My Woking

It's no secret that Woking is one of the greenest boroughs in the UK, with examples of energy saving technology dotted around the town centre and surrounding areas. But for one local man, these examples hold an extra special significance. As the current President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), Keith Millard is especially interested in the provision of sustainable energy and has even had a hand in developing one of the installations himself. In this article, we catch up with a man who has already made his mark and continues to make a significant contribution to Woking life.

Although Keith has lived in the Borough for over twenty years, it's fair to say that `he's been around a bit'. As a young man, he decided to leave his childhood home in Enfield and join the Merchant Navy as a seagoing marine engineer. It was a fabulous opportunity as he explains: "I was lucky enough to travel around the world four times before I was 21 years old - every day was exciting, I got to see so much but I especially enjoyed visiting Australia and New Zealand." Despite his wanderlust, Keith's priorities quickly changed after meeting his wife, Anne, and for a while they settled in the UK. The couple have two married sons, Neill and Nicho.

Keith's career has been rich and varied - taking him to different parts of both this country and the world. After leaving the navy, he spent six years as an operations engineer with the Central Electricity Generating Board. For most of his career, he has worked for engineering and management consultants. For 11 of those years, he was Managing Director of Gilbert Associates, before becoming Business Development Director for Balfour Beatty Construction International and then a Vice President of Parsons International responsible for Europe, Africa and the Middle East. During his very busy career, he has worked in some 40 countries, an accolade which clearly helps to explain why he is well qualified to be the current President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

With 80,000 members, the IMechE is the fastest growing professional engineering institution in the UK. At its heart is the belief that it is possible to "improve the world through engineering", something which Keith firmly endorses and seeks to support on a number of levels. Within Woking, he is encouraged to see evidence of engineering being used to manage the effects of climate change, as he explains: "The fuel cell, town centre energy station and high number of solar panels all demonstrate the Borough's commitment to tackling climate change and I am proud to be able to tell people about the leadership that has been demonstrated in my home town. In fact, during November, I chose Woking as the venue for a seminar and public debate about sustainable energy to show off what the Borough is all about."

And evidence of Keith's commitment to both the Borough and energy efficiency is available for all to see outside the Civic Offices. The Rotary Mobility Exchange, a small structure covered in solar panels in Gloucester Square, was formally opened in 2006 to mark Rotary's centenary and, as an active Rotarian, Keith worked with a dedicated team to ensure that it was completed on time and to a high standard. Today, it is a facility used by disabled people whilst waiting for community transport services and is a permanent reminder of the important work of the two local Rotary groups.

In between working, carrying out his presidential duties and attending Rotary meetings, Keith is learning to play the piano and he also enjoys a stroll around the Borough: "Woking is a great location - everything you need is on the doorstep but you don't have to go too far to get out into the peace and quiet of the countryside. Anne and I often come into town to shop but in the future we would really like to see a better variety of retail outlets - I think the town would really benefit from this."

Keith is a busy man who is showing no sign of slowing down. In fact, at the mere mention of the word `retirement', he simply raises an eyebrow and explains that he is "reluctant to put a stick in the sand" and is actually looking for new projects to fill his time, once his presidential year is over. There's just no stopping some people…