Communications Officer
The Society has appointed a communications officer to improve links with the media and to help publicize members' activities and achievements.
John Hammond is a professional journalist with more than 25 years' experience.
He volunteered to take on this new role after being asked to join the Membership and Publicity Committee. He has also agreed to serve on the governing Council.
John, who lives in Minster-on-Sea, has had a lifelong interest in archaeology but only recently found the time to pursue this with more vigour.
He is currently studying part-time at the University of Kent and hopes to achieve a degree in the Theory of Archaeology.
He is a director of the Sheppey Heritage Trust and chairman of Sheerness Town Centre Management.
During his career as a journalist he has covered such stories as the Zeebrugge Disaster, the Falklands War and the Iranian Embassy Siege.
For the past decade he has run his own public relations and publishing business while keeping his hand in with freelance journalism for the local and national press, television and radio.
He also holds a second dan black belt in karate and was a member of the England squad, which competed in the 1995 Japan Karate Association European Championships, held in Holland.
He has two sons, Matthew (20) who is studying for a degree in Broadcast Journalism at Nottingham Trent University and Simon (17) who is in the sixth form at Borden Grammar School, Sittingbourne.
His wife Sue is a senior lecturer in education at Christ Church University College, Canterbury.
John said: "I am delighted to have this opportunity. I am passionate about our past and believe there has never been a better time to inspire other people."
Popular television programmes like Time Team and Meet the Ancestors have shown people that archaeology and historical research are not dull, boring pursuits. They can be thrilling and romantic. Few things beat that moment of discovery when the pages of a book or the damp soil give up their secrets."
If you have any information which John can use, whether it is about a society event or something you have personally been involved in, contact him on 01795 871199 or email jnhammond6@btinternet.com.