Founded 1980
Chair:        
Secretary: 
Treasurer: 

Graham Smith
Jan Thompson
Graham Mumby-Croft


David Rodden
DAVID RODDAN: AN AFFECTIONATE TRIBUTE

I first met Dave when he arrived at Whitemoor in 1991 as a Governor 5. He struck me as somehow younger than his years and self-effacing....a nice bloke. As time went by I came to see that there was much more than met the eye. Sadly that was a little too late to change my nickname for him ....so I continued to call him 'Rodent' for as long as I knew him. If he behaved himself it was sometimes elaborated to' Rodentis Maximus'. Dave was very keen on the PGA and rather
stunned when I suggested he should stand as General Secretary....he just didn't think he could pull it off. In the event he was encouraged by
his partner Denise to go for it.

Denise was his long term girlfriend with whom he bought a Victorian semi in March [the town] after they married. Given that I lived fairly close with mine own partner we enjoyed the odd visit/dinner/bottle of wine. On the first occasion our Jack Russell went doo-lally in the yet to be tended Victorian Garden, Dave panicked a bit since the Victoran pond water was so green he was afraid 'Jemima' would fall in and drown. As he spoke Jemima launched herself into the air and splashed down....swam a circuit...and galloped straight for us now a bright [s]lime green.....grrrrrr...He and Denise were very polite.

Dave was a great General Secretary. I came to admire him for his ability to relate to everybody... up to and including the Director and Home Secretary. His absolutely unassailable integrity and total lack of prejudice became evident. I well remember a Senior Governor making jokes about me in an after dinner speech he was invited to make to the PGA. Said jokes were a leetle beet ...sexist. I expected nothing less from this particular person, he was too stupid to realise that the jokes would not be well received. The Rodent was incensed. He stood up and strode out of the dinner. The 'speaker' was so worried he sought out Dave and found him with me assuring him that I was OK. Senior idiot commenced to grovel to which Dave replied "I don't have to listen to your shit".

I lost contact with Dave after he left his role as General Secretary. This followed the death of Denise at only 51. I am not sure he ever recovered from her loss. I remain sorry that I did not get to see him again. lt is days like this that make me wish that he and Denise could meet again to make up for lost time. Farewell my old friend. Thank you for your service to your colleagues, you will be missed. David Roddan R.l P.


LYNNE BOWLES











Editors Note: The picture of David Roddan in the top left hand corner of this page was taken in 1996 when he was General Secretary of the Prison Governors Association.