About me - Evelyn Sharman

 I couldn't wait to learn to drive! As a teenager, I knew it would give me great independence especially living in rural Hampshire where public transport was neither readily available nor convenient. I was very lucky in that I was able to start learning to drive as soon as I was seventeen. By the time I was eighteen, I had passed my test & I was very fortunate in that my Dad bought me my first car. What a wonderful sense of freedom & independence! At that time, few of my friends had learnt to drive & it was quite unusual for an eighteen year old to own a car. I was able to give lifts to friends & family & I was able to attend a Teaching College in the Lake District without having to rely on either public transport or lifts. It was a fantastic place to spend four years & of course my car enabled me to explore the beautiful area.

 Having qualified as a teacher, my first job was in rural Devon. Once again, having a car was a necessity in being able to travel between home & school & to attend courses in Plymouth & Exeter. It was at this point in my life that I wanted to extend my driving experience & I took driving lessons in Plymouth in order to drive HGVs. I gained my Class One licence, as it was known then & suddenly the classroom environment seemed rather limiting. The world was my oyster & my new driving qualification took me all over the UK, Europe & beyond. I have met so many interesting people, visited some fascinating places & had so many varied experiences that will stay with me for the rest of my life. Of course there have been some that I would rather forget but that's all part of life's rich tapestry.

 Thirty years on I still love driving but having travelled far & wide, I am now very happily settled in Holsworthy & I prefer my own bed to sleeping in the cab of a lorry. My aim now is to encourage other people to learn to drive in order to achieve the same independence that I have been priviliged to enjoy & potentially open up a whole new world for them. In order to do this, I have had to become qualified as an Approved Driving Instructor (ADI). It was interesting to "go back to school" & have to pass the three parts of the qualifying process having driven professionally for so many years. Firstly, I had to pass the Theory & Hazard Perception test. Secondly, I was examined on my own ability to drive. Thirdly, I was examined on my ability to teach other people to drive. The DVSA (Driving & Vehicle Standards Agency) set very high standards & I am proud to be able to display my ADI badge in the windscreen of my car.

 I am looking forward to the next stage of my driving career but I am keen for my pupils to understand that  learning to drive is not just about passing the test that is set by the DVSA, it is all about driving for life. If you would like me to give you some professional driving tuition, please contact me to discuss your requirements.