Obituaries Hamish Simmonds 1972 2017 Hamish Simmonds, a former trading standards officer, died in November, after being diagnosed with cancer early last year. Hamish began his career in trading standards more than 20 years ago and passed his diploma in trading standards exams in 1996. He worked at Wolverhampton City Council for a few years before moving to Coventry City Council in 2007, as principal trading standards officer. He was seconded to work on projects across departments and with neighbouring authorities, various partners and elected members. In 2009, Hamish achieved the position of head of trading standards, with responsibility for business compliance, fraud and financial investigation, and consumer protection. He was promoted to head of regulatory services in 2012, managing food health and safety, environmental protection, licensing and trading standards. During this time, he was also actively involved in local events linked to the London 2012 Olympics. In 2013, Hamish formed part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnerships, working with the Better Business for All regulators group. The following year, he was thanked by thePublicHealth Warwickshire team for chairing the regulatory services event, and contributed towards Warwickshires healthier communities agenda. While head of regulatory services, Hamish worked on the communication strategy for the Coventry and Warwickshire Regulators Partnership (CWRP), facilitating better partnership and collaborative working. CWRP offered a forum for decision-making between representatives of the regulatory services within the seven metropolitan, borough, district and county local authorities in Coventry and Warwickshire, to deliver more effective and efficient services. In January 2016, Hamish took voluntary redundancy to pursue his passion for flying and travel. However, early last year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He put up a brave fight to the very end. Hamishs strength and positive attitude throughout is an inspiration to us all. He will be sadly missed. Compiled by Bev Miller, from Coventry Trading Standards, with the assistance of internal and external colleagues, and the family of Hamish Simmonds. Credits Image: To share this page, in the toolbar click on Malcolm Reed 1938 2017 Motor engineer Malcolm Reed has died aged 79. He was well known to trading standards officers throughout Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond because he helped them ensure justice was done over many, many years. The former lecturer in motor vehicle studies, ex-police vehicle examiner and founder member of the Humberside Police Vehicle Investigation Branch, died on 2 October 2017, after suffering a cardiac arrest. He had fallen and broken his hip the month before and suffered a number of complications, but the news will still come as a shock, as most people believed Malcolm would offer vehicle examinations forever. On 24 October 2017, the sellers of a mis-sold and unsafe van pleaded guilty at York Magistrates Court and were ordered to pay 9,234. A decent result, but one tinged with sadness for so many trading standards officers, as it marked the end of an era. The case turned as many cases of this nature across the country have over the past 52 years on the expert evidence of Malcolm. He had described the vehicle at the heart of the case as one of the worst hed ever seen. Malcolm was husband to Pauline who died from cancer in 2012 and father to Michael and Helen. He also had three grandsons and a great grandson. His beloved dog, Frankie who often travelled with him has been adopted by a lovely family and is getting spoiled rotten. Malcolms sense of humour, his enthusiasm for his work, and his ability to tell it as it is will be sorely missed by everyone who knew him. Compiled by Malcolms colleagues at Yorkshire Trading Standards.