Rosemary Welch, network & safety manager at Essex County Council, is to take early retirement at the end of this month after a long and distinguished career in road safety.
Rosemary started her career in road safety in 1979 in the West Midlands before moving to Essex in 1985.
As a former primary school teacher she developed a structured approach to road safety education in the curriculum. Together with her colleague David Lindsay, she initiated much of the early work and subsequent successful use of Theatre in Education and developed innovative campaigns to promote safety for children in cars.
Rosemary’s legacy to road safety will continue after her retirement through the various organisations she actively supported.
She has been prominent at national level with LARSOA (now Road Safety GB) where she served on the National Films’ Committee and was treasurer for 10 years; and the CSS (County Surveyors Society) where she contributed to the development of IHIE Guidelines for Motorcycling. She was also actively involved at various times with ORSA (Occupational Road Safety Alliance), DfT, RoadSafe and the Child Accident Prevention Trust.
Rosemary has also been an active member of the National Training
Rosemary said: "I would like to pass on my best wishes to all my friends and colleagues in road safety around the country.
"I am leaving at a good time with the budget situation creating some serious challenges – but we have all been doing such good and effective work in reducing casualties I feel sure that road safety will continue to be funded.
"Perhaps now is the time to be smarter and more collaborative, sharing wheels rather than re-inventing them – and I can see that this is a role that Road Safety GB is beginning to develop more strongly."
Rosemary’s plans during retirement include "looking after my home, garden, allotment, my partner Paul, my cat and hopefully myself!". She also hopes to spend more time in France where her and Paul have a small village dwelling under renovation.
Brian Hogarth, Road Safety GB administrator, said: "Rosemary will be well remembered as someone who contributed hugely to our predecessor organisations, CRSOA and LARSOA.
"I am sure everyone will all join with me in wishing her a long, happy and healthy retirement."
As will be obvious from the quote which accompanies the story I concur totally with Bill’s comment. Further to all that, however, I am delighted to count Rosemary as a friend.
Brian – Road Safety GB
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Rosemary – best wishes for a long and happy retirement. RSGB would not be where it is now if it had not been for people like you building the foundations.
Bill Smith – dbda
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