Welcome

Pete

I’m based in the UK, in the picturesque village of Downton, nestled between the ancient New Forest and the medieval city of Salisbury. Ninety minutes from London, and less than an hour from the south coast (map), I settled here 25 years ago, having previously lived in Liverpool, Cardiff, Oxford, New York City and Southampton. So perhaps you know me from one of these places?

“Family” comprised a wife and daughter, though my wife is now an ex-, and my daughter has long since fledged.

Biography

I was born and raised in Liverpool, but left aged just eighteen to study at university in Cardiff.

My first job, near Oxford, introduced me to computers, and this altered the course of my life. Several jobs developing and designing software then culminated in living and working in New York City. Upon returning to the UK, I moved to the south coast, where I started my own consultancy business. Finally settling in the nearby New Forest, for many years I commuted to (mostly financial) clients based in central London.

My other passion was cycling, however, and the surrounding countryside afforded many opportunities. In addition, Downton’s proximity to the coast meant easy access to Europe, and I was fortunate enough to cycle in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany. Such was my enthusiasm that, taking a career break from IT, I trained, qualified, then practised as a freelance bicycle mechanic.

This stint ended abruptly in early 2016, when I suffered a stroke. Although affected physically, I am good mentally, so while my bicycling days were over I was able to return to IT.

I’m not as energetic as I once was – I’m left disabled with reduced mobility and stamina, and I closed my consultancy in order to prioritise my health. But I was able to combine IT with voluntary work (for Age UK and the Stroke Association) and maintain a healthy interest in politics. I even discovered a talent for writing!

I released a stream of health-management apps from home, ran a website which reported local COVID infections, and wrote a bunch of short stories to boot! I maintain a blog, which started as a way of tracking my recovery, but which has morphed into a general outlet for my creativity (sample).

I now work as a developer for a south-coast consultancy. It’s more junior than previous roles, although it is ideal exposure to the latest technologies, and has the advantage of being home-based. Working so close to the kitchen, however, does not necessarily agree with my waistline!

To showcase my professional skills, I also maintain a LinkedIn profile.

Also, the income from this work allows me to support the following political causes:

Disability Rights UK – a charity focussed on the legal rights of disabled people in the UK.

APPEAL – a small, UK charity which investigates and fights miscarriages of justice.

Transparency International – an organisation, active in more than 100 countries, which aims to eradicate corruption in public life.

Miaow

I am a cat lover. I’ve lived with cats my whole life, and currently share the place with two.

Lola is a gorgeous sandy mackerel tabby who adopted us when she wandered in. barely more than a kitten, ten or twelve years ago. While she is most definitely in charge, she graciously allows me to live here, too. And to pay the mortgage.

She (sometimes) tolerates Reuben, a sleek black cat who arrived here already fully-grown, courtesy of my daughter, about five years ago. Now in his senior years, Reuben was once a prolific hunter who single-handedly decimated the local mouse population (shown here disguised as a tub of lard!), but who now prefers the more gentlemanly pursuits of eating and sleeping. We’re very alike, he and I!