Richard Varley

Richard joined the GWS back in 1999 to work on Dennis Howell’s 6023 Restoration Team, on which he served for another 15 years, managing the 6023 website and recording hundreds of photographs of the restoration and running of King Edward II. He joined the GWS Board in 2015, becoming Company Secretary in 2016. Since then, he has also managed DRC’s growing Young Volunteers section and served as a Station Master. He is currently Director of Health and Safety for the Society.

Richard was previously a Metropolitan Police Officer for 31 years, ending his career as a Chief Inspector in the Counter Terrorism Command, whilst also maintaining a regular volunteer role as a Hostage and Suicide Negotiator. He was on the investigation teams for the 7/7/2005 London bombings, 21/7/2005 attempted bombings, the 2006 plot to bring down seven transatlantic airliners with peroxide explosives in drink bottles, and the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko. After leaving the Met in 2013, he spent 8 years working in a Girls’ Secondary School as a specialist teacher for students with special needs. He is now retired.

He has a BSc in Geology and an MSc in Psychology. He has served as a trustee to the Metropolitan Police Federation and to the Metropolitan and City Police Orphan’s Fund. He is a member of the Ickenham and District Society of Model Engineers.

He believes that the full potential of the GWS can only be achieved through good teamwork, communication and valuing everybody’s contribution.

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