Just over thirty years ago my wife and I moved to Holmfirth with our young family. I had been commuting to Greenhead College in Huddersfield from Sale in south Manchester for a couple of years, wasting both time and petrol, and colleagues recommended the Holme Valley as the best place to live.
I was born in Oldham, and after working for the Electricity Board I studied and taught in Liverpool and Cheshire. My move into Yorkshire was to take up the post of Vice Principal in the sixth form college in Huddersfield (attended by significant numbers of Holme Valley students).
In 2002 I became Principal, and stayed until my ‘retirement’ in 2013. For the next five years I travelled around England and Wales advising schools, colleges, local authorities etc.
With Covid and other distractions behind me, I decided it was time to give something back to an area where I feel very settled, particularly as I now have more flexibility. I enjoy gardening, walking, books, music and DIY, which are all very flexible in their demands!