SIMON Rodway OBE is a devoted man. At 73 years old, this long term Chiswick resident and bachelor has devoted himself to many worthy causes and his whole life appears to have centred around helping people less fortunate than himself, being generous and warm-hearted.

I first came across Simon Rodway in his capacity as organiser of the Chiswick Churches luncheon club. He is devoted to his church, Christchurch on Turnham Green and its vicar Rev, Jim Dainty. Had Simon's life taken a different turn, he could well have ended up a vicar too, as his first career ambition was to enter the church.

But, he explained, after he left Westminster School in 1950, because he was a conscientious objector on religious grounds to National Service, he was sent to do social work for two years. This changed the course of his life, as he was sent to help out at Caldecott Community in Kent, where he eventually spent nearly ten years working and over fifty years being involved as a trustee.

Having got a place at Oxford University, he left after only one year to return to Caldecott and train at the LSE as a mental health social worker and subsequently a psychotherapist. Caldecott Community is a special needs school which deals specifically with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

It is clear, talking to Simon that he cares passionately about the work carried out at Caldecott, which was started by Leila Rendell in 1911. He describes her as an "absolutely wonderful woman and a major influence in my life". He is "devoted" to her and explains that they had "a meeting of minds" when they first met, when he was only 18 years old, which has continued ever since. Of Caldecott he says "It's in my blood, I'll always be devoted to the place, it is a wonderful place."

When talking about his major achievements while at the school, he cites one boy, who had "a terrible home life with extreme religion, where he used to be beaten unmercifully and there was no love in the home."

He arrived at Caldecott aged 10 years old and "very delinquent" but Simon got close to him and got to know him well. He explains that because of the child's background he used to test Simon to the limit to see when he would withdraw his love.

"I took him home one time, and he stole money, but I told him I would not stop loving him and eventually he got over his dishonesty and could relate to people." The child is now a man with a successful building business, happily married with two children and is "a good father".

Simon says: "That's what I call a success, when they can break that cycle and become good parents, despite their own childhoods."

While they are not all success stories, it is clear that Simon still sees many of the old students and provides a support network for them to this day.

He has been involved in child protection work on many different levels and was the advisor to The Bishop of London, where he advised on any concerns over clergy or members of the church. He was also the Deputy Children's officer at the London Borough of Barnet and Director of Social services at Merton for nine years.

When asked about the issue of political correctness when dealing with children and the possibility of getting too close, he is very open. "It's a tricky subject, but as a bachelor, I am conscious of the possibility that children can make accusations. I have dealt with lots of child abuse enquiries and I think you have to be careful.

"In church, lots of children give me a hug and I am happy to do that in front of other people and I wouldn't want to push them away, but I wouldn't be so happy to do that in a room on my own with them. I'm not sure I would take children off in my car for trips anymore, like I used to but it is absolutely right to have procedures in place to stop abuse.

"I have been involved with cases where children have said they were being abused by their care home owners, but are not believed. Now I do think it is a much safer world for children. I don't think abuse is on the increase, we just hear about it now, as it is more out in the open."

But none of this work was the official reason for his OBE, that was due to his efforts at the Red Cross, where he was the chief social services advisor. Of this honour he says: "I'm not a great honours person but I am very grateful to have some recognition and very surprised to get it from the Red Cross. But it is partly a matter of luck of the draw. There are so many people who do real work on the ground, who never get anything."

To list all the voluntary and professional posts that Simon has held and currently holds, would take forever, but as a supposedly retired' person, it is hard to fathom how busy he must have been when he was working'.

The few things he does make time for now are his two gorgeous dogs Zippy and Oscar, his other home in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, his 17 god-children (who range from 10 to 50 years old), his paintings, of which he is also particularly knowledgeable and his love of food and restaurants.

With his friend Tony, he has compiled a huge board of all the restaurants' business cards he has ever been to - the list is impressive and reveals a charming culinary history of London restaurants.

As a fish eating vegetarian, his favourite restaurants in Chiswick are Fish Hoek, Fishworks and That's Amore as well as La Trompette, of course.

Simon Rodway is a passionate man who is devoted to many things from Christ Church and Rev Jim Dainty, whom he describes as "a marvellous vicar, inspirational and so friendly" to striving to help children, which he has devoted the majority of his life to. Having met him for two hours, it is clear that Chiswick and everyone Simon comes in contact with, is the richer for having encountered this man, who embodies everything that a gentleman should be.