John worked as an Agricultural contractor for 15 years for numerous local estates including West Dean, Goodwood and Eartham. John also travelled and worked abroad during his 20's which included working for 14 months in the Middle East as a metal fabricator. 

 

In 1999/2000 John decided on a career change and enrolled in a four year degree in Environmental Biology at Portsmouth University. The course included microbiology, zoology, marine and fresh water biology, terrestrial and marine ecology, botany and more. John became very interested in using microbes and plants to clean wastewater (removing pollutants and nutrients  from wastewater and sewage) and undertook a research project studying Endophytic fungi living asymptomatically in plant tissues in plants occupying the inter tidal zone (mud flats) such as Spartina anglica (Common Cord Grass) and Phragmites australis (Common Reed) in the mud flats of Chichester Harbour. John’s research project was published in the Mycologist.

 

After graduating with a 1st Class, with Honours degree in 2003 John set up in business designing and installing Wastewater Treatment Systems, constructed wetlands, swales, ponds and lakes.