Colin was born in Cambridge and, on leaving school was apprenticed to a Cambridge firm of Bookbinders. In 1985 he took over the firm and continued to work from the premises in Cambridge until 2007, when he moved to Soham to carry on the business.
He joined the Army Cadet Force as a 14 year old Cadet in 1960, later becoming an Instructor and gaining a Commission in 1967. On 1st September 1998, Colin was promoted to Colonel and took over as Cadet Commandant. Colin retired from the ACF in November 2003 after 43 years with the organisation
Colin is married to Marian, and has one married daughter. Colin likes to think of himself as semi-retired, but still works as a handcraft Bookbinder from a workshop at home, specialising in fine bindings and restoration. When time permits, hobbies are restricted to an occasional round of golf and spending time with his grandson.
Colin has been involved with the Royal British Legion in Cambridgeshire for many years, spending 5 years in the post of County President and a year as County Chairman. He is currently working as the Youth Officer for the County. He is also involved with other voluntary organisations, including the Cambridgeshire Regiment Association, the Cambridgeshire Regiment Chapel Trust, and ABF The Soldiers’ Charity County Committee, the Suffolk Regiment Museum, and the Soham Thrift CLT.
Colin was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire in 2002, retiring in 2020.