Mrs Helen Handy, Chair of Governors
Originally from the north-east of England, Helen moved to Leeds after qualifying as a solicitor in 1993. She has been employed as an in-house solicitor for a number of financial institutions and is now a skills coach at the University of Law where she works with students towards qualification in the legal profession through apprenticeship programmes. Helen has two sons who have both attended Richmond House School and, whilst a parent at the school, she was an active member of the Parents’ Association and became involved in many aspects of school life. During breaks in her legal career, she has undertaken a number of voluntary roles and was a Trustee for an educational charity in addition to being a volunteer legal advisor for Citizens Advice.
Dr Eulashini Chuntharpursat-Bon, Governor
Eulashini is a research scientist at the University of Leeds who studies molecular and cellular processes underlying cardiovascular disease. She has lived in Leeds for over 10 years. Eulashini completed her Undergraduate and Master’s Degrees in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. She worked at the University of Cape Town, before moving to Germany for a PhD at the European Molecular Biology Laboratories in Heidelberg and Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund. Eulashini has two children, one attending Richmond House and one child at local special education needs school. As a parent governor, she brings experience in higher education and EDI, an enthusiasm for STEM subjects, and hopes to contribute to a nurturing and inclusive school environment.
Mr Paul Fox, Governor
Originally from Leeds, Paul attended Leeds Grammar School and Nottingham Trent University, he then moved to train as a Graduate Surveyor at Sanderson Weatherall where he spent 12 years. Paul is currently the Director of Fox Lloyd Jones Ltd, a property consultancy business. He is the parent of 2 children currently at Richmond House School and he became a Governor to give something back to the school. He aims to utilise his skillset where needed and is looking forward to seeing projects come to fruition.
Mrs Helen Kemp, Governor
Helen was born in Leeds and has lived most of her life in the area other than going to Manchester University where she studied history. Having qualified as a chartered accountant she spent a number of years in the profession and then in senior financial roles in the private sector in retail and IT. She has two boys who both attended Richmond House, they loved the school and still have many friends from their time there. Helen has worked in the charitable sector for the last twenty-five years, most recently as Chief Executive of Leeds Mind who support people with mental health difficulties across West Yorkshire. She has significant experience of charity and private sector financial reporting and governance and continues to be a trustee of other local charities in Leeds. Helen wants to see the school continue in its role of ensuring happy children who are in the right environment to achieve their potential and live their best lives.
Mr David Milner, Governor
David Milner is the Director of Marketing and International Relations at Sedbergh School in Cumbria. Having worked in a variety of schools in the UK, David is a great supporter of the UK Independent School sector. Through his wealth of experience in strategy, marketing and admissions, David is looking forward to supporting the governing body and school in maintaining the exceptional standards across Richmond House.
Dr Eleanor Moran, Governor
Originally from Cork, Ireland, Eleanor studied Medicine at University College Cork and qualified in 1996. She moved to Leeds in 1998 and worked in hospitals in both Leeds and Bradford before settling into a career in General Practice. She has worked as a General Practitioner in the Wortley area of Leeds for the past 14 years. Eleanor is the mother of three girls, and they all attended Richmond House School. All three still feel very much part of the ‘Richmond House Family’. As a GP she has experience in safeguarding children, and she would like to support Richmond House School maintaining the safe and happy environment for children to learn.
Caroline Shields, Governor
Caroline was born in Glasgow and went to school in Epsom, New South Wales, and Dundee. She studied English Literature and Art History at the University of Sydney, graduating with a BA Hons in 2001. After moving to London in 2002, she enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Law, then the Bar Vocational Course, and was called to the Bar in 2006 as a recipient of the Queen Mother’s Scholarship from the Middle Temple. Since moving to Leeds in 2009, she has practised as a barrister, predominantly in Family Law and Mental Capacity Law, as well as bringing up three children, all of whom now attend Richmond House. Caroline became a Governor as she considers that Richmond House has given her children a wonderful education and sense of community, which in part stems from the continuity of involvement of alumni and parents whose children have long since left. Caroline wanted to be part of ensuring that Richmond House maintained that quality of care for the next generation of students.
Mr Ian Townend, Governor
Ian has lived in Leeds all his life and studied his undergraduate degree in Computing at Leeds and masters in Advanced Computer Science at Manchester. He has worked in IT all his career for the NHS. Ian’s two stepchildren both attended Richmond House and he has a two year old daughter. Ian supports the governing body in particular with his experience in IT.
Mrs Argyro West, Governor
Argyro has close ties with Richmond House school having attended as a pupil when Miss Davis, the founder of the school, was the Headmistress. She has many fond memories of being at the school and because of this both of her sons also went to Richmond House from an early stage up until Year 6. They loved the school and have retained even in adulthood, close friendships with some of the friends they first met at Richmond House. Argyro is a solicitor and works for the Crown Prosecution Service. She is responsible for heading a team of lawyers and paralegals and the work they are responsible for is focused in the Crown Courts across Yorkshire and Humberside. She jumped at the opportunity to join a dedicated and committed governor body and senior leadership team, whose sole purpose is to maintain the exceptional standards of the school.
Mr Gary Woods, Governor
Gary was born in Otley and studied Modern Languages at Cambridge University before beginning his teaching career in London. He moved back to Yorkshire in 2006 to take up a Head of Department position at Bradford Grammar School and he is currently an Assistant Head at BGS with responsibility for the curriculum and academic life of the school. He is a serving inspector with the Independent Schools Inspectorate and works extensively with a leading exam board on GCSE Modern Languages. He brings with him a great deal of educational knowledge and experience and is keen to help Richmond House continue to flourish both academically and in other ways.
To contact the Chair of Governors please write to Mrs Helen Handy, Chair of Governors, Richmond House School, 170 Otley Road, Leeds, LS16 5LG or email enquiries@rhschool.org
