I own the ubiquitous retail flag brand MrFlag® (and all associated trademarks) and founded the Social Flag Project® in 2016, both with my wife Jo Ashburner.I've been interested in flags and immersed in vexillology (the study of flags) since childhood. A commercial flagmaker since 1989 and member of the UK's national flag charity since 1992, I've been engaged with the Flag Institute® at an operational level since 2007 and led the organisation from 2010-2016, overseeing its transition to charitable status between 2012 and 2013. In 2011 I wrote the draft of what in 2012 became England's current flag planning regulations (The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012). In 2013 I was recognised as a Fellow of the Flag Institute and was elected unanimously to serve as CEO until 2016. I am a vexillographer (using Adobe Illustrator), a vexillologist (with a particular interest in modern, regional, and political flags), a flag consultant (specialising in predicting public reaction to flags and flag-use) and a campaigner for the democratisation and liberalisation of flag use in the UK. I have served as an advisor to the APPG Flags and Heraldry Committee, and Co Presiding Officer of the international Joint Commission on Vexillography. I am not associated with any political party or movement. I welcome contact from anyone who has an interest in flags and their use, or who wishes to become associated with the Social Flag Project®. I provide flag-related content to a range of media outlets, and am a regular contributor on radio (both live and recorded) and in print.
Listed skills include Event Management, Strategy, Policy, Public Speaking, and 27 others.