ayrprox-this may sound strange but even after this-i'm willing to bet the last thing he will do is give up those things if he goes north. Why.
I know this man (he's early 40's by the way). I would not be here doing what Im doing and supplying you with fresh cannon fodder without his help. I can remember struggling during my training and him staying 2 hours past his shift finish time to help me get my head around things a bit better. He even rang his daughter to tell her to get the train home from school so he could stay. Not an ounce of frustration, impatience, bad temper, and he never told a soul. Always there with a laugh to lift his trainees. Why? He told me he loved to see young scared trainees come to manch terrified for their futures but loved it even more when he signed their licences after a validation board and off they went to their futures. Belive me there have been many of us. He said he saw it as not helping natsbut helping each individual be something and do more than they thought they could. Cheesy but very inspiring.
I know he has a wife and two teenage kids (cos he talks about them non stop!). I also know he dosnt deserve this but i also know that whoever made this decision dosent deserve him and if anyone at NERL is reading you really should be doing all you can to keep this man on your books (he wouldnt thank me for that) cos there arent many left like him.