                     £80 

Ink Blotter                                                                              £40

Salt and Pepper Pots                                                             £30

Sanitarium 250g Marmite                                                     £20

Sanitarium 500g Marmite                                                     £35

No Noise Set                                                                             £50

Cancer destroys more than just the patient

I've done my best. God knows I've tried.

I'm tired and had enough. I've no more strength to give. 

It's time to stop.

#cancer #grieving 

Strange lights seen over London 31st October 2013

Earlier this evening I saw something I can't explain. I know that by writing this blog I could be up for a fair bit of ridicule and skepticism but quite frankly, I don't care as what I'm about to describe was nothing short of incredible!

I got off the train just after 7pm at Streatham Common in London, when I became aware of green and turquoise lights in the sky in the distance. At first, I didn't think anything of it as there is usually a lot of activity one way or another, with large planes from Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

The lights started to come closer and at speed, before they then stopped and hovered. Then they darted off at an angle, again at speed, before stopping once more. They dropped altitude and travelled in an elongated letter "S" shape, passing over my head no more than 200ft up. By now I'm transfixed, there was hardly any traffic around and yet, not a single sound could be heard from this thing. The "craft" was probably around three quarters the length of a single deck bus and swept by me gracefully travelling at what I estimate to be between 80 and 100 mph.

It headed towards the common then stopped again, as abrupt as it started. Hovered for a few seconds then darted. First in one direction, then another without slowing down. I'd been watching for around 10 minutes so telephoned my wife who was at home and told her what I was looking at. She agreed to come and meet me as our home wasn't far away. By now the craft is around 200 - 300 metres away, yet the lights are as clear as anything and have risen to somewhere between 800 and a 1000ft.

Moving around, hovering, darting in different directions and completely defying any general rules of flight, the craft then used what I can best describe as white searchlights, as I saw large beams move from left to right reflecting on clouds in the distance. This it did for some time (around 2-3 minutes) whilst all of the time the turquoise lights are still there, now with added, smaller red lights.

Suddenly, all lights went out and became replaced with a single much brighter amber / yellow light that flashed rapidly like a beacon for around 30 seconds. This then stopped and the green, turquoise and red lights came back on again.

All the time this is happening the craft is either hovering or moving at speed left and right without a second to pause from one direction to another. By now my wife is almost with me, so I briefly glanced around to see her. Literally, two seconds later I looked back, but to my dismay this thing had shot out of sight.

Scanning the skies we both see it again, only this time it had to be the best part of over half a mile away. A single red dot in the sky, which then slowly over a period of around 5 minutes came towards us. The light was steady, its speed and direction almost constant and at first I thought it was just another plane. The height by now had got to thousands of feet over our heads, when instantly, the red light disappeared, the green and turquoise lights came on again, and the whole craft dropped like a stone out of the sky. It raced through the atmosphere and in the space of just a single second the craft stopped abruptly, around 800ft high - less than a couple of hundred metres from where we were stood.

Again, it hovered before gracefully going off, back in the direction it had just come from. Twisting and turning until it went out of our sight beyond some houses. We waited and continued to scan the skies, but it had gone.

Did anyone else in the Norbury, Mitcham, Streatham or Streatham Common areas remember seeing this spectacular event? There were cars, buses and the occasional pedestrian, surely someone else can verify that they saw this too?

I'll leave you to make up your own mind, but I know what we both saw that night and I know that neither of us were able to logically explain it.