Eddie joined Cadet Vocational College in February 2024 and brings with him a wealth of experience in education, the armed forces, and youth development. Based in Cheltenham, Eddie began his journey in 1975 when he enlisted in the Army at the Junior Leaders Regiment RAC in Bovington. His military career spanned 24 years, primarily serving with the Royal Hussars and later the King’s Royal Hussars, where he was a Tank Commander and Telecommunications Instructor. He completed three operational tours in Belfast during the Troubles and led expeditions across the UK, Canada, and Germany.
Eddie undertook two tours with 19 Cadet Training Team, supporting Army Cadet Force detachments across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, and Bristol and Avon. Specialising in military and adventurous training, he developed strong expertise in mountaineering and kayaking. After leaving the regular Army in 1999, Eddie was B Type commissioned into Gloucestershire ACF and went on to hold several key volunteer roles, including Detachment Commander of a college-based company, County Sports Officer, BTEC Officer, and Ten Tors Team Manager. He currently serves as Padre for Gloucestershire ACF, having been ordained as a non-stipendiary priest in the Church of England in 2021.
His second career in education began in further education, where he taught Uniformed Public Services and quickly progressed to Team Leader and Head of Department. Eddie has also worked in prison education, programme management, and senior leadership roles in FE colleges. He later joined the Oxford Diocese Board of Education as a Secondary Schools Advisor, where he supported school improvement and Christian distinctiveness across over 30 schools. He was appointed by the Department for Education to oversee the turnaround of a secondary school in special measures.
In recent years, Eddie has returned to classroom teaching at a Church of England secondary school, focusing on supporting sixth form students in maths and English, and contributing to the school’s Combined Cadet Force and DofE programme.
Eddie holds a Certificate in Education (Cert Ed), a Diploma in Business and Management (DMS), and has completed theological training at Ripon College Cuddesdon. He has also earned numerous vocational qualifications throughout his career, including a Mountain Leader Certificate, range management accreditation, and advanced instructor qualifications.
Outside of work, Eddie enjoys travelling in a camper van with his wife and dog, and spending time in ministry leading church services a few Sundays each month. He is passionate about supporting young people who, like him, may not have followed a traditional academic path, and finds inspiration in helping them develop and succeed through alternative routes.