Hi there

After 25 years of working with the Rochdale Local Authority, the last 16 of which with the EDIT Team, taking the decision to leave was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Leading and supporting the team in the delivery of excellence was my life and something of which I was immensely proud.

I am certain that under new management the team will continue to react positively to challenge and am sure that they will continue to attract the support of colleagues and schools they need and so richly deserve.

In leaving the team I take up an opportunity to deliver, as a part of a team of consultants, services to other SIMS Local Support Units and to schools in LAs which do not enjoy the excellent services available in Rochdale.

The without whom list:

Charles Adams, Janet Albarella, Derek Allen, Sarah Anderson, Ian Andrew, Ian Andrews, Danny Armitage, Meredith Arthur, Martin Atkins, Pete Baddely, Corine Balham, Ian Bailey, Iain Baird, Roy Baker, Duncan Baldwin, Bob Barker, Jackie Barnes, Graham Beaumont, Marian Begalo, Toby Belfield, Marie Biraine-Hall, Jan Blake, Tracey Bland, Susan Blundell, Janice Booth, Maria Boyle, Jo Brickell, David Brooks, Sue Brown, Helen Browning, Malcolm Brydon, David Burgess, Annie Burns, Anne Burton, Jessica Byrne, Sue Cadwallader, Diane Cantello, Denise Carr, Don Case, Helen Casey, Diana Cavanagh, Mike Cavanagh, Richard Chappelle, Tracey Chrimes, Julie Clarke, Stan Clewes, Martin Clough, Jan Collinge, Sarah Collins, Kate Connolly, Rosemarie Constantine, Sara Conway, Graham Cooper, Gillian Corlett, Sally Cort, Lynne Coxell, Geoff Crowther, Kevan Crowther, Lesley Davids, Yvonne Davies, Steve Davis, Sue Dearden, Christine Denton, Eric Dobson, Gill Dyson, Sue Eastwood, Anne Elkins*, Pauline Ellery, Janet Entwistle, Chris Evans, Jeanette Evans, Margaret Farrel, Erica Field, Nick Finnemore, Sue Fish, Jane Fisher, Fiona Fogarty, Jamie Forder, Trevor Fox, Monica Franks, Dawn Frost, Stephen Frost,  John Fryett, Stephen Gallagher, Claire Gannon, Pam Gardiner, Ralph Gardiner, Rachel Garlick, Bernadette Gee, Paul Geldeart, Scott Gibson, David Grassohoff, Pete Gray, Neil Gregory, Neil Grice, Anne Grierson, Mohammed Gulfam, Sue Hall, Stuart Hargreaves, Lisa Harris, Stuart Haughan, Nichole Healey, Alistair Herbert, Phil Herd, Margaret Heron, Jackie Higginbottom, Sheila Higginbottom, Gary Hill, Michelle Hobson, Nigel Holder, Susan Holt, David Honeywell, Martin Hoolickin, Carmel Hooper, Rita Hovington, Katie Howard, John Howarth, Lisa Howarth, Adrian Hoyle, Carol Hoyle, Ahkhtar Hussein, Emily Humphrey, Paul Hyde, Martin Ingram, Richard Jazwinski, Carly Jenkins, Tony Jesson, Neville Johnson, Ben Jones, Georgina Jones, Chris Kelly, Seamus Kelly, Lesley Kobarg, Beccy Laming, Tony Lasan, Eileen Lawless, Dave Leonard, Jackie Leven*, Gill Lever, Janet Lloyd, Rob Lloyd, Ian Loughlin, Eric Marquis, Natasha Marsh, Paul Marsh, Paula Marshall, Margaret Marsland, Maria Matthews, Brian McAnenny, Zita McCormick, Craig McDonald, Kath McGregor, Paul McHugh, Janet McKeon, Ewan McPherson, Dave Merchant*, Howard Meredith, Louise Meredith, Paul Metcalfe, Richard Metcalfe, Deborah Mitchell, Sue Mooney, Margaret Moore, Jean Moorhouse, Nigel Muirhead, Craig Murchie, Matthew Nall, Peter Naylor, Phil Neal, Michael Ney, Sue Needham, Joanne Nolan, Glenys Nutt, Gill O'Doherty, Bill Ollerenshaw, Andy Orr, Peter Owen, Sarah Owen, Maxine Parratt, Pari Parviz, Maq Patel, Patricia Pentony, Geoff Perry, Carol Philips, Barbara Pickup, David Pott, Yasar Rauf, Andy Raymer, Richard Rigg, Cherie Rivero, David Roberts, Simon Roberts, Andy Robinson, Kelly Roddy, Dave Rothwell, Lisa Ruth, Paul Sanderson, Hugh Sandison, Sheila Scott, Tony Shaw, Chris Sherwood, Ian Shipley, Jane Short, Ross Sidebottom, Mark Sims, Liz Skilling, Linda Skotnicki, Annette Slater, Cath Smart, Dave Smith, SimonP Smith, Pat Smithies, Rita Stansfield, Peter Steers, Sam Stonely, Calire Taylor, Trevor Thoburn, Des Thomas, Paul Thomson, Robert Thornsby, Sarah Thorp, Manda Tiernann, Jim Tolan, Marcus Topham, Rebecca Townsend, Renate Tracy, Sue Turner, Steve Tweedale, John Tyldesley, Rocco Volpe, Heath Wadsworth, Gary Walczak, Pam Walker, Ruth Walker, Sue Walker, Martin Ward, Lynn Warrington, John Watson, Sue Watson, GrahamR White, Tina Whitley, Chris Wild, Darren Wild, Suzanne Williams, Gill Windsor, Claire Wolstenholme, Phil Woodall and the many more who will come to mind as I look back with great fondness.

I hope that our paths will meet again before too long and wish you all the success and happiness you deserve.

*RIP