Born in 1953, I have lived all my life in North Essex, married to Mary and have two children Darren and Rachel, and three Grandchildren Jamie, Chynna-Mai and Charlie. I have been involved in Scouting since the age of 8 and a bell-ringer since the age of 10. Landscape gardening has been my occupation for the last 38 years. In May 2004 I had a heart attack, and spent a year recovering, having had 3 stents. In 2007 I trekked 100km along the Great Wall of China, and in 2009 trekked the Lares Trail in Peru, both to raise money for the Alzheimer Society, my first book was about my mascot Yuan's adventures on these treks. My Scouting past includes being a Cub and Scout at 1st Gosfield, Venture Scout, Cub and Scout Leader, Assistant District Commissioner and District Commissioner of Halstead & Colne Valley Scout District. I volunteered to compile a book of the first one hundred years of Scouting in our District, starting small and finished up 440 pages, taking four years to put together.