BURSAR’S BULLETIN Issue 25
Lent Term 2025
Happy new year and welcome to a new and packed edition of the Bursar’s Bulletin, ready for all 2025 can throw at it! Thank you to everyone who sported their Christmas jumper at the end of last term and contributed to the £4,000 raised for Oxfordshire Youth’s Young People Supported Accommodation initiative. The money will make this accommodation as homely and cosy as possible, and will also support OY to help young homeless people to take the next step they need, whatever that might be. Thank you, as always, to staff for their suggestions and contributions to this edition. Ideas about what you would like to read about in these pages are always welcome and the best way to pass these on is by contacting Anna Haynes: AMTH.Haynes@Radley.org.uk Best wishes
A Moment of Me
It was a pleasure to talk to Ian Biggs (IT Support) for the latest in our A Moment of Me series, which celebrates the interests and passions of Radley staff and boys and highlights the richness and diversity of our community. Ian has been involved in Kennington Amateur Dramatics (KADs) since he was 11 – he told me more about 46 years of pantomime dames, acting awards and directorial decisions. I’d just started secondary school in 1978 and I remember there was an announcement that the original village drama group from the 50s and 60s, the Kennington Players, was re-starting. The first pantomime we did as Kennington Amateur Dramatics was Ali Baba, the Forty Thieves and the Beggars of Bagley Wood, written by one of the members and performed in 1979. My role at that point was helping my Dad set out chairs for the audience! But my family – my Mum, Dad and older sister Helen – were all involved right from the start.
Even my younger sister, who was born in January 1981, was taken on stage by my Mum in that year’s panto at just a few days old! I was part of the chorus from the age of 11. 46 years on, the group is still family-focused. We’ll often have three generations performing on the stage together which is really special. And family members get involved behind the scenes too, whether they’re in the band or helping with the sound, lights, wardrobe or front of house. Continued on back page ....