News story: Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Extends the Term of One Council Member of Arts Council England (ACE).

The Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP has extended the term of Rosemary Squire OBE by 12 months, ending on 25 April 2018.

Rosemary Squire OBE

Rosemary Squire is one of the most prominent women in British theatre of the modern era. Co-founding ATG in 1992, it has gone onto become the world’s number one live-theatre company.

Last year, Squire stepped down from her post as CEO to move into a new creative phase. Trafalgar Entertainment Group will own and operate theatre buildings, developing a boutique brand as well as producing diverse, high quality, distinctive live work.

In 2014, she made history as the first woman to be named EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year. She is a National Member of the Arts Council England Board and Joint Chair of The Hall for Cornwall. As Chair of Great Ormond Street’s Theatres for Theatres Appeal she raised over £5m and now Chairs another major appeal for the hospital.

Widely respected in the industry, Rosemary and her husband/business partner, Sir Howard Panter, have topped The Stage 100 for seven consecutive record-breaking years. Rosemary was awarded an OBE for Services to Theatre, has an Honorary Doctorate from Southampton University and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts by both De Montfort University and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in recognition of her achievements as a theatre entrepreneur.

Council Members of ACE are not remunerated. This extension has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Rosemary Squire has declared that she has not carried out any political activity.

News story: Culture Secretary Extends the Terms of Three Board Members of UK Anti-Doping

The terms of appointment of Professor John Brewer, Justin Turner QC and Janice Shardlow have been extended until 30 September 2017

Professor John Brewer

John is Head of the School of Sport, Health and Applied Science at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, and former Chair of British Ski and Snowboard. He began his career as Head of Sports Science for the Football Association and spent 18 years as joint Director of the Lilleshall Sports Injury and Human Performance Centre at Lilleshall National Sports Centre in Shropshire, delivering sports science support to a range of National Governing Bodies. He then moved to GlaxoSmithKline as Director of Sports Science and was Chair of the London Regional Sports Board.

Janice Shadlow

Janice has worked in the legal sector for over 30 years in private practice, legal education and sport, specialising in corporate and sport governance. She is currently General Counsel at the British Equestrian Federation, a Sport Resolutions Arbitrator, Specialist Member, a Member of the Audit and Compliance Committee of the Fédération Equestre Internationale and a member of the Judicial Commission of the International Hockey Federation.

Justin Turner QC

Justin is a barrister in private practice who specialises in intellectual property and other commercial disputes with a technical character. In addition to law he has studied Veterinary Medicine and has a PhD in immunology.

UK Anti-Doping Board Member roles are remunerated at a rate of £215 per day. The extensions have been made in accordance with Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. Under the Code, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. Justin Turner has declared that he made a recordable donation to the Conservative Party during the 2015 General Election. Janice Shadlow and Professor John Brewer have declared no political activity.

News story: Ofcom Board Member appointed

Nick Pollard has had a distinguished career in British journalism and broadcasting spanning more than forty five years.

Nick began his career as a local newspaper journalist on Merseyside in 1968 and worked for BBC Radio and TV News during the 1970s. He joined ITN in 1980 and became Executive Producer of News at Ten and responsible for major story coverage in the UK and around the world. From 1996 to 2006 Nick was Head of Sky News during which time the channel won numerous awards for its reporting of events around the globe. From 2009 to 2015 Nick was Chief Executive of Services Sound and Vision Corporation, the charity that runs British Forces Broadcasting and other services for the UK’s armed forces. He became a member of the Content Board of Ofcom, the UK’s broadcasting and telecommunications industry regulator, in 2016. Nick is a Fellow of the Royal Television Society and in 2007 was awarded the RTS’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Television Journalism. He was Chairman of the Society’s annual Journalism Awards from 2008-2011. In 2012 he carried out the independent inquiry into the BBC’s handling of the Jimmy Savile affair, producing ‘The Pollard Report’ on the matter in December 2012.

The Board of Ofcom is appointed by the Secretary of State. Board Members are paid £42,519 per annum.

This appointment has been made by exception under the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointments process is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Nick Pollard was initially appointed to the Ofcom Board for an interim period of 6 months, from 14 November 2016. However, given the need for stability and continuity for Ofcom as it goes through a period of significant change and takes on additional responsibilities for regulating the BBC, the Secretary of State has decided to appoint Nick Pollard by exception for a period of 12 months to 13 May 2018.

In accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, any significant political activity undertaken by an appointee in the last five years must be declared. This is defined as including holding office, public speaking, making a recordable donation, or candidature for election. Nick has declared no such political activity.

News story: Grave of Northumberland born World War 2 prisoner of war finally rededicated

A new headstone has been installed and a rededication service took place in a moving ceremony on Friday 21 April 2017 at Wittenburg Cemetery, Germany.

The service, arranged by the MOD’s Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCCC), part of Defence Business Services was led by the Reverend Heather Rendell (Chaplain to the Forces), Regimental Chaplain, HQ Westfalen Garrison.

(L to R) Phil Richards, Alan Culshaw, Major Pat Ralph, Reverend Heather Rendell, Colonel David Moreton, Steve Foster, Cdr Ian Harrop, Bob Jones, Keith Orton, Crown Copyright, All rights reserved

Nicola Nash, JCCC said:

Private Thompson and his comrades were faced with a tortuous march after years of captivity. We are glad to be able to confirm his final resting place and honour him as he so richly deserves.

Private Thompson was born on 4 April 1919 at Tynemouth, Northumberland. Before enlisting, he was recorded as working as a glazier and lived with his sister, Elizabeth, on Penman Street in North Shields. George enlisted on 16 October 1939 and was sent, as a Private, to France on 28 February 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

He was reported missing on 19 June 1940 after being captured at Athies, France. His status as a Prisoner of War (POW) was confirmed a month later.

Pte Thompson was sent to Stalag XXA, located in Toruń, Poland. He was imprisoned for nearly 5 years, until in early 1945 and with the threat of the advancing Russians, the Germans forced the POWs to march towards the West. This ‘Long March’ was a tortuous undertaking for men that were already weakened from years of imprisonment.

It was one of the worse winters on record, with temperatures dropping as low as -25°C. The men were without adequate clothing, supplies or medical equipment and were forced to march up to 40 kilometres a day, many succumbed to hypothermia, disease and death. Tragically, George lost his life during this march and having suffered dysentery, he passed away near the town of Wittenburg, Germany on 3 March 1945.

Private Thompson was just 25 years old when he died.

Reverend Heather Rendell said:

It was a privilege to give a name to the grave of a soldier that died in conditions that should never happen again.

A record of these POWs, including George, was kept by Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Aitken of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. He kept a list of each man that died and where they were buried. He also attempted to intervene with the German guards to get better treatment of his men.

George’s burial place had remained unknown, until the grave of an ‘Unbekampt Englander Soldat’ (Unknown English Soldier) was found at a civilian cemetery in Wittenburg, where George’s burial place had been listed by S/Sgt Aitken.

This grave was brought to the attention of the Ministry of Defence by researcher, Steve Foster who has spent many years researching the final resting places of the POWs on S/Sgt Aitken’s list.

After extensive historical research by Mr Foster and the JCCC into this unknown grave and the circumstances surrounding George’s death, the MOD have now confirmed that this Unknown Soldier is actually Private George Henry Thompson.

Steve Foster said:

It was an honour to help find the grave of Private Thompson 70 years after he died in dreadful circumstance.

A new headstone bearing Private Thompson’s name has been provided by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, who will now care for his final resting place in perpetuity.

Press release: Shared UK-Ireland commemoration announced for the Battle of Messines Ridge

Today, the Secretary of State, Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP, has announced plans for a shared UK-Ireland commemoration ceremony on 7 June 2017 to mark the centenary of the Battle of Messines Ridge.

The battle has considerable historic and symbolic significance for the UK and Ireland, as Messines was the first time that the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) Divisions fought alongside each other during the Great War. The UK and Irish governments have now committed to working together to deliver a shared ceremony of commemoration, in the spirit of the 36th (Ulster) and 16th (Irish) divisions at the battle.

Making the announcement today, Rt. Hon. James Brokenshire MP said:

I am pleased to announce this shared UK-Ireland ceremony to mark the centenary of the Battle of Messines. We have seen all too well how history can divide, but our ambitious goal throughout this decade of centenaries is to seek to use history to bring us together, and to build on the political progress that has been made throughout these islands.

This shared ceremony is an opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of those who fought at Messines Ridge, as well as to further strengthen the important relationship that exists between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The commemoration ceremony will take place at the Island of Ireland Peace Park in Messines, Belgium, and will be a ticketed event. Members of the public who wish to express an interest in attending the commemoration can obtain further details here (MS Word Document, 169KB) .

Ends.

Notes to Editors:

Expressions of interest are now being sought from individuals interested in attending the Battles of Messines Ridge Centenary Commemoration, at the Island of Ireland Peace Park at 2pm on 7 June 2017.
Invitations will issue shortly to invited guests. All those interested in applying for a public ticket are asked to complete a brief form which can be found here (MS Word Document, 169KB) before submitting it to messinesqueries@dfa.ie. If you would like to receive the form in an alternative format, please contact messinesqueries@dfa.ie.
Given the likely level of interest in attending this ceremony, tickets cannot be guaranteed to all who apply and tickets may be allocated through a ballot system.
Priority will be given to the relatives of those who fought in the battle and persons who can provide demonstrable evidence of a particular interest in, or link to, commemoration of the Battle of Messines, in a context of reconciliation.
Further information on logistics for the ceremony will follow in due course.
The closing date for expressions of interest is Friday 5 May 2017 at 12 noon.