Speaker - Dr Peter Dickson

On Monday last the speaker at the Llantwit Major Rotary Club meeting held at the West House Hotel was one of their own members. Dr Peter Dickson spoke about his life in medicine.  Having trained at Manchester University Medical School he qualified in 1974 and soon after moved to Hatfield in Yorkshire as a general practitioner where he worked  for the next ten years.  He reminded members that in those days he was on call every night except Saturday and that local GP’s would come together to provide a comprehensive service for their patients. It was a mining community and he worked through the difficulties experienced during the miners’ strike.  On one occasion when on a night call his car became stuck in a snow drift; he called at a house to ask if he could borrow a shovel.  The door was answered by a miner who instead of offering a shovel called on his mining neighbours who bodily lifted the car out of the drift and saw him safely on his way.  Later Dr Dickson also assumed the position of Medical Advisor to the local Marie Curie Hospice where at Christmas he also doubled-up as Father Christmas.  Not all his calls were medical;  he was called out  one evening by an elderly patient only to be asked if he could repair her oven.  He did!  Later Dr Dickson moved to Bradford to become Medical Director of the GP Training Scheme which supported young doctors who wished to work in inner city practices.  

Five years ago his expertise in this area of work saw him appointed to a post in London as a Department of Health advisor on GP matters.  He regularly catches the 6.30 am London train at Bridgend and has become a well-known passenger.  He has frequently treated medical emergencies on the train for which he is often referred to as the Paddington Doctor.  Peter Dickson and his wife Sue have lived in Llantwit Major for five years and have three grown-up children.  Although he has reduced his commitment in recent years Dr Dickson still travels weekly to London in his capacity of Department of Health advisor.  At the end of the talk Richard Vidler thanked Peter for ‘the fascinating account of his amazing career.’

The meeting ended with Rotary President Dr David Rogers inducting Mrs Alice Thomas from  St Donats as an Associate Member of the Llantwit Major Rotary Club.  This new status allows the Associate Member to attend meetings and to join in Rotary activities before committing to full membership.  Mrs Thomas said that she had been born in Cleveland Ohio but her family had relocated to the UK when she was six.  Later she married well known farmer and JP, Gwyn Thomas, and together brought up two sons.  Gwyn had been a founder member of the Rotary Club of Cowbridge and as such had helped to bring the Llantwit Major Club into being.  Although sadly Gwyn is no longer with us Alice said that she was honoured now to be an Associate Member of Rotary in her own right.