Autumn-Winter ESB News

have wished for a more wonderful nor wise colleague – someone who had such association with the past but yet someone who always looked towards the future.

organisation and give it more of a profile; someone who would make the same kind of waves that our founder made 50 years ago.

As one of the oldest surviving members of the Board, I remember Richard's 'arrival' amongst us. He was immediately a man whose talents were exactly what ESB needed at the time and he gave of his time and energy most generously …... Taking the helm as Chair he was always warmly encouraging and forward-looking. He was always full of ideas and suggestions to develop ESB's work and will be remembered with gratitude and affection. Richard also embodied Christabel’s sense of how our assessors and I would say, all of us involved with ESB, should carry out our work: “Patience in attention, sympathy in recognition, generosity in criticism, the sensitivity to discern the presence of gifts in others and the skills to bring them to light. On behalf of The Society of Teachers of Speech & Drama I offer our sincere sympathy. Richard together with Christabel spoke about ESB at one of our AGM days. He was definitely looking towards the future and planning lively involvement with various bodies in order to promote the work of ESB. I know he will be sadly missed, and remember him with gratitude for his assistance when I was an ESB assessor. Ann Jones shares with us: When Richard was appointed Chair of the ESB Committee of Management I quickly became aware of his sincere commitment to ESB, its founder and the way forward. It was Richard who proposed the appointment of a 'full time director', someone who would front the

It was Richard also nearly 10 years ago who as Chair invited me to take of the role of Honorary Vice President. I felt truly honoured as I have been involved with ESB from my school days, I felt privileged to be selected. Our Honorary President Jocelyn Bell, when I told her of Richard's passing spoke fondly of his contribution. (Jocelyn is in advanced old age now but felt keenly that) ‘all she could do was to send her best wishes and thoughts to Richard's family' Such is Richard's impact (and I use the verb in the continuing sense) that I am honoured to announce the creation of the Richard Ellis Award for outstanding dedication to ESB. This will be presented for the first time at our preeminent event in November, which rewards and awards our Young Speakers of the Year and to which I hope his family will attend. So, if I had googled him, with his years of connection to and leadership of ESB, might this new CEO back in May 2016, have worried about his willingness to see the future, would I have anticipated meeting a man firm in his view of what ESB should be, looking backwards rather than forwards? I think I can hear your voices telling me just the opposite, as his friends and colleagues have shared. And that of course was the man I met and who gave me his full throated support and guidance. I think that quality of being part of the history of an organisation and being open, excited about the future, generous and willing to take the journey with this new CEO's vision is something that I knew was rare and precious.

5