Richard has proudly represented South Dorset in parliament since 2010.
He brings many life skills to everything he does, along with a healthy dose of common sense.
A former soldier, he served across the world, including Germany, Cyprus, Kenya, Brunei, Hong Kong, the United States, London and three operational tours in Northern Ireland.
His activities ranged from patrols to ceremonial duties, such as Trooping the Colour to mark the Queen's birthday, to parachuting with the Guards' freefall team.
On leaving the army, he studied land management for three years at the Royal Agricultural College, near Cirencester, before embarking on a 17-year career in journalism.
He qualified as a professional journalist with the Yorkshire Evening Press, a daily broadsheet in York, followed by stints at Tyne Tees TV, the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph.
Finally, he joined BBC Radio Solent and BBC South Today, where he spent nine years as one of the station's senior reporters, working across the south of England and occasionally abroad in Haiti, Florida and South America.
In 2006 he was first selected as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for South Dorset.
At the same time, he took over the family business and retired from the BBC.
Richard, who has four children, is married to Elsebet, who is from Norway.
Keen to educate young people about the countryside, Richard continues to invite schoolchildren to his farm every year, a venture which has proved hugely popular.
Over the past 14 years, Richard has thrown himself into many causes, campaigns and organisations, such as schools, farmers, police, pensioners, hospitals, fishermen, local services, charities, our Armed Forces and prison officers.
He is honoured to have been asked to become an Honorary Watchkeeper at Portland’s Coastwatch station, which is run by volunteers.
If re-elected, he will be delighted to continue serving South Dorset, without fear or favour.