It is with great sorrow that we share the sad news that Richard Garrett passed away on 22nd December after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
Many of you will have known Richard well. He joined the School’s management team in 2010, as Director of the Bedford School Association. This was a new role following a restructure. His remit was to bring together all elements of the wider School community, with a particular focus on working with the Old Bedfordians Club and the Foundation. Richard did this with his own special style, and through his genuine warmth built up many strong friendships which resulted in support to the School in many different forms.
Richard was a great believer in making people feel welcome, putting them at ease and hosting them appropriately. Since 2010 he has played a key part in helping the School raise very considerable sums of money, enabling us to deliver a number of key capital projects, most recently the magnificent Quarry Theatre and the wonderfully renovated Science Block, as well as supporting many boys via an extension of our scholarship and bursary programme.
Prior to joining the School staff, Richard served for ten years in the army having been commissioned into the Light Infantry in 1990, and then worked for eleven years in airline and airport operations. During this time he and the family lived and worked in many exciting overseas locations, and always enjoyed experiencing different cultures. Many are unaware that Richard and Emma had no connection with Bedford until they moved here from Bahrain in 2008 for a job in the aviation sector. Bedford was chosen as it had good access to a number of UK airports and a range of education options. Little did Richard know that he would go on to play an important role at this School.
Our thoughts at this tragic time are very much with his wife Emma, and their children, India, Josh, Toby, Sam and Tess as well as with their extended family. If you would like to write to them, please send to Mrs Emma Garrett, DL, c/o Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford, MK40 2TU.
A thanksgiving service will take place on Sunday 17th February at 2pm in the Bedford School Chapel and will be followed by afternoon tea in the School’s Great Hall.
If you would like to make a donation to Richard’s chosen charities: St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger, and the Bedford Hospital Primrose Unit, please click on the link below.