I am a proud member of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers, but my journey with words began long before that — back at the Stationers’ Company School in Hornsey. It was there that I first discovered the quiet magic of reading and writing, the way stories could open doors and language could make sense of the world. Those early lessons stayed with me, shaping not just how I write, but why I write.
That foundation eventually led me to Do Me A Favour, a story rooted in the realities I’ve witnessed across a life spent in IT, frontline policing, safeguarding, and community work. I write about the hidden pressures people carry, the choices that shape us, and the moments where ordinary lives collide with extraordinary consequences. My work is driven by a belief I learned as a boy in Hornsey, North London — that stories matter, because they help us understand ourselves and each other.
I regularly attend Stationers’ Hall for events, and every time I walk through those doors I’m reminded of how deeply the Company invests in the future. Their commitment to the New Stationers’ Academy is remarkable. As one of the first schools in the UK to specialise in digital media, the Academy is shaping generations of young people who understand — and are excited by — the Communications and Content industries.
The Academy is integrating cutting‑edge digital technology into its curriculum, supported by the Digital Media Centre funded by the Company and the Leigh Academies Trust. But what impresses me most is the heart behind it all. The Stationers’ Academy, Apprenticeships, and bursary schemes are genuine lifelines, opening doors for people who might otherwise be overlooked.
These schools form part of a wider network of seventeen supplementary schools across the country, each one helping disadvantaged children reach their full academic potential and discover opportunities they may never have imagined. The very first Stationers’ Foundation School opened back in 2009 on an estate near King’s Cross — a quiet beginning to what has become a powerful, ongoing legacy.
Being part of a Company that not only honours its history but actively shapes the future feels meaningful. It’s a reminder that education, opportunity, and community can change lives — something I’ve seen, lived, and continue to believe in.