Tom Fox FCIPR
The CIPR was saddened to hear the news that Tom Fox FCIPR and long-standing CIPR Scotland member, died last week.
Tom was a CIPR member for over 32 years and had a spell as Chair of CIPR Scotland, becoming a Fellow in 2003. Throughout his career in PR, Tom worked in the public sector where he had many friends and was well-known as a key industry figure.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and former colleagues at this difficult time.
His successor at the Scottish Prison Service, Gareth Rose, has kindly shared these thoughts with us.
Tom had worked in local government communications prior to joining the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) as Head of Communications, and later Head of Corporate Affairs, in 2000. He quickly became the face of the SPS, fronting up every TV and radio interview. For almost a quarter of a century, whenever Scottish prisons were in the news, it was Tom’s face that appeared – including when Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber, was sent to HMP Barlinnie for the bombing of the 1988 Pan Am 103.
In many ways Tom was a one-off, different from many comms professional in Scotland. For one thing – and to the frustration of many colleagues – he did not tend to respond to emails. Journalists would phone Tom, chat for a while, and then when enquiring about a quote for their story, typically be told: “Just take something from what I said.” Equally, if Tom did not want to give you a story he could talk amiably for hours without providing one. This may appear blase, but was actually a sign of how carefully and cleverly Tom chose every word.
No wonder then, after he finally decided to move on from the organisation, only for the Covid pandemic to hit, that his number was the first the new interim Chief Executive of the time reached for. Tom came back to help save the day, and communications issued to staff and prisoners at that time were instrumental in maintaining calm and order, when prisons were faced with the most terrifying challenges. In truth, Tom never left the SPS. He continued to work one day a week and was a valuable source of counsel and good humour. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Tom’s colleagues and friends at the Scottish Prison Service have been devastated by his passing.
Tom was also a key supporter within his local church committee, Alcoholics Anonymous, the National Prison Visitors Centre Streeting Group, and the Scottish Recovery Consortium.
Tom was an exceptionally skilled communicator and, above all else, a really warm, funny, and humane friend and colleague. His friendship and support to so many in our industry will be sadly missed. He leaves behind many friends and, of course, his dear wife Kitty, who our thoughts are all with.
