A technical surveyor who has spent 44 years servicing properties across the south west.

Eddie Whereat joined Housing 21, a not-for-profit providing retirement housing, aged 26 and leaves as the company's longest-serving member of staff.

He retired on Tuesday (March 31) after a career servicing 38 of Housing 21’s Extra Care Courts in Gloucestershire, Avon and further afield.

From adapting showers, fitting stair-lifts and installing grab rails through to more complex refurbishments and developments, there aren’t many building contractors or suppliers in the south west who haven’t worked with Eddie in some capacity over the years.

Reflecting on his years of work, Eddie said: “I have loved my time working as a technical surveyor – as our residents get older it’s an amazing feeling to help come up with a solution to ease their day to day life.

"The company has grown massively since I joined – especially from the mid-70s to mid-80s. I’ve made friends for life – staff and residents, I have known some of them for 30 years!

"I love the freedom and control I have had being a mobile member of the team and the sheer variety of my job – no two days have been the same.”

Eddie has enjoyed some real highlights over the years, including meeting the Queen Mother at the opening of Beaufort Court in Gloucester in 1982, Princess Diana at the opening of the Princess of Wales Court in Swansea in 1985 and the Prince of Wales at William Ainge Court in Welshpool in 1977.

Rupert Lecomber, head of property investment at Housing 21 said: “We are so sad to see Eddie leave us after all these years but so incredibly grateful for all the hard work he has put in and his dedication to improving the lives of our residents.

"He is a fountain of knowledge, having worked at the company for so long, and he will be sorely missed by the residents and his colleagues alike.”

Although he acknowledges it will be a challenge to get out of the working routine, Eddie has lots to look forward to including working on his 1970 Land Rover, classed as a historical vehicle, long walks with this wife Lyn and his dog Sam, and reigniting his passion for wood turning.

Eddie added: “I have been a wood turner since I was 15 but with work and building a family, it got put on the backburner. However, when I turned 60 my son gifted me some new equipment and so I have taken it up again.

"I often take commissions for fruit bowls, table lamps and cheeseboards so I am looking forward to spending more time on this and demonstrating my skills at local fairs.

“I will definitely miss my work colleagues and team camaraderie – and visiting all the Housing 21 courts, a few of which I was involved in the construction of, but now it’s time to relax.”