Who is James Coke – my alternative CV
London born and bred, but moved to Cirencester when I was young. Years later a brush with the law, saw me run out of town, moving to Exeter. Since then I’ve lived in Sheffield, Bristol and Newcastle and support Everton. I like to think I’ve got a good affinity with the country.
Originally I trained to be a cook, but ended up doing a degree in Politics & history. I then forged a career in advertising & marketing, working for a number of radio stations and Ad’ agencies and was a serious contender, before disaster happened.
Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in ‘97 and facing other complications, such as unemployment, homelessness, marital break up and my son being moved to Durham. I was forced to change course – it was a test!
Soon set up an interiors mail order business, primarily selling resin door handles, designed by a mate who went to Slade art college. The business lasted for 6 years and had customers as diverse as the Kuwait royal family. Rocco Forte and my hero Joe Strummer.
Although I never made much money from my knobs- I was too disorganised, it allowed me to finance monthly excursions north to spend time with my son. If anything it was a stop gap, until he grew up, but it was the best decision I ever made in my life.
In my eyes, money can buy you many things, but it is family and friends which are the elixir of life.
In 2007, 10 years to the day of a diagnosis, I set off from Edinburgh having built a team (the ms-nificent 7) on a 31 day charity walk to London and Downing St.
http://www.footballshirtculture.com/History/ms-walk-football-memorabilia-auction-2007.html
http://www.ripongazette.co.uk/news/local/epic-charity-walk-helps-put-focus-on-ms-1-2636911
We raised over £35k for MS charities and increased profile on the fight against the disease.
The walk gave me the bug for charity work and I worked for the next 7 years for a local disabled charity in Fulham, massively increasing their community fundraising.
http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/boon-disabled-after-150-firms-5990438
I must have been doing something right as my work brought me the honour of carrying the Olympic torch in 2012 in Lichfield. Check out the dude on the hand cycle at 01:33
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38hGNpXNJKA
In the last year I got myself on the BBC One show in a head to head cooking Lancashire Hot pot against their resident chef – only one winner! That inspired me to produce the www.thedisabledchef.com a cooking blog, encouraging people to eat fresh food, save money and believe! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTeGDrh2XnI
I’ve also spoken publcly about living with MS and have had a number of articles published in The Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/28/beach-wheelchair-users-access-britain-beaches
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/26/cooking-help-live-ms-website-chronic-illness
Recently the MS Society have made me the face of a forthcoming marketing campaign.
They have made 6 videos of me cooking which will make up a lot of their social media output, encouraging members to eat well and live a little…well we’re only here once.
I know there is a book in all of this, and have written several chapters but still have unfinished business in my life, before I can complete it.
In a nutshell that’s about it. I’ve never been one to duck life, yet I can still dream and know MS will never beat me. It’s a philosophy that’s kept me strong and one I’d love to share with others, who dare to believe, all mountains can be conquered.
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