Monday 16 April 1984 was the day Andrew Hope first walked through the door of what was then John German, having just left school on a Youth Training Scheme to start work, in our offices Lower Church Street in Ashby, as a Drawing Office Assistant. Over the last four decades, he has lived through significant change, having gone from using tracing paper, colour washing plans and ammonia copiers to now being a trained Arc GIS, and AutoCAD technician, working with Mapinfo and bespoke, client-owned GIS systems.
Andrew is an ever-present face in the Infrastructure Services division and puts down his impressive length of service to the fact that Fisher German is a rather good place to work! He said: “It’s always been a really friendly, good place to work. There are lots of us here who have been part of the business, in all its different forms for pretty much all of our working lives, so it must be doing something right for people to make that choice!”
Andrew spoke about the changes he has seen in the business since joining in the 80s, when the office had just 20 people and compared it to the infrastructure services office in our Ashby Estates office, where he is based now which has a team of more than 50, with the firm having more than 800 colleagues spread across 26 offices.
When asked what has kept him motivated over the years, Andrew said: “The constant evolution of my role and learning new skills as technology has advanced has meant that I’ve never sat still. I’ve always had new challenges and opportunities to develop myself, which is all you can ask for.”
On 16 April 2024, the day of Andrew’s anniversary, the Infrastructure Services team hosted a surprise lunch for Andrew in the office. Clare Phillipson, Divisional Managing Partner of our Infrastructure Services division, started in September 1984, when undertaking pre-university work experience with John German and has worked with Andrew since. She said:
“From those first days in the back-office drawing room in the old estates office, Andrew has been a constant in my working life, as he has been for many. I look back with fond memories of coloured crayons, all named of course, paintbrushes, colour wash plans, acetate estate maps, all hung neatly in the cabinet, the smelliest dyeline copier ever and perfect redline plans.
“Many will not be aware of the success that Andrew has had outside of work, as a former World Champion shot, he continues to enjoy the sport, both in competition and as a hobby. Those outside Ashby will also not be aware that he has fulfilled the role of official photographer for all local Ashby events, some may wish he hadn’t been so good at this as well! And then there are the homemade goodies we all enjoy, he is a man of hidden talents!
“There have been so many changes in 40 years within the business, but the one thing that hasn’t changed is the help and support that Andrew has always given to others, whoever they are.”
Our Managing Partner, Andrew Bridge, has also known Andrew for many years having joined the business himself in 1995. Congratulating Andrew after the party, he commented: “Memories come flooding back to when I first started as a graduate and spent my first few months with Andrew in the drawing office as we created a new lands terrier for a new client.
We reviewed legal documents and plans, and plotted them onto a paper plan, which was then colour washed, old style with paintbrush and paint!
Whilst I am pleased to say certain practices have moved on with the technology we now use, the client remains with us, and Andrew continues to be integral to the work we do on a day-to-day basis.”
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