The Park Club Team
Dan White - Managing Director
Patrick White
Karen Mason - Senior Duty Manager
Gill Forster - Group Membership Manager
Pat Fisher - Sports & Activities Manager
Katie Edwards - Creche Manager
Derek Smith - Executive Chef
Brian Hanley- Gymnasium Manager
Brian Brocklehurst- Pools Manager
Dawn Hastings - Group Human Resource Manager
Dan White - MANAGING DIRECTOR
As many of you may know, I took over from my late brother as Managing Director of the Hogarth Group. I would like to assure you that it is the avowed intention of my father and I to continue Patrick's vision and ensure the successful future of our clubs, as a family business, to eventually pass on to our children.
However, some of you know me and may be a trifle concerned that the somewhat less than smartly dressed builder and cappuccino drinker, prone to disappearing for months on end, is now the MD of your club. In an attempt to allay your, frankly justifiable fears, I shall tell you something of my life.
Patrick was my younger brother and whilst he followed me from Fox Primary to Latymer Upper, he declined to follow me into the Parachute Regiment and onto the building site. Instead, he gained a scholarship to King's College Cambridge and the ability to describe me as having a peripatetic existence. It was not difficult to see who had the most brains.
While Patrick was swotting, I was playing squash at the then Lambton Squash Club, when I wasn't developing my cultural and social skills in it's bar. This has left me with a deep affection for the club, but a deficiency in qualifications.
The part-time Army became an important part of my life for the next twenty odd years and recently George and Tony's plan for world domination has had me scurrying around countries that you don't often read about in the Travel section of the Sunday Times. I am proud to say I have been shot at, thankfully with a deplorable degree of accuracy, in three different campaigns. Amongst other things, I have kept some very nasty people apart in Bosnia and Afghanistan, and been responsible for training anti-terrorist troops in the Middle East. I also found time for a considerable amount of mountaineering and was lucky (and foolish) enough to become the first British Serviceman to climb to the summit of Everest by the North Ridge, suffering frostbite in somewhat embarrassing circumstances. I am more than aware of the supreme irony that I have escaped with superficial damage and that Patrick should lose his life.
Despite these distractions, I have somehow managed to supervise all our major building works since starting as the world's weediest hod-carrier in 1979, giving me an in-depth knowledge of all our projects and operations.
I believe these experiences will stand me in good stead to lead our staff, who are particularly tremendous, to provide the best possible health club for your enjoyment.
Patrick J.T. White MA (Cantab.) MILAM - CEO
15 September 1965 - 7 August 2004
I am a firmly west London chap, arising from Notting Hill and initially tutored in the then-dismal Fox Primary School, subsequently being sentenced to a ten year term of enlightenment at Latymer Upper School in King Street. From there I was awarded a scholarship to King's College, Cambridge, doubtless through some administrative error. I studied English Literature, punting and claret, excelling in two of these subjects.
Somehow, and I dimly recall the involvement of an expertly guided punt and a bottle of Beychevelle 1966, I ended up agreeing to go to a series of interviews with City consultancies. This culminated in a tour of the square mile that lasted until 1991, involving The LEK Partnership and Hambros Bank.
I joined The Hogarth Group in that year and there met a gorgeous Australian chef, becoming both married and CEO in 1994. This completed the business family of my father Colin, the Chairman, and my brother Dan, whose life is of a more peripatetic variety.
In 1996 we began to explore the possibility of creating a third Club along family lines. This was imperative because of the rising and unsatisfied demand for childcare in the club environment, but more because I was about to become a father. This has since become a habit.
I am kept firmly in line by my wife and two daughters and seek solace in the sublimity of my young son.
Karen Mason - SENIOR DUTY MANAGER
Getting into a gym to do any form of exercise was a late event in my life; I didn’t start with any sort of exercise until I was in my very late 20’s, well 30 really! I plucked up the courage and hoofed my slightly enlarged body to the local gym to try to cut an inch or two off the size of my behind - and there I was - hooked, in the gym every other day and loving it. A few years later I qualified to teach exercise classes, gym instruction, personal training and haven’t looked back since.
Since 1995 I’ve competed as a Natural Body Builder having won two British Titles and 3rd place in the Professional World Championship in 2003 and will be competing again for the World Title this year, 2008. I’ve been lucky enough to have the opportunity to teach Master Classes both nationally and internationally, choreographed & appeared in TV commercials & health related chat shows and over the years and helped train quite a few people for either Bodybuilding or Fitness competitions. I’m very enthusiastic about the importance of fitness and having a healthy lifestyle - especially as birthdays seem to come round now at a very fast rate!
I started teaching studio classes for The Hogarth Group about 17 years ago which led me to be Group Studio Manager for some time. For a little variety, I have also tried my hand as Sports & Activities Manager here at The Park Club and now Senior Duty Manager.
Gill Forster - GROUP MEMBERSHIP MANAGER
It wouldn't be quite fair to say that your membership enquiries go unanswered because the Membership Manager is out on the tennis courts - but I felt really chuffed to get through to the final of the Acton Lawn Tennis Club's summer tournament last year. I hadn't been able to play the game I love for years and being ever so slightly older than Martina Hingis (in the region of three decades) I felt proud that the club coach, Max Hastings, was my partner.
Tennis wasn't my first love, but having been brought up in Africa I learned to play because it was part of our school curriculum. My real passion was hockey, which I played as a schoolgirl in Zimbabwe against Afrikaaner teams who went out on the pitches without shoes! When I left school I was supposed to play for my local club team, but my boyfriend and his Chevy with the come-over-darling front seat were a lot more appealing than the training. Which involved running laps around the cricket pitch holding our hockey sticks above our heads.
Then I came to London, a few years passed and I found myself married to an ace club tennis player. I realized that the only way I was ever going to see my husband was to take up the game he loved, once again. A few coaching lessons later and I entered the famous Pimm's Tournament at Campden Hill Tennis Club - winners down two tumblers, losers only one. Somehow the better I played the more relaxed I got and then played even better.
Working at The Park Club inspired me to start playing again and I'm thrilled to find that I've still got some killer instincts and I love playing and watching the game as much as ever. I hope I'll be able to get in some time on court in February, when I'll be in Australia for a family wedding. But please go easy on my membership girls while I'm away!
Pat Fisher - SPORTS & ACTIVITIES MANAGER
I have recently completed my Sports Science and Sociology (joint honours) degree at St Mary's college in Strawberry Hill, where I had studied as a mature student. I worked in I.T. for six years, before I applied for University. This made me realise that I wasn't working in a field that I had a passion for, so after a lot of soul searching I realised that re-educating myself was the only way forward with regards to my future career. Before being appointed as the new Sports and Activities Manager I worked on the grounds team at The Park Club, starting in June 03. This arrangement was flexible enough to enable me to complete my degree.
I have always had enormous amounts of passion where sport is concerned, playing football for over 20 years at the forefront. I also enjoy swimming, golf, rugby, tennis and can often be found in the cricket nets during my lunch break in the summer. I have run two London marathons and participated in pretty much any other activity that vaguely falls into the categories of sport and leisure. At school, I won both swimming and cross country events at Borough level, beating our new gym Manager (Leon) into second place. I was also placed in county cross country events in my youth.
I am extremely enthusiastic about the opportunity that I have as the Park Club's new Sports and Activities manager. I feel that it is the perfect position for myself, especially as I feel that sport is a great way for children to learn how to interact with each other, as well as learning other social skills that we all, as individuals, are expected to possess in society as standard.
Katie Edwards- CRECHE MANAGER
I have been working at The Ark in The Park since September 2001. Before joining the Ark I did a GNVQ Health and Social Care, and worked part time as a Florist.
I am qualified with an NVQ3 in childcare, with NVQ4 Management Studies in progress. I've also recently qualified as a Baby Massage instructor. I am an appointed person for Paediatric First Aid and am The Health and Safety Representative at The Ark.
The Ark is such an extraordinary facility for young children and offers crèche, nursery and programmed activities of the highest standard. If you have children under the age of 8 - do come and take look!
Derek Smith - EXECUTIVE CHEF
I joined The Park Club in Jan 2002 after a long and varied career, being chained to various stoves along the way. I arrived from the Belgo Restaurants group, having worked in all their London restaurants including 18 month stints as Head Chef in the Ladbroke Grove and Camden Branches.
My passion for food was instilled into me from an early age, with my father and older brother both being chefs. At around 14 I had an urge that I would have to better them both. I quickly went into training on leaving school and left after two years with a shiny diploma, having topped the class with the only distinction for cooking. My career path was then wide and varied: classical Italian restaurants; riverside French restaurants; hotels; even working for the Thai Royal family. However coming to The Park Club has been the biggest challenge so far. It's such a wide, varied and enjoyable role.
Ladies' lunches, kids' corner madness, Golden Jubilee buffets for a thousand, snack food for 3,300 at the fireworks, comedy nights and summer barbecues to name a few.
If you have any feedback on the products, menus and services we offer in the bar & restaurant please drop me a line at dereks@theparkclub.co.uk.
Brian Hanley - GYMNASIUM MANAGER
I have been working in the Health & Fitness Manager’s role since March 2007, and have worked as a Personal trainer at the Hogarth Health Club and Lambton Place Health Club during my time with the Hogarth Group. Since graduating from Brunel University with a joint honours degree in Sport Sciences/Leisure Management in 2000 I have worked in the fitness industry and enjoy working with clients to help them reach their goals whether it be weight loss, improving flexibility or running a marathon.
I like to challenge myself also and recently ran the New York Marathon in November 2007 and managed to raise £3,000.00 for the World Cancer Research Fund. I also represent my football league “Amateur Football Combination” in a National League Systems Cup of which we are through to the semi final stage. The winners of the competition go on to represent England in a European Tournament later in the year.
Brian Brocklehurst - POOLS MANAGER
I started my working life in the family funeral Directors in Manchester before heading to London in 1997. I joined the Hogarth as a part time lifeguard on a Sunday and came over to the Park Club when it was first build in 2000. In 2003 I was promoted to Pools Manager after winning employer of the year. I have always kept up my National Pool Lifeguarding Association Qualification (NPLQ), am now a qualified lifeguard trainer assessor and hold a pool plant qualification.
Dawn Hastings - GROUP HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
Born and bred in true Chiswick style, I have worked for The Hogarth Group since 1989 after graduating from Bath University. My time with the Hogarth started in the kitchen at weekends during University holidays and then on to become a full-time receptionist at the age of 21!
After two years at The Hogarth Health Club, I was offered the chance to work at a 'brand new' club that The Hogarth Group was opening in Russell Square, The Mecklenburgh Health Club. Three years later and I had progressed to become Deputy Manager of Mecklenburgh before being returned to my home base at The Hogarth following the departure of their Assistant Manager.
On the opening of The Park Club in 2000, I was honoured to be asked to become General Manager of Hogarth! Having worked my way up through the ranks, I have now stepped into the role of expanding and developing the Group Human Resources Department! Working with the most important asset of The Hogarth Group - our staff!
