Currently Chairman of the Arnside and Silverdale Landscape Trust, member of the Arnside & Silverdale AONB Executive Committee and Trustee and member of the Executive of the Friends of the Lake District.

Jim worked for the Countryside Commission in the Northern Region and then in the North West with a variety of responsibilities including, giving advice on the funding and policies for National Parks and AONB's; Groundwork Trusts, landscape enhancement and Community Forests in Manchester and Merseyside.   Jim was also responsible for developing the case for acceptance by the C.C of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail and supported by others, for its subsequent submission to the Minister.

In 1996 he joined the British Horse Society as Director of Access and Rights of Way for the UK.   Although not a rider himself, he understands the problems about the use of bridleways and byways by riders and carriage drivers and of the need to tackle issues and in particular the need to secure new bridleways and byways.