Hi I am Paul Baker your New Presbytery Building Officer, I have joined the Church of Scotland following a working life in the construction industry most of it in conservation, I started my career as an apprentice joiner doing maintenance on military bases and dutchy of Cornwall properties on the glorious Dartmoor hills in Devon, I progressed into building luxury yachts, and then working for English Heritage building gun carriages. English Heritage encouraged me to continue in education and do my ONC, HNC and Degree in construction. I did several roles for them as site manager, contracts manager and QS in my time with them finally being made redundant in 1997 due to sale of the direct labour teams. I worked self employed for several years doing site management and QS work. During this time I met my now wife and had our first child. I returned to employment with a family run business doing conservation QS as regional surveyor before they went into receiver ship, I then joined The national Trust in the SW of England being with them for 16 years as a Building Surveyor doing wide ranging types of projects from mansion houses, domestic cottages and farms to historic quays, in 2017 I moved to inverness to work for Lord Cawdor being involved in the estate windfarm, planning and compliance work, leaving to return to my tools to train my youngest son in joinery. I then returned to surveying at the end of my sons apprenticeship to work for the highland council moving to now work for the Church of Scotland.

I am a lover of the outdoors, spend a lot of time helping my boys and myself tinkering on our Land Rovers, keen motorcycle rider and active member of the Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes.

I am looking forward to working with you all and please do contact me if you need any advice as will always do my best to help.