LETTER: Tribute to Peter Bates

I was saddened to read in the obituaries (Derbyshire Times, December 14) of the passing of Peter Bates. Reference was made to Peter being employed as a secondary school teacher in maths and physics but certainly didn't give him the praise that he deserved as a teacher.

In the early 1970s Peter developed what was called the school/college link courses in co-operation with Chesterfield College.

The courses provided for pupils from Brimington school to attend the college one day per week over two years to undertake construction courses in brickwork, carpentry, joinery, plumbing and painting and decorating. Upon completion of the course many of the pupils were then taken on by the construction industry training board and placed into a permanent three or four-year apprenticeships with a local employer.

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The students then went on to achieve City and Guilds intermediate and advanced qualifications in their chosen craft. They all had successful careers as tradesmen whilst some went on to start their own construction firms and others went into construction management positions.

None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of Peter and he was always so proud of the vast number of young men (and I recall a few young women) whom he had helped in building themselves a worthwhile career.

I worked with Peter for many years in establishing and running the school/college Link courses and found him to be such a kind and caring man … everything he did was to help the youngsters in

building themselves a career and achieving their ambitions in life.

Dr Trevor Burch: Former Head of School of Construction, Chesterfield College.

Dr Trevor Burch,

Former head of the school of construction, Chesterfield College

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