Hi, I’m Ben, and I’m the Climate Hub Manager at Civic.

With 14 years of experience in Community Development across Glasgow and Scotland, my career has focused on driving positive change in local communities. After completing my undergraduate degree, I worked as a youth worker with the Iona Community, both on the island and in Glasgow.

I then joined St Paul’s Youth Forum in North East Glasgow, where I launched the ‘On Bikes’ project. This initiative explored how active travel and placemaking could address transport poverty and stubborn health inequalities. I led the Flourishing Molendinar project, partnering with Civic Engineers to help the communities of Provanmill and Blackhill re-imagine their neighbourhoods, focusing on those (the majority) without access to private vehicles.

Before joining Civic, I worked at Cycling Scotland, leading a national project to provide bikes to young people who couldn’t afford them, collaborating with various organisations across sectors.

I hold a master’s degree in Community Development, Adult Education, and Youth Work from the University of Glasgow, graduating in 2020.

My fiancé and I recently welcomed our son so spare time is often spent with my family, sometimes inflicting them with my preoccupation with Manchester United! I also like to (try and) squeeze in the odd game of football, run or cycle.

As alluded to, football and community are things that mean a lot to me. The ankles are giving up but I still love kicking a ball about with friends, playing for an anti-fascist football team in Glasgow. It’s very much, ‘often beaten, never defeated,’ as we can go on some pretty impressive losing streaks! Here is a picture of the best backdrop I’ve played football. An old bunker which is now home to some impressive green urban infrastructure (Hamburg).