About
I fix the WordPress problems other developers walk away from.
I am a specialist WordPress engineer. Not a generalist agency. Not a freelance designer who also does WordPress. A specialist — someone who has spent over two decades diagnosing and solving the specific category of problems that break sites, cost businesses money, and exhaust everyone who tried to fix them first.
My background is in computer science (1st Class Honours, University of St Andrews) and cybersecurity (MSc, University of the West of Scotland). I was invited to serve as a W3C Expert in web accessibility — not a certification or qualification, but a status conferred by peers in recognition of industry expertise. As a freelancer I have delivered WordPress projects for clients including NHS Scotland, Fujitsu, GE Capital, and Openreach.
I work directly with clients — no project managers, no handoffs, no juniors. When you hire me, you get me.
20+
Years in WordPress
W3C
Invited Expert
1st
Class Honours CS
MSc
Cybersecurity
How I Work
Asynchronous by design. Precise by habit.
I work Monday to Thursday. I do not take calls unless genuinely necessary — I find written communication produces better outcomes. You get a considered, accurate response rather than an off-the-cuff verbal answer that needs clarification later.
Every engagement begins with a written brief. You describe the problem. I ask any clarifying questions, then I perform a forensic audit. You receive a fixed-price proposal — not an estimate, not a range, a single number. If I discover something unexpected during the work that changes the scope, I stop and tell you before proceeding.
I do not work on multiple client sites simultaneously. When I am working on your site, it has my full attention. This is the only way to do the kind of deep diagnostic work that actually solves complex problems.
A Different Kind of Mind
Autism is not a qualifier. It is an explanation.
I am autistic. I do not mention this as a disclaimer — I mention it because it explains why I work the way I do, and why that works unusually well for complex technical problems.
The same cognitive traits that make neurotypical communication sometimes awkward for me make systematic diagnostic work natural. I do not tire of tracing a problem to its root. I do not round down complexity to make it more comfortable. I do not move on until I understand exactly what happened and why.
Pattern recognition, intense focus, and a low tolerance for approximation are not side effects of how I am. They are the reason I can find the things that other developers miss.
My communication style is direct and precise. I say what I mean. I do not pad responses with hedging language, and I do not tell you what you want to hear if the evidence points elsewhere. Most clients find this refreshing. A few find it too blunt. I work best with people who value accuracy over comfort.
My Mission
High-level tech should not be a privilege.
I believe that a powerful, secure online presence should not be reserved for corporations with massive budgets. Enterprise-grade WordPress engineering should be accessible to the organisations doing the most important work — not just the ones with the largest retainers.
My mission is to ensure that grassroots organisations — local groups, community campaigns, and social justice organisers — have access to the same quality of technical work as my commercial clients. Not watered-down support. The same work.
I am deliberately specific about who I prioritise here. I am not interested in supporting large incorporated charities or national organisations with professional fundraising operations. They have access to resources. The organisations I want to support are the ones that exist because someone got angry enough to do something — the citizen-led campaigns, the mutual aid groups, the rescue operations run on determination and donated time.
Who I support
Every month I dedicate a fixed portion of my working time to pro bono and significantly reduced-rate engagements. This is not a marketing exercise. I prioritise organisations fighting for:
- ◆ Social justice: Poverty eradication, particularly child poverty, and grassroots human rights work.
- ◆ Inclusion: Digital accessibility and direct support for autistic individuals and neurodivergent communities.
- ◆ Community: Citizen-led empowerment, local activism, and mutual aid. Not national charities — grassroots groups.
- ◆ Animal welfare: Rescue and rehabilitation, with a particular focus on dogs. This one is personal.
Who I will not work for
My code serves my values. I do not accept work from industries involved in:
- ◆ Exploitation of vulnerable people — gambling, predatory lending, or manipulative financial products.
- ◆ Social division, hate speech, or content designed to dehumanise.
- ◆ Animal cruelty or animal testing.
- ◆ Environmental destruction or deliberate ecological harm.
Apply for support
If your organisation aligns with these values and you are facing a technical challenge you cannot afford to solve commercially, I want to hear from you. Send me a brief email describing your mission and your specific need. I review applications at the end of each month and reach out to those I can help.
I will be honest about capacity. I will not string you along.
If you run a charitable or community project with a genuine accessibility problem, get in touch.
A Word About Dougal
The colleague who sets the schedule.
My rescue dog, Dougal — a GSD/Lab/Staffie — is my daily reminder of the power of patience.
Rehabilitating him from a difficult start has taught me that rebuilding trust takes consistency and a calm hand. I bring these same principles to my client relationships. If you have been burned by bad developers in the past, my goal is to be the steady, reliable partner who restores your faith in the process.
His technical contributions to this website are minimal. His opinions on when I have been sitting at my desk long enough are not.
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Work with someone who actually specialises.
If you have a complex WordPress problem and need someone who will diagnose it properly before touching anything, I would like to hear from you.
