Who’s Your Neighbour?

Addie Miller sits down for a cuppa with Geoff Sleeman

Interviewing someone you know nothing about can prove quite challenging and as informative as Google is, most of us mere mortals don’t return a lot of hits. The challenge however is rewarded by a sneak peek into another’s life and accomplishments. Martinborough is home to a number of remarkable people and Geoff Sleeman is no exception. After only a short while of sipping tea and eating cake it is clear that Geoff is one of those people who blooms early and long; referring to himself as a geriatric octogenarian, with a list of accomplishments that started in his early twenties and is still growing.
Martinborough has only been Sleeman’s home for the last 7 years but he can remember when the town was made up of only the Pukemanu and Paine & Kershaw. Raised and educated in Wellington Sleeman graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degree in Chemistry where he made a significant discovery to the science world (so much that I cannot give it a worthy explanation).
Upon graduating Sleeman became a head scientist and eventually a superintendent at Imperial Chemical Industries in Wellington. Although well paid and successful Sleeman wasn’t fulfilled, and left at the age of 26 with another ICI employee to start a business consulting and importing agricultural chemicals.
One gets the impression that Geoff Sleeman likes to shake things up with a range of interests he has to explore. While running his own business the schedule was organised in such a way that allowed him time to pursue his other hobbies. After twenty years of running a successful company that supplied a considerable amount of NZ’s agricultural chemicals he and his business partner sold up to retire in their mid 40s.
As you can imagine Sleeman’s retirement has been full; he learned to fly a plane, honed his painting skills where he met his partner Diana Broadhead (an equalling fascinating person), and has even worked as an extra in film and TV. On top of all that Geoff Sleeman even returns a hit or two on google.
But wait! Geoff Sleeman’s pursuits do not stop there, perhaps his greatest achievement is just around the corner. After hi-jacking Diana’s correspondence with Wade Allison, Professor of Physics at Oxford University and author of ‘Radiation and Reason: The Impact of Science on a Culture of Fear’. Sleeman’s next move is to write a book in laymen’s terms on climate change. His aim is to bring more awareness to the public on the rate of climate change, the relationship between the world population, food production and the implications for mankind.
Geoff never gives the feeling that he is trying to conquer his pursuits, he is genuinely fascinated by the world and allows himself the freedom to explore every subject that catches his imagination. While interviewing Geoff Sleeman it is clear that he is in his twilight years but instead I’m reminded not of his age but rather his youthfulness.