Sir Tom delivers inspiring knight’s tale at Glasgow South Business Club
December 10, 2009
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Glasgow South Business Club President Kathy McBride with Sir Tom Farmer
By Grace Franklin
Sir Tom Farmer, founder of Kwik-Fit, the auto repair chain, gave advice to more than 120 members of Glasgow South Business Club at their last meeting for this year.
‘Stand up and be counted. People need to be looked after, listened to and know that they belong.’
Describing himself as a ‘naturally optimistic person,’ he said that the experience of the present financial crisis and recession was like a train going into a tunnel: ‘You can be sure it will come out again!’
But he posed the question: ‘What kind of world and community do we want then? It will be a new world, and we should see that as a great opportunity and plan for what we want. I want it to be a place where our children and grandchildren can be safe.’
He instanced the broken trust in the political system and the financial system. ‘If people did these things in the business world, they’d be fired,’ he said.
He is ranked 32 in the Sunday Times Rich List, worth an estimated £122m and devotes most of his time to his charity work, his community and his family though he has extensive property interests.
His recipe for commercial success was ‘stick at it and never skimp on training or on advertising.’
He added: ‘In Scotland we have a great resource – our great human spirit. We need to be passionate about Scotland and our community. We all need to stand up and be counted. We need to say we’re not going to put up with things the way they are and understand we can do something to make a difference if we work together.’
A Knight of St. Gregory, the highest honour that the Catholic Church can bestow on a layman, Sir Tom supports Mary’s Meals, which feeds hungry children, among many charitable works.
He was thanked for his candid words by the Club President, Kathy McBride of Top Staff, who presented him with a memento of his first time visit to Ibrox, where the Club has its regular monthly meetings. The next meeting will be a Burns Lunch on 19 January at the House for an Art Lover.
For further information about the club see their website: www.glasgowsouthbusinessclub.co.uk
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