The previous President, Janett Scott describes herself as 'gender gifted', a term I unashamedly borrow on occasions. Although the amazing variety of transgender people defies categorization, if pressed I would define myself as a late-developing part-time cross dresser. The reasons for my late development are simple: a very happy marriage until my wife passed away; raising three wonderful children; and a fulfilling career as an engineer until I took early retirement. Now I am able to express the feminine side of my personality without fear of hurting or embarrassing anyone, and being retired I am happy to devote plenty of time to Beaumont affairs.

Having only a few years experience as an occasional woman I am able to remember vividly my first terrified experience of going out dressed, so can readily empathise with those who are taking their first tentative steps into the transgender (TG) world and I fully understand any accompanying feelings of guilt and fear they may have. Since my own debut however, I have thrown myself enthusiastically into the TG scene to make up for lost time. Support groups, weekend events, conferences, excursions, dining, shopping, pub groups, nightclubs, discos; you name it, I enjoy it, so I claim to be able to identify with TG people of all ages and persuasions.

Of course I have interests other than cross-dressing; sometimes as myself and sometimes as my male alter ego. Time doesn't permit as much sculpting and painting as I would like but I keep my hand in with painting my face and with the regular comic strip 'Daphne's Diary' in the Beaumont Magazine, an everyday story of the inhabitants of the seaside residential boarding house 'TG Towers', a source of endless amusement for me if not for the readers.

Some favourite things:

Favourite novel: Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'
Favourite opera: Mozart's 'Marriage of Figaro' (has hilarious cross dressing scene)
Favourite current singer album: Norah Jones' Come Away With Me'
Favourite oldie album: 'Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book'
Favourite food: chocolate in any form but preferably dark and nutty
Favourite painting: Velasquez' 'The Toilet of Venus' (magnificent derriere!)
Favourite TV (television that is) show: The Simpsons

I like to think of myself as cosmopolitan, having been born and raised in Manchester, resided two years in Scotland, and being settled now in Hertfordshire, with family and friends in Australia, Canada, France, Holland, Portugal and the USA. My job as an engineer took me all over the world and I enjoy walking holidays abroad with the Ramblers' Association.

My aim as President is to try and build on the legacy of previous Presidents without losing sight of the basic objectives of the Society as expressed in the Preamble to our Constitution (reproduced in the 'Aims of the Society' on the Welcome Page) with its emphasis on mutual help and support. I hope we will always offer nervous newcomers a safe and welcoming environment whilst embracing the enthusiasm and joie-de-vivre of those - young and old - who are well-established and confident in whichever gender they choose.