Conceived in India, born in London, the great-grandchild of immigrants to England and raised (partly) in Kenya, I feel that my whole life has been one of exposure to and immersion in different cultures, something for which I am profoundly grateful.
I wanted to be a teacher from quite an early age (once I realised that I wasn't going
to make it as a cricketer or an opera singer!) and after finishing secondary school in Kenya and then having an extended 'gap year', I studied for a B.Ed. in London.
I taught for over 27 years and worked in Zambia, Kenya and the UK. I was Deputy Head and then Headmaster of Hillcrest School in Nairobi and co-founded a small school on Kenya’s coast. During my career I taught pretty much every subject to young people aged 7–13 years although I eventually specialised in English and then – after reading for a Master’s Degree in Shakespeare and Education – Drama.
My educational philosophy and approach is encapsulated in the meditations I wrote as a farewell to a long and happy career. You can find them below in ‘Teaching from the Heart’
By the age of 16 I was deeply interested in world religions, spirituality and in a search for 'truth.' It was the beginning of a life-long fascination that has led me all over the world; to temples, mosques, synagogues and churches; to teachers and teachings of East and West and to a profound love for the world and all who inhabit it.
It was this quest for meaning that also led me to become a Freemason in Nairobi in 1990. Although it is something that many people have found difficult to reconcile with everything else they know about me, it is my Masonic Writings that are the best known and most widely read. If you want to know more about that aspect of my life and work, you can do so by clicking on the link below.
Much of my writing has been created with young people in mind, either as audience or as inspiration.
I’ve always loved poetry and write both freely and within the strictures of traditional forms. I’m particularly fond of Shakespearean Sonnets and have written many as gifts for loved ones, to celebrate important events and even as memorials to those who have passed. I’m very happy to write on commission and will be delighted to help you commemorate your significant moments, happy or sad. You can find more about this service in the ‘Poetry on Demand’ section below.
Most of my books are self-published - although not all - and so I have extensive
experience of the processes involved in bringing a project from idea to draft to publication. If you have a project, big or small, that you’d like help with, you can ask me through the ‘Contact’ page. There is no question of a fee until we have clearly established between us whether - and how - I can help you.
I do hope you find something of value here. Welcome.
Welcome.
