Names and faces

Tony Richardson
Field officer

Tony has been field officer for the north-west since 1998. He intends to retire this summer to pursue his many personal and family interests, including studying towards a law degree.

A member of SHA since its inception, and now ASCL, he held various posts in Bury and Lancashire and was a member of Council from 1993 to 1998.

Posts as a teacher and youth leader in Berkshire and Yorkshire, and senior leadership posts in Northumberland and Manchester, led to 20 years of headship in Bury and Ormskirk.

Tony enjoys cycling, walking, camping, country-dancing, drinking, eating, arguing (a good pastime for a field officer), visiting country churches and feeding the ducks. He has now given up fire-eating and fell-running.

He is married with two grown up children and two granddaughters, one living with her family in Australia.

Bob Carstairs
Assistant general secretary

Bob has been with the association since 1994. Initially appointed as professional officer responsible for curriculum development and assessment policy, he now oversees the field officer and hotline services, as well as other membership matters including the legal and pension portfolios.

His role involves liaising over members' cases and attending meetings ranging from child protection to attendance and behaviour programmes.

At the start of his career, after two years teaching music in a newly-fledged comprehensive school in Bristol, Bob joined the Royal Army Educational Corps, where he served for 28 years.

He ended his army career as lieutenant colonel, heading the Higher Education Centre in Germany, an organisation responsible primarily for higher level German language training.

Bob recently celebrated his ruby wedding. He and his wife Inge have two married daughters and four grandchildren.