Team Member Focus June: Bert

Last month we caught up with Nicola our Operations Manager in our Glasgow depot. Now, the spotlight is on Bert, one of our self-employed drivers.

Amazingly, he has been with the company since the beginning, back in 1985 when big hair and shoulder pads were the fashion and Live Aid was the big cultural event that had tongues wagging.

Bert, now 63, is an official Edinburgh local – after moving over when he was six years old from France, where he was born.

Find out about his love for all things motor racing, his hate for rice pudding and why he thinks a cat’s lifestyle would be for him:

What do you do at Eagle Couriers?

I work as one of its many couriers.

How long have you been working at Eagle Couriers?

I have been working for Eagle for almost 32 years, I started off as part time but enjoyed it so much that I have been here ever since.

Do you have any strange delivery stories/ encounters from your time at Eagle couriers?

I would say every delivery is a strange one, but I don’t have one that stands out.

What do you most enjoy about working at Eagle Couriers?

Being out all day is something I really enjoy, I like the freedom of driving everywhere. Especially when you get a delivery somewhere that takes you on an adventure like along the dramatic and beautiful west coast.

What’s something unexpected about you?

I collect stamps and have quite the collection at home!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Going out on my motor bikes, I have two of them.

I’m a bit of a motor sports fanatic, if it is not going out on my motor bikes I like to watch motorbike racing or Formula One. Whenever the MCE British Superbikes are at Knockhill I always enjoy going up and watching them race.

What’s one food that you can’t stand?

Quite a few, I really dislike rice pudding even though I love rice. I also can’t stand porridge or brussel sprouts.

Other than those few things, I will always give everything a try.

If you could live inside the world of any book/ TV / series or film which one would it be and why?

Game of Thrones is one of my favourite TV shows, everyone is always fighting for power.

So I wouldn’t mind being a character in that – although if I were I wouldn’t have reached 63!

What kind of animal do you think you’d be?

I’d like to be a cat, they have it easy. Coming and going whenever you want and lazing around all day sounds ideal.

If you could have dinner with any 5 people living or dead, who would it be and why?

My parents, as it would be nice to have one last talk with them;

Valentino Rossi, he is a god in motor cycle racing;

And then two of my good friends.

If you were stranded on a desert Island – and you could only bring three things with you – what would they be and why?

I’ve always been practical! So things that would help me get off the island, so a phone and a boat and also as much food as I would need.

If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

I would like a power that would make you good at everything, so anything you tried you were just a natural at.

If you could travel to any point in time, where would you go?

From watching films I think it would be really interesting to go to Egypt in the time of Pharaohs and get to experience life during that time and walk along the Nile River. As long as I could come back though!

If you could teleport yourself anywhere in the world right now where would it be?

I would like to go somewhere warm like Thailand. It is full of beautiful white sandy beaches and you could get some coconuts off the trees.