Farewell to David Johnson
David Johnson
David Johnson has been Director of Waverley Care for the past 17 years. We bid farewell to him early in December.
A: I’d been involved in HIV since the mid-80s when I was working for the Family Service Unit in Edinburgh and we worked with families affected by HIV. When I moved to Banardos, I was involved in delivering training across the UK on HIV so when the position of Director came up it appealed as an interesting progression of the work that I had been doing. Personally I had also lost friends to AIDS and it felt good to be doing something that could make a difference.
Q: What have been the highlights of working here?
A: There are too many to mention and most are probably obscure or too lengthy to tell here. They’re all about the people I’ve met. I’ve loved meeting people from a huge and diverse range of backgrounds.
A: Seeing people progress from feeling that they have very little to live for and life is pretty bleak through to feeling good about themselves and holding down jobs and in some cases becoming colleagues.
Q: What have been the most frustrating parts to your job?
A: The fact that Milestone has been constantly under review for 17 years. That, and the ongoing stigma that exists around HIV.
Q: What are you currently reading?
A: ‘The Constant Gardener’ by John Le Carré. It is very well-written and has lots of insight into both the aid industry in Africa as well as the politics of international development.
A: I love Edinburgh festivals because there is so much going on from the Festival of Spirituality and Peace to the Fringe and the International Festival – they all have great musical events to go and hear. But above that it has to be Waverley Care’s Christmas Carol Competition and Concert. It was great to see an idea come to life and fantastic to see two carols published in the latest edition of Carols for Choirs.
Q: Where would we find you on your ideal holiday?
A: A mix of sunshine, sights and culture.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
A: Definitely in the garden and, if not there, then travelling.
