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I live in Clevedon, North Somerset, United Kingdom and I was born in Northumberland in 1942. I grew up in the farming community there, qualified to be a stockman - loved every moment of it - but I had to change my career plans because of sight problems. RP started to restrict my fields of vision and I needed to drive for my job. I moved to the south-west of England to make a new start and I got a job as a machine operator in an engineering factory. Definitely a culture shock. I did OK, and I quickly progressed to becoming a machine toolsetter and then to toolmaker. My central vision was still fine, but it was like looking through a keyhole and very stressful in the noisy work envirnment. I got married and I have a grown-up son and daughter, neither of whom, have any symptoms of RP. My wife suffered the most because she couldn’t come to terms with my sight problems and got very, very depressed. As a consequence, we go divorced in 1986 and she has completely recovered. I live on my own - well I try too - if you know what I mean. I have lots of friends and people drop in, to sort out their problems. Hey, its great, I love every moment of it. I look after my house on my own and I have a good-size vegetable garden to tend. I do a lot of voluntary community work and I am very active in my local church. I think that life is for living and as I am a committed Christian, I am keen to apply my beliefs in community action. I do, one to one, support work with people with challenging behaviour and youth work with the street kids. I have experienced the real power of love and learned to value and respect people from all walks of life. I’m not to keen in having RP but it had made me grow up in my attitudes and relationships - so that’s the good side of it. What are my plans for the future. Well, I’m trying to develop a website, specialising in drop-in Christian ministry. It’s hard work but its OK and I’m having a lot of fun because I love people. Now that my family have grown up I think I might do a bit of travelling too. -- Many blessings, Bob Davies, Clevedon, North Somerset UK"I'm learning to lean upon Jesus"