Richard

I was born in London, attended Wallington Grammar School for Boys and then into the big wide world in 1959 joining the Met Office at Gatwick Airport as a weather observer and chart plotter. Left in 1967 to join Martins (later Barclays) Bank, rising to Manager at various branches in Somerset and Devon. Took redundancy in 1992, then 2 years as bursar at Dene Magna School and then 10 years as an Estate Manager for a private family in Surrey (back very close to Gatwick – full circle!). In 1998 I took part time job as Clerk to Charlwood Parish Council and was the first Clerk in Surrey and one of the first 15 Clerks in the country to achieve the CiLCA award. I was presented with the award by the Minister for Rural Affairs at a ceremony in London. On my permanent return to this area I was appointed Clerk to Staunton Coleford in 2003 and Newland in 2004 and since then have also acted as locum Clerk to Staunton Coleford Parish, Dursley Town, St Briavels Parish, Longhope Parish and Tewkesbury Town Councils and as Internal Auditor to up to 13 councils, but am now ‘retired’ from those roles. I am the Clerk’s representative on the Executive Committee of the Gloucestershire Association of Parish & Town Councils, Clerk to the Consortium of Wye Valley Councils and coordinator of the West Forest Councill Clerks Group Married to Pat since 1995, with two sons (from a previous marriage) and 4 grandchildren; between us we have 5 children and 8 grandchildren. I am driver for the Bream Voluntary Car Service as well as the charity’s Secretary and Treasurer. Hobbies: amateur meteorologist, motor sport (once participating, now simply an avid spectator), photography, gardening and holidaying as often as possible