Last modified on Sun 2 May 2021 15.10 EDT
My uncle Steve Bowden, who has died aged 65 from ischaemic heart disease, was a gentle, thoughtful and generous man whose lifelong passion for learning inspired everyone he met. As a cherished and respected headteacher, and then in leadership roles across the education sector, he dedicated his life to giving young people across Wales the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
Born in Bristol to Mervyn Bowden, a police officer, and Jeannette (nee Hayes), a nurse, Steve was brought up with a strong belief in egalitarian principles and the importance of education – an outlook forged by the family’s roots in the mining communities of south Wales.
John Curtis wrote a book setting out the business case for employing people with disabilities
MikeCurtis
Wed 28 Apr 2021 12.15 EDT
Last modified on Wed 28 Apr 2021 12.16 EDT
My father, John Curtis, who has died aged 89, lived a varied life, much of it in public service, helping to implement disabled people’s rights.
Born in Kettering, Northamptonshire, John was the son of Annie (nee Houghton) and Arthur Curtis, who ran a grocery store. He had many memories of providing rations to local people in the war years from their shop in Kingsthorpe Hollow.
John went to Northampton grammar school, but during the second world war, at the age of 15, John literally threw away his school cap and signed up with the Northamptonshire Regiment. He served 12 years in Germany, Trieste, Hong Kong and Korea. He was a member of the regimental band, playing the tuba, which he learned in the army. He later recorded some of his military band experiences in a book and wrote articles for the Internation