I was introduced to the wonders of the shooting world by my father when I was in my early teens. Since then, I have been a beater, a stop, a loader, a picker up, a Gun and a shoot manager. Two of my own sons enjoy the occasional visit to clay shooting grounds and are quite proficient shots.

Professionally, I qualified as an accountant (The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and had a very interesting career in the agricultural world from 1977 to 2019, ending my career to work as a treasurer of St Albans Cathedral. My responsibilities included the nuts and bolts of every accountant’s job (management and financial accounts, budgets, IT, compliance and being part of a management team). As the finance director of a public company, I was closely involved in the development and implementation of the company’s strategy for successful development and growth of our company. My job at St Albans gave me experience working with paid members of staff as well as volunteers.

I worked as a non-executive director for a company in the agricultural supply industry for nine years, chairing the company’s audit committee in addition to NED work, and then as company chairman for six years. I experienced the difference between being an executive and a non-executive director.

The experience that I have gained in commerce would, I believe, enable me to contribute to setting the strategy of our association and charting ways to achieve that strategy while operating within the framework of legal and financial reporting requirements.

My working life has allowed me to combine my interest in our countryside with my interest in our sport. Having been so fortunate to be able to enjoy several forms of shooting – syndicate, clays and pigeon shooting – I feel that it is time for me to see if I can bring my experience, both sporting and professional, to assist BASC in shaping and delivering the future of sustainable shooting sports in our country. I have been an armchair supporter of BASC and would welcome the opportunity to take a more active role in the work of the association.