Let’s Introduce You to Howard Cheetham a #1 Oxygen Operator

I was born in February 1955 in Ormskirk, a market town in Lancashire, just north of Liverpool.  As a young man, I was always interested in diving after watching the TV series “Sea Hunt” where Lloyd Bridges played a diver.

I always wanted to be a diver, but at the time didn’t know how to go about getting into that field. After studying for my A levels at school, I then attended Wigan Mining and Technical College to study construction.  My parents managed many pubs when I was growing up, and I enjoyed working in the pubs and mixing and bantering with people, which I still enjoy today.

In 1979, I enrolled on a basic diving course in Plymouth, and then started my first offshore job in Holland, quickly followed by accepting a diving job on the Piper Alpha Platform in 1980, which I worked on for around 2 years.  Many will know of this infamous rig, as in 1988, 167 out of 228 men were killed in the worst offshore explosion ever.

 In 1981, I completed my Advanced Deep Sea Diving Qualification in Fort William, and then worked on diving ships and construction barges and vessels working in Norway and Scotland.  My job involved diving to a depth of hundreds of feet to measure pipelines and connect to the well heads, working in teams of 3 underwater for 6-8 hours at a time. The jobs were often rotated. The job involved ideally working for a month, and then having a month’s leave. However, sudden call-ups and long trips were commonplace.

There was the opportunity to travel with my skills, and I had a pipe laying job in the Ivory Coast, which was contracted for around 6 months.

My father sadly had a heart attack and decided on a change of career and took over the running of a Post Office in a village south of Bath.

In 1982, I moved to Bath and was able to put a deposit on a flat with the money I had made working off the Ivory Coast. I have lived in Bath for around 43 years.

I became a Hyperbaric Welding Supervisor for overseeing the Health and Safety aspects of this operation, overseeing divers and hyperbaric chamber occupants. The divers worked in an airspace called a habitat underwater, working at a depth of around 180 metres.

I was very fortunate to work in many different countries during my working career, and some of these included Canada, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola, South Africa, Egypt, Italy, France, Southern Ireland, Denmark, Holland, India and Malaysia.

When I first started working in the oilfields, it was a potentially hazardous occupation and environment, but there was always plenty of craic and banter wherever in the world we worked. I built great friendships with my fellow divers, many of whom came from all different locations from across the World. When I first started working on the Oil Rigs and in various locations, it was 100% men, but over the years, more women joined the profession.

I enjoyed the camaraderie that working offshore gave me when I was working so far from home. I met lots of different people, of a mix of nationalities, including both men and women. I’m still in contact with many of them to this day.

I retired at the end of December in 2019, after being with the same company for 39 years.  In February 2020, I started volunteering at The Brightwell as an oxygen operator and then became a Regional Training Advisor in 2021. I work closely with Keith Taylor, who was my Mentor in the early days. As my experience developed, I became a Regional Advisor for what is now the Neuro Therapy Network.

I truly enjoy being part of The Brightwell Community. Helping people to keep well and active through receiving Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is obviously very rewarding. However, meeting people, chatting and being part of this Charity is equally important.

I enjoy hill and fell walking in my spare time, and in September, I climbed Kilimanjaro with another 4 ex-divers. It was really tough, and I struggled towards the top, at 19,340 feet, due to altitude sickness, but an incredible experience!

 I am a keen Everton football supporter, attending all of their home games and also enjoy Rugby and was fortunate enough to follow the British Lions on their recent tour around Australia this year.

My passion is that I collect a number of classic cars, such as a 1968 Cadillac De Ville, a 1965 Ford F100, a 2005 Chrysler, a 2003 Bonneville and a 1990 Land Rover. I occasionally attend Classic Car Shows, but mostly these are for my own enjoyment.

In 2023, I drove the length of Route  66 in the United States, as this was something that I had always wanted to do, and I can now cross that off my bucket list!

My philosophy in life is based on a quote attributed to John Holmes, which says

“There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up”

I hope you have found my introduction interesting. I’m always happy to have a chat next time you are in the Centre.

My volunteering day is a Tuesday.

Best Wishes

Howard