Alsager School have led the tributes to their hugely respected and popular Chair of Governors, Mr Lindsay Purcell, who has decided not to stand again on the governing board of the school, as his term of office has come to an end. Mr Purcell has been Chair of Governors at the school since 2016 and on the governing board for 12 years. Prior to that, he was Deputy Head at the school from 1978-2007, so in total he has a 45+ years association with the very successful school. A real servant of the school and the local community, as he was also manager of Alsager Community Trust for 12 years. A role which involved the five primaries and the secondary school in the town working together more effectively for the benefit of all the young people in Alsager, from the age of 4 up to 18.
A very popular local man, who has lived in the village for 45+ years, Mr Purcell has had a huge influence on education in Alsager. In 2020, the school named a new teaching block after him, ‘The Purcell Building’ and during lockdown, he wrote a book chronicling a history of the school, which has so far raised £10,000 for the school.
Tributes to Mr Purcell have come from the school. Richard Middlebrook, ex-Headteacher at the school and now CEO of The Cornovii Trust (of which Alsager is a member) said “Lindsay’s impact and legacy at Alsager and the wider community is truly remarkable. He has helped shape people’s careers, encouraged staff and young people to achieve their very best and has played a huge role in the success of the school. However, most importantly, Lindsay is a true people person, he cares and always wants the best for all. He has always put the young people of the school first and as a school (and community) we have a huge amount to thank him for. He is hugely respected by everyone and Lindsay has ‘legendary status’ in the eyes of all who have met and worked with him over his 45+ years association with Alsager School. Thank you Lindsay.”
Andrea O’Neill, Headteacher says: “It has been a true pleasure to work alongside Lindsay. Lindsay has always been a fantastic ambassador for the school and the wider community, and I have been in awe of how many former pupils he remembers and how he always has a funny tale to tell about them. His memory goes back very far, which will undoubtedly have helped when he wrote his book about the school. I will miss Lindsay as our Chair of Governors but know that he
will still be keeping an eye out for our school. I wish him all the best as he heads into retirement.”
