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Former daily editor heads 'back to school' in new role

One of the Britain’s most-travelled former regional editors is going back to his educational roots as he takes on a significant shift in career.

Five-times ex-regional newsroom boss Robin Fletcher has a new role as national director of the highly-influential Boarding Schools’ Association.

Robin, left, went from being a boarder at the world famous Rugby School straight into journalism at the Birmingham Post and Mail in 1984 at the age of 18.

Within eight years he had his first editorship at the Solihull News, followed by the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, Blackpool Gazette, Wales on Sunday and the South Wales Echo in a whirlwind 11-year period from 1990 to 2001.

He said of his new appointment: “I am delighted to be leading the BSA and helping to strengthen the voice of boarding.

“British boarding schools are known and admired right across the world so it’s a privilege to take on this role.”

The 48-year-old added: “There are over 68,000 boarding students in the UK and the sector contributes more than £1billion a year to the UK economy.”

After leaving his last editorship, Robin had a brief spell as communications director of Trinity Mirror Regionals. He then founded and later sold a communications and training consultancy.

Robin was also communications and performance director for the Aster housing and care group for three years until July this year.

His new position comes as the BSA is celebrating its golden jubilee in 2015-16.

The association – the voice of boarding for more than 450 independent and state boarding schools across the UK and abroad – is the lead training body for the sector and is also responsible for lobbying, media relations, conferences, seminars, publications, events and consultancy.