What’s the first thing you do in the morning?

Give my little boys a big kiss, which sets me up for the day and makes me very happy. If I’m really lucky, I’ll get in an early morning swim even before breakfast!  

If you could do another job, what would it be?

I’d love to work with stone, or metal in a very creative way. I quite perversely fancy being a stand-up comic, but that takes some serious guts and a lot of personal exposure that you have to be prepared to have thrown back in your face.

What makes you happy?

Being up a mountain, good music company and wine, not necessarily all at the same time.

What do you want to achieve in this field (main ambition)?

To be anywhere near the passion and tenacity of the campaigners who have laid the foundations of Brain Tumour Research and channel this. If I could help secure significantly more funds for research through my work, I’d be dead chuffed. 
 
Who inspires you?

The Dalai Lama (for compassion), Eddie Izzard (for off the wall humour) and Tony Juniper (for his environmentalism). My late Nan who was profoundly deaf for almost all of her life (for being amazing).

What is your favourite memory?

Hanging off the side of a volcano in Montserrat.  

Why did you choose your profession?

Campaigning can be a very creative and satisfying activity, but the best campaigning is underpinned by hard-nosed strategy – I like this combination and I want to be an instrument for real change. I have also found working with MPs and understanding how government works fascinating, and there is always more to learn. I can’t imagine working anywhere but the charity sector, where people are motivated by the cause and usually very altruistic in outlook.