About the Author

Christopher James Bulteel (Chris)

Christopher James Bulteel — known to many simply as Chris — was born on April 20th, 1949, in Gloucester, England. His life has been shaped by service, creativity, and a deep connection to community.

Educated at the historic King’s School in Gloucester, Chris began his journey as a cathedral chorister, where the discipline and inspiration of music left a lasting mark. At 17, he moved to Wimborne Minster in Dorset to study Hotel and Catering Management — an early reflection of his passion for hospitality and bringing people together.

After graduating, Chris joined the family restaurant business in Wimborne, quickly becoming a familiar figure in local life and even serving as Mayor of Wimborne in 1979. As his family grew, he stepped back from the demanding hours of catering to focus on his wife and children. During this time, he ran a village store and later worked with a charity supporting the elderly, helping to raise vital funds for Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s mission.

Chris eventually returned to the catering world with renewed energy, taking on a senior role in a respected organisation. There, he managed and developed the catering operations, introducing fresh ideas and raising standards. Over the years, he expanded the service’s reputation and reach, successfully delivering countless functions and events with creativity, precision, and care.

Public service continued to be a central thread in Chris’s life. He was elected to Poole Borough Council and went on to serve as both Sheriff and Mayor of Poole. His work on the Social Services Scrutiny Committee led him into social care, where he began as a care worker and rose to become Chair of a staff association representing over 7,000 professionals.

Now retired from public office, Chris has returned to one of his earliest passions — writing. Drawing on the richness of his experiences, his work blends compassion, community, resilience, and the power of human connection. Whether in fiction or memoir, Chris writes to share the world as he has seen and lived it.