22.05.2019

Charlie Ellis retires

Charlie Ellis national training manager at UK based Nationwide Platforms, and winner of the IPAF – 2019 IAPA Training Instructor of the Year award - retired at the end of March after 22 years with the company.

Ellis entered the access industry in 1993 when he joined Castle Plant as an HGV delivery driver. He later moved to access rental company David Meek as a low loader driver, becoming an IPAF trainer a few years later. David Meek became the Meek Group, which was acquired by The Platform Company in 2003. Lavendon acquired The Platform Company in 2008 and merged it with Nationwide Access later that year to create Nationwide Platforms.
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Nationwide's MD Colin Hotchkiss accepts the 2019 IAPA Training Instructor of the Year award on behalf of Charlie Ellis, from Giles Councell earlier this year

Ellis was appointed as national training manager seven years ago. Since then the company has consistently trained more operators and issued more IPAF PAL cards than any other company worldwide, graduating 15,306 individuals in 2018. In addition to his work at Nationwide he has been a regular participant in IPAF’s training committee including serving as its chairman.

The company held a retirement party for him last month, and now fully retired he is apparently enjoying working on his allotment, his motorbike, motor home, catching up on DIY jobs around the house and spending more time with his grandchildren.
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Charlie Ellis with one of his grandchildren