JOHN GANDER
WSO Administrator and Deputy Chair
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John is the chap you will see running around the Assembly Hall dressed in a waistcoat and bow tie and always to be found at the end of concerts at the exit doors, handing out flyers and saying "thank you" and "good night" as you leave.
He was born within the town limits of Arundel (which makes him a mullet) so in that respect he is a local lad, but his career has taken him around the world.
John left school just after his 16th birthday to become a Boy Entrant in the RAF. He trained as a clerk, going on to do a further 9 years’ service after training, serving as a HR clerk then becoming a personal assistant to some very high ranking officers. At one time or another he served in the north, south and west of England, as well as in Bahrain, Germany and Gibraltar.
After leaving the RAF, John was employed for a short spell in the Registrars Department of one of the major UK banks, before going back out to the Middle East to work. He started as a personal assistant to a project manager, then to the Vice President in the regional office and lastly as manager of the area office.
Returning to the UK he trained to become an unqualified accountant but the company he was working for went bust, so it was back to the Middle East, this time as a contracts administrator and then as a contracts manager.
Back in the UK for good, John again reverted to accountancy, working for several charities before retiring in 2012. During this time he attended the London Southbank University and gained his MSc in Charity Accounting and Financial Management.
Alongside his professional work, John has held various voluntary roles, including being a trustee of several charities, a director of a golf club, working with ex-Services associations and in local politics. He has also been involved in running two jazz clubs in Worthing – one traditional and the other modern.
During his working life, John travelled extensively, visiting many places in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, the Caribbean and North America. He visited some fantastic places, spent time in a variety of cultures, met some wonderful people and collected some terrific memories along the way.
John joined Worthing Symphony Society as a trustee and as treasurer in 2008 and transferred to WSO when it became a registered charity in its own right in 2015. John is also acting treasurer as well as deputy chair of the Trustees and Orchestra Administrator.
John has a very eclectic taste in music, with a varied vinyl and CD collection. His other passions are walking and wildlife (particularly bird) photography.
