Joe McGurk has been in roles with community organisations including Building Healthy Communities and DG Voice, where he was a Director for eight years. He is familiar with Disabled Legislation and rights and believes it is beneficial to have a disabled individual on the board of directors. Equality is essential and Joe intends to fight for it.

Joe is passionate about developing the community and feels that Midsteeple Quarter is very much an optimistic, forward-thinking one, which makes him passionate to be involved. When he moved to Dumfries, Joe was keen to get to know a bit more about where he could go to express his poetry. He turned to The Stove for opportunities, including High street Writers. This was key in his development as a writer. He has since gone on to release a books of poetry - and has penned some special pieces about the High Street and our work. Joe is honoured to be involved in Midsteeple Quarter.