I live in Acomb, a village on the Tyne near Hexham and the Roman Wall, with my wife Jane and Amber our dog.

I have three grown up children and five grandchildren. I was born in East Sussex in 1946 where I lived until I left home to study politics at Leicester University. I have been living in the North East of England since 1971 working in higher education management. My last full time job was at the University of Sunderland where I was head of strategic planning and market research. Since 2004 I have been self employed doing research and community development work.

For the past few years I have been working with the Churches Regional Commission, the region’s ecumenical organisation which supports churches’ social action. I am a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). I am a member of the Newcastle Conflict Resolution Network which is a Quaker initiative which addresses the causes of conflict and supports those working for peaceful ways of managing it. I have a special interest in Eastern Europe and I have travelled quite a lot in the area and gained some understanding of the social and economic issues which face countries like the Ukraine which I have visited recently on behalf of the CRC and the British Council.

I enjoy painting, I attend art classes and I am a member of Hexham Art Club.