Hello. My name is Philip Hyde and I am a Councillor with the London Borough of Havering. I was born within the sounds of Bow Bells and have lived in East London my entire life...yes I am a Cockney...and proud of it! Still eat Pie and Mash and Jellied Eels. I look back with nostalga at the many long and happy late summers I spent in the Hop fields of Kent...our summer holiday. I left school at sixteen with little or no formal education. It did however, introduce me to outdoor pursuits, namely White Water Canoeing. Thanks to my form master Mr Laurie Porter (a canoeing nut now in NZ) I became Havering Schools Canoeing Champ. It was the determination, me against the elements that outdoor persuits instilled in me, which helped overcome lifes challenges that lay ahead. I went on to have a successful career in the City of London, My true inspiration came from the then head of outdoor pursuits at Havering Council, Mr Rick Grice, who was the sort of individual every young person should meet (especially if ones path to date was blighted with such things as bullying) no matter how good or bad academically they were performing. His boundless energy, smile, enthusiasm and excitment at your personal success no matter how small it may have seemed, was a reason to be alive. As we all know, at that age all mountains seem insurmountable. He was my Sherpa Tenzing. Sadly, he died all too young in a mountaineering accident in the Alps.
I have been married for 30 years and have three wonderful daughters. I retirted from the City in 2002 (28 years) and went to Writtle Argicultural College where I obtained an HND in Horticulture (Landscape Construction) and an RHS Gold Certificate for my involvement in an award winning garden at Hampton Court Flower Show. I have been running a small Landscaping company ever since. I still canoeing every week, competing for Chelmsford Canoe Club. I attempt to paddle at the Lee Valley White Watre course most weeks during the season.As a Councillor, elected in May, I am involved in many committees surrounding such areas as Dementia Care and Learning Disabilities.
