Graham is well known in Lambourn, not only because he owns and runs the Chemist and Pharmacy in Lambourn but also because he has represented Lambourn as our District Councillor for 22 years.
Graham studied Pharmacy in Liverpool where he also developed his interest in politics. He worked as a Pharmacist in the Oxfordshire area and In 1992 seized the opportunity to purchase the Pharmacy in Lambourn and decided to make the Vale and Downland area his home. “I did wonder what I had let myself in for”, said Graham “Shortly after taking over the business there was a bank raid of the Barclays premises just across the street and the scene was even more bizarre when the bank raid was re-enacted for the Crimestoppers TV programme.” Things turned out well and the Pharmacy is one of the key businesses in the village. “The people of Lambourn were very welcoming and popped in to introduce themselves and have a chat. That’s very different from the busy city pharmacies where I worked before where people rushed in and one really did not get to know the customers nearly as well as in here in Lambourn”.
The Pharmacy serves Lambourn and the surrounding area with a wide variety of products and services which have adapted over the years as the role of the pharmacist has developed in primary healthcare services. “We are often the first place someone will come to with a condition and of course often we can help with well trained staff .” commented Graham, “We also get a few memorable requests such as a customer asking if we stocked condoms suitable for a dog!”
Graham is also very involved in advancing and developing the role of the pharmacy in the community and has worked with Public Health England to promote pharmacy’s role in Public Health. “We now have a consulting room where we meet clients to discuss their needs in private.” said Graham, “We advise on a wide range of conditions from skin diseases through to weight management and can suggest the best treatment or if a visit to the surgery is required. Ideally we focus on prevention rather than cure which can mean advising on anything from sun screens to prevent skin cancers to products to recommending dietary changes. The most powerful drug is exercise, keeping the body moving prevents and cures so many ailments, however our lifestyles are becoming ever more sedentary so I am on a mission to get the people of Lambourn moving.”
Alongside running the Pharmacy, Graham also continued his involvement in politics and local Government. He was elected to the Vale of the White Horse District Council in 1987 and in 1997 Graham was elected to represent Lambourn as a councillor for West Berkshire. Graham championed investment in local healthcare and he introduction of an NHS dentist was one of Grahams strategic objectives to improve the health of the residents of the Lambourn valley. “Since I am in the village most days, the pharmacy also became the place where the residents bring their concerns to me in my capacity as a councillor.” said Graham, “Whether it be potholes in the road, planning applications or affordable housing – all the issues came to me. I never forgot that, firstly, I am the elected representative of the residents rather than a member of the council and thus it is my duty to follow up a concern brought by a resident.”
Graham is skilled at setting direction and leading a team and was twice elected leader of the council twice, first from 2005 to 2012 and then again from 2017 to 2019. “I have decided to step back from local government to focus on the Pharmacy and through this will continue to be very much involved in the life and development of the village, particularly in the aspects related to healthcare. I am training my staff to become Health Champions and am engaged in a number of initiatives with professional organisations in pharmacy.” said Graham.
Graham has a quiet manner and is reluctant to promote his own success however Lambourn owes a great deal to Graham and many of the initiatives which have benefitted the village in so many ways from healthcare to potholes, from sensitive planning to affordable housing. “I find it very rewarding to be so involved in the community both as the Pharmacist and previously the District Councillor. It is a privilege to see a village and its people grow and to be able to feel that one contributed to this positive development.” said Graham.
