Lawrence Thompson is a retired schoolteacher who has been actively involved with Vindolanda for more than forty years. 

He has been a town, district and county councillor over a period of thirty years and a member of Northumbria Police Authority for a period of seven Years. He was also a member of Northumberland National Park Authority for seven years. Lawrence was a magistrate for more than thirty years and served on The Lord Lieutenant's Advisory Committee and the organisation involved in the training of newly appointed magistrates.

He is presently involved as a trustee in a local development trust and as Chairman of Trustees of a youth development initiative.

Lawrence has a lifelong and continuing interest in cricket and is a vice-president of Haltwhistle Cricket Club.