Hobbies & Outside Interests
Current positions
The Town Crier of Chatteris
November 2014 – Present
In November 2014 I was appointed the Town Crier of Chatteris, following a “cry-off” at the town’s Christmas lights switch-on. Since then, I’ve attended various events to represent the town. These include leading the parade for the town’s summer festival and reading out a proclamation from HRH The Prince of Wales on the occasion of HM The Queen’s 90th Birthday.
Chairman, Chatteris Past, Present & Future
February 2016 – Present
I am currently the Chairman of Chatteris’ Civic Society. In May 2016, I launched a new website for the society and I am trying to transform the society into a membership organisation that hosts a programme of talks and lectures.
Member, The Local Government Ombudsman Advisory Forum
November 2015 – October 2016
I currently sit as a member of the Local Government Ombudsman’s advisory panel. The Local Government Ombudsman handles complaints where the complainant has exhausted the complaints process of a local authority. Often people access the service when they are at their most vulnerable. The forum advises the Ombudsman on the accessibility of the service and the customer experience. In the short time I have sat on the panel we have encouraged the Ombudsman to do more to follow-up complaints, and have provided extensive feedback on the suitability of the new Local Government Ombudsman website.
The Local Government Ombudsman Advisory Forum | How to make a complaint to the LGO
Previous positions
RCS Motor Club (Treasurer/Secretary)
August 2010 – July 2012
The RCS Motor Club at Imperial College London looks after “Jezebel”, a 1916 Dennis N Type fire appliance. I was secretary and treasurer of this club (consecutively).
Whilst secretary, I kept the club’s professional memberships up-to-date and organised permits to use Jezebel’s pump at The Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. I also relaunched the club’s website. As treasurer, I obtained a significant grant from The Harlington Trust in order to replace the club’s welding and heating equipment so that the club could comply with new health and safety requirements.
RSM Motor Club (Secretary/Treasurer)
August 2010 – July 2012
The RSM Motor Club is the custodian of “Clementine”, a 1926 Morris Commercial Type T one ton truck. For two consecutive years I held the opposite position within RSM Motor Club to that which I held in the RCS Motor Club, ensuring smooth running of the club, membership renewals and a series of events.
Vehicle Co-ordinator, Fleetwood Festival of Transport
April 2007 – August 2008
The Fleetwood Festival of Transport, locally known as “Tram Sunday”, is an event held in my hometown in Lancashire each July. The festival celebrates the town’s historic tramway which runs along the street, and hosts a huge number of classic and vintage cars, buses and commercial vehicles. The one-day event attracts in excess of 30,000 visitors – more than the town’s population
As a Sixth Former, I responded to a request for assistance in the newspaper. When I joined the committee there were just six vehicle entries, with less than three months until the event was due to take place. I contacted hundreds of car clubs and owners, achieving a turnout of around 180 vehicles. The following year we almost doubled this figure, with a staggering three hundred entries. These even included six DeLorean DMC-12s, just like in Back to the Future!
I provided the festival’s website in 2012.
CGCA Officer, The City & Guilds College Union
August 2009 – July 2011
The CGCU is a faculty union at Imperial College London. I was the officer of the union responsible for liaising with the union’s alumni association, The City & Guilds College Association. I attended association meetings, helped to organise networking events and ensured that current students were well represented during the decision-making process.
The City & Guilds College Association | The City & Guilds College Union
Live! Editor, Imperial College London
August 2009 – July 2011
Live! was the student news website of Imperial College London. I was editor of the publication for two years. I covered a wide range of stories, including live-reporting a bomb scare at the Freshers’ Fair, reporting on withdrawl of funding from a major building project and teaching concerns with the Civil Engineering department. I was also the first person to break the news of the departure of then-Rector Sir Roy Anderson.
Guildsheet Editor, The City & Guilds College Union
August 2009 – October 2009
I spent a brief stint as editor of the City & Guilds College Union’s student magazine, “Guildsheet”. I created the first ever forty-page issue of the magazine, re-imagining the entire publication and publishing it in a new A5 format. I also managed to secure a significant amount of advertising revenue to cover the costs of the publication.
Secretary, stoic tv
August 2010 – July 2011
stoic tv was the old name for ICTV, the student television station of Imperial College London. I helped to create content for the station, including an award-shortlisted documentary about “The Great Egg Race”, a live stream of the university’s “ArtsFest” concert and a number of videos made in connection with Live!, the student news website.
Other positions held
- CGCU Web Administrator (2010 – 2011)
- CGCU Archivist (2008 – 2009)
- Council Member, Imperial College Union (2008 – 2009)
- Hall Senior, Imperial College London (2009 – 2010)
- Student Council Secretary, Cardinal Allen Catholic High School (2004 – 2006)