One of the joys of writing for a living is being able to stretch your imagination and explore other creative avenues and alleyways. Simon's imagination is particularly fertile and over the years he has focused it on a wide variety of projects.
Some, such as the "Teach Your Grown Ups About Art" tour for The National Gallery are successful, others like a free sheet advertorial written in Elizabethan English, not so.
You can find out about his work as an advertising copywriter here
Below are a selection of some of his most recent creative challenges.
AUDIO TOURS Having a love of both history and art means writing these specialist audio guides to museums and art galleries is an absolute pleasure.
TEACH YOUR GROWN UPS ABOUT ART - THE NATIONAL GALLERY
The brief was to create a family audio tour to engage children aged between 7-11, stimulate their imagination and encourage dialog with their adult carers.
The "Teach Your Grown Ups about Art" tour achieves this using comedic characters, an irreverent style and a secret fact about each painting that children pass on to their amazed grown ups.
Find out more here
NOMINATED - April 09 - "Teach Your Grown Ups About Art" shortlisted for a prestigious Museums and Heritage award.
www.nationalgallery.org.uk
DOUNE CASTLE FAMILY TOUR - HISTORIC SCOTLAND
A fascinating exploration of this wonderful medieval castle which was also where much of the filming for the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" took place.
Narrated by Terry Jones
http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
"DISEGNI E DIPINTI" - MUSEO DI SANTA GIULIA
An exciting tour for children in which they use the paintings of Vincent van Gogh to try and track down the elusive artist.
www.bresciamusei.com
FAMILY TOUR - LEEDS CASTLE
Using a special listening device the whole family can learn more about the history of England's most visited castle from some of the servants who worked there over the centuries.
www.leeds-castle.com
DA REMBRANDT A GAUGUIN - CASTEL SISMONDO , RIMINI
Children help a young artist called Paulo discover his inspiration as they explore a collection on loan from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.
www.castelsismondo.it
"AT HOME WITH THE GEFFRYE'S" - THE GEFFRYE MUSEAM, LONDON
In this museum of English domestic interiors, visitors meet various members of the Geffrye family and learn more about their daily life and times.
www.geffrye-museum.org.uk
CITY GUIDES Delivered digitally to visiting twenty/thirty somethings these guides to the cities of Milan and Munich cover one hundred points of historic, cultural and social interest for each city including churches, nightclubs, museums and shops.
Each stop is concise yet packed with information and written in an informal,humorous style.
Find out more here.
Buy the Milan guide from iTunes Here
Buy the Munich guide from iTunes Here
www.antennaaudio.com
IPSWICH EVENING STAR To coincide with a national fitness initiative The Ipswich Evening Star wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle and highlight local sport and fitness amenities. Simon's lighthearted articles saw him taking part in various activities such as aerobics, judo , under 14s cricket and jazz dancing.
With his remaining strength Simon became "The face of Ipswich fitness" by hosting a series of live displays and workshops before hundreds of baffled shoppers in the town center.
Find out more here.
N8TIVEMEDIA A major Suffolk marketing agency wanted to produce a piece of promotional literature that was entertaining, informative and most importantly would introduce them to potential clients.
Simon took the concept of the 1970s children's, annuals he used to devour every Xmas , updated it and offered the result as an end-of year treat for weary marketing managers. He would like to think the cut out and keep cardboard design studio has become a collectors item, but he doubts it.
Find out more here
BBC COMEDY Not that recent and it didn't make him any money but he's proud of it none the less. Simon has always had a love of comedy and has performed his material as a stand up at such London venues as The Comedy Café, Ha Bloody Ha and The Amused Moose.
In 2002 he won a writing competition, organized by BBC Light Entertainment and judged by among others David Croft and the late John Peel.
His entry was subsequently recorded and broadcast staring actors David Warder and Emma Kennedy
You can listen to it here
