I am a husband, father of three middle aged ‘children’ and have six grandchildren, and moved from Northumberland into the village in 1976.
I have seen the village change enormously in that time, much of it for the better.
During those years I have been on the Middle school PTA, a school governor, on the carnival committee, one of the founders of the boys football club, a trustee of the Bowls Club, and been a parish councillor for almost 35 years.
On the Parish Council I have handed over the vice-chairman baton to Terry Collins, a fellow Geordie, and my role as chairman of the St James Place (referred to as Down Farm Park) Community Facilities Working Group has finally ended with the opening of the Bowls Club.
I am Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Working Group, and a member of the Property Management Working Group. I represent the council on the East Hampshire Association of Parish and Town Councils (EHAPTC), and the EHDC Transport Forums.
I represent East Hants District Council at meetings of the Hampshire Association of Local Councils.
Like all 10 of your parish councillors, I must be a masochist to do a thankless, unpaid role, to be criticised by those who are unwilling to put their own heads above the parapet, and to put in many unseen hours. We are not experts - we are volunteers - but at the end of the day, now and again we 'get it right' and get some satisfaction doing this essential role serving the community.
