Vivienne Butterworth – Meet The Instructor

How long have you been a driving instructor for?

I’ve been an instructor for over 11 years now, qualifying in 2007.

What were you doing before that?

My background is in accountancy. Before qualifying as in instructor I worked, for over 30 years, for a local private company here in Blackpool.

What do you enjoy most about driving instructing?

It’s a job which is can be very rewarding, and there are any aspects of it that I enjoy. For me though, my favourite thing is giving my pupils a life changing skill. It can sometimes be a challenge, and sometimes can be quite frustrating, but when I see a pupil “get it”, I know it’s a skill that will be with them for ever, and will change their lives in a really positive way.

Is there anything you dislike about the job?

As I said, although the job is massively rewarding, there are some aspects of the job which can be really frustrating. For me, the biggest thing that I dislike is last minute cancellations. I understand that people live busy lives, and things often get in the way, but, as a very organised person, my diary is planned, and when people cancel on the same day as their driving lesson, sometimes with virtually no notice at all, it leaves me with a huge gap in the day, and that’s without mentioning the financial effects it can have

What are your interests/hobbies outside of driving instructing?

My main hobbies are walking, swimming and amateur dramatics. I try to swim as often as I can, and I enjoy going on walking holidays when I can. My favourite places to walk are Dorset, Pembrokeshire, North Wales, Anglesey and Cumbria. There are some lovely walks in this country! In terms of amateur dramatics, I’m a member of the Harlequins Drama Group, which is based in Freckleton, and I’m currently in rehearsals for the mother Goose pantomime and a big murder mystery.