Wildhive
Meet the team: Dup
Wildhive porter, Dup, will be seen welcoming guests on arrival at Callow Hall. He loves to make everyone feel at home during their stay and is a friendly mentor to the younger members of the team, always with a fascinating story to share. He has a great understanding of the wildlife, flora and fauna that surrounds us and is very happy to share his knowledge with guests where he can. We caught up with him to find out a little more about the interesting life he has led.
Child of the land
Where did you grow up?
I was born in South Africa in 1953 but when I was four years old my parents immigrated to Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. I am the youngest of four children and the only boy. My two elder sisters went to school at a convent where they spoke English, so I grew up bilingual as my parents spoke Afrikaans. By the time I was nine I was also fluent in Shona, the local indigenous language.
We lived on a farm and most of my friends were young Shona boys. We hunted, fished and foraged together, roaming the farm and surrounding land freely. I once overheard one of the boy’s parents talking and they said, “This young man speaks our language as well as we do and when he speaks, we cannot tell the difference between him and our own children”. So, they called me “Mwana We Bvu” which means ‘Child of the land’. Many years later I was doing research on my surname which is French in origin and to my surprise it means ’of the land’. Coincidence or by design? I believe the latter.
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We know you enjoy a song or two, who are your favourite singers?
Music has played a big role in my life, and I like a wide variety of music from classical to country including, Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole and many more. I love singing and have sung most of these songs at many weddings and events over the years.
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We have a varied menu at Wildhive, what do you enjoy eating?
I am a meat eater and enjoy good food. I love oxtail, a good fatty chargrilled rump steak and all fish and seafood.
You have visited many places, where do you like to holiday?
My holiday of choice, preferably in warm weather, would be by the sea. I love wildlife and fishing and one of my favourite places in the world is Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe offering amazing game viewing and fishing at the same time. If I was stuck on a desert island and I was allowed one luxury item, it would be my fishing rod.
How do you like to spend your spare time?
At my age, I rest, read and study health and wellbeing online. I love to watch rugby and cricket, both of which I used to play when I was younger. I was also an avid squash player. I also enjoy spending time with my family; my wife Tanya of almost 40 years and I have five children, seven grandsons and three granddaughters!
"Dup has been an asset since starting at the hotel. He has only ever shown a genuine passion and desire when working and always wants to do the best for the hotel. Not only that, Dup shows a love for the guests and makes them feel like they are part of the Wildhive family."
Jeremy Whitworth, General Manager
When were you introduced to working in hospitality?
I have been in management my whole working life. My introduction into the hospitality industry happened when I was working in Zambia before I moved to England. I was approached by a friend who owned and ran his family’s hotel/conference centre and he offered me the job of General Manager. He wanted someone who could intervene and curtail the abuse the family members were subjecting the business to and upgrade the facilities, staff performance and service which I successfully managed to do.
What do you enjoy most about your job at Wildhive?
I thoroughly enjoy my job but to me the best part is the interaction with the guests. I enjoy making everyone feel at home when they arrive and during their stay at the hotel and I invest my time and effort into promoting the business and reputation of the hotel and its staff. My goal every day is to make the guest’s stay as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. I’ve met some great people and made some friends along the way and returning guests often seek me out when they come back.
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What is a memorable experience you have had at Wildhive?
One heart-warming experience that stands out for me was an elderly lady who was celebrating her 92nd birthday with her family. I met her at the car, opened her door and helped her up the stairs of the hotel and into a seat next to the fire in the Library, which is my favourite room in the hotel. While they waited for her guests to arrive, I chatted to her and made her feel special which she responded to with delight, before I went back to my work.
Her daughter came to me after a while and asked if it was possible for me to arrange a little snack for her to keep her going till lunch was served as her blood sugar was low. I brought her some crisps and made a fuss of her. Later as they were leaving the daughter came over to me, pressed a tip into my hand and hugged me saying that the attention and kindness I had shown towards her mother was hugely appreciated by all the family and especially the birthday girl. It is very rewarding when your efforts are appreciated. This one-on-one interaction with the guests is the best part of my job.
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We hope you won't yet, but when might you retire?
I hope to work till I’m 80 years old and if I’m still here in 5 years’ time I would like to see myself interacting more with the guests and taking new young incoming staff under my wing and overseeing their training, especially if they will be working directly with guests.
Well, we certainly hope you will be with us for many years to come and would like to take this opportunity to thank you for looking after the guests with such warmth and friendliness.