Paul Hopfensperger
{{Short description|English politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Paul Hopfensperger
| image = File:Paul Hopfensperger 2020.jpg
| caption = Cllr Paul Hopfensperger in 2020
| office = Suffolk County Councillor
for Tower Division
| term_start = 5 May 2005
| term_end = 4 June 2009
| majority =
| predecessor = New Seat
| successor = Mark Ereira-Guyer
| office2 = West Suffolk District Councillor
for St Olaves Ward
| term_start2 = 2 May 2019
| term_end2 = 4 May 2023
| majority2 =
| predecessor2 = New Seat
| successor2 = Frank Stennett
| office3 = St Edmundsbury Borough Councillor
for St Olaves Ward
| term_start3 = 5 May 2011
| term_end3 = 2 May 2019
| majority3 =
| predecessor3 = Mark Ereira-Guyer
| successor3 = Seat Abolished
| office4 = Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor for St Olaves Ward
| term_start4 = 5 May 2016
| term_end4 = 4 May 2023
| majority4 =
| predecessor4 = Bob Cockle
| successor4 = Frank Stennett
| office5 = Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor for Eastgate Ward
| term_start5 = 6 June 2003
| term_end5 = 6 June 2006
| majority5 =
| predecessor5 = New Seat
| successor5 = Patricia Warby
| office6 = Deputy Mayor of Bury St Edmunds
| term_start6 = 2019
| term_end6 = 2020
| term_start7 = 2005
| term_end7 = April 2006
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|03|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = United Kingdom, Ireland
| party = Independent (2008–2023)
| otherparty = Conservative (1990-2008)
| spouse = Rebecca (Beccy)
| children =
| alma_mater = The Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology (now Anglia Ruskin University)
| occupation = Former Engineer, now Businessman, Coach and Public Speaker
| website = https://paulhopfensperger.com}}
Paul Hopfensperger (born 1963) is a former British politician and open water swimmer. He is also an international best-selling author and musician, and singer/songwriter/guitarist with the British mod revival band The Teazers.
He served as the first Bury St. Edmunds Town Councillor for Eastgate Ward from 2003 to 2006, the first Suffolk County Councillor for Tower Division from 2005 to 2009, and as the first West Suffolk District Councillor for St Olaves Ward from 2019 to 2023. He was the deputy mayor of Bury St Edmunds from 2005 to 2006 and from 2019 to 2020.
Hopfensperger was a member of the Conservative Party until 2008, when he became an independent.{{cite news |date=14 February 2008 |title=Top Tory quits in middle schools protest |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21293619.top-tory-quits-middle-schools-protest/ |access-date=13 May 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}}
Biography
Hopfensperger attended The Convent of St Louis, Moreton Hall Preparatory School and Culford School, all in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He graduated from the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology (now Anglia Ruskin University) with a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mechanical/Computer Aided Engineering.
Political career
Hopfensperger unsuccessfully stood for election to St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 1999 and 2003 (losing by just 5 votes) before being co-opted into the newly formed Bury St Edmunds Town Council at its second ever meeting in June 2003, and serving as deputy mayor from 2005 until his resignation in April 2006.{{cite news |date=28 April 2006 |title=Town's deputy mayor quits |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21309320.towns-deputy-mayor-quits/ |access-date=1 October 2024 |work=East Anglian Daily Times}}
Hopfensperger was elected to the newly created Tower Division on Suffolk County Council in 2005 as a Conservative, serving as the Vice Chairman of the Roads and Transport Scrutiny Committee and Assistant to the Portfolio Holder for the London 2012 Olympic Games. However, in February 2008 he left the party over its policy to abolish the county's middle schools becoming an Independent Suffolk County councillor.
A month later he stood as an Independent candidate for a Bury St Edmunds Town Council by-election. During the election, an opposition candidate reported him to the police for posting "It looks like Paul Farmer has done well" on his blog after returning from the opening of the postal votes. For this he received a police caution under the Representation of the People Act due to a minor breach of the act relating to maintaining secrecy as ballot papers are counted.{{cite news |author1=Laurence Cawley |date=28 April 2008 |title=Leading councillor given police caution |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21290364.leading-councillor-given-police-caution/ |access-date=25 May 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}}{{cite web |date=28 April 2008 |title=Candidate receives police caution |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/suffolk/7371857.stm |access-date=26 May 2024 |publisher=BBC}}
Hopfensperger unsuccessfully ran as an Independent for re-election to Suffolk County Council in 2009 in Hardwick Division, a campaign smeared by the Lib-Dems who printed incorrect information on him on their election leaflet.{{cite news |author1=Laurence Cawley |date=25 May 2009 |title=Lib Dems apologise for claim on flyer |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21801726.lib-dems-apologise-claim-flyer/ |access-date=3 May 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}} However, he won a seat on St Edmundsbury Borough Council in 2011 which he held until he stood down to concentrate on his business commitments in 2023. By this time St Edmundsbury had merged with Forest Heath to become West Suffolk District Council.{{cite news |author1=Rhoda Morrison |date=6 October 2019 |title=Deputy mayor of Bury St Edmunds Cllr Paul Hopfensperger accuses town council of breaking the rules |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/council-accused-of-breaking-rules-by-deputy-mayor-9084399/ |access-date=25 May 2024 |website=Suffolk News}}
=Brexit=
During a 2021 West Suffolk Council debate on exiting the European Union (Brexit), at which Hopfensperger declared a non-pecuniary interest as a small business owner who imports/exports to/from the EU, he explained that the new trading arrangements with the EU had severely hampered trade and placed extra burdens and costs on companies who now had to complete reams of paperwork. The new paperwork requirements to sell products abroad had meant hours of extra work, including for simply sending items to Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom. This was affecting people’s mental health and he questioned what help was available for business people to deal with the increased costs and burdens.{{cite news |date=18 March 2021|title=Exiting the European Union: West Suffolk Council's preparations and current status |url=https://democracy.westsuffolk.gov.uk/mgAi.aspx?ID=25269 |access-date=29 June 2025 |publisher=West Suffolk Council}}{{cite news |author1=Jason Noble |date=23 March 2021 |title=Brexit mental health impact 'just as much as Covid', council told |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/brexit-branded-a-complete-and-utter-disaster-by-councillor-9191833/ |access-date=29 June 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}}
He criticised the post-Brexit trading arrangements as a "complete and utter disaster". He said, "If anyone tells me 'we knew what we were voting for' I say to them you certainly didn't know what you were voting for."{{cite news |author1=Dan Barker |date=22 March 2021 |title=Brexit trade deal branded 'complete and utter disaster' by Bury St Edmunds councillor |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/brexit-branded-a-complete-and-utter-disaster-by-councillor-9191833/ |access-date=26 May 2024 |website=Suffolk News}}
In the 2017 general election he nominated to run for Parliament in the Bury St Edmunds constituency{{Cite web |title=Statement of Persons Nominated |url=https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/Council/Voting_and_Elections/upload/Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations-Bury-St-Edmunds-constituency.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519223558/http://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/Council/Voting_and_Elections/upload/Statement-of-Persons-Nominated-Notice-of-Poll-and-Situation-of-Polling-Stations-Bury-St-Edmunds-constituency.pdf |archive-date=19 May 2017 |publisher=West Suffolk Council}} but he withdrew before the election for personal reasons. He did run in 2019{{cite news |author1=Rhoda Morrison |date=19 October 2019 |title=Deputy mayor of Bury St Edmunds and Independent councillor Paul Hopfensperger announces plans to run for MP in next general election |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/success-for-councillor-whose-book-and-song-bagged-1-spots-i-9218611/ |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=Suffolk News}} prioritising local issues,{{cite web |date= |title=Julie MacLeod interviews Deputy Mayor of Bury St Edmunds and Independent councillor Paul Hopfensperger on The Breakfast Show |url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/julie-macleod-interviews-paul-hopfensperger-rwsfm-2019-uk-parliamentary-candidate |access-date=15 November 2024 |publisher=RWSfm 103.3}} finishing 4th (of 4 candidates) in an election dominated by Brexit, with 2.7% of the vote.{{cite news |title=Bury St Edmunds Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000613 |access-date=18 November 2019 |publisher=BBC News}}
=Elections contested=
UK Parliament elections
| class="wikitable"
!Date of election !Constituency ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes ! % !Result |
| 2019
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |1,694 |2.7 |Not elected (4th) |
Suffolk County Council elections
| class="wikitable"
!Date of election !Division ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes ! % !Result |
| 2005
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |2,747 |28.3 |Elected |
| 2009
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |824 |28.8 |Not elected (2nd) |
| 2013
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |737 |27.7 |Not elected (2nd) |
| 2017
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |1,623 |20.3 |Not elected (3rd) |
Borough of St Edmundsbury and West Suffolk District Council elections
| class="wikitable"
!Date of election !Ward ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes ! % !Result |
| 1999
|Risbygate | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |442 |39.7 |Not elected (3rd) |
| 2003
|Southgate | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |744 |48.1 |Not elected (2nd) |
| 2011
|St Olaves | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |421 |33.6 |Elected |
| 2015
|St Olaves | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |835 |37.8 |Elected |
| 2019
|St Olaves | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |680 |50.9 |Elected |
Bury St Edmunds Town Council elections
| class="wikitable"
!Date of election !Ward ! colspan="2" |Party !Votes ! % !Result |
| 2003
|Eastgate | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | | | |Co-opted (voted in by members of the council) |
| 2008
|Abbeygate | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | | | |Not elected (2nd) |
| 2016
|St Olaves | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |288 |46.7 |
| 2019
|St Olaves | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent (politician)}}" | |712 |53.3 |
Swimming career
File:Paul Hopfensperger, Kevin Murphy, Keith Bartolo and Freda Streeter. Dover Harbour, England, Saturday June 14, 2008.jpg, Keith Bartolo, Mark Blewitt, and 'The Channel General' Freda Streeter. Dover Harbour, England, Saturday June 14, 2008]]
During his youth, Hopfensperger was a competitive swimmer representing his home town of Bury St Edmunds and the county of Suffolk, including captaining the Bury St Edmunds Swimming Club ('The Bury Beavers') on three occasions between 1978 and 1981.{{cite web |title=Paul Hopfensperger - Channel swimmer |url=https://www.dover.uk.com/channel-swimming/swimmers/paul-hopfensperger/ |access-date=25 May 2024 |website=Dover.UK}}{{cite web |title=Paul Hopfensperger |website=Openwaterpedia |url=https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Paul_Hopfensperger |access-date=28 May 2024}}
Hopfensperger has completed two solo crossings of the English Channel in 2007{{Cite web |title=On Tuesday July 10, 2007 I swam to France |url=http://www.hoffyswims.com/2007/07/on-tuesday-july-06-2007-i-swam-to.html}} and 2008,{{Cite web |title=A long night in the English Channel - England to France, September 11-12, 2008, 13 Hours 03 Minutes |url=http://www.hoffyswims.com/2008/09/long-night-in-english-channel-england.html}}{{cite news |date=8 August 2007 |title=Councillor plans new channel challenge |url=https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/21296337.councillor-plans-new-channel-challenge/ |access-date=26 May 2024 |website=East Anglian Daily Times}} making him the 84th person in history to swim the channel more than once. He also participated in one relay in 2010 as part of the six person 'Team Iryna International English Channel Relay Team'.{{Cite web |title=Team Iryna International English Channel Relay Team |url=http://www.hoffyswims.com/2010/07/interim-update-great-london-swim.html}}
Hopfensperger's first swim in 2007 was broadcast live from the English Channel by reporter Jon Wright for BBC Radio Suffolk. Updates were broadcast throughout the day for the duration of the 13 hour 52 minute swim.{{cite web |author1=Jon Wright |date=2 July 2007 |title=Absolutely fantastic |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/suffolk/content/articles/2007/07/02/hopfensperger_channel_swim_preview_feature.shtml |access-date=25 May 2024 |publisher=BBC}} His swim was also featured in the first episode of the Discovery Channel documentary series Human Body: Pushing the Limits.{{cite web |title=Human Body - Strength |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsw0ku |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=dailymotion.com}}
In 2008 Hopfensperger competed at two FINA Open Water Grand Prix,{{cite web |title=Paul Hopfensperger - Athlete |url=https://www.worldaquatics.com/athletes/1033506/paul-hopfensperger |access-date=26 May 2024 |publisher=World Aquatics}} becoming oldest known person to represent Great Britain in the sport of open water swimming.{{cite web |title=Paul Hopfensperger Swimming Achievements 2008 |url=https://bodyandmindstudio.co.uk/content/hoffyswims/pjh-swimming-achievements-2008.pdf |access-date=26 May 2024 |publisher=Body and Mind Studio}}
As of January 25, 2009, Hopfensperger's swims raised a total of £16,156.13 for St Nicholas' Hospice in Bury St. Edmunds and CLIC Sargent Children's Cancer Charity.{{cite web |title=UK Cold Water Swimming Championships 2009, Tooting Bec Lido, London, England |url=https://www.hoffyswims.com/2009/01/uk-cold-water-swimming-championships.html |access-date=27 June 2025 |publisher=Paul Hopfensperger HoffySwims.com Swimming Blog}}
Personal life
Hopfensperger is married to Rebecca who is currently a West Suffolk District and Suffolk County Council councillor and the former Mayor of Bury St Edmunds (2005–2006).{{cite web |title=Beccy Hopfensperger |url=https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/councillors-and-elected-representatives/find-your-councillor/beccy-hopfensperger |access-date=1 October 2024 |publisher=Suffolk County Council}}
Author and musician
During the COVID pandemic, Hopfensperger co-authored a book with various internationally renowned speakers including Kyle Wilson, Denis Waitley, and Tom Ziglar titled Bringing Value, Solving Problems and Leaving a Legacy. The book became an International #1 Amazon Bestseller.{{cite news |author1=Rhoda Morrison |date=1 October 2021 |title=Bury St Edmunds councillor Paul Hopfensperger celebrates two Amazon #1 best-sellers with co-authored book and song |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/bury-st-edmunds/news/success-for-councillor-whose-book-and-song-bagged-1-spots-i-9218611/ |access-date=25 May 2024 |website=Suffolk News}}{{cite book |title=Bringing Value, Solving Problems and Leaving a Legacy |id={{ASIN|1735742813|country=uk}}}}{{cite web |title=About Paul Hopfensperger |url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/about |access-date=1 October 2024 |website=paulhopfensperger.com}}
In 2021, Hopfensperger, who has been in bands since the age of ten and is guitarist and singer/songwriter with the English mod band The Teazers, was part of an international collaboration of success minded individuals who featured on Roy Smoothe's 'smoothe mix' album titled Success Mindset Mix. This album also hit number one in five categories on the Amazon chart. His song titled Just Keep Swimming Until You Get To France! was based on his experience of swimming the English Channel.
Publications, Podcast and radio appearances
Hopfensperger also has been a guest on a number of radio shows and podcasts discussing politics, swimming the English Channel, music and personalised nutrition/personalized medicine.
=Radio=
- {{cite AV media | host=(UK) RWSfm 103.3|title=UK Election 2019 - The Interviews. Julie MacLeod interviews Paul Hopfensperger| date=December 5, 2019 | url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/julie-macleod-interviews-paul-hopfensperger-rwsfm-2019-uk-parliamentary-candidate/}}
=Podcast appearances=
- {{cite podcast |host=(USA) Sean G Murphy's Daily Awakening Call|title=Episode 525. 3 x Channel Swimmer - Paul Hopfensperger| date=July 30, 2020 | url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/sean-g-murphy}}
- {{cite podcast |host=(USA) Dr. Amy Novotny|title=The Weekend Wellness Hour - Interview with Paul Hopfensperger about Personalised Nutrition and Swimming The English Channel| date=September 5, 2020 | url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/dr-amy-novotny-interview}}{{cite web |title=How to Change Your Health with a Blood Type Diet with English Channel Swimmer Paul Hopfensperger |url=https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/f044c81e-8975-401b-bb83-ecc4b754cb24/episodes/2e08dcaa-c522-426c-af7d-7bc9eb410f52/reawaken-your-health-podcast-how-to-change-your-health-with-a-blood-type-diet-with-english-channel-swimmer-paul-hopfensperger |access-date=17 Jan 2025 |publisher=Dr. Amy Novotny}}
- {{cite podcast |host=(USA) Victor Menasce|title=The Real Estate Espresso Podcast - Interview with Paul Hopfensperger about swimming The English Channel| date=September 26, 2020 | url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ybECjbOfMscsxaN38pL0d?si=93fd439a3cfc4f7d}}
- {{cite podcast |host=(USA) Jo Hausman|title=Go For It! - Just Keep Swimming Until You Get to France!| date=October 22, 2020 | url=https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/54d77ff0-bbf2-442c-8f5c-5cce823a8611/episodes/5bbe6066-07ab-4bce-a560-e55b7054ab93/go-for-it-just-keep-swimming-until-you-get-to-france}}
- {{cite podcast |host=(USA) Pancham Gupta|title=The Gold Collar Investor Podcast - 3x Crossing English Channel! The story of grit and mindset!| date=September 27, 2021 | url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/0ybECjbOfMscsxaN38pL0d?si=93fd439a3cfc4f7d}}
=Facebook Live=
- {{cite web | title= (USA) Larry Thompson's 'The Millionaire Training Book Club'. Larry and Taylor Thompson interview Paul Hopfensperger| date=January 22, 2021 | url=https://www.paulhopfensperger.com/larry-and-taylor-thompson-millionaire-training-book-club}}
=Publications=
- {{cite journal |author=(AUS) Kloeden CN, McLean AJ |date=August 15, 1995 |title=Alcohol, Drugs and Traffice Safety-T'95, volumes 1 and 2 (ICADTS). Vol 1 - Page 475, Paul J Hopfensperger - Automating Drink/Drive Procedures to Reduce Police Time and Eliminate Errors. |journal=Adelaide: NHMRC Road Accident Research Unit. |url=https://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=280 }}
- {{cite journal |author=(UK) Opuko, Benjamin |date=March 19, 2024 |title=Executive Interview with Paul Hopfensperger, founder of Body and Mind Studio International |journal=XRP Healthcare |url=https://issuu.com/xrphealthcare/docs/xrp_healthcare_magazine_issue_2 }}{{cite web |title=XRP Healthcare release 2nd issue of its highly anticipated Magazine |url=https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/xrp-healthcare-release-2nd-issue-of-its-highly-anticipated-magazine-302092754.html |access-date=17 Jan 2025 |publisher=PR Newswire}}
Television
File:Paul_Hopfensperger_BBC_Eggheads_photo_2009.jpg
In 2010 Hopfensperger appeared on the TV quiz show Eggheads where he captained a team of six English Channel swimmers called "Channel Buoys and Gulls". The team included 'King of The English Channel' swimmer Kevin Murphy.{{cite web |date=August 2009 |title="Channel Buoys and Gulls" on Eggheads |url=https://www.hoffyswims.com/search?q=eggheads |access-date=30 May 2024 |website=hoffyswims.com |publisher=Paul Hopfensperger}}
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1978
|Home in England |Himself – Working in his father's shop |30 Minute BBC Documentary featuring his late Father Johann Hopfensperger |
| 2008
|Human Body: Pushing the Limits |Himself – English Channel Swimmer |Episode 1: "Strength" |
| 2010
|Himself – Captain of an English Channel Swimmers team. |Series 11, Episode 73, 'Channel Buoys and Gulls'{{cite web |date=21 June 2013 |title=Eggheads - Channel Buoys and Gulls |publisher=ABC Television Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc1/201306/programs/ZX9245A073D2013-06-21T170016.htm |access-date=28 May 2024}}{{cite web |date=23 September 2010 |title=Hoffy Swims - Swimming Blog |url=https://www.hoffyswims.com/2010/09/channel-buoys-and-gulls-on-bbc-eggheads.html |access-date=28 May 2024 |publisher=Paul Hopfensperger}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|nm11810489}}
- [https://www.discogs.com/artist/13036212-Paul-Hopfensperger Paul Hopfensperger] at Discogs
- [https://www.dover.uk.com/channel-swimming/swimmers/paul-hopfensperger Paul Hopfensperger's English Channel Swims (Dover.UK.com)]
- [https://www.worldaquatics.com/athletes/1033506/paul-hopfensperger Paul Hopfensperger at World Aquatics Official (worldaquatics.com)]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hopfensperger, Paul}}
Category:Councillors in Suffolk
Category:Conservative Party (UK) councillors
Category:Independent councillors in the United Kingdom
Category:Members of Suffolk County Council
Category:Musicians from Bury St Edmunds
Category:People educated at Culford School
Category:English Channel swimmers