Life Stories with Tom Burns

Tom Burns is the Chairman of Age Concern Marbella and San Pedro de Alcantara.

Tom was born in Donegal and educated in Belfast and it was here that he started his career and his family. However, having seen the ghastly impact and effects of ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland Tom took the opportunity to move his family to London where he schooled his sons and enjoyed a successful career in the insurance industry.

In 2002, Tom decided to take retirement and live a life in the sun on the Costa del Sol, but within 3 months he decided that he was too young and active to sit back and do nothing. He opened a restaurant in Estepona, despite having no restaurant experience, and then was offered the chance to become involved with the charity Age Concern. Using his previous experience in the third-sector, and the support of his enthusiastic team, Tom launched a branch of the charity in Marbella and San Pedro de Alcantara.

Tom’s story covers a childhood growing up in segregated Ireland, charity work that took him into Long Kesh prison, and a non-retirement in sunny Spain.

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