We came back to Yorkshire in 2019

Both Yorkshire born, but 30+ years living and working in central London. This was now over and it was time for a new chapter in our lives. I loved London in all its heartbreaking wonderfulness. But we had a chance of starting again with something new. So why the feck not?

*From the delights of a London night bus back to Clapham Common. To lighting fires in our new garden in Sheffield.*

Sheffield is a genuinely unique city and very not London. It's why we choose it over Manchester or Leeds. I love the quirky independence of the place. I love its amazing warm-hearted people and baffling geography - anywhere you want to go, i.e. a pub is up a stupidly steep hill. Albeit those hills are filled with brilliant post-industrial architecture remade into cool offices, bars and restaurants. Yet the whole city is surrounded by the stunning Peak District national park.

But most of all I love the fact it's a city, that from its start has celebrated those who make things. From being the birthplace of the global steel industry to today's tech entrepreneurs.

By some weird coincidence shortly after I started a new job in the city but before we moved here full time. I was part of a team tasked with coming up with new ideas to market the city overseas to visitors and investors. We were successful in launching a revised identity and advertising approach for the city; Sheffield Makes. Something our team felt was so unique to Sheffield and its people. The work went onto gain global awards as it seemed others also thought that.

When we were first pitching for the work I was bouncing ideas around with my Sheffield born wife, Annie. She put her thoughts down in a poem which we used to front up our presentation. Its a kind of love letter to her hometown.

I deal in real

I make

I craft.

I create

I collaborate

I educate

I play

I perform

I bring things to life

I approach all this with open arms

With energy

With soul,