Bob Russell comes from a family which has lived in the Colchester area for at least eight generations.  He is married to Audrey, they have twin sons aged 36 and a daughter of 23. His first daughter died, aged seven, in 1978 following an accident.  After ��an accident.� He has one grandson.

Bob is the only Liberal Democrat MP in Essex. He is the first former Mayor of Colchester to subsequently be elected to serve the town as MP. A further claim to fame - he could be the fastest typing MP (75 wpm)! 

He is a keen supporter of Colchester United football club, and wrote the foreword for the latest history of the club.  

Bob is a journalist by profession. For the 11 years prior to his election in 1979 he was Publicity Information Officer for the University of Essex at Colchester. He began his journalist career in 1963 as a Reporter on the Essex County Standard and the weekly Colchester Gazette. He became News Editor of the Braintree and Witham Times in 1966 and in March 1968 (aged 21) became the country's youngest Editor when he took over the Maldon and Burnham Standard. He subsequently spent four years in London as a Sub-Editor on the former Evening News and later the Evening Standard. He then spent 13 years as a Press Officer for Post Office Telecommunications/British Telecom at the regional offices in Colchester. 

He is a season ticket holder for Colchester United Football Club (the U's) whom he has supported for 48 years. 

In Colchester

President – Colchester Adult Continuing Education (Grey Friars and Wilson Marriage) Access Fund
President – Colchester Athletic Football Club
President – Colchester Recalled Oral History Society
Chairman – Colchester Branch of Mencap
President – Colchester Stars Cycle Speedway Club
President – Colchester Older Voices Forum