Issuu

The Old

WACONIAN 49

Edition

Striving for Inclusion

Ethical Entrepreneurs

From A-Level Drama to Period Drama

Beyond the Green Door 2021

How to be an LGBT+ ally

OW businesses with sustainability at the core

Meet Bridgerton star, Phoebe Dynevor, Class of 2012

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

WHERE THE WACONIANS ARE “As an Old Waconian myself, it was an obvious choice to send my girls to CHS. They represent the fourth generation to attend the School and are proud to be in the Marsh House - named after their Great Grandfather Cyril Marsh who, along with his 2 brothers, attended CHS prior to the First World War. The School has inspired them to enjoy learning.”

– Henry Marsh, Class of 1979

“As a former pupil I was keen to see if my children would be exposed to an education as enriched as my own with the broad spectrum of opportunities that were presented to me. Needless to say they are and it has gone beyond my expectations as a parent. My favourite part of the day is pick-up time to hear their exciting stories of their day.”

– Emma Gilligan, Class of 2000

Whole School Open House | Saturday 25 September 2021 Discover the CHS Experience for your family - book a visit today. www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk | admissions@chschool.co.uk | 0161 488 3345

Contents 4 / Welcome 5/S chool News 8/M r Sparrow has Flown the Nest 9 / Old Waconian News 10 / D ates for the Diary & Old Waconian Awards 12 / From Cheadle Hulme to Boston: Reflections on a Career in International Health 14 / V ocation, vocation, vocation 15 / S triving for Inclusion 16 / Ethical Entrepreneurs 18 / SAGE Advice

12 / F rom Cheadle Hulme to Boston: Reflections on a Career in International Health

8 / Mr Sparrow has Flown the Nest

Image: Nick Smith @nicksmithphoto

19 / A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer 20 / F ocus on: David Hunt 22 / The Peter Bullock Award 23 / Latin: Still a Classic 24 / From A-Level Drama to Period Drama

16 / Ethical Entrepreneurs

19 / A Day in the Life of an Interior Designer

26 / Old Wacs in the Arts 27 / C HS Shop 28 / Thank You Old Waconians 30 / S upporting CHS & Fondly Remembered 23 / Latin: Still a Classic

31 / Newman Connections

Would you prefer to receive future editions of The Old Waconian via email?

Email: ER@chschool.co.uk Phone: 0161 488 3341 Cheadle Hulme School Claremont Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle SK8 6EF Old Waconians ‘Cheadle Hulme School’ @CheadleHulmeSch oldwaconians www.chscommunity.co.uk

Frances Kennedy

Charlotte Aspin

Director of Admissions and External Relations

Alumni Relations Manager

0161 488 3338

0161 488 3341

franceskennedy@chschool.co.uk

charlotteaspin@chschool.co.uk

Jennifer Kincaid (née Miller)

If so, please get in touch and we will update your preferences.

Development Manager 0161 488 3330 ext. 3264

jennifermiller@chschool.co.uk

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

Welcome.

From the Head... Welcome to the 2021 edition of The Old Waconian. know that our OW community can provide help to our current students by mentoring them and offering advice. When OWs have previously supported our pupils it has proved invaluable in helping them in their journey, and I would therefore encourage all OWs to sign up to CHS Community and be part of our alumni programme.

Dear Old Waconian

And so it has proved.

Welcome to the latest issue of the Old Waconian magazine, just one of the ways that we try and keep our OWs connected to each other and to what’s happening in their former school.

As another very challenging year draws to a close, a year in which the School has had to continue adapting to the many operational challenges which it has faced, I hope this magazine will make you feel proud of the many ways that the wider community has come together to help the School and each other.

Looking back at what I wrote in my introduction 12 months ago, there was a strong sense that although the previous term had been difficult, the prospect of further uncertainty in all of our lives remained very likely.

Welcome to the latest edition of the Old Waconian magazine

The events of the last year and a half have certainly created greater uncertainty for young people, and we

Over the last 18 months we’ve been aware of the challenges our wider community has faced and we’ve tried our best to unite our Old Waconians, pupils, staff and parents to strengthen the CHS community and support our recent leavers every way we can. You, our Old Waconians have been a source of encouragement and inspiration, demonstrating how creative and adaptable our community is. On behalf of everyone at CHS, thank you for your ongoing support for your former school. As a team we are incredibly proud of this latest magazine. It’s a phenomenal showcase of the success of our Old Waconian community with stories from a global healthcare entrepreneur, a BAFTA winning

The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49

Sadly, we have not been able to hold any live events again this year but I am hopeful that we can meet again in November for the Dinner, and given what we have all been through since March 2020, I think that this will prove to be an extra special occasion. During the course of the next year, I am also looking forward to catching up with as many OWs as possible, both in school and further afield, and the External Relations Team are already busy planning events for the next academic year. On behalf of the School, I would like to acknowledge and thank you for the support which you have provided during the last year, and I hope that you have enjoyed something of a relaxing summer. Neil Smith Head

actress, a global diversity champion and closer to home the Class of 2021 who led the School’s first ever Giving Day to enable more young people to benefit from a CHS education as they themselves have done. As we look ahead, we’re looking forward to returning to live events, celebrating milestone reunions and learning and sharing more about your achievements. As ever, please keep in touch, share your feedback and if you are ever back in the area, please do let us know. It would be lovely to see you. Fran and the External Relations Team Fran Kennedy Director of Admissions and External Relations

School News Talking Compassion at CHS’s Annual Pastoral Conference Dr Chatterjee, host of a wellness show on BBC Radio 2, shared his advice about how to ‘Feel Better in 5’ at this year’s conference, which focused on ‘Compassion’ as the key to developing better individual and collective wellbeing within our schools and society. Clinical psychologist Dr Kate Brierton, MD of Social Chain Kate Leeson, and award-winning broadcaster, author and psychology lecturer Claudia Hammond also spoke about the challenges we face in a post Covid world and the need to reflect on how empathy, kindness and compassion have become more important than ever.

F1 Team CHSwift Driving For Equality A team of CHS’s Year 12 students have taken on the challenge of designing, building and racing a miniature Formula 1 car in a National STEM competition. “Continuing a legacy in itself is no easy feat; and when that legacy consists of a 4th place finish at the UK 2020 national finals, big boots are left to be filled. Our mission was to take the foundations we inherited and elevate them to the next level... OUR CAR: Our Manufacturing and Design engineers experimented with a range of sophisticated programming techniques and collaborated with engineers from Mclaren automotive & Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team.

Netballers are National Champs Huge congratulations to our U14 Netballers who became National Champions in June. They won 41-37 against Putney High School in the Sisters in Sport U13s cup final, postponed from 2020.

CHS Young Enterprise Team Have a Clear Vision for Success Clarity Facewear is the business and brand created by this year’s CHS Young Enterprise team bidding for success in a UK wide competition. The innovative group has focused on solving the problem of glasses steaming up when a face mask is worn by formulating a new type of technology to prevent condensation forming. The team has also strived to have a positive environmental impact, by making a reusable product and raising awareness about single-use mask pollution. Follow their progress online as they work towards getting their product to market: @clarityfacewear (Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and Twitter).

OUR ACTIVISM: We set out to embody the theme of gender equality in STEM and Motorsport, meeting with Ex-F1 driver Susie Wolff, the 2021 Young Female Engineer of the Year Ella Podmore and the designer of the shard Roma Agrawal. We also received support from presenter David Croft and F1 driver Max Verstappen. Within school, we created an eye-catching display featuring a race-worn DTM suit donated by Susie Wolff. Check our Instagram @Ch.Swift and website https://chswift20.wixsite.com/chswift for more! OUR SPONSORS: We were fortunate to gain assistance from over 5 leading companies who have enriched our cause. Specialising in the promotion of women in STEM, our primary sponsor Techwuman has formed a vital component of our team’s activism. What we believe sets team CHSwift apart is the definitive message which we embody. Men can be equally as passionate in tackling inequality as their female colleagues, with our team dynamic closely mirroring that of the workplace environment. We are a team who are unanimously united towards our goal; and have worked together to strive for greatness.”

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

School News Waconian Eco Warriors Fly Their Flag on Earth Day CHS Infant & Junior School has been awarded the coveted Green Flag award in recognition of its environmental endeavours, and is now an official ‘Eco School’. Pupils have spent the past academic year working relentlessly, to keep their School tidy and fulfil the criteria set out by the Eco-Schools Programme. Beyond litter-picks, the pupils wrote letters to those in a position to make change and met with CHS’s Senior Operations and Catering teams on new green initiatives. The Award has tapped into CHS Infant and Juniors’ innate love of nature and their genuine desire to improve and protect their environment.

All change for the COO In July we said farewell to CHS’s Chief Operating Officer, Sue Kershaw, who has led the wide-range of Professional Services teams brilliantly since 2014. Taking over the reins is Warren James who joins the School following a career in the RAF. A helicopter pilot and instructor in his early service, he has operated all over the world, retiring as an Air Vice-Marshal in January 2021. Throughout his Service career he has interspersed flying with leadership and management functions both in the UK and overseas.

OneCHS Charity Hike Returning for its 55th year, CHS’s annual Charity Hike celebrated its biggest walk yet when trekkers from far and wide took part in the School’s first social event of the academic year – virtually! CHS families, staff, Old Waconians and even members of the public laced up their boots and took part in the challenge, sharing their ‘hiking selfies’ with the School community. Ian said: “I’m very pleased that the Charity Hike was able to continue this year. It was an enjoyable walk ‘virtually’ and whilst the sponsorship is still coming in, we’ve already raised a huge amount which will be divided between East Cheshire Hospice, 42nd Street, Beechwood Cancer Care, and Child Flight, along with Hope 4 the World and CHS’s work in the Gambia.”

Welcome to the Class of 2021 Despite an unusual end to their time at CHS the Class of 2021 officially joined the Old Waconian community at their Graduation ceremony in June, albeit with family joining in the celebrations online. We even managed to grab a photo of everyone from the year group who had first joined CHS in the Infant and Junior School!

During the Covid-19 Pandemic, CHS’s School Partnerships Lead, Mr John Wilson, led the development of a remote discussion forum for our partner schools, both local and international, primary and secondary. Mr Wilson tells more, “We got so much out of reflecting on the shared challenge that we decided to keep it going, following up our work with regular blog posts. We wanted the informed discussions to be shared more widely so we’ve developed an independent Blog site www.schoolscrossingborders.com. Here you can find out more about what we want to focus on next year - the wider curriculum, the whole-school perspective and early career teachers - and how you can sign up for sessions.”

The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49

Image credit: Mark Tattersall Photography

Schools Crossing Borders

We can’t wait to invite the Class of 2021 back to School for their first Old Waconian reunion in December, joined by the Class of 2020 who missed out on their celebrations last year.

School News How have teachers had to adapt over the last year to ensure a quality CHS education was still delivered?

Learning in Lockdown: Q&A with Nick Axon, Deputy Head (Academic) It’s been a strange year to take on a new role. What have you found to be the biggest challenge? Aside from the practical challenges I think it has been trying to make sure the CHS community has continued to thrive, while limited by remote learning and social distancing. We have found new ways to keep teachers communicating and collaborating, and new ways of engaging and inspiring pupils. It has been a great chance to experiment too and we have learnt a lot that will continue to influence teaching and learning at CHS in the decades to come.

We have always made strong use of technology in lessons, but within days of the first lockdown, lessons were being delivered live via Google Meet, with resources and tasks being set and assessed on Google Classroom. Back on site, teachers met regularly to discuss the lessons learned on issues like assessment, using teacher-produced videos, and ensuring pupils collaborate and are motivated when learning remotely. Even when the school was open we had lots of isolating pupils, and many teachers would be faced with classes where some pupils were in the classroom and others joined via video at home. I saw a brilliant Physics lesson earlier this year with the pupils in class doing an experiment, directed by those attending via video link!

How has the changing exam landscape impacted your work? It has been a hugely important part of the year. We knew there would be some differences in the exams in 2021, but these weren’t clear until the Spring Term. We started in September with a voluntary consolidation week to ensure everyone starting Year 11 and Year 13 were confident they had not fallen behind. The pupils also did two sets of

Trial Exams to prepare them for whatever the government decided! In the end, public exams were cancelled, and we were asked to award grades according to guidance issued by the DfE. In line with other schools, we set the pupils a series of assessment papers in May whilst also making a holistic judgement on their progress across the course. It has been reassuring that trust has been placed in the judgement of teachers this year, but it has meant more assessment in the Summer Term, and teachers working really hard to make sure they awarded fair grades that reflect pupil achievement.

There are some exciting changes happening in the Lower School curriculum. What are you most looking forward to for next academic year? We are really trying to make sure pupils know what skills they are developing in each subject, however, I am most excited about the multidisciplinary work pupils will be doing. We want pupils to see connections between subjects and, most importantly, see how their academic subjects can contribute to some of the most pressing questions of our time. With this in mind, pupils in Year 7 will be pursuing two ‘Big Questions’ across a number of subjects: ‘How do we know what is true?’ and ‘What shapes my identity?’

Goodbye Timetables: Hello Retirement This academic year, we wished three of our dedicated staff well deserved retirements, including CHS’s current longest-serving member of staff, Mr Marcus Sparrow, who began working at CHS in 1985.

Mr Marcus Sparrow

Teacher of Geography

Joined CHS in

1985

Marcus shared some words of wisdom with us on his departure:

Mrs Di Rogers

Mrs Lesley Fowler

Sixth Form Student Manager

Joined CHS in

Head of Lower School

2015

Joined CHS in

1999

“When I started at CHS there was no Christopher Simon Building, no allweather pitches, no Sixth Form centre, no PowerPoints or Kahoots, no iPads and mobile phones. Most of the Main Building was still the boarding house and the Pavilion could, charitably, be described as ramshackle. Change is inevitable in the future, making all those changes improvements is the challenge.”

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

Nicola Lincoln (née Denham), Class of 1990

at A-level. He joined our school reunion a few years ago and it was super to see him (still looking the same age strangely!)

“Mr Sparrow taught me for GCSE and A Level Geography. I went from enduring the subject to loving it. He was a brand new teacher when he taught me in 1988 and he had these really neat handwritten notes that he recited in class. I think we were quite a noisy, disruptive class but he was so calm and so passionate about his subject that he won us all over - even the challenging boys at the back!

Can you spot Mr Sparrow?

In more recent years he taught my nephew Myles and inspired him with the same love of Geography. So the Denhams have marked the beginning and the end of his career at CHS. Thank you Mr Sparrow and enjoy your retirement.”

More important than his teaching and love of geography was the fact that he was a genuinely lovely person and, when I had to miss school because of glandular fever, he made sure I didn’t fall behind. He really cared. I was determined to get an A for him

Mr Sparrow has

the Old Waconians who have been taught by Mr Sparrow over the past 35 years have been in touch with their messages and memories…

Nick Burton, Class of 1989

“I have two main memories of Mr Sparrow. The first was that every example he gave, regardless of what it involved, was of Evesham, where he grew up. I’ve never been there but often see signs on the M40 when I travel North from Kent, where I currently live, and each time I’m reminded of his phrase “Evesham is a good example of this.” The other memory was receiving an essay back from him in which I had said something was “…to the left of Italy”. This had been crossed out with a certain amount of force (almost tearing the page!) and the word “West” added in large red letters next to it. I have never done it since. I went on to successfully read Human Geography at Queen Mary, University of London so he must have done something right. Best wishes for a long and happy retirement.”

The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49

Vic Bradley (née Frost), Class of 1990

Ollie Potts, Class of 2019

“Thank you Mr Sparrow for being such a memorable part of my school years. You were my Form Teacher in 1986 and 1987 and according to my school reports you found me ‘rather difficult to sort out’ at the beginning! But you did go on to say that I was ‘very pleasant to talk to’ and that you ‘appreciated my Garfield decoration in the Form Room’!

“You were my geography teacher for five years and I still go back to many of the things you’ve taught me on my Geography degree. I came to CHS not particularly enjoying the subject but you made me love it. GCSE lessons were a highlight and your dire jokes and puns weren’t forgotten easily. You made geography lessons so much more enjoyable through different ways of teaching (except the millions of Desert landforms definitions) and got us to know Kenya inside out so I feel like I’ve been to the place. I hope you enjoy retirement (take Alex’s chicken with you) and I have no doubt CHS will miss the buzz of your geography lessons, I definitely do!”

It was the menagerie of yourself and Mrs Badger who instilled in me my love of geography which was by far my favourite subject in school. Your dry sense of humour and sarcasm made lessons fun and they genuinely are the lessons I remember most from school! Since my own children started at the school I have had the pleasure of seeing you again and am so glad that both Finn and Luke have had you for geography but sorry Connie has missed out on the experience! Frazer also has many memories of you from his school days. So, thank you for everything from all the Bradleys and wishing you a very happy and fulfilled retirement. Hope to see you walking in Bramall Park sometime soon.”

Old Waconian News A Hike to Remember

MCC Mark Mr Winter’s Retirement On 30th June the Marylebone Cricket Club finally played their match against CHS’s 1st XI, rescheduled from 2020. During the lunch break Matt Marfani, Class of 2010, presented former Second Master, and CHS cricket coach, John Winter with a special plaque to commemorate his retirement. “The MCC wanted to recognise the incredible commitment and dedication shown by John Winter to cricket at CHS. As an Old Wac myself, I personally benefited enormously from his tireless efforts and so it was a privilege to be able to acknowledge his services.”

Pictured L-R: James Scott, Matt Winter, Karl Brown (CHS Cricket Coach), John Winter, Matt Marfani

From Business to Books Having retired from the business world, Tony Horan, Class of 1964, has started an exciting new career as an author. His first two books are science fiction novels. “Rebirth, tells the story of successful physicist and inventor Stephen Bailey, who is framed for the murder of his wife and daughter. After his execution by electric chair, he finds himself waking up and assumes the new identity of Jason Steele. In the second book, Elysium, Jason meets a traveller from the planet Elysium and finds out how he survived his execution. He also discovers how the Earth has been under constant scrutiny for thousands of years by travellers from a planet far more advanced than Earth.” Available to buy on Amazon.

Sarah Jackson, Class of 2016, achieved her first slalom world cup race win at this year’s PWA World Cup in Israel. “It’s a moment I’ve dreamed about since being 12 years old, so to actually achieve it was pretty overwhelming!” Sarah has finished the season ranked 4th in the world, an amazing feat. Image credit: PWA/Carter

James Buckley shares how he, and fellow 2000 leaver, Mark Hallett, chose to remember two dearly departed Old Waconians. “Mark and I decided to set ourselves a challenge of a 45km walk in honour of Matt Caine (also Class of 2000) and my father, Stephen Buckley, a former Head of Modern Languages at CHS. The route took us from Dove Stone reservoir (where a tree is planted in memory of Matt) to Stephen’s favourite climb, White Nancy in Bollington. In near perfect conditions, but with sore feet and knees, we completed the challenge in almost 12 and a half hours. We have managed to raise approximately £3,500 so far for two great causes and have been blown away by the generosity shown by everyone, especially a number of Old Waconians and former colleagues of Stephen.”

World Cup Race Win for Windsurfing Old Wac

The Class of 1957: from Room to Zoom The meeting up of members of the Class of ’57 started when the late John Goodier arranged a reunion weekend in 1997 to celebrate 40 years – 75% of our year turned up! Following this we instituted regular get togethers, 3 or 4 times per year, latterly meeting at The Thorn Inn, near Warrington. When ex-pat members visit the UK the lunch date is set to accommodate them. 60 years on, in 2017, a dozen of our year attended the Old Waconians dinner. Then… at the start of 2020….well we all know what happened then! Having just heard of Zoom, in March last year I emailed the 30 members of the Class of ’57 in my address book – how about meeting via Zoom? 23 replied that they were interested – not bad for a set of 82 year olds! The first meeting was set up for 21 July 2020 and 16 attended. The numbers included 3 from Australia, one from Greece, one from Wales and others from all over the UK plus our usual local contingent. Wow... this was a meeting that would have been impossible in person so something good has come from the dreaded virus! Four meetings have taken place since, and in July I was staggered to learn from Pauline in Adelaide that only 7% of Australians had received their first Covid vaccination.Meetings at The Thorn have now resumed but we are going to continue with our Zoom meetings, thus giving me a chance to chat with, inter alia, Jeremy in Cambridge, Fred in Devon, Tony in Bedford as well as Pauline, Christine and Diana in Australia.

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

Dates for the Diary SEPTEMBER

sept

CHS21 ART & DESIGN END OF YEAR SHOW Online Explore the work of our talented CHS artists in their virtual End of Year Show, complete with a 3D tour of the exhibition. https://tinyurl.com/chsartshow21

NOVEMBER

nov 11

SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE Cheadle Hulme School Join us for our annual whole school service and refreshments.

nov 19-21

MANCHESTER ART FAIR Manchester Central

nov 27

YEAR GROUP REUNIONS Cheadle Hulme School, 5pm

Come and view artwork by CHS artists, including those in the Class of 2021, at this prestigious event.

OWs from the Classes of 1960, 1961, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1990 and 1991: come back to School to catch up and reminisce. Join us at 5pm for a School tour followed by private drinks. If you have not been able to book onto the Dinner but would still like to attend a year group reunion please email er@chschool.co.uk. As well as being able to attend the tour and drinks we can help arrange a table at a local restaurant for you.

This year we have added an additional award to enable us to recognise both the accomplishments of our alumni and their contribution to our CHS community.

Distinguished Old Waconian Award Recognises an Old Waconian’s sustained achievement over a long career.

68TH OLD WACONIANS’ ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Cheadle Hulme School, 5.30pm

David Collins, Class of 1960

Not attending the Dinner? Don’t worry, you can access the AGM online.

Originally qualifying as a chartered accountant, David has spent his career working in international development, supporting health projects across developing countries. After working with the Save the Children Fund he joined Management Sciences for Health, a large US non-profit organisation, providing technical assistance and training to health system managers in developing countries for over 30 years. An adjunct Professor at Boston University, where he teaches health economics, he has spent the end of his career developing computer models for planning and costing health services.

127TH OLD WACONIANS’ DINNER Cheadle Hulme School, 7pm The Dinner is fully booked. Please get in touch if you would like to be added to the waiting list, or if you can no longer attend.

DECEMBER

dec 16

Old Waconian Awards 2021

REUNIONS FOR THE CLASS OF 2020 AND THE CLASS OF 2021 Cheadle Hulme School, 6pm Head back to a CHS Winter Wonderland as you catch up with friends for your first official Old Waconian reunion.

2022 JANUARY

jan

LET’S CHAT: MARKETING, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS Location and date TBC Join us for a panel discussion with OW industry experts followed by informal networking. Feel free to bring along a non-OW colleague.

MARCH

mar 26

FORMER STAFF AFTERNOON TEA Cheadle Hulme School, 12pm Join your former CHS colleagues for afternoon tea in the Dining Hall. If you registered for the cancelled 2020 afternoon tea you will be contacted to confirm whether you can attend on this date.

To find out more about these events, or to register your attendance, please visit our online Events page www.chscommunity.co.uk/ events, email er@chschool.co.uk, or call 0161 488 3341.

The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49

Find out more about David’s career in international development on page 12.

Old Waconian Early Career Award Recognises exceptional accomplishment early in the nominees’ post school career.

Anya Gomulski, Class of 2010 When Anya was furloughed her creative drive saw her turn a local art group into an international movement. A textile designer by day she co-founded Brixton Life Drawing in 2019 as a local initiative to bring more art opportunities to her community. During the Covid-19 pandemic she took the classes online allowing people from all over the world to take part each week.

“It was such a shock and an honour to receive the award for the work that we have done on Brixton Life Drawing over the course of the pandemic. My time at CHS was what introduced me to life drawing; I did my very first class in Sixth Form with my inspirational teachers, Mr Yearsley and Miss Craig. It’s been amazing the reaction our classes have had; we’ve had tens of thousands of people join from all over the world and raised over £10,000 including for Mind, South London Cares, Stand Up To Racism and everything in between. We’ve also teamed up with some big names including the Natural History Museum, Southwark Cathedral, and lots of major art galleries, so it’s been a dream come true.”

Old Waconian Contribution Award Recognises an individual’s service and contribution to CHS.

Maggie Evans, Former Staff

Retiring from teaching in 2009 didn’t stop Maggie from supporting CHS’s aspiring diplomats. Continuing her role as MUN Coordinator until 2014 she has returned every year since to help with the MUNCH annual conference and other MUN events, supporting students with conference preparations and providing her expertise to keep things running smoothly, even when the conference moved online.

“Back in 2001 my daughter was asked to be secretary general for the first MUNCH conference at CHS. As we approach our 21st anniversary, MUNCH has expanded to two days and over 30 schools and colleges take part, from all over the UK and abroad. We are recognised as one of the leading UK conferences. The colleagues that bring students

The Artist Behind the Award Our latest OW Award winners will be receiving glass awards handcrafted by a fellow Old Waconian. Glass artist Alex Blakey, Class of 2009, is Managing Director and Founder of Alx Creations, based in Holmfirth, Yorkshire. After leaving CHS she trained in Three Dimensional Design, at Manchester Metropolitan University, where she developed a passion for glass. After completing further training in London to learn more about the industrial glass industry she returned to the North to complete business training in Slaithwaite and set up Alx Creations. She now not only produces a range of smaller work for galleries and homes but also creates larger works of public art and heritage installations. Alongside her work in glass, Alex works closely with local community

to conferences are all dedicated and many have become good friends over the years. Here at CHS the staff are similarly inspirational and wonderful to work with. The students who take part have been so important to me over the years. Whether they debated, organised, taught me so much about IT, helped raise money for the MUN charity, Small Steps Nursery in Uganda, or produced the conference newspaper, there has been the opportunity for everyone to get involved. Watching the journeys of students past and present has been immensely rewarding and I’m delighted to still be in touch with so many of them. On behalf of all of the students and staff involved I am proud to accept this award that recognises a phenomenal activity: Model United Nations.”

groups and individuals delivering workshops and consultations with the aim of improving wellbeing, community cohesion and understanding. Was there a particular teacher or moment at CHS that helped inspire you to pursue a career in art? I have always been passionate about art from a very young age but coming to CHS and having the chance to develop my own artistic style made all the difference. I remember one project in particular. When we were in year 9 we had the opportunity to develop our skills in ceramics and create larger works of art. I remember creating a large ceramic figure that took up the whole kiln. I loved having the opportunity to work on larger scale experimental pieces. That’s where my passion for public art and sculpture really began. What inspiration did you take when designing the awards? My work is primarily inspired by heritage so when designing the awards, I was

keen to capture the school’s historic architecture. The school’s old buildings have fascinated me ever since joining the Junior School and it was great being able to revisit them for this project. Can you describe the techniques used to make the OW awards? The awards are created using hand cut copper and fused glass. Each silhouette is first sketched out onto the copper and cut using a scalpel then layered between the glass and fired to form the piece.

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

RInternational

From Cheadle Hulme to Boston:

Reflections

on a Career in

Health

Phylis Dobyns and David Collins travelling by helicopter to review earthquake damage. March 1976

Distinguished Old Waconian Award winner, David Collins, shares his story. What made you trade in working as an accountant for a career in international development? “I was 15 when I left CHS in 1957 to join a firm of accountants in Manchester. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at the age of 23 I worked for a big accounting firm in Manchester and a firm of stockbrokers in Rio de Janeiro. In 1971 my adventurous spirit led me to leave Rio as part of a five-person crew on a small yacht that sailed to Cape Town – an exciting 39 days of non-stop sailing through rough seas and storms. I then worked and travelled in South Africa and Zimbabwe as an accountant for two years before returning to the UK. By this stage I had built on the foundation of my education at CHS in mathematics, languages and geography, and I could see that, while accounting was a useful tool, it was not enough to satisfy my needs. I realized that it was more important and interesting for me to use my skills to help people who were worse off than me – so I decided to change my focus to international development.”

The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49

Family in Joyabaj whose house was destroyed in the earthquake. March 1976

Your first development role was with the Save the Children Fund. What was that like? “I joined them in 1974 and was sent to Bangladesh to manage a child health project based on Bhola Island, in the Ganges Delta. Despite having no health experience, I was engaged because I had extensive managerial experience in different countries and could work and live in difficult environments. A devastating cyclone in 1970 had destroyed rice crops and left many people starving and homeless; a situation worsened by the 1971 war of independence with Pakistan. Save the Children supported the provision of maternal and child health services through a network of clinics. I managed the project’s international and local staff, finances, transport and the procurement and distribution of medicines and nutrition supplies. The work was demanding – long hours, difficult and stressful working situations – but was very rewarding since we could see the difference that we made to the lives of mothers and children.”

Where did life take you next? “After two years in Bangladesh I accepted the position of project director in Colombia and went to Guatemala to study Spanish. After 10 days there was a major earthquake which resulted in the death of more than 20,000 people and the destruction of many towns. I stayed in Guatemala for 5 years to head up Save the Children’s health team which was involved mainly in training community health workers and traditional midwives. I also provided support to the other Save the Children teams who were helping to build earthquake-proof houses and schools, produce school books in Quiche (the local Mayan language), improve farming, develop potable water projects and empower communities, especially womens’ groups. Our “bible” was Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire, which is as relevant today as it was when he wrote it in 1968. Sadly many villagers were killed during the civil war in the 1980s and their situation remains difficult even today.”

What was one of the biggest challenges that you faced during your career? “With Save the Children it was developing lasting, sustainable solutions to the health problems that we were trying to solve. In Bangladesh, we had to effectively run the health services because the government was weak and health was under-funded. That meant that whenever Save the Children had to leave, due to lack of donor funding, the situation might revert to what it was before. In Guatemala, the main challenge was the poverty of the families and the lack of education and work opportunities and access to sufficient land for farming.” Meeting of nurse Maggie Needham with traditional midwives in Joyabaj. May 1977

How did you end up being an advisor to national Ministries of Health? “After Guatemala I completed a Masters degree in development studies at the University of East Anglia and then did some consulting for the World Health Organization and other international health organizations before joining an agricultural project in St Vincent and the Grenadines as an economist. Then, in 1988 I joined Management Sciences for Health, a Boston-based non-profit organisation that provides technical assistance and training to improve health services in developing countries. I travelled extensively, including spending two years as an advisor in the Ministry of Health in Kenya and six years in the same role in South Africa. I finally retired from MSH last year but am still working as a consultant and advisor as well as teaching at Boston University.”

And your most rewarding work? “A big part of my work with MSH was to train locals and I saw great improvements in skills over the years. Most rewarding was supporting Syrian doctors who were providing services in northern Syria, and seeing the improved capacity of healthcare managers, for example in Kenya and Afghanistan. From a technical perspective I was pleased to be able to develop spreadsheet models to calculate the resources needed to run health services and to prevent and treat diseases such as tuberculosis and to reduce financial hardship of patients and their families.” Which was your favourite country to live or spend time in? “Very hard to choose! I enjoyed Guatemala for its people and culture and the beautiful mountains, lakes and volcanoes. Plus I never tired of tortillas and black beans – my favourite breakfast. Cambodia and Indonesia were special with their temples and mosques and traditional dance. Bali, in particular, is a magical place. Kenya and

South Africa were wonderful for friends, schools (for my children), game parks and hikes – for example, in Masai Mara and the Drakensberg Mountains and on the beaches near Cape Town.”

A big part of my work with MSH was to train locals and I saw great improvements in skills over the years. Do you have any advice for anyone considering a career in international development? “International development has changed a lot since the 1970s. Relief work is still needed in countries with natural disasters and wars and the need will increase with the effects of climate change. International organizations, such as Save the Children and UNICEF, are increasingly staffed by experienced, well-trained people from developing countries which is a good thing. So work opportunities for people from the UK are more limited than before, but with the right skills there are opportunities, especially in health areas such as epidemiology, public health planning and management and logistics, and in general development areas such as economics and geographical and other information systems. And in my view, there is still nothing better than helping others through work that is interesting, challenging and rewarding.”

Supporting International Development From Home Forgotten Holocaust” was born, exhibited three times now in art galleries.”

For many it isn’t possible to live and work abroad in the way that David has. We caught up with Nick Hales, Class of 1973, about his involvement with Save the Children in the UK.

“I have worked with Save the Children for about 13 years. Previously it was just a half-day in the shop, but since retirement that has become 3 half-days each week. I was shocked at the number of children reported to die every year as given by a poster in our shop window. It was roughly equal to the number of Jews said to have been killed during the 12 years of the Nazi regime’s rule, but this was happening every year, equating to nearly half a billion children since 1945. I wanted to represent that simply,

Princess Anne discussing the art installation

in an artistic way. I tried the idea of a pile of discarded children’s shoes, as I had seen in holocaust museums around Europe, but, after a lot of thinking, I decided on rice grains to represent the little white coffins often used at children’s funerals. I weighed 50 grains then extrapolated the weight required to represent 6 million, so “Unloved - The

“There are many reasons to support development charities, some related to the self as much as those being helped. It is important to develop compassion to avoid conflict on our planet, but it is often reported that working for charity also makes people feel happier. Susie Dent of Countdown fame found a word for this recently, “Confelicity”, finding joy from making others happy. From a spiritual viewpoint it is important not to expect a free trip to paradise or nirvana from Buddha, or whatever god one believes in, if one has never offered someone else a happier future in your life without charge.”

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

After spending seven years in the Learning and Support department at Cheadle Hulme School, Alison Pope was given an opportunity that sent her career – and her life – down a completely different path.

Vocation, vocation, vocation Interview by Sophie Wilcockson

I’ve always had a kind of fear and fascination around prisons. I remember going into Manchester with my dad as a child and walking past the huge walls of Strangeways and wondering what went on in there. “I never set out to be a Prison Chaplain. I’d worked in schools for a decade, but I remember seeing a documentary about a prison literacy programme and thought it sounded really interesting. I didn’t want to change career at that point but it stayed at the back of my mind. Then in 2016, CHS extended the sabbatical scheme to Support Staff and I realised this could be my chance to try teaching in a prison setting. I applied, and was offered a place in the education department at HMP Styal Women’s Prison. Unfortunately, I realised almost immediately that prison education wasn’t for me, but I still felt there was a place for me in that setting. I just didn’t know where. In the very last week of my time at Styal, the Manchester Arena terror attack happened. It was an emotional time as lots of the women and staff were affected by it. In the evening, a group of us held hands in silence as someone read out Tony Walsh’s poem This Is The Place. It was so moving and profound to be with those women at that moment. We were all just women, mums, Mancunians, united by this awful tragedy in our community. I was really impressed with the way the Prison Chaplaincy had helped the women cope with what had happened so, during the

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last week of my sabbatical, I went to work with the Chaplain at HMP Thorn Cross. The moment I walked in, I heard a voice in my head saying, “Got you!” and I knew that Prison Chaplaincy was what I was meant to do. As an active member of the United Reformed Church in Bramhall – I can even baptise and marry congregants if there is no minister available – I felt like I’d found my calling. Five years after first setting foot in Styal, I left CHS to become the Free Church Prison Chaplain at HMP Risley. My days now consist of providing spiritual support to prisoners and staff, taking services, liaising with prisoners’ families and overseeing our Restorative Justice programme, which helps prisoners to think about all the victims of their crimes, including themselves. Oh, and lighting candles for people. I light a lot of candles! I feel like everything in my life was leading up to this point, and CHS played a big part in that. Working with students with SEND at CHS was very rewarding and gave me skills and experience that have been invaluable in my new career. Had it not been for CHS, I wouldn’t have been able to help prisoners with visual impairments and dyslexia access learning materials. It feels like the paths were all aligned.”

My CHS Memories “My fondest memory of CHS is the Heritage Days. I really enjoyed helping to write the scripts for the performances and I loved the sense of community during those events. Everyone just threw themselves into it – staff, students and parents. We all got so much out of it.”

Striving for Inclusion Interview by Emma Clarke

Tarique Shakir-Khalil, Class of 1988 Real estate investor | Former PwC Partner | Lauréat 2020 Role Models in France - LGBT+ & Allies

Tarique Shakir-Khalil is an LGBT+ ally striving for a more inclusive society. He was a Lauréat in the French 2020 LGBT+ Rôles Modèles awards and was the ambassador for SHINE during his tenure as a partner at PwC. “When my son came out as trans I was so grateful he felt able to speak to me. But I soon realised that many other kids don’t have that sense of safety. As time passed, I wanted to do something to help.” For Tarique, this presented a rich opportunity for personal growth. “Becoming genuinely aware of LGBT+ issues can be hugely beneficial,” he says. Tarique used social media to share LGBT+ information and ideas. “I used my 30 year business network. At first, I wondered if I’d be alienating people who are uncomfortable talking about this but I decided that being authentic was more important to me.” Tarique became a regular speaker in LGBT+ ally seminars. He involved other businesses as well as his own company as well as supporting school and university

events. Such events offer fantastic networking opportunities. “With so little effort you can do so much to create an inclusive, supportive environment for everybody,” he says. “The most important thing you can do is educate yourself. Accept there are a lot of things you know and lots that you don’t know.”

What small, simple things can everyone do? “I use the Pride rainbow symbol in my email signature, on lanyards and on my business cards to immediately communicate that I’m a friend.”

Changing our vocabulary is one way to help. “Language is powerful. Use words that don’t have inbuilt assumptions about the person with whom you are speaking. Words like ‘boyfriend’ can easily be swapped for ‘partner’ which would make someone feel considerably more at ease if the ‘boyfriend’ about whom you were asking was in fact a ‘girlfriend’. Of course mistakes will be made but if the intention is there that’s fine.” Tarique suggests one way businesses can improve LGBT+ awareness is by running compulsory training on natural bias, particularly in HR. “Recruiters need to recognise their conscious or unconscious biases and prejudices. This can seriously impact the careers and wellbeing of LGBT+ people.”

For schools Tarique recommends that LGBT+ awareness should be an everyday topic, like bullying. “Make it a subject that comes up. Talk about it. Make it part of school life.” He recommends that teachers review gender-normed teaching practices. “For instance, in music classes voices can be grouped by tonality, not by gender. In sport, do boys and girls need to be routinely separated? Be open to exceptions.” Tarique has one overarching message for parents. “The person who will best educate you is your own child. Listen to your child.”

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

INTEGRIT Y Y H T A P M E

L A C I ETH

S R U E N E R P E R ENT Have you ever thought of starting your own business? We spoke with four successful Old Waconian entrepreneurs running companies with strong ethical foundations

Conscious Creativity

trends and anticipate change. I’ve had to be brave enough to challenge myself and not get stuck in a comfort zone.”

Hannah BeaumontLaurencia,

She developed the consulting arm of her business, which also includes interior design, after renovating her home with her husband Nelson. “Interior design was one of my original business ideas. Gutting our house enabled us to make it our own. I’m lucky that I have a natural affinity with design - I love balancing colours, textures and styles.”

Class of 2002

Interview by Emma Clarke Hannah Beaumont-Laurencia’s whole life is centred around the concept of conscious living. Her life experience and philosophy form the core of her ethical fashion business, Beaumont Organic.

“I had a very grounding education,” says Hannah. “On my gap year my eyes were opened when I travelled the world and immersed myself in cultures that aren’t materialistic. I realised I wanted to live a life with more purpose. I wanted a slower lifestyle and to buy quality not quantity.”

University which gave her an insight into industry and commerce. After working with ‘fast fashion’ brands, she had a clear vision for her new business. “I wanted to create a global destination for organic and ethical luxury,” says Hannah. “This led me to set up Beaumont Organic.”

“I founded the business in 2008 and quickly won an award for the best organic textile products. This achievement led to doing a massive deal in the Far East and soon, our business in Japan was our biggest market.”

For Hannah, authenticity is essential to her marketing approach. “You have to do something you believe in and are passionate about. People know if you’re being disingenuous. I want the culture of my business to be about trust and transparency. I want our customers to see who they’re buying from.”

Sustainability is one of Hannah’s key values. “I want to support brands whose values align with mine. I guess at some point you have to decide who you want to be. For me, that’s about buying mindfully and responsibly. I bring that mindset to my business.”

She still owns 100% of the business and has resisted offers from investors keen to buy her company. “I want to stay true to my original vision,” she says.

Hannah says her time at CHS lay the groundwork for her whole career. “At school I learnt that you can do anything if you work hard enough. I got straight As in my GCSEs even though I wasn’t really that academic. Being surrounded by like-minded people and having lots of fun in extra curricular activities was just fantastic. It gave me confidence.”

Hannah is naturally entrepreneurial. (She even sold hand-crafted bracelets in her junior school playground!) She studied Fashion and Textile Marketing at Leeds

Hannah recognises that part of her success is having the ability to pivot when necessary. “Being agile is crucial to any business. You have to sense

Hannah is still in touch with many old Waconians. “I have friends for life! Everything that CHS stands for will be with me forever. I truly believe that.”

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Sustainability Through Education

curious, to deal with ambiguity, to ask questions of the status quo and to take a holistic view of a project. I’m bringing that kind of thinking to Hexis21.

Hannah Young (née Gould),

Altruism and empathy are crucial because without emotional intelligence, how can you appreciate somebody else’s point of view, their issues and difficulties? With Artificial Intelligence gaining ground, I believe we need to develop the ‘human edge’ of empathy and compassion. We can do this through education.”

Class of 1998

Interview by Emma Clarke Hannah Young creates free educational resources for teachers. Her work at Hexis21 helps tackle educational inequality and provides life-changing opportunities for children all over the world.

“I do what I do because I have a deep sense of responsibility. I had a great start in life and I benefited from a great education. I believe others should have that chance too.” The common theme throughout Hannah’s life and career so far has been her near obsession with creating something from seemingly nothing. “I enjoy the challenge! This approach led me to create an online Higher Politics course. Over 40

external pupils signed up to learn online with me over an academic year. In the 21st century the number one priority in making the world a sustainable place where people can thrive is being able to solve problems creatively. We face a lot of challenges. To ensure future generations have the tools they’re going to need, children and young people need skills in creativity, critical thinking, communication and collaboration.” The influence of CHS can be felt throughout Hannah’s whole ethos. “During my time at CHS I was encouraged to be

Hannah started off doing a degree in Japanese but quickly realised that wasn’t for her. “After taking advice from my old teacher (and current CHS headmaster) Neil Smith, I switched to history. Even though I’d left CHS, the pastoral care continued. As a result I found my true calling. And being taught by Mr Oliver inspired me to become a teacher. CHS changed my life!” Hannah is also a regular contributor to the podcast ‘Hey Ryan’ [https:// www.ryanoneilallen.com/hey-ryanpodcast] which focuses on mens’ mental health and resilience.

Cotton with a Conscience Tariq Marfani, Class of 1982

Tariq has spent 35 years in the apparel industry, running his own company, Tarameen, which he proudly operates to socially ethical & environmental standards.

“For me, it’s not only a career but a way of life. We source Fairtrade and Organic cotton products from our partner factory (Esteam Apparel) in India and export them throughout Europe to major retailers and High Street shops. From cotton shopping bags and fashion accessories, to industrial & corporate work-wear.” Cranfield Business graduate, Tariq, along with Samir Mehta, a Manchester University Textile Technology graduate, and their teams at Tarameen and Esteam bring a wealth of experience in sourcing ethically produced fabrics. Production at the Indian based factory is to a world-class standard and the site at Miraj in Sangli, Maharashtra is one of Asia’s leading ethically sound production units. “At the production unit we have worked hard to support our workers and protect the environment as well as conforming to Fairtrade

standards. For example, workers benefit from a free creche, transport, and health advice, and we harvest rainwater, use natural light or energy saving LEDs, and cotton waste is recycled and reconstituted into paper.” Tariq is also MD of MJSOLPAC, an eco-conscious packaging business. “We created a form of textile eco-friendly returnable, reusable packaging for the automotive and aerospace industries which improves outwards pack density by 40% and three-fold on the return leg. As a result we take 40,000 truck journeys off Europe’s roads every year.” Maintaining his CHS links, Tariq has recently supported a student with their Extended Project Qualification exploring the topic of fast fashion. “I think it’s important to take time to share expertise and experiences with young people, especially about subjects related to sustainability that are going to have a significant impact on their future.”

Em’s Easy Eco Emily Mee, Class of 2014

Old Waconians who still live close to CHS may have already popped into the latest business venture by Emily Mee, Class of 2014: Em’s Easy Eco. We caught up with Emily to find out more.

“I set up a zero waste shop in Bramhall at the end of 2020 to help reduce the need for packaging waste and to try to promote a more sustainable lifestyle. Something I think is becoming more mainstream thanks to people becoming more aware of the impact we’re having on the environment. My passion for the environment actually stemmed from a lesson I had at school about the destruction of the rainforest. I wrote to the

Prime Minister to ask why he wasn’t doing anything about it – sadly that query is still to be resolved. As I’ve gotten older I’ve seen that, despite the development of recycling facilities, big corporations and the government lack momentum to make significant change. I was appointed ‘eco-warrior’ at my previous job, with the task to reduce the company’s carbon footprint. This led me to want to find a way to support others to reduce their impact on the environment and so the idea for my store was born.” You can visit Em’s store which is based in Bramhall shopping precinct, or head online to https:// emseasyeco.co.uk/.

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

Sage Advice Over the last year Sinead Keller, Class of 1999, has worked as Head of Media Relations for Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and Sage. Tell us about your career path since leaving CHS. “After my degree in Ancient and Modern History at Oxford University, I completed an MA in Journalism and became a reporter for a regional newspaper. I worked on three brand new weekly titles for a large news organisation (an incredible opportunity to build up a readership) before I moved to the daily paper, The Coventry Telegraph, as a senior reporter. I learned how to write for different audiences, bring out the key points in a story and how to build a range of contacts to source stories; critical skills for my next job working for the Cabinet Office as a press officer, and later for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.

During my ten years in government communications I worked on a range of high-profile issues, from international crises to the Royal Wedding, Olympics and NATO summit. I visited Buckingham Palace and the Pentagon, and even met Angelina Jolie through her work with the Foreign Secretary on preventing sexual violence in conflict. It was a brilliant ten years, working closely with Downing Street and other government departments, but I eventually decided I wanted a new challenge. I took a job as Head of Media and PR for a tech company that is the world’s biggest producer of bank notes and protects companies from counterfeiters. I travelled to the company’s overseas sites such as Kenya, and worked with brands like Disney and FIFA. But when the Covid pandemic began I knew I wanted to be part of the response as I knew the communications challenge would be really important.” How did you end up working on the Government’s Covid response and what’s your role been? “I answered a call from the Cabinet Office asking their alumni

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if anyone could support the response. I headed up the media relations team for Sir Patrick Vallance who was supporting the Prime Minister with science advice throughout the pandemic. It was fascinating working closely with No10 and other government departments, preparing for the latest televised press conferences, interviews or articles and briefing journalists on the latest data. The last year has been incredibly busy, but absolutely fascinating being so closely involved with the response, and hugely rewarding. The experience is what has led me to my new role at AstraZeneca as a Global Media Relations Director.” How do you prepare for the challenge of working in a discipline that you’ve not got specific qualifications in? “As a communicator my job is to explain what is happening simply and in an accessible way, and that core skill is the same whatever industry or sector you are working in. Relationships are key - I always spend time with the experts to try to get to grips with the issues quickly, and am never afraid to ask questions. I see myself as a guinea pig. If I am able to understand complex information and then explain it simply to someone else then I have done my job!”

In October 2020, Dr Kit Yates, Class of 2003, was invited to join Independent SAGE, a group of scientists who are working together to provide independent scientific advice to the UK government and public on how to mitigate the worst impacts of

What’s been your most memorable experience in your career to date. “I have had some fantastic experiences, but one thing I really enjoyed was working with Disney and eBay to design a commemorative bank note to celebrate the 8th Star Wars film, which was sold as part of a charity auction. Not only did it raise huge amounts of money, but the cast (including Luke Skywalker) signed some of the notes and I got to go to the premier at The Albert Hall. The only thing better than that was when I met the Queen!” How do you think CHS prepared you for the work you do now? “Studying History and English gave me the skills I use every day in my job - analysing different strands of information, good judgement, reacting quickly, understanding language, and engaging with people. My time at CHS also gave me the confidence to think on my feet and express my opinion, nowadays to very senior people such as the Chief Scientific Advisor, CEOs or government Ministers. I think field trips (to Italy for Classics or to The Gambia for Geography A-level) also sparked a love of travel that I have taken with me in both my professional and personal life.”

the pandemic and support Britain’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. We caught up with him about the new role, “It’s a lot of work, but it’s important to be putting accurate and scientifically informed policy suggestions into the public domain so that the public can make informed decisions around covid. It’s also an high profile platform from which to communicate the importance of mathematics and the role of modelling during the pandemic in the national media. We hold open weekly briefings online to present the latest data and discuss current issues related to the pandemic, from cases in schools to the safety of mass events.” You can find out more about independent SAGE here: https://www.independentsage.org/ or follow kit on twitter: @kit_yates_maths”

Image: Nick Smith @nicksmithphoto

A Day in the Life of... An Interior Designer Caz Myers,

Class of 1990 How do you start your day? Usually doing a workout with my Personal Trainer at the gym 3 or 4 times a week to energise and get my day started in the best possible way. What’s your go-to breakfast? A healthy smoothie. When you’re not working from home, where do you work? You can regularly find me on various building sites! How did you get to where you are in your career? I used to work in the theatre industry for 12 years doing marketing and PR for numerous West End shows. I loved it and it was fun and vibrant but I found myself with a hunger to change careers. It transpired that anything to do with Interiors that I was involved in either for friends or for myself seemed to end up being featured in magazines. This soon made me realise that I perhaps had a talent which

I could potentially make into a career and which I loved doing. I decided to go back to college to study Interior Design followed by a 6 months stint of work experience for an established Interior Design company. I ended up staying in that company for 8 years and worked my way up to Senior Designer. Then almost 13 years ago I set up my own company and have never looked back! Where would I find you at lunch? It’s unfortunately very rare that I find time for a proper lunch break! What’s the best bit about your job? I love the end result when everything comes together and seeing a client happy after often a year or two of collaborating on all aspects of their home.

How do you wind down at the end of the day? I often hang out with my kids, cook dinner, watch some Netflix, or see friends and try hard not to keep working through the evening which is sometimes necessary and often tempting to do.

Where do you look for inspiration? Everywhere – hotels / social media / magazines / travel (when the world allows)

And finally – why did you choose the interior photo that you have done? I am incredibly proud of this project. It stemmed over 3 years and was a 15,000 sq foot new build house in Berkshire which clients of mine left London to turn into their new family home. The entrance hall is striking and leads into an amazing open plan space with lots of unexpected wow factor.

What’s the best piece of work advice you have ever received? In our job there is often a huge amount of fire-fighting to be done – we juggle a host of different elements as we project manage all the building work as well as pulling together all the design led elements of a project. I always advise clients that there is always a solution however un-feasible that may look at the time. We always look forwards and not backwards. This was an invaluable lesson I was always taught from the get-go

You can find more of Caz’s design work on her website (www.cazmyers.com) or Instagram @cazmyersdesign

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

Focus On

David

HUNT

David Hunt, Class of 1998, is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur innovating and disrupting the global healthcare sector. Now based in LA, he’s launching his new agency. Interview by Emma Clarke

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The agencies I’m going to compete with are enterprises of 1,000 – 5,000 people and my goal is to seize the moment of change and compete with these goliaths.

I started off painting the office at Havas Lynx. I was lucky to find this incredibly creative agency who sponsored me to go and study in San Francisco. They encouraged me to have a year out snowboarding! Then I had to pay my dues…. I’ve lived a lucky life. This agency really supported me, more than I could have dreamt. They coached me, they invested in me. That experience taught me the value of investing in youth, in talent. I’ve adopted that same philosophy in my approach to managing teams. If you’re responsible for 400 people and you’re less than 40, it’s a lot. I had incredible partners (including the father of the current Head Girl, David Whittingham). But it was spectacularly pressurised. It was also equally inspiring. We were 250 people and 85% of people would recommend Havas Lynx as a place to work. When we doubled our staff, the anonymous satisfaction level was 98%. I’m very proud of that, whilst producing great, life-changing work and driving financial success. Society has a once in a lifetime opportunity to reconfigure the work/life balance. Healthcare and wellbeing are now centre stage and companies have to communicate clearly with society, based on trust, heart and empathy. The way my clients form their brands must change dramatically. It’s exciting. I’m in a very fortunate position. I’m at the start of my 40s, one of the more recognised faces in healthcare communications around the world and I’m launching a new agency. It’ll be the hottest agency in US healthcare in twelve months – that’s my goal at least. The agencies I’m going to compete with are enterprises of 1,000 – 5,000 people and my goal is to seize the moment of change and compete with these goliaths.

There’s a time and a place for competitiveness. The way we led the sports team at CHS has influenced me in the way I support teams. I like to make people feel ten feet tall. I’m this kid from Cheadle, in LA, taking on the U.S. Because of my (fortunate) success and my experience in this sector, I believe there’s nobody better placed to face this challenge. The US healthcare market is the biggest in the world and I want to leave a stamp. The reason I believe in myself is that big US enterprises can’t change. They’re restricted by the rigidity of their culture and their processes but I’m free to be agile, flexible. It’s a big advantage. I can experiment. Being part of The Columbus Fellowship is my most enduring memory of being at CHS. CHS gave me a huge amount of confidence. It’s a holistic education. It gave me balance. At the moment my goal isn’t to be the best, it’s about being the happiest. I’m absolutely convinced that if I assemble a team that’s really happy, they’ll do their best work to enable us to be the best – it is what we have probably all learnt from the pandemic. We wanted to invest in the brightest minds. We’d take on 50 graduates and commit to developing their talent. They’d spend time with the leadership team, developing pitching skills, taking responsibility, having initiative. The average age at Havas Lynx was 28. So for half the staff, Havas Lynx was the only place they’d ever worked. In my agency, when you receive a laptop, you receive a pair of trainers. We’ve got this concept called Switch Off, Step Out. We want people to be aware of the world outside, to develop connections with people, with their lives. We don’t want them to be myopic and insular staring at a screen all day. Our goal is not to enhance the work day, but enhance life, why not?

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

The Peter Bullock Award by Peter Bullock, Former Staff 1970-2013

After I retired, in 2013, from teaching physics at CHS, some generous former students gave money to establish a physics prize in my name. It is one of the most moving presents I have ever received, showing that, at least for some, their physics lessons were memorable, in a positive way! It was also an act of that friendship which, in the best sense, underpins our community - teachers, students and support staff - of Cheadle Hulme School. I do not know who they are, but I hope they know my deep gratitude, which I express again, here.

The full title of the prize is ‘The Peter Bullock Award for Communication in Physics’. There are two categories - GCSE (up to Year 11) and Sixth Form. In each, students are invited to prepare a talk, lasting about ten minutes, on a subject that connects with physics. The final stage takes place one evening after school, when the participants present their work to an audience of family and friends, and hopefully other students, too, who have been intrigued by the publicized titles of the talks and want to come to support, learn and even be entertained! A panel of three physicists judge the results. The requirement that the talks ‘connect’ with physics is deliberately embracing. So, whilst previous entries have included such ‘mainstream’ physics as Nuclear Energy, Space - Time, Quantum Computing and The Physics of Light, students have also brought physics in through the doors of biology (e.g. x-ray and PET imaging in medicine) and philosophy (a talk on String Theory which was not (mercifully!) about the mathematics involved but more about the questions it raises concerning the nature of scientific theory. There was the same philosophical bend to her last entry, ‘Seeing things which don’t exist’. How could you not be drawn to listen to something so joyously paradoxical?)

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Others have taken inspiration from outside interests. So, we have enjoyed presentations on 3D Printing (with some home-made examples), the Design of Speakers for audio equipment, and The Physics of Flight. (The latter opened in the style of a cabin announcement, putting the audience in the position of passengers on an aircraft, a running joke that was wittily maintained throughout. I love surprises like this. They can really bring a subject to life.) Do students need to be ‘good at physics’ to enter for the Peter Bullock Award? If this means ‘getting good marks in physics tests’, the answer is: ‘No’. What is important is for something to catch their imagination so that they want to discover more about it. As they research, their imaginations are fired further, until at some point they realize they want to share their enthusiasm with others. ‘Go home and tell your mum or dad, or the dog!’ I used to urge students, at the end of a lesson in which I naively hoped they had shared my fascination with the ideas we’d been discussing. And here lies the next challenge: present a subject so that it grabs an audience, too. In this, I encourage students to be comfortable to operate at their level. Don’t include

theories they can’t explain - or even any theory at all. Simple facts carry their own wonder. A dog will delight in the parabolic flight of a thrown stick, but be less interested in the maths involved! Or, what if the stick was thrown into a black hole? Should you still shout ‘Fetch!’ to Fido? Wagging tail, or canine catastrophe? That’s what Fido wants to know! After a year without an award, I’m looking forward to hearing next year’s entrants who will again follow their curiosity and, on the night, surprise, enthrall and educate us with their presentations.

LATIN: STILL A CLASSIC

Explorers at Tir yns , Leigh Baxendall leading the way wit h a gui debook

WHEN FORMER HEAD OF CLASSICS, MR NIGEL HURST, SADLY PASSED AWAY THIS YEAR, HEARTFELT MESSAGES FROM OWS CAME FLOODING IN, HIGHLIGHTING JUST HOW IMPORTANT THEIR CLASSICS AND LATIN STUDIES HAD BEEN. LET’S EXPLORE HOW SIGNIFICANT LEARNING LATIN HAS BEEN TO OLD WACS, AND STILL IS TO STUDENTS TODAY.

Alison Sloan (née Goodall), Class of 1978

What is your resounding memory of studying Classics at CHS? “Enjoying the lessons, and also all the “Latin t rips” in England - and abroad. I was part of the group that went on a summer 5-week tour around Italy and Greece to visit amazing classical sites in 1978 with Mr Hurst, Mr Bullock and Mr Allen. Who needs InterRail when you’ve got a minibus?”

Mary Turner,

Class of 1999 Deputy Charge Nurse for Elysium Healthcare

Lunch break, en route from Dijon to Geneva through the Jura mountains (L-R in the foreground: Mr Hurst, Mr Allen, Jenny Swain, Maurice Diamond, Catherine Saunders, Elspeth Boardley).

Lisa Barfoot (née Derbyshire),

Class of 1988 CHS Teacher of Classical Civilisation and Latin “I attended CHS on a fully funded place under the government’s assisted places scheme. One enormous benefit of this was that I had the opportunity to study Classics. From my first lesson I was hooked. I loved the Greek myths (monsters, gods, heroes - what’s not to like?) but I was also fascinated by the tantalising glimpse they gave into a civilisation which had existed over 2000 years earlier. Studying Latin allowed me to engage with the Romans and made me realise that languages work in all sorts of different ways. I liked its logic and precision and I loved the thought that I was reading words which had been written down thousands of years earlier. When it came to Sixth Form, my A Level choices were easy - Latin, French and German. Nigel Hurst taught me Classics for 6 years. His eccentric approach, encyclopaedic knowledge and palpable enthusiasm for all things classical was key to my love for the subject. I was

Mr Hurst taught you Latin at CHS. How has this helped in your current role? “He was one of my most memorable teachers from CHS and I accredit him for my ability to pronounce medications correctly. Thankfully that’s extremely useful in my role of medication lead in my current nursing post!”

lucky to go on 2 trips with him, one to Rome, Pompeii and Herculaneum, and one to visit the classical sites of Greece. These trips were transformative; bringing to life the classical civilisations from my text books. After studying French and Latin at Oxford, I took a Law Conversion course and worked as a lawyer for 10 years. During that time, my study of Latin was hugely beneficial. Latin requires students to approach language with absolute precision and to be ruthlessly analytical in their reading of language. These skills are particularly useful in Law, where the sloppy use of language can have disastrous consequences.

than that. It gives students the opportunity to consider the attitudes of Greeks and Romans to issues such as gender and enslavement and to think about contemporary society’s attitudes to those issues. As Mary Beard put it, it allows us to “look at ourselves and our own problems afresh and with clearer eyes”. I know how lucky I was to learn Latin and Greek. The government’s recent announcement of a £4 million initiative to boost the learning of Latin in the state sector is excellent news and shows that Latin is still important and relevant today. sapere aude!”

In 2003 I returned to CHS teaching Classical Civilisation and Latin. I hadn’t studied Classical Greek as a pupil but, luckily, I was able to join one of Nigel’s twilight GCSE sets. So it was that 25 years after Nigel had taught me O Level Latin, I was back in his class studying Greek. I’m delighted to be doing my bit to keep the study of Classics alive. The study of Classical Languages improves performance in English, Modern Languages and Maths. But Classics is far more wide-ranging

Students from the Class of 1988 in legendary home of the great AgamMycenae, emnon.

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Focus On

From A-Level Drama to Period Drama What’s it like to play the leading role in the most watched Netflix series of all time? Bridgerton star and Old Waconian, Phoebe Dynevor, talks about making the show and how a part in a School production put her on the road to fame. Interview by Sophie Wilcockson Congratulations on the success of Bridgerton. How does it feel to have one of the most recognisable faces in the world right now? People keep asking me that but I haven’t been anywhere in nearly a year so it’s been a bit odd to be honest. I’m doing interviews on zoom but they don’t really feel real, I feel so far removed from it. In a normal world, I’d be doing press interviews or flying to New York for a chat show or something – if I was doing that I’m sure it would be crazy. But I’m just in my house in my pyjamas most of the time. No red carpet or premiers or parties. It’s a very strange experience. What was the best thing about being in the show? It was just so much fun and we all got on so well. We were very silly on set, which always makes it more enjoyable. I also loved the dresses – all 104 of them! I spent a lot of hours being fitted into those dresses. As actors, we get a lot of attention for Bridgerton, but it’s the costume designers and set designers and all the other people who work on it that deserve the credit. Did you have to do a lot of preparation for the role? Yes! We did six weeks of preparation. It was like being back at school. We did horse-riding, piano lessons, etiquette lessons. We even had an intimacy co-ordinator to plan every move in all the sex scenes. That was quite weird.

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Why do you think Bridgerton is so popular? I think it’s because it’s a period drama, which we all know and love, but it also reflects the world we live in today. There’s a diverse cast and lots of modern influences, in the music and the costumes. Everything has a contemporary twist. There are also clear parallels between Lady Whistledown’s scandal sheet and what you see on social media today. At the heart of it, though, is a love story and I don’t know many people who don’t like a good love story. Thinking back to your time at CHS, what kind of a student were you? I had an interesting relationship with school. I was working as an actor from the age of 14 [as Siobhan Mailey in Waterloo Road] and the School was very supportive about that but I never really found my ‘tribe’. I wasn’t particularly academic, I wasn’t sporty, I couldn’t really sing or dance. It was challenging for me at times because I wasn’t really sure who I was. On top of that, leaving school regularly to work, your peers find that quite strange, they’re not really sure why you’re missing class. But Sixth Form was different. I went from not really wanting to waste another two years doing A Levels, to really loving it. One thing I did find at School was my best friend Dan, and we’re still friends now. Were you involved in School productions? I was in Bugsy Malone but because I was never a big singer or dancer, I was just in the background. Luckily, when I got

to Sixth Form, my Drama teacher, Mr Westbrook, was putting on a production of Antigone, and cast me in the leading role. That was my first real experience of theatre in School and it was life-changing. I’d never felt like I was good enough before. Obviously, I’d been working in TV but I never felt that relationship with the stage. It was amazing. I also met Aimee Wood, who is now in another Netflix show Sex Education. I think that play taught me what it was like to be an actor, in a way. It was a real turning point. Good old Mr Westbrook! What advice would you give to current Waconians? If there’s any message I’d want to get across it’s that school is not a projection of the real world. You think it is – school is everything when you’re that age – but it’s not. So, if you haven’t found your feet at school, it doesn’t mean that’s your life forever. You’ll find your place somewhere else. Also, if you can find someone like Mr Westbrook, who believes in you and offers you those little opportunities, then take them because they don’t come along very often. Having a teacher that supports you is such a wonderful gift.

Since this interview Phoebe has also become an ambassador for ActionAid UK, helping to raise awareness about important issues facing women and girls living in poverty.

Image: Tim Dynevor

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Inspiring Arts Pathway Students Over the last year we have been able to welcome a whole range of speakers from all over the UK, and further afield, to speak to current students virtually. For our Year 12 Arts Pathway students this meant having talks from 8 OWs

over the course of two afternoons, including an author, illustrator, and TV producer. Thank you to Melissa Welliver, Class of 2009, James Bingham, Class of 2010, Vanessa Garsden, Class of 2012, Fleur Yearsley, Class of 2009, Ella Bucknall, Class of 2012, Brandon Few, Class of 2014, Anya Gomulski, Class of 2010, and Michael Alexander, Class of 2015, for sharing your advice and knowledge about working in the Arts.

Dystopian Debut Novel Available Now Melissa Welliver, Class of 2009, is excited to announce that her first paperback novel for teens is being released on the 7th October, or if you can’t wait then the e-book is available now. The Undying Tower is set in England, in a dystopian future, and follows protagonist Sadie as life changing events force her to rethink everything she knows about a small group of the population who have stopped aging: “The Undying”. Pre-order the paperback on Amazon, Waterstones, or at any local bookshop.

Old Wacs in the Arts The arts have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. With so many Old Waconians working in different areas of the arts industry we want to celebrate their successes and look at how we can help revive our artistic community.

Bringing Theatre Back Tim Cooper, Class of 2006, worked with his theatre troupe, Time & Again, to bring back live theatre to Wilmslow this Summer. “We were one date into a UK wide tour when the first lockdown began,’ said Tim. “It’s been really hard to see so many shows cancelled and theatres closed during the past year. But we’ve loved performing again and doing such a fun play outdoors in our local town was the best way to restart!” Time & Again are an award-winning theatre company based in Cheshire, who explore all things historical in ways that are fresh and relevant for today. “We started out as a response to the difficulty in getting involved with the arts. I loved acting during my time at CHS and after graduating university (with a business degree) had been looking for ways to perform professionally. Opportunities were hard to come by so, along with a group of local actors, we decided to make our own.” Since then, they have gathered together a talented local pool of actors and have gone from strength to strength.

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They have extensive touring experience, including performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, off West End performances in London, and collaborations with museums and historical sites. During the first lockdown however they had to adapt. Funding from the Arts Council enabled them to produce a 16 part audio drama Greyhounds, following the trials and tribulations of everyday life during World War II for the residents of Shuttlefield village. Listen online: https:// timeandagaintheatre.com/audiodrama/

“The arts have been hit particularly hard during the COVID-19 pandemic and current restrictions are making it increasingly difficult for theatre companies of all shapes and sizes to continue working on new and exciting projects. The best way for Old Wacs to support the arts going forward is to attend shows, buy tickets, pick up a programme and have a drink in the interval. Small gestures go a long way in bringing the arts back to life and now it’s more important than ever to show our support.”

BAFTA win for Aimee Wood Congratulations to Aimee Wood, Class of 2012, for winning this year’s BAFTA for Female Performance In A Comedy Programme for her role in Netflix’s Sex Education.

Arts shOWcase: Get Involved We are keen to support OWs working in the Arts by holding an event in 2022 to raise much needed funds for an arts charity or project, help facilitate networking for OWs in the industry and showcase artistic talent. If you can help with a venue, suggest a charity or project or would be interested in attending, please do get in touch er@chschool.co.uk

CHS Shop Have you visited our online gift shop yet? Head to https://www.chscommunity.co.uk/ shop to purchase your official CHS merchandise. All proceeds go directly to the CHS Bursary Fund.

Back in stock

New in

Limited Edition Framed Prints by Urban Colours

Cheadle Hulme School: A History

Jamie Edwards, the artist behind Urban Colours, has recreated the Main Building of CHS in his distinctive style. Limited stock so order yours fast!

This beautifully illustrated book brings the history of the School to life. Suitable for children aged 11 upwards. Why not share your school’s story with a family member today?

Designer Silk Ties A luxury silk tie designed by Founder and Creative Director of Lord Willy’s (New York), Alex Wilcox, Class of 1982. Each tie is delivered in a branded CHS gift box.

100% Silk Scarves This beautiful 100% silk scarf in black and cream shows off the iconic CHS crest and keys motif.

Heads and Tales: The 150 Year Story of Cheadle Hulme School The story of Cheadle Hulme School, retold by Melanie Richardson, Class of 1980, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the School’s foundation.

CHS Community Networks We’re thrilled that over 600 OWs are already registered on our online CHS Community (https://www.chscommunity.co.uk). As well as being somewhere to reconnect with old friends it is a place that you can use to expand your professional and social networks. And if you’re not sure where to start then head to the Networks page. Here you can find a network to fit with your location, industry, university, interests, or leaving decade.

Become a Network Admin! Would you like to get more involved in the running of a CHS Community network? Then this is the role for you. Among other perks you will be able to help edit the network page and design; approve new members; post and approve news and most importantly keep the conversation flowing. Email Charlotte (charlotteaspin@chschool.co.uk) for more information.

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Thank You Old Waconians We are proud of our long-standing tradition of widening access to CHS to enable talented young people to benefit from a CHS education. Here we share stories and achievements from three Old Waconians who joined our School on a bursary, thanks to the generosity of so many Old Waconians.

Phoebe Potts, Class of 2019 Third Year Medicine Student there was no way my parents could have funded me in private education. Being given the opportunity to attend such a prestigious school despite my socioeconomic background was something quite remarkable and something I hope many future students can enjoy. “Having received a full bursary, I joined CHS in 2012. I am now in my third year studying Medicine at the University of Leeds with aspirations of one day becoming a Paediatrician. Without the bursary scheme,

For me, the bursary scheme allowed me to pursue my natural talent and interest in academia, and helped me secure my GCSE grades. Whilst at the school, I took advantage of all the resources available

to me in the multitude of revision sessions and 1-1 teaching and felt these really helped me excel in my chosen areas of study. As I entered the Sixth Form, I pursued 2 science A-Levels and so the plethora of equipment available to us in the labs became even more apparent. Following my decision to study Medicine, I struggled in trying to find the work experience necessary for my university application. Being at CHS allowed me to seize the countless opportunities

presented to me and gain vital experience in hospitals from Wythenshawe to Alder Hey. The small class sizes of Sixth Form allowed me to really engage with my work and the teachers had so much time for us all. Ultimately, through the opportunities and time given to me at CHS, I was able to secure a place at medical school and pursue my dream career. This was all possible thanks to the bursary scheme and I couldn’t be more appreciative of where it has got me.”

Lylah Irshad, Class of 2014 Foundation Year 1 Doctor

“My name is Lylah Irshad, I attended CHS from April 2009 through to July 2014, part of which was funded by the Bursary scheme. Without the Bursary scheme I would not be where I am today. Prior to attending CHS, I was a Year 8 student at Alderley Edge School. Due to financial difficulties within the family, I was taken out of this school in the Spring term, and was

due to attend Cheadle Hulme High School from the final term of Year 8 onwards. In a last-minute attempt to preserve and continue my private education, my parents contacted CHS to explore whether there was anything they could do for me in this situation. This eventually resulted in an acceptance offer on the bursary scheme, and so my life at CHS began. During my time at CHS, I thrived academically, achieving 9 A*s at GCSE and 1 A* 2 A’s at A-level. I was an Academic House Captain, a School Ambassador, I was granted School Colours, and I regularly received awards at the Bridgewater Hall prize-giving ceremonies. I was a member of a number

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of societies, including Model United Nations, Amnesty International, Think Tank and more. And alongside all of this, I made friends for life. I always felt that CHS offered a holistic experience to students, where the school was not just concerned with league tables, but placed emphasis on the extra-curricular and social activities too, always supporting the physical and mental wellbeing of students. Unfortunately, my UCAS application to medical school was not smooth-sailing; the first time I applied I had interviews but no offers. I decided to take a year out and re-apply for Medicine. During my second time applying, CHS staff continued

to support me. Even having graduated, I was welcomed back into school to discuss my personal statement and application, for which I was very grateful. All-in-all, I am eternally grateful to CHS for providing me with the opportunity to reach my full potential. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today if it weren’t for my time at CHS, which was only made possible by the Bursary Fund. The Fund provides children with opportunities they may never have had elsewhere, and I hope this continues in the future.”

Your Support Our students spoke to

Once again, we have been blown away by the generosity of the CHS Community and our Old Waconians this year. Our first Giving Day took place for 24 hours from 22nd - 23rd October 2020. You raised an amazing £31,970 for the Bursary Fund to support current and future bursary students at CHS. Our U6th students volunteered their time and took to the phones to swap stories with you and help us raise as much as possible.

“It was lovely talking to Old Waconians, especially those who had been Head Girl in the past and what they had done compared to me. I also enjoyed talking about teachers they’d had, the differences between Girls and Boys Sports, compared to us; it was just really interesting. I hope it’s carried on next year.” - Beth Harrison, Head Girl, Class of 2021

551

Total raised 2020/21

£312,254

201

Regular Donors

Thank

you

Class of 2021 Bursary Gift Our newest Old Waconians came together as a year group to leave a legacy to CHS before graduating and decided to fundraise for the Bursary Fund. After a successful calling campaign to Old Wacs our Upper Sixth decided to call our CHS families to raise awareness and as much money as possible. In total they raised over £43,000! They have raised more than any previous councils and we are incredibly humbled by their generosity, by giving their time to make this campaign and our first Giving Day such a success.

Chloe Logue, Class of 2012

Junior Clinical Fellow Acute Medical Unit “I was able to attend CHS because I received a bursary when I joined in Year 7. I didn’t fully appreciate the difference it made to me and my family until years later, but I was very grateful to be in such a nice school. I remember receiving a little green book on my first day which listed all of the extracurricular activities you could undertake, and I quickly populated my planner in an effort to fill every lunchtime and evening. At CHS I was exposed to so many different disciplines allowing me to form many interests which I still feed or dip back into now: music, languages, debating, sciences, sports - the school nurtured early interests in them all. The altruistic and academic yet relaxed and friendly ethos of CHS really encouraged me to achieve my

345

Old Wacs and CHS families this year

Total number of donors 2020/21

ambitions whilst maintaining a work-life balance - a skill I know to be important in the NHS! The teachers were mentors and I know that I would not be a doctor now if it weren’t for the patience and encouragement of my science and maths teachers. I have spoken on global research platforms and participated in global research trials in the covid pandemic - the debating society undoubtedly helped me gain confidence in and refine my public speaking and teamwork. When I remember my time at CHS, it is with fondness and immense gratitude.”

If you would be willing to share your achievements and your story, please get in touch with Development Manager, Jennifer Kincaid (er@chschool.co.uk). Whether the opportunity helped open up new career possibilities, or the chance to pursue the creative arts, a lifelong love of sport, a desire to give back yourself or the creation of a safe haven - we would love to showcase your journey. Anything you pass on will be treated confidentially and with discretion, and will only be shared more widely with your consent.

“We all found it so rewarding knowing we were raising money for students to come to CHS, a place that we’d grown up and created the best memories. It was a great way for us to leave a legacy, thank the school for everything they‘d done for us and a way for our year group to come together for the final time.” - Shivani Oza, Class of 2021 “It was really lovely speaking to parents and I could tell they really appreciated talking to us about their own experiences. We created this lovely, giving, generous environment which was really nice to work in.” - Abby Greenhalgh, Class of 2021

How you can give back Join 900 fellow Old Wacs in support of our bursary students. Please visit www.chscommunity.co.uk/supportus to make a donation or set up a regular gift. Look out for more information soon about Giving Week coming this October!

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

The Amazing Legacy Society

individuals and couples have confirmed their intention to leave a legacy

Since 2012 we have raised over

from legacy donations We are very grateful to all those who have pledged to leave a legacy and for those legacies that we have received this year: Phillip Critchley, Class of 1951 David Brookes, Class of 1952 Tony Rees, Former Staff Thank you

Fondly Remembered

CHS is sad to report the deaths of the following Old Waconians: Jonathan (Jonty) Adderley, Class of 1982

Tom Harker, Former Staff, served 1957-1988

Pam Nolan (née Greaves), Class of 1953

Hilary Allen (née Warman), Class of 1964

Maureen Havard (née Maxfield), Class of 1952

Katie Okonkwo, Staff, served 2015-2018

Martin Baggott, Class of 1959

Ian Howkins, Class of 1962

Colin Pattinson, Class of 1968

Derek Blunt, Class of 1946

Charles Hoyle, Class of 1960

Les Clitheroe, Former Staff, served 2014-2020

Nigel Hurst, Former Staff, served 1969-2010

Matthew Reynish, Former Staff, served 1987-1991

Brian (Frank) Crossley, Class of 1947

Donald Louden, Class of 1946

Janet Smith, Class of 1971

Barbara MacDougall (née Hannay), Class of 1943

Carol Stock (née Vincent), Class of 1952

Mary Marsden (née Bryans), Class of 1947

Mike Taylor, Class of 1957

John Doxey, Class of 1957 We spoke to Katie McLean, Class of 1999, a qualified solicitor with several years’ experience in will drafting and estate planning. She gave us her advice and tips on making a will. Read the full Q&A at www.chscommunity.co.uk/news/community.

Martin Edwards, Class of 1958 Matthew Ernill, Class of 2001 Ann Farrell, Former Staff, served 1972-2007

Why should I make a will? Thinking about making a will can feel a little morbid, which, coupled with a general assumption that we aren’t going to die, means that many people do not have a valid will in place and this can lead to unnecessary stress on loved ones after a bereavement.

Malcolm Fereday, Class of 1961

Having a will lets you decide what happens after your death and informs those left behind of your wishes. If you don’t make a will, who benefits and who administers the assets is decided by the statutory intestacy rules which may not reflect your wishes. Having a will is especially important if you and your partner are unmarried, as partners simply living together get nothing if not specifically provided for in a will.

Alan Freeston, Class of 1950

How do I create a will? You will need to consider who you want to benefit from your estate, what assets you have, and how you want to split your money and property. There are many templates available to use online and, in straightforward situations, these can be perfectly adequate, providing the correct formalities for a will are met. For larger value or more complicated estates, such as those with privately owned companies or blended families, it is worth seeking professional legal advice. What are the benefits of including a charity in your will? Leaving donations to charity in your will can be advantageous from an inheritance tax perspective, as well as being a great way to leave a positive legacy for the future. Charitable donations can reduce the amount of inheritance tax that is payable on the remainder of your estate, and if 10% or more of your taxable estate is given to charity, the rate of inheritance tax for the remainder of your estate is reduced from 40% to 36%. Do the leg work now. Administering an estate after the death of a loved one can be a difficult and stressful process for those left behind. Some of this pressure can be eased by leaving a list of assets, accounts, contact details for beneficiaries, and so on, near the will.

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Robert (Bobby) Flanagan, Class of 1955

Jean Moreton, Former Staff, served 1964-1982 Margot Napier (née Chandler), Class of 1971 Derek Neill, Class of 1948 Thelma Newman, Class of 1948, Former Staff, served 1949-1989

Raymond Sharp, Class of 1962

David Tittle, Class of 1958 John Turnbull, Class of 1956, Former Staff, served 1962-70 John Wild, Class of 1965 Geoffrey Winder, Class of 1952

Thomas (Tom) Harker

5 May 1928 – 16 December 2020 Tom Harker was a member of staff at CHS for 31 years, retiring as Head of Science in 1988. Born in Sidhpur, India, Tom spent his childhood in Lancashire. He became Head Boy at Accrington Grammar School then read Physics at Manchester University. After national service in the Tom Harker at a CHS Science Exhibition c. 1970, with sons RAF he worked in industrial research Andrew (Class of 1979) and Jonathan (Class of 1980) before responding to a national appeal Photograph by Michael Hilton for science teachers. Tom enjoyed a teacher training placement at CHS in 1955, and was keen to return. So when the Head of Physics position was advertised he applied, hoping there would be a subsequent vacancy for an assistant master. There was, and he returned to CHS in 1957. Tom contributed widely to extra-curricular life at CHS. He led a scout troop, ran the science club and photographic society, organized science exhibitions, and designed and oversaw the lighting of many school plays. Tom was always willing to help anyone who shared his curiosity and was keen to learn – whether to scrape through a much-needed science O-level or pass an Oxbridge entrance exam. Tom and Christine retired to the Lake District. Tom became a Voluntary National Park Warden, and an active member of the Friends of the Lake District. Christine still lives in Kendal.

Newman Connections Thelma Newman

11 Nov 1930 - 21 Jun 2021 By Cathy Beavis (Class of 1972, Staff 1978-87, former Chair OWA and Alumni Board)

If you were a pupil or member of staff at CHS between 1939 and 1989, and didn’t know Thelma Newman, she will most probably have known who you were, at least by name if not by sight. Thelma was a pupil from September 1939, when she joined Junior One as ‘Day Girl 62’, to July 1948 (leaving from U6 Arts). She took secretarial qualifications at Miss Wilkinson’s Secretarial Training College in Manchester, one of the best known colleges of the time. She returned to School to work as Headmaster’s Secretary in 1949, and served in this capacity, and latterly as Registrar, until her retirement in 1989. Her service covered the tenure of several headmasters, Mr TTR Lockhart, Mr Douglas Whiting, Mr David Wilcox (twice), Mr Leslie Johnston, and Mr Colin Firth. In recognition of Thelma’s long, varied and valued service to the School she was made a Vice President of the Old Waconians’ Association in 1978; and after her retirement she served on the OWA committee for many years. Thelma’s early years at CHS were during WW2 and the family lived in Stanneylands Road, from where Thelma walked about a mile to Handforth Station, past what is now Wilmslow Garden Centre. The short railway journey to Cheadle Hulme Station was followed by another walk to School. She had to carry her gas mask with her as well as her school satchel and ‘picnic’. There were regular air raid drills held both during the day and at night time. The aim was that within 6 minutes of the warning being sounded, the children were out of their dormitories and in the shelter. Thelma reminisced that the Juniors kept their gas masks in their desks together with

“a tin containing ‘iron rations’ – chocolate, nuts and raisins etc, to be nibbled in the air raid shelters if ever we had a long stay there. There was quite a lot of nibbling, but not in the shelters! I don’t recall the idea lasted much longer than the rations.” Thelma’s brother Keith, seven years younger than Thelma (CHS 1949-1954) met his future wife, Susan Bardsley (CHS 1949-1957) as a pupil at CHS. Susan took a history degree before working for the British Council and later, after her marriage, teaching locally. Keith joined the family firm, Cartwright and Sheldon Ltd in Macclesfield. They wove silk, used mostly for ties but also for silk pictures. He eventually became Managing Director. The (Paradise) Mill in Macclesfield is now part of the Silk Heritage Museum. Robert Newman, Thelma’s nephew, was at CHS from 1974 to 1984, when Colin Firth was Headmaster and David Goodison was Junior School head. He was Head Boy in 1983-4 and now lives in Norway, working in a technical role in the Oil Industry for a company called Schlumberger. He says this is as a direct consequence of having the chance to do Geology ‘O’ level with Ian Ray, together with all the excellent Physics and Maths training from Peter Bullock, Don Heffer and others. Rachel Davison (Newman), Thelma’s niece, was at CHS from 1980 to 1990. She studied history with Michael Scaife and Gwynneth Saunders (Kneebone/ Littleton) and English Literature with Alan Kelk and Nigel Westbrook, which led to her reading Law at University. She qualified first as a barrister and then as a solicitor. After a long time working at Clifford Chance, she now works in-house for the litigation team at Deutsche Bank. Thelma’s Character and Contribution I can do no better than start this section by quoting from a letter sent to Keith and the family from Frank Wetton (Staff 1953-92). He says, “The very name of Thelma brings back so many memories of a quiet, slightly diffident smile and highly competent, professional work. Whenever you needed information about a pupil or member of staff, or, in particular, ‘Where did we put…?’ Thelma was the person to go to”.

Elements of these comments were mentioned when tributes were paid by Keith, Robert, Rachel and Sarah (another of Thelma’s nieces) at The Service of Thanksgiving for Thelma’s life. Rachel spoke of a book, ‘Quiet’ by Susan Cain which examines how modern society has long overlooked naturally quiet and sensitive people in favour of the loudest people who like to talk, even when they have nothing of value to say. Rachel said that Thelma was a person whose innate quietness and modesty belied her strengths and contributions, and whose calmness, total acceptance and non-judgement of people was one of her significant strengths. Sarah developed this theme, describing her aunt as having a serene dignity and a loyal sense of duty. Robert referred to Thelma’s sense of tradition and duty, which had always inspired him. He said she recognised the value of continuity with the past whilst recognising the importance of moving forward. She was open to progress and embraced the modern world. Keith’s memories of Thelma focussed on her stoicism and fortitude, and he referenced the long journeys she had, during wartime, going from home to school and back again. Many readers will remember Thelma in her role as Baloo (a traditional name from the Jungle Book) with the School Cub Pack, as shown in the photograph of her, in uniform, with the Cub Pack and Scout Troop. There are others we could have chosen including school holidays in Shanklin (IOW) and youth hostelling in Luxembourg. Thelma’s life was not completely subsumed by CHS! She was a member of the Wilmslow Guild and various Church Groups, as well as being an avid gardener. Her interests included art classes, cookery and local history. She was also a member of the staff badminton group which met in the Old Gym in the early days. I want to close by quoting from Sarah, who said, “She was someone I will always be proud to have been my aunt.” I think that all of us, in whatever context we knew Thelma, will remember her with the same affection and appreciation.

Beyond the Green Door | Edition 49

OLD WACONIAN noun (ould wa-kau-ni-an) The term ‘Old Waconian’ stems from the original name given to the School in 1855:

THE WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS’ ORPHAN SCHOOLS Every former student and member of staff becomes an Old Waconian when they leave Cheadle Hulme School.

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The Old WACONIAN | Edition 49