What name/nickname do you prefer to be called?

My nickname is Jaffa, or Jaf for short. I acquired this name as a 12 year old lad who had ginger hair, very original obviously. The name has stuck ever since, even my parents call me it. The only person that calls me Chris is my wife and that’s usually when I’m in trouble...

If you could write your own job title that best describes what you do here, what would it be?

I used to be a trainer here at SpanSet and prior to that I was a Telecoms Rigger, so I have come off the tools. I am now a Technical Solutions Specialist.  This means when we are not in lockdown I am visiting customers, carrying out demo’s, climbing up racking, towers, evacuating out cranes and trying to come up with the best solution possible for our customer and supplying equipment off the back of it. I also manage our distributors abroad, so I have seen plenty of the world from South Africa to Singapore and everywhere in between.  This is something that I never thought I would get out of job when I was younger and so thankful for those opportunities. 

So I think my job title would be a ‘hands on, technical, back catalogue account manager’. The front catalogue is for the pretty faces. 

What do you enjoy about the work you do?

You just don’t know what you’re going to come up against on a day to day basis, whether it be the people you meet or the problem you have to solve. It could be on a wind farm in the middle of Scotland or on a building site in Azerbaijan, I love the variety.    

What are your hobbies?

Up until recently I have been a keen rugby player, plying my trade at Northwich, having played 1st grade senior rugby for 20 years. The mind is willing but the body unfortunately is starting to creek so I have hung up my boots (for now)…….So now I fill my time with my family. I have 3 year old little girl who takes up most of my time and rottweiler who needs constant walking. 

 I also like to keep fit and active so I go to the gym and try to run when I can, but nothing comes close to that feeling of running out onto the pitch at 3pm on Saturday afternoon!!!! 

What volunteering or passion projects do you do outside of work?  

I volunteer when I can at Northwich rugby club on Sunday morning. We have a set up called Northwich Super Stars which enables children from the local communities to give rugby a go and giving the parents a much-needed break. The end goal is for the children to make up the teams within the junior section of the club, hopefully moving and becoming the faces of senior rugby in years to come. 

Above: Jaffa has been known to grace the front cover of SpanSet brochures!  

Left: Jaffa has hung up his rugby boots (for now) but still plays an active part encouraging children into the sport.