Tom grew up in Sussex on the edge of Ashdown Forest. This gave him a love of nature, something which has shaped his life and work.  After school Tom studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Stirling, and also served in the Territorial Army, first in the Scottish Transport Regiment, then Tayforth UOTC and finally E Company, 51st Highland Regiment (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (V))

Tom moved to Brighton in 2003 where he worked in healthcare for three years, latterly as the Manager of a rehabilitation centre for adults with acquired brain injury.

In 2007 Tom set up social enterprise The Big Lemon Community Interest Company, a bus and coach company running vehicles on sustainable fuels. When it launched in 2007 The Big Lemon was the first company to run a fleet of buses on recycled waste cooking oil from local restaurants, and in 2017 the Company made history again with the launch of the UK's first solar-powered electric bus. 

Tom has a keen interest in ethical finance and has been a customer of the Co-operative Bank for over 20 years, with both personal and business accounts.  He is committed to seeing the Co-op Bank maintain and develop further its ethical policy and also return to co-operative ownership.  Failing either of these things Tom is interested in setting up a new co-operative, ethical bank based on these principles.

Tom is a Fellow of the RSA and a Green Party Councillor on Brighton & Hove City Council, and became a director of the CUEB in November 2017.