I enjoy my hobbies and interests outside work a great deal. They
help me to relax, stay creative and enjoy a healthy life-work balance. My principal hobbies/interests outside work are outlined
below.
Charitable activities
I am a Council member (trustee) of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
This is Europe's largest environmental organisation, with over a million members. My role is to help set the strategic direction
for the charity and along with 23 other Council members we approve all the major decisions of the organisation. I am one of
a small team of Council members who specialise in education, and I also work alongside senior staff nationally and in my local
region to support the education projects of the RSPB. The RSPB is carrying out vital work to protect our wild birds and their
habitats, so why not add your voice? You can find out about joining the RSBP, which gives you free access to an inspiring
network of wild places throughout the country, by clicking here.
I am also actively supporting the charity Pumpaid which works to improve access to water for
people in southern Africa. I have paid for two fresh water pumps which serve two rural communities in Zimbabwe and have written
education materials for Pumpaid's outreach work. You can see a photograph of one of the pumps I have helped to install here, together with more information about the ingenious 2,000 year old design which the charity has used to create the pumps.
Binocular projects
I have been fascinated by binoculars and other optical instruments since childhood and I
am currently working on a book called Binoculars: a social history, which is scheduled
for publication in December 2008. The book will chart the war and peace time use of binoculars and tell the story of people's
interaction with these wonderful devices. It will be the first book ever published to focus on the social history of binoculars,
and one of the few to be produced on binoculars in the English language. You can find out more about the book by clicking here. I am very active buying and selling historically interesting binoculars as part of this project, so if you have any unusual
binoculars at home do let me know. If you use eBay, you may even find some of binoculars from my reference collection for sale there! In 2009 I hope to launch
a major binocular website, with extensive information for users, collectors and enthusiasts.
Writing activities
I had my first book published when I was in my early twenties and I maintain a keen interest
in writing. Some of my early books were on natural history and conservation, as I led a scientific expedition to the
Ecuadorian Andes after leaving university. This resulted in a three years of research into threatened birds and other wildlife,
before I started my PGCE. I also co-wrote the first birdwatching guide to Ecuador with my friends Rob Williams and Tom
Heijnen. For three years I wrote a natural history column for the Craven Herald newspaper, and I am the natural history
editor of the Yorkshire Dales website Daelnet.
Other hobbies
I love the outdoors, natural places and wildlife and most of my free
time is spent on walks with my wife Amanda. In 2004 we wrote a book together called Wild Flower Walks of the Yorkshire
Dales. It detailed 10 walks in the southern Yorkshire Dales and you can buy the book by clicking here. Birdwatching and plant hunting are too of my favourite activities. I also enjoy astronomy and recently have
been finally getting proper views of such sights as Saturn's rings, thanks to a lovely large aperture telescope. I am very
interested in music, especially traditional and world music, and have sung with various choirs and groups. This included a
world premiere of a piece by British composer Andrew Carter and a concert performance of The Elixir of Love, a joyful
opera by Donizetti. Finally, I continue to be fascinated by different forms of dance, and following lessons in salsa, ballroom
and cajun, am hoping to pursue this healthy pastime more in the year ahead!
