At the end of February 2001, I shall have retired from J. Hewit & Sons. So that by the time the next issue of Skin Deep drops through your letter box, I shall hopefully be somewhere off the South Wales coast playing with my fishing tackle.

With today's technology, it is a far cry from the days of a pencil stub, a piece of paper and a telephone tucked under your chin. With fax machines, www dots, online shopping carts and credit card encryption, it makes you wonder what they are going to come up with next......

..."Beam me up a Bone Folder, Hewits...."

Still for a sixty-five year old, one fingered, Whizz-Kid, I do not feel that I have done so badly. What's more, I will challenge any computer in the land, to wrap, pack and despatch a skin of leather, a bundle of grey board or a tub of PVA to Timbuktu.

I remember attending the interview for the job (was it that long ago) with Robbie Turnbull and a young chap called David and Robbie saying, "Of course you do not need to be super intelligent for this position". I do not believe that the same could be said today.

Unfortunately, much of the above has taken away some of the personal contact between customer and supplier. For although I have spoken to many of you on the telephone, I have had the pleasure of meeting but a few. It would have been nice to have met a lot more of you, however that would have been a bit like 'Mission Impossible', because not only are you scattered throughout the UK, but far and wide around the Globe.

Before I close, I must mention the sales teams of all the manufacturers who supply Hewits, what wonderful people you are and thank you for all your help over the years. I would also like to introduce you to a young man, Maurius Slaber, who you will get to know as 'Mo'. He is understudying me at the moment and I know that he will give his best attention to the many tasks to be undertaken in the daily running of the London Warehouse. I wish him every success for the future.

I know that when the day comes for me to catch my last train home, I shall feel a mixture of gladness and sadness. However, I am thankful that through Skin Deep I have been given the opportunity to say to those of you in business, may you continue to flourish and to those of you who enjoy bookbinding as a hobby or pastime may it give you many hours of contentment and enjoyment. For I shall take many happy, if not hectic memories with me - Thanks to you.

Good luck and best wishes to you all!