Blundell's Governors' Profiles

Mr N Arnold BA (Hons), App Dip Crim (Cantab)

Formerly Chief Constable (acting) of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary where he oversaw Race and Diversity issues in the Force and, on a national level, took the Police Service lead on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) issues. He has been a trained Gold Commander for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Attacks and a member of the international Cadre of Hostage Negotiators. A former director of Courtenay Associates and advisor to the Ministry of Defence he is now a member of the Department of Health Advisory Group on LGBT issues, a member of the North and East Devon Advisory Committee (responsible for the appointment and conduct of Magistrates in N&E Devon), a trustee and director of the Devon Community Foundation and of the Plymouth Drake Foundation.

Mr R R A Breare MA

Chief Executive Officer of  Snoozebox Ltd., a portable event hotel offering luxury accommodation at major events throughout the UK and internationally. He is also non-executive Chairman of Ted Baker Plc.

Mr M I R Bull LL.B (Hons)

Currently Vice Chairman of the Governing Body. He is a retired Solicitor and was Chief Executive of Mid Devon District Council from 1991 until 2001 when he retired. Before that he was Solicitor to that Council from 1974. He has extensive knowledge and involvement with the public sector but has also been involved with the voluntary sector, both as a trustee of charities and as an advisor to others. He has been a Governor since 1984, and was formerly Chairman of a School Governing Body in the state sector. He is Chairman of the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority being a politically independent member of that Authority, and is the Chairman of the South West Region Police Authorities Joint Committee. He is also Chairman of the Devon Community Foundation, a grant-making charity which operates across the whole of historic Devon.

Mr J F Bullock BA, MA

Currently Chairman of the Governance Committee. Educated at Blundell’s (1981 to 1986) and Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge followed by qualification as a Solicitor (Higher Courts of England & Wales). He is currently a partner in Pinsent Masons LLP, an International Law Firm. He is based in London and specialises in Contentious Tax and is also Global Head of the Litigation and Compliance Practice Group. He is a member of various professional bodies including the International Taxes Sub-Committee of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, the Editorial Board of Tax Journal and the Development Board of the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford. He is an occasional lecturer at the Faculty of Law at Oxford and a regular contributor to tax periodicals and speaker at conferences and seminars.

Mr C M Clapp FCA

Currently Chairman of the Governing Body. Educated at Blundell’s, a Chartered Accountant by profession and Licensed Insolvency Practitioner with Ernst & Young (1966 to 1999) and Senior Partner Baker Tilly, Bristol (2000 to 2006). Now retired but holding consultancy and non-executive positions including non-executive Chairman of Clydesdale Bank, Bristol, and of Veale Wasbrough Vizards Solicitors. He is also a director of Thurlestone Estates Limited. He is a Vice President of The Old Blundellian Club.

Rev'd H Dawson BA (Hons), PGCE, MA

Taught for 18 years prior to ordination including four years as Head of Religious Education and School Chaplain at Exeter Cathedral School. She is currently Priest-in-Charge of the Colyton Mission Community – the churches at Branscombe, Colyford, Colyton, Musbury and Southleigh. In that role she has regular contact with local schools, including as governor of a primary school. In addition to her parish duties she serves as a staff tutor for the South West Ministry Training Course which prepares ordinands and readers for ministry in the Church of England. She liaises regularly with the Diocesan Education Team and serves on the Diocesan Council for Children and Young People.

Dr K C Hannabuss MA, DPhil

He is a Fellow and a Tutor in mathematics since 1972. His research area is in the Mathematics of Quantum Field Theory. Chairman of the Oxford Subfaculty of Mathematics 1996-1998. Balliol Senior Tutor (1992-1995), Vice-Master (1998-2002), Vice-Master (Academic) 2007-2009. Author of more than 60 scientific papers in mathematics and theoretical physics, as well as popular and historical articles, and the graduate text ‘Introduction to Quantum Theory’.

Mrs E V Heeley BA (Hons), Cert Ed

Currently Chair of the Education Committee. All career spent in education as an English teacher – eight years at The King’s School, Grantham, (boys’ grammar school with 800 boys) followed by twenty years at St Aubyn’s Prep School, one year of which was when St Aubyn’s belonged to Blundell’s. Retired in 2001. Former Blundell’s parent and past chair of Governors of Cullompton Community College, (mixed comprehensive of over 700 students). Foundation Governor of the Children First Federation and Churchwarden at Sampford Peverell. Charity work involves managing the Cards for Good Causes shop in Honiton.

Mr B J Hurst-Bannister MA

Currently Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee. He is a non-executive director of Talbot Underwriting, Price Forbes and Xchanging Ins-Sure Holdings, and was previously Chairman of the Lloyd’s Market Association and sat on the Council of Lloyd’s. He has a degree in Modern History from Oxford University and is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Deputy President of the Insurance Institute of London.

Mr P M Johnson MA FRSA

Currently Chairman of the Preparatory School Committee. Retired in September 2008 after 32 years working in independent education. He was a teacher, coach and Housemaster at Radley, Headmaster of Wrekin College (1991-1998) and Headmaster of Millfield (1998-2008). He was educated at Bec Grammar School and Oxford University where he gained an Army Scholarship, following which he spent five years as an officer in the Parachute Brigade. He has been a keen sportsman all his life and played rugby and cricket to a high level. He is a Privilege Member of the Rugby Football Union, an educational advisor to the London Chamber Orchestra, a trustee of Wells Cathedral, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a governor of two other schools. He is passionate about music, wine, gardening and books.

Mr J K Macpherson B.Ed

Educated at Hurstpierpoint College and the University of Exeter, after some industrial experience he entered the education profession. He taught Business Studies, Economics, English and French on his way to becoming Headmaster of The Downs School, Bristol and of King’s Hall School, Taunton. He has also been a careers advisor and athletics and rugby coach. He is a former Justice of the Peace, Inspector for Independent Schools, Chairman of the South-West region of the Independent Association of Preparatory Schools and Blundell’s parent.

Mrs J M A Mannix MA

Educated at Blundell's and University of St Andrews achieving an M.A. in French. She has worked for Oxfam, NSPCC, and Wadham College, Oxford in Development Director and fundraising roles and has undertaken further development and fundraising projects for Wadham College, Brasenose College and the Ashmolean Museum. She has lived in both South America and South Africa and is fluent in French and Spanish.

Mrs A C Mayes MBE, BSc

Recently retired after a long career lecturing in Statistics and Econometrics at the University of Exeter. Former member of Court, Council, Senate and many other committees, past Chairman of the Academic Staff Association. She was also Director of European Studies and ran the European and International programmes. Past Governor of the Cathedral School, Vice Chairman of SW OFWAT until 2001, Non Executive Director of Exeter Health Authority, the RD&E NHS Healthcare Trust and latterly the Mid Devon PCT. Currently independent Chairman of the Devon & Cornwall Police Authority Standards Committee, member of the Devon County Council Standards Committee and Trustee of the Farringdon House School Charitable Trust. Member and Chairman of the University Military Education Committee (MEC) for many years and a member of the National Executive of COMEC, the Council of MECs since 1997. University representative on the Wessex RFCA and formerly on the National Executive of the CCFA.

Ms L J Smith BA, FRSA, J.P.

Ms L Smith – Her particular expertise is in human resources, especially employment law and best policy and practice. She divides her time between employment with a unitary authority and a consultancy business. Her management responsibilities have additionally encompassed occupational health and employee health and safety. She is a Court member of the Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters and is also a magistrate.

His Honour Judge W E M Taylor

Educated at Denstone College, Uttoxeter, Staffs. Called to the Bar July 1968 and then appointed Circuit Judge July 1989. Recorder of Plymouth for life. Hon. Doctorate of Laws (Plymouth 2005). A Governor of Plymouth University.

Mr B W Wills-Pope MBE, F.Inst.D

He is a businessman in the flower industry running retail shops and a former director of Interflora responsible for marketing, has also held the post of World President of Interflora. Presently Vice President of the British Florist Association. He is also a Wing Commander in the RAF reserves being the Officer Commanding the Devon and Somerset Wing of the Air Training Corps. Chairman of Governors of Torquay Boys' Grammar School, trustee of the Devon Educational Trust. Former Devon County Councillor and Teignbridge Councillor.