Since 1998 I have been the Curator of the British Optical Association Museum, the premier historic collection relating to ophthalmic optics, founded in 1901 which has been owned and administered by the College of Optometrists since 1980. The museum collection is a delight to manage as it includes both scientific and medical instruments, fine and decorative art, antique prints, archaeological and even natural history specimens! It contains the international Contact Lens Collection and some important archives.The museum has a dual role in preserving the ophthalmic optical heritage and in educating about visual health and promoting contemporary eyecare provision, as well as promoting good design in spectacle frames as the surest way to encourage people to wear the glasses that will benefit them. In recognition of this social element to the museum's mission I was nominated to become a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragment of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA).

From 2000-2003 I served as Secretary of the London Museums of Health and Medicine and I continue to be an active member of this dynamic group, also serving as the group's Webmaster until early 2010 and being elected Chairman for a three-year term of office 2011-2014. At present I also serve on the committees of the Scientific Instrument Society (for which I served as Secretary 2006-9 and Vice Chairman from 2009-2011) and the Ophthalmic Antiques International Collectors' Club for whose journal I am also the Deputy Editor. I was an LEA school governor of Sebright Primary School in Hackney, for eight years until December 2011, acting as the Literacy Link Governor and serving on the Personnel Committee.

Throughout the 2000s I was a heritage adviser to the major restoration project of Hawksmoor's finest London church, St George's Bloomsbury, working in conjunction with the World Monuments Fund, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. I guided a project at the church to produce the first local history exhibition in Bloomsbury which will also interpret the wider work of the Wren-Hawksmoor school of architecture. This project culminated in 2009 to great relief all round with the publication of our innovative CD-ROM. As holder of the ancient office of Reader I am licensed to preach and it seems my performances entitle me to be called one of the 'Stars of St George's' on Facebook. I offer copies of my sermons on this site in case they may be of interest, comfort or inspiration to the spiritually curious. All heresies expressed therein are entirely my own.

I may be a long-distance fan but on occasional trips back to the North West I am pleased to stand on the terraces for the grassroots supporter's club, FC United of Manchester...a model for the future of family and community-oriented football.

I recently completed writing my first full-length book Cult Eyewear which was published at the start of October 2011.

View my CV on this site and find out more about my local area of Hoxton, my church and interests.