The principal and vice principal of Easton and Otley College are set to retire.

East Anglian Daily Times: Easton and Otley College vice principal, Clive Bound, picking up an award from HRH the Earl of Wessex at this years Royal Norfolk Show.Easton and Otley College vice principal, Clive Bound, picking up an award from HRH the Earl of Wessex at this years Royal Norfolk Show. (Image: Archant)

David Lawrence – who received an OBE in 2012 for his services to education and agriculture from Prince Charles – has spent almost 25 years of his life working for an educational establishment that is based in both Norfolk and Suffolk.

Starting out at Easton College (as it was formerly known before a merger with Otley College in August 2012) Mr Lawrence – was initially made head of part time studies in 1989.

He was appointed acting principal in 1992 before landing the job full time in May 1993.

Before working at the college, Mr Lawrence worked in arable farming for a number of years before moving into education.

Mr Lawrence will be officially handing over leadership duties in August 2015.

Vice principal, Clive Bound has also announced his retirement.

Mr Bound will be moving on later in the academic year after seven years in post.

He has spent most of his life working in education. He started off as an apprentice agricultural engineer in Shrewsbury, working for a company called George Oakley’s, predominantly repairing tractors and harvesting machinery.

He then went back to college to study agricultural engineering and his first post in education was as a workshop technician at Lindsey College of Agriculture in Lincolnshire. He stayed in Lincolnshire before moving to Norfolk where he gained the position of Vice Principal at Easton College (now Easton and Otley College) in 2008.

These announcements were made at the most recent college governors’ meeting that took place earlier this week.

Speaking at the meeting, Sally Bendall, chair of governors of Easton and Otley College, said: “It is with great sadness that I have to announce that our principal, David Lawrence and vice principal, Clive Bound will be retiring in 2015. I would like to publicly thank David and Clive for the very significant contributions they have made to the college’s success.

“They will continue to contribute to the success of the college until they leave us and have a strong and committed team of staff in place -who I know - will continue to work towards our ambitions for Easton and Otley as a leading land based college.

“The governors are now following a robust recruitment process over the next few months to recruit David and Clive’s successor. During the recruitment process work at the college will continue as usual. This work will include the creation of a new £3.75million construction centre at the Easton Campus.”

Mr Lawrence, said: “I’ve lived and breathed this college for over a third of my life. It’s been an incredible journey and I will be very sad to leave but I feel it’s the right time to step aside next year.

“Thanks to the amazing staff and students, the college has changed for the better beyond belief since the early nineties and that positive momentum for change will - I’m sure - continue under new leadership.

“I’ve had many highlights along the way but the overriding feeling I will have when I leave will be one of positivity and satisfaction.”

Mr Bound said: “I’ve always had a date in mind to retire from my duties at Easton and Otley College and sadly that date is gradually drawing closer. Until then it’s very much business as usual.

“Although it’s a few months away, I’m looking forward to playing more of an active role at my rowing club (Norwich Rowing Club) but like David, I will be continuing to work incredibly hard in my post until my official retirement next year.”