Hobbies and Volunteering
What I have volunteered doing and what I get up to outside of work.
Outside of work I like to keep myself busy.
In my spare time I am season ticket holder for Bath Rugby, cycle in the summer, play computer games (Probably Microsoft Flight Simulator - because its the closest I can get to being a pilot), build websites and tinker with all manner of tech.
If that wasn't enough to keep me busy, I also volunteer for a variety of causes and organisations. Most of the significant volunteering is detailed below.
Volunteering History
BA1 Radio
2017 – 2023
BA1 Radio was established by myself and two close friends after our school's station closed. We were driven to offer others the enriching experiences we had enjoyed. The station's mission was to provide training in employment skills and radio broadcasting. As Chair of the Board of Trustees, my role drew heavily on my past experiences, challenging me to develop my understanding of legal issues, charitable law, policy-making, fundraising, and volunteer coordination.
The journey of BA1 Radio was marked by significant achievements and challenges. The team of dedicated volunteers contributed immensely to the organization's growth and their own learning. Our efforts were recognized when we received the Creative Bath Award for Creative Arts Organization in 2019 and were finalists in the Bath Life Awards in 2020. However, we also navigated through tough times, including the challenges brought by the Covid pandemic.
In 2022, BA1 Radio merged with Bath Hospital Radio to form Bath Sound. At the end of 2023, after six years of volunteering, I stepped down as Chair and trustee. Reflecting on my time, I am grateful for the incredible volunteers I met across Bath and beyond. I'll always treasure the great times and friendships I made at BA1 Radio and Bath Sound — they're memories that'll stick with me forever.
Got Ya Back
2014 – 2017
Got Ya Back is a project that was formed in October 2014 after many fatalities occurred in Bath. I worked in a team of students at college to help develop this campaign. Its aim is to ensure students and young people look after one another when out and about at night or on the way home from a night out. It is mainly a publicity campaign to spread awareness. Over the course of 2 years we will be visiting all the secondary schools in B&NES and working with Bath Spa and Bath University to spread the message.
As part of this campaign I was a co manager and helped with many aspects of the campaign. I visited schools to give them assemblies, attend some of the publicity events and also built the campaigns website.
The Campaign launched in March 2015. In October 2015 I was employed by the campaign to be Project Manager and manage and oversee the projects goals.
Bath and North East Somerset Council
2010 – 2016
I initially started volunteering work with B&NES Council after I attended the Young Peoples Parliament. There the suggestion of local community gardens was made, I then started to work to help make these community gardens a reality. As time went on I did lots of participation work for the Council, this was mainly the reviewing of childrens services that would effect me or other service users. I am apart of the commissioning process, which happens when a new service is starting or an old one is ending and needs replacing. I look at the needs that the service should provide and give my views on which service fits best. This could be decided simply on whether the service can write appropriately for young people.
Throughout this I also helped with the Young & Primary Parliaments and organised the 2015 Equalities Summit with over 100 students from local schools came to discuss equalities issues. I feel that my biggest overall achievement was the creation of a tutorial pack for schools on child sexual exploitation. The pack had to be carefully composed due to the sensitive subject and accessible to all students. When the pack was published it proved to be a great success and went onto other councils in the South West.
Phoenix Radio
2009 – 2016
When I first started at Phoenix Radio it had a different name and I was still in Secondary School. I started my radio shows as a Co Presenter on one lunch time a week. I then took on the show as the main presenter and a break time show every day. Later on I also became a producer, teaching other students and making the shows output better. I then started a Breakfast Show from 8-9 every morning and presented on there until leaving the show in 2013. Since then I have been presenting a weekend breakfast show.