About us
Alan Bottomley – Chair
I joined the Bank in 1986 as a new Credit Underwriting Manager for Central Financial Services. Over the next few years I developed an Underwriting Team and a Fraud Vetting Team for the growing Direct Personal Loan business and became an Assistant General Manager in June 1995.
In 1996 I was promoted to Head of Group Consumer Risk Management, being responsible for all Group Consumer Lending.
With the integration of the Bank of Scotland in July 1999, I was promoted to Director of Risk Management, Personal Banking Division, but however, in November 2001, rather than relocate to Halifax, I decided to take early retirement and remain in the Chester area.
In 2004, I joined the Management Committee of the Bank of Scotland Pensioners Association (BOSPA) and have continued to support the valuable work that the Committee has done over the years by providing many opportunities which bring ex colleagues together.
Martin Weigh – Vice Chair
I started my career at Northwest Securities in 1983 as a Computer Operator in City House, I moved around various IT roles, where people may remember me coming to fix IT problems and enjoy a good chat. I later moved to manage teams in Business and Corporate Banking spending lots of time in Edinburgh, London and Bristol. I finished my career in the Property function of Lloyds Banking Group managing a major outsource contract for Facilities Management.
I joined the BOSPA Committee in 2024 following the existing committee reluctantly informing us that the Association would likely have to close due to issues with funding from the Bank and a dwindling membership. I worked with Harry Baines who is the Chair of our pensions fund to resolve the funding issues, and I am pleased that Arthur our Treasurer now has a very slick process to secure funds annually.
The Bank no longer informs retiring members of the existence of BOSPA due to GDPR rules and this had a big impact on the lack of new members coming through. To address this, I formed the Capital Bank Reunion Group to support two key objectives. The first being to reach out to members who didn’t know we existed and enable them to join. Secondly to reach out to ex and existing colleagues who may not necessarily have a Bank pension but would welcome re-engaging with ex and current colleagues for social events and welfare services that we provide. We now have over 600 members on the Facebook Group and with the launch of our new website this will make it much easier for members to engage and have access to information and events.
Russ Wait
I live in Chester with my wife, Claire. We have 2 sons and enjoy travelling the world and spending time between Chester and Anglesey when we’re at home, which is not very often!
I started at NWS Bank in 1993 as a Business Analyst in the Management Services Division. As it became CAPITAL BANK I progressed to a Project Manager role running the FEPS team in IT for many years.
Following the merger of Halifax and Bank of Scotland (HBOS) I joined the Retail IT team after a few years of outsourcing at Xansa UK.
I stayed with the Bank as the takeover by Lloyds Banking Group completed. I was running large IT migration and business programmes of work up until I left in 2016.
I worked as an IT contractor for 2 years at MBNA before hanging up my keyboard for good in 2018.
I’ve joined the committee to help to organise new events for ex-colleagues and friends. I look forward to meeting many of you as we move forward. I’m also a lifelong Liverpool FC fan.
Margaret Bennett
Awaiting Info
Julie Coates
Born within the City Walls & lived in Chester all my life, I’m proud to say that I’m a true Cestrian! Some may say that’s boring having not moved away… but I can assure you my life & career have been far from boring!
On leaving school in 1979 I successfully embarked on my Financial Services career with the then ‘Listening Bank’- Midland Bank.
An advert in the local paper tempted me away & in December 1983 I joined NWS at Head Office in New Business, enjoying everything that went with the launches of AA Budget card, Boots Charge card and of course the infamous M&S launch. Not to mention User Acceptance Testing of the Oracle system.
As my career progressed I had the benefit of working in a variety of roles & Departments including Collections, Audit, Finance, Capital Bank Motor & latterly as a Senior Director across a number of diverse shared services teams in Asset Solutions Operations & Collections (ASOC) before leaving in August 2014.
Not ready to ‘hang my boots up’ I joined a Business Rates specialist-Altus Group, in Manchester as Head of Collections before successfully securing a dream role as Vice President for Client Services.
Retiring at the end of 2023 you are more likely to find me learning lines & treading the boards at the local Amateur Dramatic Society or trying to learn to play golf…badly!
Arthur Wycherley -Treasurer
I joined North West Securities Ltd in October 1972, working under Robin Bates in Premises Dept. In those early days we were responsible for all property matters including the branch network, acquisitions and disposals and fitting out of the premises. Also included was the acquisition and disposal of company cars, plus responsibility for the internal Branch Auditor.
As the company grew so Company Transport and Purchasing Department were formed.
The 80’s and 90’s saw phenomenal growth in Chester, with staff levels rising from 200 in 1972 to almost 4000 in the 90’s.
Chester properties came under the remit of Geoff Burdett and I concentrated on the branch network which also witnessed considerable expansion in the 80’s and 90’s, calling time on my career in April 2000.
I joined the BOSPA Committee in 2021 as treasurer, following the death of Bruce Mundie.
Shirley Crawford
Awaiting Info
Contact us
For membership, newsletter and CBRG:
Martin Weigh, O7970 516000 capitalbankreunionclub@gmail.com
For payment information:
Arthur Wycherley 01829 751716 & 07765 454332
General enquiries: Alan Bottomley 01829 751941 & 07779 653123
By post: BOSPA 28 Church Street Kelsall Tarporley CW6 0PS
Pensions Administration
HBOS Final Pension Scheme Towers Watson Ltd PO Box 545 Redhill Surrey RH1 1YX
Tel: 01737 227522
Email: HBOSFSPS@towerswatson.com
Pensioners’ Website: www.lloydsbankinggrouppensions.com