The HCS committee was realigned with the roles defined by our Constitution at the Society AGM on September 26th, 2018. The Committee members, each of whom have been actively working on the committee in preceding years, are shown below in their current elected roles.
If there are any members who would like join us as we help to shape and lead the Society, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please take the ‘Contact us’ menu option to get in touch, or simply email us.
Elected representatives
Bob Comlay – Chairman
A graduate oceanographer, Bob took a ‘temporary’ job with IBM at Havant in 1975, finally escaping from the IT services industry thirty five years later.
The Comlay family have long been supporters of the local schools, enthusiastic advocates of local businesses and active campaigners in various planning issues over the years. Bob is a council member of the Solent Protection Society, a local coordinator for the Havant Neighbourhood Watch and a member of the Bosmere Medical Group PPG.
Since retirement from paid employment, he’s finally decided that this is the right place to put down roots. A keen photographer, reluctant gardener, occasional sailor and erstwhile high latitude deckhand.
Peter Hammond – Vice-Chairman
Peter has lived in Havant since 1999 and is retired from paid employment, following a successful career, originally in publishing, then visitor and heritage management, economic regeneration and place management. He puts this experience to good use as our Placemaking and Public Realm representative.
Peter is currently a Trustee at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre in Havant, was one of the organisers of the Havant Literary Festival, the Havant Heritage Trail and recently, part of the HCS Gazebo Garden project team.
He has worked in the UK and Europe in the publishing industry, managed a number of EU-funded projects and, latterly, was one of the original EU-sponsored cohort of qualified Place Managers in the UK, developing strategies to promote economic and cultural benefits for all in communities.
Peter sincerely believes that if organisations and agencies can work together to develop a sense of place in a community, then residents can identity with, and have pride in where they live, which encourages an area to develop positively and thrive.
He hopes that HCS can play a leading role in achieving this important aim.
Vernon Stradling – Hon. Treasurer
Vernon has lived in Havant since 2007 and been the Society’s Treasurer since 2015. Following a first career in the Royal Navy and a second as a small business owner, Vernon is now retired and busier than ever. His first experience of handling other people’s money was in 1976, as Wardroom Mess Treasurer in HMS AURORA, and he’s been told he’ll have to keep doing it until he gets it right. He thanks all the Society’s members for giving him this opportunity to achieve that goal.
Christopher Evans – Planning representative
Christopher moved to Havant early in 1984, having joined Perrings the previous year as manager of their Portsmouth store. Both his daughters attended Fairfield & Bosmere schools, whilst his younger daughter continued on to Warblington and Havant College. In the late 80s and early 90s, he was involved with the Havant & Bedhampton Ratepayers Association, latterly as chairman.
Since retiring, he has become an active member of Havant U3A, as well as the Friends of Havant Cemeteries, followed at some point by Bill Woods inveigling him into joining the HCS committee to keep an eye on planning applications. Alongside that, on behalf of HCS, he has persuaded Royal Mail to restore the Edward VIIIth cypher on the old Post Office building and BT to replace the door on the listed telephone box outside St Faiths.
Havant Civic Society 