Fruit, football and failure: A memoir of Paul Sewell

It has been described as a true rag to riches tale which charts the extraordinary rise of one of Hull’s most successful businessmen. Sewell Group chair, Paul Sewell, has published his new memoir ‘Half a Lettuce – the Life and Times of an Entrepreneur’, sharing his tales, triumphs & life lessons.

Paul Sewell is an entrepreneur and his journey began when he passed up a future in the family fruit business and recovered from the blow of missing out on football stardom to become a leading figure in the regional business community.

Filled with inspiring highs and crushing lows, Half a Lettuce explores Paul’s personal and professional past, combining social history and commentary with business insight into how to transform a small building firm into a leader in construction and petrol retail.

Paul was supported in the project by his friend and colleague Alan Johnson, the former Home Secretary and Hull West and Hessle MP who is now an acclaimed author.

Mr Johnson said: “From its vivid description of Hull’s fruit market in the 1950s to the way it illustrates the rise of the Sewell Group to be one of the Sunday Times top companies in Britain, this is a fascinating story, beautifully told.”

The book doesn’t have a cover price but donations are encouraged in aid of the Hull Animal Welfare Trust, the organisation formed by Paul’s wife Sue in 1982 and established as a charity in 1992.

Paul said: “The book is in no way a commercial venture and all donations will go to my wife’s charity the Hull Animal Welfare Trust.

“After being encouraged to write it and capture some of my and the Sewell company story I have found the process most cathartic, remembering the journey and reinforcing the values upon which we have built the business.

“To coincide with the publication of the book I’m setting up the Half a Lettuce personal investment company to help entrepreneurs, people I am already working with who I like, whose values I believe in and who I know have what it takes to go a lot further.”

To request your limited edition copy of ‘Half a Lettuce’ and make a donation to Hull Animal Welfare Trust, please click here.