I’m married to Jean, a retired special needs teacher, with three grown up children and six grandchildren.
After leaving university in 1977 I qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Price Waterhouse in 1980.
Before going to university I served as a navigating officer in the Merchant Navy for seven years.
As an accountant I worked in London on company reconstructions and Stock Exchange work. My other positions were as corporate banker with NatWest’s Ulster Investment Bank, Chevron Oil as a contract accountant on North Sea Platform projects. I have also owned and run a printing company in Maidenhead. I am currently working as a part-time owner and director for Demand Technology Ltd an engineering company.
While living and working in Ulster I set up the Northern Ireland Speech Impaired charity for children with speech problems; the National Aphasia Association did not at that time exist in Northern Ireland.
I was previously the Leader of the Wokingham Borough Council for six years. I was involved with the establishment of the Councils Housing Companies and Optalis Limited and the regeneration of the Town Centre. During my time on the Council I worked with Bob Wyatt in establishing the Link Visiting Scheme in conjunction with Woodley Baptist Church.
My other charitable interests include: previously a board member of the Berkshire Ambulance Trust taking the authority into trust status; a Wokingham Scout Leader for 15 years; the Honorary Treasurer for St John Ambulance in Woodley for a number of years.
I first became involved with Wade in 2019 having previously been involved on the edges through my council work, I was appointed as a trustee at the November 2019 AGM.