Ted has extensive experience in education, youth and community work, since his first job as a youth worker in 1975. Having qualified as a teacher, he worked in schools and youth clubs and undertook a variety of roles within education, youth and community services, in the statutory and voluntary sector, over the next 25 years. Ted has also played an advisory role to the Department for Education related to the development of guidance to schools on the management of specific health issues and children with specific medical needs.

For the past 15 years, Ted has provided support to community organisations through his freelance work. Having studied Art and Design, Ted has always been a keen participant in arts activity. He has had a number of exhibitions over the years and is currently working as a textile artist. He is chair of the Hall Green Local Arts forum.

Ted has also been involved in a number of other arts activities, as a stage manager and associate producer for a number of theatrical performances, as a production manager and executive producer for a feature film, made in Birmingham.