COLCHESTER Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) has welcomed Chris Holmes to the board of directors.Mr Holmes retired as senior partner with Essex law firm Birkett Long Solicitors in 2007 but remains a consultant.

COLCHESTER Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) has welcomed Chris Holmes to the board of directors.

Mr Holmes retired as senior partner with Essex law firm Birkett Long Solicitors in 2007 but remains a consultant.

His 45 years with the firm began as an articled clerk. He developed an expertise in family law, and became a recorder sitting in the south eastern circuit and driving the opening of the firm's third office in Chelmsford.

In 2000, he was awarded an OBE for his fundraising work for the St Helena Hospice in Colchester. He was its chairman from 1982 to 1996 and until recently was its vice-president.

In 1990 he became Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Essex and from 1996 has been chairman of Macmillan Cancer Support in Essex, where he was responsible for leading three appeals that raised more than £4.6million. He is also a trustee of the Essex Community Foundation, sitting on its grants and finance committee.

Bob Baggalley, Colbea's chief executive said Mr Holmes would be “a real asset” to the board.