Dr Gervase Phinn - author, poet, broadcaster, lecturer, educational guru, after-dinner speaker and 'born raconteur' (the Guardian) is perhaps best known for his best-selling series of Dales books for Penguin and his novels with Penguin and Hodder. Affectionately dubbed 'the James Herriot of Schools', his warm-hearted hearted reminiscences about his
life as a school inspector in the Yorkshire Dales, have featured heavily on Radio 4 Book of the Week and Book at Bedtime slots. He has written a wide range of academic books, children's poetry and fiction.

He is patron of five children's charities.