Local Face: Charles Chaney

Winter is coming. Cold and rain, even snow could be moving in! “Good news” says Charles Chaney who owns and runs Wendover Outdoors & Countrywear in the Village, “Bad weather is good for business”. His shop has kept many in Wendover warm and dry for 7 years now. Whether you are walking, shooting, fishing, riding or just out in the elements there is a protective garment available in this Back Street retailer.

Charles moved from Chesham to Wendover 19 years ago. With his wife Pam they bought ‘The Crossings’ in Aylesbury Road, a bungalow built on the old Wendover Halton railway line. They have since moved outside the village, but the shop is a 6 day a week occupation for Charles. Names like Barbour, Le Chameau, Outdoor Scene, Hunter, are all associated with the Great Outdoors and their products can all be bought at Wendover Outdoors & Countrywear.

By profession, Charles is a Chartered Marketer. His working life in advertising and Marketing began in London, where he joined GEC Radio & TV. He was appointed their Group Publicity Manager moving 4 years later to join Thorn EMI in a similar role. Famous old television names like Ferguson, Ultra, Pilot, Marconiphone were all promoted and marketed by Charles. He was appointed Marketing Director after 10 years with the company.

As a senior Marketing Consultant, he was active as a member of the Institute of Marketing he was elected Chairman of the Royal Counties Branch, moving onto the Council of the Institute as Chairman of the Southern Region and appointed Chartered Marketer in 1998/9.

It is said that a busy man will always do more, and in the local Community Charles has certainly proved this statement. He is Chairman of the Aylesbury and Wendover branch of Macmillan Cancer Support who have raised in excess of £45,000 since 2003. For 10 plus years he has been a Governor of Aylesbury College. Now as Vice Chairman of the Corporation he has seen the opening of the first phase of a brand new college. The students moved into their new home at the end of September and are over the moon with the new facility. “It has been wonderful working with my colleagues and the college management to see this superb new learning environment reach fruition”.

As a local Rotarian, Charles has been involved in many ‘hands on’ projects to assist the community. His club is The Rotary Club of Aylesbury Hundreds who meet every Monday evening. A number of the members live and work in Wendover and have, with Charles, been instrumental in raising money for Wendover Health Centre. They have put a new Dial-a-ride bus on the road and supported Stoke Mandeville Hospital. He served as President of the Club in 2001/2 and this year, Charles has been elected District Governor of Rotary in Bucks, Beds and Herts. He has 51 clubs to visit throughout the District all of which contribute to the great work that Rotary does to assist the community at home and overseas.

“Wendover is a wonderful place to live and work in” said Charles “I hope I will continue to be of some use to everyone, either through the shop, or any of my other functions over the years to come”.