1948 born 23rd June in Bideford
1953-59 East the Water Primary School
1959-67 Bideford Grammar School, 9 ‘O’ levels, 3 ‘A’ levels, 1 ‘S’ level.
1968-71 BA Honours English, Reading University
1972-76 Teaching in Essex & Northants incl. Head of Careers and Head of English.
1979-81 University of East London DCG
1976 – 1995 posts in Careers Service in Essex and L.B. Havering, Principal Careers Officer. External examiner and assessor University of East London and Kent College.
1996 – 2017 Founder, Chief Executive and then Chairman of Prospects Group of companies, providing a wide range of education, training, social care and support services. The Prospects Group had a turnover of over £100 million and employed some 2,000 staff in the UK and internationally. Chairman Gabbitas Educational Consultants.
2017 – Farming with small organic farms at Bideford, Newton Tracey and Yarnscombe.
Married to Ilga in 1979; two children, Mark and Melissa, and four grandchildren, Grace, Jack, Alasdair and Peggy.
Basildon District Councillor, Essex County Councillor, twice Parliamentary Candidate, Commissioner Government Youth Citizenship Commission, Fellow Institute of Directors, Fellow Royal Society of Arts, Freeman City of London, Liveryman Glass Sellers Company, Chair Torridge and West Devon Liberal Democrats, member various Government advisory bodies on education, careers, employment and training.
