We’re gathering stories and interviews from former civil servants to reflect on their experiences in the Civil Service and their involvement with the CSRF. By sharing these memories, we aim to celebrate the community’s history and strengthen connections across generations.

To participate, candidates must be former civil servants who support the aims and values of the CSRF.

We’ll be featuring these stories across our communication channels in the coming months. If you’d like to share your story, please email us, we’d love to hear from you!

Valerie’s befriending story

A Lifeline of Friendship with CSRF Housebound and with no access to the internet, retired civil servant Valerie relies on…

Paddy’s volunteering story

Volunteering for CSRF and Connecting Generations From activity groups to befriender matching, the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship (CSRF) brings connection…

Louise and Olive

More Than Befriending: A Lifelong Friendship through CSRF Here at the Civil Service Retirement Fellowship (CSRF), we put friendship first.…

Jane’s activity group

 A Journey From Teacher to Chair of the CSRF Local Activity Group As well as running befriending services, the Civil…

Trudy Thomas

A Career Defined by Service and Support Leaving school at age 14 in 1945, Trudy Thomas started work at a…

Olive Walter

A Life of Service, Advocacy, and Volunteering Olive was born in Guyana, a former British colony, and moved to the…

Mike Hammond

Experience within the Civil Service working in 16 different countries Mike Hammond was born in Hampshire, however because of his…

Michael Le Good

The little known department called Export Credits Guarantee Michael Le Good became a civil servant after nine years in computer…

Marjory Gooch

Marjory’s journey started from her first post within the civil service as a CA in the Ministry of Health Marjory…

Lynn Patrick

 A Civil Service Photography Pioneer Lynn Patrick studied photography at Kitson College of Technology, Leeds, in the early seventies. Photography…

Keith Sullens

From Pensions to Privatisation: A Civil Service Journey and Life Beyond In 1962, fed up with exams, Keith Sullens decided…

Janice Wood

From Aytoun Street to Job Centres in the Civil Service In 1967, Janice Wood was unemployed and looking for work.…

Terry Watson

 A Lifetime in Forensic Science and Community Leadership Terry Watson had always wanted to work in a laboratory and was…

Lidia Holmes

A Dedicated Civil Servant and Advocate for Health in Retirement  Lidia Holmes became a civil servant and worked for the…

David Bradley

A Path Through Nuclear Science, Civil Service, and Public Safety David Bradley reflects on a civil service career that included…

Barry Harding

 A Distinguished Civil Service Career and Global Trade Expertise School leaver After Leaving Minchenden Grammar school in 1962, Barry Harding…