An adult education teacher for more than 10 years, Darren served in the Royal Navy earlier in life. This gave him an opportunity to explore different cultures. A yearning to learn meant leaving the RN and becoming a mature student, where Darren gained a 1st class honours degree in English & Creative Writing with the University of Cumbria. He then went on to do a PGCE and taught at Carlisle College, before leaving to become a self-employed adult education teacher. He now travels around the UK teaching Philosophy, Philosophy & Literature, Global Philosophy and Stoicism, amongst other related subjects. Based in Northumberland, he teaches regularly in that county, as well as Cumbria and Newcastle upon Tyne. He teaches several residential courses each year at Higham Hall, as well as an annual Creative Writing break at the Green Park Hotel in Pitlochry. Having trained as a meditation teacher in 2023, Darren integrates this with his practice and teaching of Stoicism. This has led to him running an annual retreat in Morocco, which incorporates Stoicism, Mindfulness & Meditation. He is now in the process of starting Citadel School of Stoicism, and hopes to complete his first book before the end of the year