Alan Samuel Wigand

(I have always been known as 'Sam')

British.

Born in Salisbury.

I grew up in Hampshire. My father was a draftsman, my mother a teacher. For the first ten years, I lived in the village of Hurstbourne Tarrant, attending the Church of England school there. Later, my family moved to the small market town, Andover, where I attended a comprehensive school. I completed my further education at Salisbury College of Art & Technology.

I took a retail post in a high-street jeweller for six months, then spent a month Interrailing in Europe.

Later, I spent a few weeks, hitch-hiking from New York to Seattle.

I was accepted to King's College, University of London, to study Physiotherapy. Although I enjoyed many aspects of the course, I eventually decided that it was not the right career for me and switched briefly to an academic life-sciences degree before leaving college to explore a career in complementary medicine.

While working in an alternative health clinic and later as a copyeditor, I studied massage and hypnotherapy. I practised as an Hypnotherapist and Stress Management advisor. I worked mainly with clients in the Notting Hill area who were subsidised by a local charitable initiative, giving access to those who might most greatly benefit from complementary therapies whilst being the least able to afford them.

I became interested in politics and began to work part-time as a telephone fundraiser for the Liberal Democrats. This began to occupy more of my time and eventually I accepted a full-time position with the party's Conference & Events Office.

I met my wife, Mie Watakabe in 2001 and was married in June 2003. We have visited her parents in Japan on two occasions. No children yet.

I played a role in organising conferences for 2003, 2004 and 2005 in Torquay, Brighton, Southport, Bournemouth, Harrogate and Blackpool.