My wife Carole & I have lived in Church End Cherry Hinton since 1983.

Full statement

We were married in St Andrew’s Church Cherry Hinton in 1978.
I was employed as the security student liaison manager at Cambridge Regional College for 15 years before retiring from that role in 2019 and am currently working as their first aid instructor. I hold an instructor licence for Mental Health First Aid and for over 20 years have been a volunteer Community First Responder for East of England Ambulance Trust covering the Cherry Hinton area, and as volunteer trainer for their first responder scheme. I take immense pleasure in passing on life-saving skills whenever can, and some of these sessions 'Fast First Aid' I run over 90 minutes on the first Saturday of the month at our new community hub on the High Street.

I have been involved in the local community for many years in numerous ways - such as with Cherry Hinton Royal British Legion both as poppy appeal collector and resident bagpipe player at remembrance service every year, as a committee member of Cherry Hinton Residents Association, as the health & safety advisor for our community hub, with the Neighbourhood Watch – where I was chair for 10 years, the Friends of Cherry Hinton Hall, and the Friends of St Andrew’s. Of course, I have also had the honour of representing Cherry Hinton as a City Councillor since 2004 – a highlight of which was being Mayor of Cambridge in 2009/10, 2019/20 and in 2020/21.

Over the years I have been involved in many local campaigns and initiatives including securing environmental improvements, helping raise money to secure CCTV on the High Street, and more recently helping with the plans which finally delivered the excellent community hub complete with the Cherry Branch café.

I continue to be passionate about Cherry Hinton, my continued work with many residents on a wide variety of issues all year round (not just at election times!) is proof of my continued commitment to our village and its residents. We have some big challenges now, such as the risk of over-development and associated and the associated congestion and traffic problems, the proposed development of the old clay pits is an important issue on a number of levels. I would like to bring my knowledge and experience to bear on these sorts of issues. your support on 7th May will enable me to continue the support I have given over the past 22 years as a resident of Cherry Hinton, we live here to - what affects you also affects us.