A self-confessed weather anorak since the age of nine our guest tonight at our Compton Hospice Fundraiser was TV weatherman Simon Keeling. Simon’s interest in the weather led him to provide holiday cover for the weather men at the Express & Star newspaper and Beacon Radio before he’d even left school.
Whilst he is perhaps best known for his work as a TV weatherman – having worked at GMTV, the BBC and with The Weather Channel – Simon, who lives in Wombourne, also runs a forecasting company providing weather forecasts to the City, helping to guide investment decisions, and to major high street retailers to help them decide which stock to carry in their stores.
Though self trained Simon went on to gain an MSc (Applied Meteorology & Climatology) and a Phd from the University of Birmingham – where he now teaches a “Weather Workshop” course to MSc students.
Whilst the weather is always a subject of conversation – especially given the storms of recent weeks- Simon gave us a fascinating insight into the advances made in forecasting over recent years and the role which it plays in many commercial and investment decisions which drive our economy. We’re grateful to him for a very entertaining evening and for his generosity in donating his speaking fee to Compton Hospice.