Meet Matt — member of our Careers and Schools team, and a passionate musician…
I joined Buckinghamshire Libraries in 2008….
I initially worked on the van delivery service, before taking over the running of the residential and nursing homes library delivery service and helping manage the mobile library stock. Preferring the library side to the driving, I moved over to Princes Risborough Library as an Assistant, before becoming a Supervisor. Fast forward to February 2022, and an email from my Area Manager about secondment opportunities led me to safeguarding and advertising with the Careers and Schools team!
My typical workday…
I split my week between dealing with DBS application queries and posting school job adverts to the Buckinghamshire Council careers website and social media. I start by checking for safeguarding queries, checking the mailboxes for adverts and then just cracking on with whatever the day has given me. Still being fairly new to the job, I inevitably have to pester my colleagues for assistance but they’re all so approachable and helpful, that they certainly don’t give the impression that they mind too much!
From a young age, music has been a huge part of my life …
My Dad had a record collection of Blues and 60’s/70’s rock. Then, aged around 12 years old, I got my first guitar. As soon as I could play, I tried to always be in a band. Around 18 Years old, I realised I knew much, much better guitarists than myself. I didn’t want to just be the singer in the band, so I did what every failed guitarist does and bought a bass… With two of my best friends, a diet of Black Sabbath, Metallica, Corrosion of Conformity and Down, we started our band — Sada. An on-off musical romance started that continues to this day!
Being in a band means everything to me…
Being in a band has given me friendships for life, not just with the people I’ve been in bands with, but also with the bands we’ve played with. It has given me experiences that I’ll never forget — taking us from one end of the country to the other. It has connected us with complete strangers, who for some reason seem to like our music! Apart from the one man who got in touch on social media thinking we were the singer, Sade. He was less impressed. I also don’t think the positive impact of having that creative outlet can be overestimated. We might not write songs that will change the world but in between our ridiculous songs about ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ and John Candy, we do occasionally throw in something a bit more introspective.
In 2005, Sada was chosen by Kerrang magazine as one of the ten best-unsigned bands in the UK, and we were entered in a battle of the bands for an opportunity to play at Download festival. We didn’t win, but it did give us a story that we have dined out on for around 17 years.
We recently recorded new music…
Last year, we took a couple of weeks off work and drove up to Strathaven in Scotland to record at a studio in the middle of the countryside, and just recently, we contributed one of the songs we recorded to a compilation album called ‘United by Music’, with all proceeds going to the ‘With Ukraine’ fund.
You can find out more here: https://bit.ly/3jWTQjK
We’re track 30.
One thing I have learned in the past year…
As much as I love my band, ten days is the absolute maximum amount of time that I want to spend in a confined space in the middle of the countryside with them!
The best part of my job…
The challenge of doing something completely new, while being surrounded by a team of wonderful, supportive people.
My top tip for anyone coming to work at Buckinghamshire Council?
Trust in the people you’ll be working with and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
To find out about employment opportunities with Buckinghamshire Council, visit: https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/
