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awn Charlton, partner at Paul Charlton, juggles family life with
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a full -time driving 11) carrying aggregates all over the West Country.
!If you would like to feature In Working Week please fax your details to features liter Patric Cunnane or Micky Clarke on 020 8652 8912 or phone 020 8652 3678.
MONDAY
Early start today: up at 04:30hrs and travel to our yard one mile away at Frome in Somerset to pick up my truck. All our four vehicles work for Hanson Aggregates and I drive an 18-tonne ERF four-wheeler. Get to Whatley Quarry 11 miles away and pick up my loading ticket. Pick up my load of dry stone and head off for Chippenham and after that its off to Chipping Sodbury Quarry to load asphalt destined for Oxford. I'm not familiar with this quarry so I need some help from other drivers to find my way around. Every quarry seems to have a different set of rules and regulations.
Once on my way up the M4 I make some business calls. After tipping I return to Whatley Quarry to load stone for Swindon. By the time I get home at 18:30hrs it's time to cook tea, catch up with the kids and housework.
Trying to fit a normal family life with two children around our business makes for pretty hectic living. Luckily my mum and dad live just up the road so they help ferry the kids to and from school for me.
TUESDAY
Another 05:30hrs start taking asphalt to Southampton. The wagon's got an insulated alloy tipper body for carrying asphalt Driving a four-wheeler means I get jobs which require some neat driving! Tight places to get into, around skips and along new kerbs. Some of the places I get asked to go to you wouldn't want to take your car, it's often such a tight squeeze. Tip the asphalt at the docks and pick up a load of sand to take back to Whatley Quarry. Head home for the yard at 17:00hrs. Truck needs a clean so I get on and wash it. Discover a puncture which husband Paul has to mend after his day's work while I collect the kids and get on with tea.
WEDNESDAY
A quieter day in the quarry today with not much work about. We've just set up a bagged aggregates business and we've already got some of our own customers so do a delivery to them. Later on bag up some shingle for the garden centre due for delivery on Saturday. Get home at 20:30hrs having picked up an Indian meal on the way.
THURSDAY
Another quiet day. Take a load of stone to Chewton Mendip in Somerset where there are road repairs being done and new sewers installed. It's a shame the weather is atrocious with wet slippery roads—a bit of a hairy drive down tiny country lanes. On to Dimmer Dump, a waste disposal site, with more stone. Later I do some of our own work carrying aggregates to Longleat. A round trip today of 80 miles. Parents' evening at school tonight.
FRIDAY
Pick up a load of asphalt from Whatley Quarry and take it to Gosport in Hampshire. Bring a load of shingle back to the yard for bagging. After lunch I take my driving gloves off and put on a suit ready to meet the accountant in Trowbridge. An interesting meeting but I'd rather be driving any day. Suddenly remember that I'm not looking forward to this weekend—I'm going to be spending tomorrow and Sunday filling in the VAT return. Ugh...