Meet the Team

1st Castle is a family run business that has been helping people learn to drive in Portsmouth, Chichester, Bognor Regis and surrounding areas since 1972. The company has gone through many changes in that time and, we believe, now offers the strongest service and line up of instructors in our history.

As individuals we are all are passionate about helping you learn to drive or take further training to improve your skills.

	Steve Morley 1st Castle School Of Motoring Manager Steve Qualified as an Approved Driving Instructor in 1976 and has a motorsport background, having competed in 250cc Superkarts, followed by Sidecar Motocross-a modern equivalent of chariot racing. In 1978 he joined West Sussex Fire Service to work as a Firefighter fr almost 20 years. Steve has taught in both manual and automatic cars, LGV and motorcycles, and can give advice on virtually all types of tuition, including advanced driving and instructor training. "I understand the importance of good, professional tuition after seeing, first hand, the aftermath of tragic, and often senseless, road accidents. I believe prevention is the best policy and I offer all prospective customers honest and sincere advice. I am also a keen supporter of the Safe Drive Stay Alive campaign, run by the fire and rescue service, details of which can be found on our blog.
	Derek Eydmann Derek has been an instructor for 5 and a half years, deciding to become an instructor because of, in his own words, "seeing some of the ridiculous things drivers got up to on the roads, I thought by teaching I could help improve our roads a little. Also personally it would give me flexibility in my life, enabling me to spend more time with my family. I love the satisfaction of seeing someone achieve their goal." He takes great pride in his style of teaching, "I set the emphasis on my lessons to be enjoyable, relaxed, and as interesting as possible with safety always paramount . I truly believe that students learn well in this environment. And as such, have achieved great results overall, particularly with students who work hard and spend time understanding the relevant safety aspects of driving.
	Dave Robinson Dave has been an instructor since 2003, coming from a previous career as a Fire Fighter with West Sussex Fire Brigade and 10 years as a taxi driver. "I decided to become an instructor as I was bored with the taxi trade and wanted a change.The best part and most rewarding part about the job is he sense of achievement when pupils pass their test. I think the best part of my teaching style is to keep things simple, have a laugh and make pupils relax."
	Mary Stothard "Learning to drive made a huge difference to my life, especially now I'm a mum. As an instructor I love being able to help others gain the added freedom that driving brings. I've enjoyed teaching the slightly more mature driver - sometimes from scratch - but also giving refresher lessons to those who, for one reason or another, haven't driven for a while (even for 20 or 30 years!) and that feel they want that extra bit of confidence. I've also enjoyed the challenge of teaching people from other cultures, where English isn't the first language. I find keeping things simple and relaxed has helped them understand otherwise complex subjects."

	Laurence Starr Laurence Starr has been working as a driving instructor since 2002, coming from a previous career in retail management. "I decided to change career in 2002 as I wanted to find a more rewarding job. I've never regretted the decision to become a driving instructor; I enjoy meeting people of all ages and from all walks of life. I offer a relaxed and friendly approach to teaching, and by doing this pupils genuinely enjoy their lessons. Since working with 1st Castle I have gained experience in teaching pupils with disabilities, and find this very rewarding. The best part of the job is seeing the joy on pupils' faces when they pass."
	Russell Clamp Coming from a retail management background, Russell knows all about how to get the best from people, even if they don't believe they can do it themselves. "After spending over a decade in the retail sector, I decided I wanted a change in vocation - something I could do that I really believed in. Being so close to the family business, becoming part of it seemed like the logical thing to do. There's nothing better than being able to help people achieve their goals, and making a difference in their lives. I still get a buzz, even now, when a pupil passes their test. I can see how much it means to them, which is great job satisfaction."