Fast forward to 1999 (via a degree in communications and first job in marketing) and I was building my first online shop using Actinic Catalogue. From that day to this I’ve spent 90% of my working time learning how to get websites to better serve their visitors, initially for my own sites and since 2008 for clients.

Day to day this means working with PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS and JavaScript and enjoying lengthy debates over typography and layout with David. Most evenings it means learning new techniques and pursuing the ideal set of web-standards.

I have also been known to navigate on foot the hills of Derbyshire, the Lake District and London streets (to avoid the tube on sunny days!) As well as walking the length and the occasional rough / sandy ground of golf courses in England and Portugal. I’ve swam in the seas of Tenerife, Wales, Greece and the lakes of Derbyshire while sailing dinghies. Fingers crossed I’ve hardly ever fallen off my skis to the envy of my wife especially when aged four our son could tag along with ease, fearlessly (that terrifies me more!). Lately I’m inventing recipes with varying degrees of success and discovering France as we travel and work in Europe.