Adrian first joined the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) in 1965 while a student at Leeds University, becoming its Treasurer in 2009, then serving as National President for England and Wales from 2012 until 2017. A colour chemist by profession, he has also served on the boards of a number of other charities, as well as maintaining links to various SVP initiatives, including their West Yorkshire Community Support Project, which includes two furniture stores, an advice centre specialising in housing issues, and 15 community shops.
