Yarm School was founded in 1978 with Neville as its leader and it soon flourished under his pioneering and ambitious guidance. His influence on the School, those pupils who studied here and the parents who immersed themselves in this community adventure is incalculable. Furthermore, the effect of his sterling efforts was felt in the wider communities of Yarm, Stockton and Teesside and that continues to be the case today.

Neville has been recognised for his role in establishing and growing the School, as well as his involvement in the Arkwright Foundation in its early stages. He has been awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) which is given to people who make a great impact in their line of work.

During his time at Yarm, Neville went far beyond the call of duty, being actively involved in every area of school life as he describes in his book ‘A story to be told’, which gives a real sense of the adventure and ambition of the early years of the School’s existence.

His contribution to the foundation and early success of the School is without question. He committed wholeheartedly to this project – in the face of scepticism and challenge at times – for a full 20 years, ensuring that the School he handed on to David Dunn was a strong, ambitious and forward looking one, underpinned by shared and cherished community spirit.

Neville was heavily involved in the Arkwright Foundation, working as a Liaison Officer for this charity which seeks to inspire and support future leaders in engineering, computing and technical design. This legacy lives on today, with more than 50% of our Year 11 pupils last year gaining a qualification in Design and Technology and, each year, candidates applying to be awarded an Arkwright Scholarship.

We have seen an impressive 39 Yarm pupils being selected for one in the last ten years – a tribute to Neville’s energy and dedication in this field and a fitting reminder of the proud tradition of manufacturing and innovation in the North East.

Neville retired from Yarm School 21 years ago, however he continues to be heavily involved in a wide variety of events at School. He played a central role in the School’s celebrations of our 40th anniversary in 2019 being a guest of honour and speaker at events to mark this important milestone in the School’s history. He is a regular guest at School, giving his time freely to support concerts, plays, the School’s Prize Giving events, Carol Services and more.

Typical of his sense of duty and community, after his retirement Neville participated in an expedition by plane, travelling from the UK to Australia and raising money for Orbis, a humanitarian organisation which seeks to prevent avoidable blindness in children in Africa.

Congratulations Neville, this recognition is truly well deserved!