On this annual post in marking another year successfully navigated around the sun and on this Saturday hitting the age of 26, I firstly give my apologies for almost leaving this website to turn to dust.

2023 has been a year where despite its opening two months being of a relatively empty fashion, has since the end of February been one incredibly busy period. A big element naturally was that of me getting 1,550 residents of Penn in voting for my name and putting me just 46 off becoming a custodian of this city which has given me so much.

Despite that defeat, the following few days of volunteering at Parkrun, seeing Wolves beat the Villa at a rainy Coronation Day fixture at Molineux, running my first 10K in Birmingham and then being at a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace certainly washed away the immediate senses of disappointment.

It feels extremely coincidental that like those few days, that I am volunteering this morning at Wolverhampton Parkrun, prior to seeing another Wolves Molineux fixture at Lunchtime and tomorrow doing my second 10K; this one in my birth city of Worcester, which also all comes at the same point of Selections for May 2^nd 2024’s electoral shenanigans have commenced.

At least on the employment front, that since February 27^th I have with immense humility and pleasure been part of a small and truly mighty team at the West Midlands Combined Authority, whose helped to get the Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund off the ground and into action. It’s quite literally been a marathon, but through the opportunity which the region has shall be of huge significance and shall open the doors to many folks, not least what me and many others call 'unusual suspects' across sport, culture and wellbeing.

The job has also put me into a much strong financial footing and has enabled me to also finally pay back my Student Overdraft which really has made me delighted and eliminates a big financial noose which has been around the neck since the experience of my studies at Sheffield Hallam.

As I begin Chapter 27, I want this coming 12 months which I continue in the same vein in growing my career, hopefully being elected come May and one where I discover about my true authentic self.

A big thanks to everyone whose been as supportive as ever during the last year and if there’s one promise I will certainly fulfil: that is to get more regular posts on here. Who wouldn’t want to fully discover about my tent horror when volunteering at the MotoGP at Silverstone!

Cheers in advance for your kind wishes for today and to all those at each organisation I am linked to, for giving me such wonderful platforms to stand upon and if the men in The Old Gold and Black can beat Liverpool, it would give me one almightily fine present.

P.S: for all Young Fabians member’s viewing this, it would be humbling if you can vote me to be on Executive Committee, with voting now open until October 13^th. See your email inbox for the link to cast your ballot! 😊