Volunteered and worked for 30 years within the charity sector.

Ashley spent 15 years working with The Salvation Army his final position was developing volunteering opportunities at The Hadleigh farm.

He has been a Director/Trustee and Company Secretary of the Dolma Foundation since 2007 and has travelled to both Nepal and Ethiopia to oversee projects.

He has been involved in the UK Scout Association for some 25 years, holding posts including District Secretary of the Southend Estuary District and former Chairman of 4th Thorpe Bay Scouts Group. Volunteered for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (Southend branch) supporting particularly around gift aid and volunteer recruitment and retention (MNDA).

More recently he is working with Southend City Councils (SCC) museums department developing volunteering opportunities.

Short term contracts for the office of national statistics. (ONS)

He is also a Cycle Instructor for last 8 years now.