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A new service for readers

This week, for the first time in its history, Caterer is running a personals column.

As you can see, this can be used for lonely hearts, to contact colleagues with whom you have lost touch, or simply to ask others in the industry for help.

We will be running the column as a free service, and you can send your submissions to caterer.responses@rbi.co.uk.

You can either provide a contact address for publication or we will allocate a box number to which all your responses will be forwarded.

Any replies to box numbers should be sent to Caterer & Hotelkeeper Personals, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS.

Please would anyone responding put the box number on the outside of the envelope so that we can forward it unopened.

Lonely hearts

Affable, fit and generous hotel owner, 61, loves dogs, walking, skiing, Champagne. Seeks lady who is passionate about food and drink (and life!) I currently live in a beautiful country home - family grown up. Would you like to share my joie de vivre in the East Midlands?
Box no 1.

After an ear problem called tinnitus six years ago, I am now working as a waiter in a home for the elderly. I am a young 44, single male and am looking for a down-to-earth female to share my life with. I live in West Sussex and will travel. My hobbies include organic food. May relocate to Yorkshire in the future.
Box no 2.

Where Are they now?

I'm trying to regain contact with chef Simon Rogan, aged 30-plus, with whom I worked at the Geddes restaurant, Southampton (where the head chef was Jean-Christophe Novelli) and Rhinefield House hotel, Hampshire. Simon also worked in London for Marco Pierre White.

Neil Saunders, Maypole Inn, Thurloxton, Taunton TA2 8RF. Tel/fax: 01823 412286; e-mail: neil@maypole.fsbusiness.co.uk.

I have lost contact with two past colleagues and would dearly like to track them down.

They are Keith Proud and Chris Mann, with whom I worked at the Coventry Post House hotel from 1978 to 1980. I last heard Chris was teaching in south Yorkshire or north Lincolnshire, but I haven't heard about Keith at all. If anybody knows how I could contact either, I would be eternally grateful.

Roger Aston. E-mail: rogast@hotmail.com.

Can you help?

Recommended Hotels Great Britain and Ireland 2003 will be the 21st anniversary edition of the Johansens Guide. The first edition was published in 1983.

Unfortunately, our archive at Condé Nast Johansens does not include copies of the 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987 Recommended Hotels Great Britain and Ireland. If any Caterer readers can produce any or all of the missing copies in good condition, please contact Andrew Warren, Johansens managing director, at andrew.warren@johansens.com. I would be delighted to present them with the reward of theatre vouchers to the value of £50, on a first-come, first-served basis.

I teach students with learning difficulties to NVQ level 1. We are desperately seeking sponsors from the catering industry to help us set up a training kitchen for our registered charity, Chefspot.

I am disabled myself, due to a car accident, and teach from a wheelchair. I am also a trained chef. We have won a National Training Award for the innovative style of teaching and it is my goal to offer greater opportunities for disabled people who want a career in catering.

My niece will be running in the Paris marathon on 7 April in aid of Chefspot and would welcome any support. Should anyone be interested or require any more information, please contact me.

Tel: 01432 830089; e-mail: john@cadien123.fsnet.co.uk.