Tribute to former Northamptonshire County Cricket Club chairman, Simon Schanschieff

Simon was born in October 1938 to Brian & Nina Schanschieff and lived at Chipsey Avenue, Northampton before moving to Park Avenue South . Simon attended prep school in Northampton before moving onto Oakham School in Rutland where he left in 1957.

On leaving school Simon followed his father into accountancy at Thornton Baker & Co on Castilian Street. The firm went onto become part of Grant Thornton and Simon office managing partner before becoming regional managing partner. Simon retired from Grant Thornton in 1999.

However, it was the many areas of public life where he contributed to the county so significantly and will be known by so many around Northamptonshire.

He was heavily involved in governance of Northamptonshire Healthcare . Having joined The Hospital Management Committee in 1970. In 1974 this became the Area Health Authority where Simon served as Chair from 1978 til 1999. In 1999 Simon was appointed Chair of Daventry Primary Care Trust (one of the first) until 2006.

Simon also chaired an investigation into dentist treatment. The Schanschieff report into “unnecessary” dental treatment was published in 1986 and is still considered one of the most significant events in Dentistry history.

Simon also served as a Trustee of Oakham School from 1975 – 2000. He was appointed Chairman of Trustees from 1980 – 1998 . He was appointed Chairman of the Foundation Board in September 2000 and he retired from his involvement with Oakham School in 2006. He also served as a trustee of Spratton Hall School through 1990 to 2003

He served as a Magistrate in Northamptonshire from 1971 – 2008 and at the time of retiring was the longest serving magistrate in the County.

Simon served on the committee of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club from 1970 – 2007 and as Chair from 2000 – 2007. During this time he also served on committees at national level at the TCCB and latterly at the ECB. Chairing the committee that awarded Test matches.

There was so much charitable activity that Simon was involved with throughout his life. Either serving on trusts or charities which he continued to until the end of his life or chairing major charity appeals . Key ones of these were the fundraising for Cynthia Spencer Hospice and more recently chairing the Peterborough Cathedral Development and preservation trust where he worked to raise £10m for various projects at the Cathedral

As a younger man Simon played Cricket and hockey for Northampton Saints on Birchfield Road . Also representing the county at Hockey.

Simon was awarded an OBE in 1995 and served as a DL.

Simon, who died on November 15, leaves wife Pip, to whom he was married for 55 years, three sons and their wives, and seven grandchildren.