Ampleforth Diary Autumn 2021

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AMPLEFORTH DIARY AUTUMN 2021

Ampleforth Diary

Contents 2 4 6 8 10 12 13 16 18 20 21 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36

Welcome Nepal Trek 2019 The Raft Race Celebrating the Canonisation of Cardinal Newman Sistine Chapel Day Mental Health House Athletics Lockdown Learning Ampleforth Debating Society A Benedictine Education is…

Note on race, privilege and protest Girls’ Cricket Operation Morning Thunder The Big Walk Choral Scholarship Success The Learning Hub What is the purpose of ‘A Catholic Education’?

The Rule of St Benedict College Leavers 2021

38 40 44 47 49 50 54 56

Online Events Overview OAs Living and Working in Lockdown Interview: James Harte Dyke Interview: John Keay Thoughts on the process of using Ampleforth Global Connect, BTS Monastery Lockdown Life Dates for the Diary

58 A Community that Creates Impact 60 How to go on Pilgrimage in a Lockdown 62 Old Ampleforian Cricket in the Valley 66 My Vocation: Fr Kentigern Hagan OSB 68 Professor Michael Clanchy

Marketing & Communications Office, Ampleforth College, York YO62 4ER’ Tel: 01439 766777 Email: societymail@ampleforth.org.uk

Design: www.mercerdesign.co.uk

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WELCOME

Greetings from Ampleforth Abbey.

As this is the first Diary for some time, I would like to take this opportunity to assure you of the constant support and prayers of the monastic community. We have all lived through unexpected and challenging times, but God has remained faithful. This has truly been an invitation to grow in faith.

Since my own unexpected return to Ampleforth in February I have steadily been trying to navigate my way through what has been a huge learning curve. Thankfully there are many helpful supporters who give wise and careful guidance. One thing is certainly clear to me, this is now the time to embrace the future with hope. We have a future because we each decide to have one.

We choose how we ourselves will be protagonists of this future and confident in God’s presence we move forward.

This excellent edition of the Ampleforth Diary provides an entertaining snapshot of the ways in which the Ampleforth community came together to thrive and flourish even in the very challenging circumstances of recent times. The Diary shows clearly that we are all stronger and happier when we work together with our Benedictine values to the fore. I am very proud of the way students, staff, parents, former parents and Old Amplefordians have engaged with each to support and preserve the educational opportunities for our current students and those yet to arrive. We have a stimulating and exciting Vision for the future and we look forward to the College and community going from strength to strength. Thank you – all of you.

Robin Dyer Head of Ampleforth College

Know that your interest and support is valued and that your concerns are important to the community as we pray for you each day.

Abbot Robert Igo OSB

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us for our fundraising. Here we said our goodbyes to them by giving out some small gifts to the children.

Then we preceded to visit three other villages, each with different experiences, including eating in old tea houses, trying local delicacies and getting views of the landscape that come once in a lifetime.

Between these villages we trekked for several hours, with all the hazards of leeches, long

Nepal Trek 2019 Rupert wrote this article for the last issue of the Diary, that was due to be published in Spring 2020 but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We hope you enjoy reading his reflection.

During the 2019 Autumn halfterm, 24 other students and I journeyed halfway around the world along with five teachers to the extremely mountainous country of Nepal. Lead by Major, (now Lt Col) Blackford, who has a huge amount of experience of Nepal after working with the Gurkhas for many years, the trip allowed us to take in two very different parts of Nepal: the mad bustle of the cities and the peaceful life in the hills. To start our time there we had a tour of Kathmandu, led by Major Ram, an old friend of Lt Col Blackford. He demonstrated to us how the two main religions of Nepal live very closely and in relative harmony, as we were shown both Buddhist and

drops, blisters and endless uphill steps. However, the walking gave us a great chance to speak to people we would not usually speak to around school. Our spirits were kept high by a rather persistent but friendly Labrador and lots of food. Eventually, once we had left the final village, we returned to Kathmandu for a final day of shopping.

I think from my experience with the people in the hills of

Nepal, it really exposed the consumerism of our homes, and how generally we are so ungrateful for what we have.

The Nepalese people savour everything they have and yet still shared so much with us; I was truly humbled by their hospitality.

I would like to give my thanks to Lt Col Blackford and all the teachers who made this trip possible and such a memorable experience, along with our guides, who not only led us, but were great friends to us.

by Rupert Pomroy (T21)

Hindu sacred places. We were also able to do some shopping which involved haggling for items with a fair bit of success, followed by a much-needed rest at the Kathmandu Guest House, where we stayed for our first two nights. Here, we met our guides who travelled with us for the rest of the trip.

Following this, we ventured by bus into the hills to one of the two villages we raised money for called Gilung (the other was Pasgaun). The people greeted us with dozens of flower garlands, and we met the school’s Headmaster. The next day, we saw our first glimpses of the stunning landscape on a tour of the village and were Our journey then continued humbled to see the poverty the with a 7-hour bus ride, people lived in. What amazed featuring a stop to fix the me the most was how, despite drive shaft box back onto the their poverty, they gave us all bus, to the smaller city of they could and even opened Pokhara where we spent one their homes to us, allowing us night and visited the Gurkha to experience the Nepalese Welfare Trust. We met Old way of life in the hills. In the Amplefordian John White evening we experienced a very (O75) who talked to us about energetic dance show, with what the Trust does and how it outstanding performances aids the ex-Gurkhas and their from Lt Col Blackford and Mr families. The work they have Torrens-Burton; we even had a done since the 2015 earthquake few dance offs; however, I do in Nepal is astonishing and if not think the Nepalese people you would like to read more were that impressed! The or donate you can do so by next day we visited the school visiting their website: outside the village, where they www.gwt.org.uk put on a show for us, to thank

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THE RAFT RACE

by William Johnson-Ferguson (C21) This year’s annual Raft Race was, of course, won by St Cuthbert’s. The following is my own recount of its happenings.

Cold. Tired. Hungry. Sore. A whole manner of words can be used to describe how you feel after the walk down to the lakes, but those are just a choice few.

The scene upon arrival was one of chaos. Life-vests lay strewn across the muddy ground, and Mr Anglim could be heard shouting safety brief and Mr Connor tossing helmets at those stumbling around in his vicinity.

The raft was being assembled and those who had been ‘selected’ to mount the driftwood were preparing themselves. I was lucky enough to not be on the raft this year and once I had finished contemplating my own good fortune, the raft was finished, and was being propelled towards the lake’s entry point. The small matter of whether it was ready, or unready, to bear its charge, would soon reveal itself.

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There was a large splash as the raft fell hard into the water, and then began tilting upwards at an alarming angle, but this was quickly reconciled by the raft’s team of composers (Mieszko proving his utility to the House in an act of consummate bravery). Following this, another even larger - and louder - splash was heard as the first raft crew entered the fray, scaled the barrels attached to the logs, and set about starting the gruelling paddle towards the centre of the lake.

We watched as our compatriots surged through the frothing, murky water of the lakes, pushed on by what I would love to label their sheer drive to win, but what was in fact their manically screaming Housemaster, whose voice resembled a jet engine. He too, like the water surrounding them, was frothing around the mouth.

The cacophony of support on the banks of the lake had reached a dissonant crescendo,

with the amphibious plankof-wood having rounded the buoy in the middle of the lake.

Our boys embarked on their journey back, and those who were boarding the second raft began their own preparation.

The noise grew louder, and a glimmer of hope that we might actually win, began to shine through.

The raft race is really good fun. It’s definitely a high point of the year; in terms of House competitions, it’s one of the best. It provides a real sense of belonging, especially to those who are new to the school, new to the House, or even just to those who haven’t yet settled into the swing of the autumn term. The annual raft race is a great opportunity to feel closer to those around you following a long summer holiday - it will be one of the many things I’ll miss about life at Ampleforth College.

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Maria wrote this article for the last issue of the Diary, that was due to be published in Spring 2020 but was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. We hope you enjoy reading her reflection.

T

he Canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman was an extraordinary occasion for both our Nation and the Catholic Church. As the first English saint since the martyrs, Newman is a figure who symbolises the renewal of the Catholic faith in Britain. A few years ago, Fr Henry Wansbrough, inspired

by Newman’s example of scholarship in faith and theology, established what is known as the ‘Newman Group’: a collection of sixth form students who meet regularly to listen to Fr Henry and guest speakers who provide lecture style lessons on their topic of theological expertise.

Celebrating the Canonisation of

CARDINAL NEWMAN

by Maria Toone (B20)

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In preparation for the Canonisation, the group, including myself, were able to listen to three talks on Newman. Having considered this ‘to be saint’ as nothing more than a name and a painting attached to the Pope’s visit in 2010, I have never thought of Cardinal Newman with much enthusiasm. Somehow the idea of a Victorian priest who grew up in London seemed less exotic and intriguing than my preferred saints to research, such as the modern Mother Teresa. However, the first talk with Fr Alexander McCabe demonstrated to me that without Newman, the Catholic Church would not be the same today. He is often described as the Father of the Second Vatican council, as his writings, particularly on rediscovering the authentic teachings of the

Church Fathers, influenced the beginning of a new age for the Church. I also discovered he was the author of the poem, The Dream of Gerontius, which Edward Elgar set for voices and orchestra in two parts, not to mention Praise to the Holiest in the Height, which is often heard in Sunday Mass in the Abbey Church. Newman was beginning to become a figure more familiar to my life than I had initially thought.

above all, it is the pursuit of the Gospel which makes us holy.

As the Catechist of St Bede’s House, I was privileged to be commissioned on the same day of the Canonisation, 13 October 2019. We were given a book with a Collection of prayers, poems and meditations from Newman.

It was through reading some of these that drew me to begin to form a personal affinity with Newman as the book opened onto these words of wisdom:

Fr Henry also gave a talk, leading us through Newman’s life. What struck me what the incredible courage and humility Newman showed as he converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism, leaving his reputation and influential friends behind. He writes as he made this decision, “I am giving up everything.”

He radically pursued the use of conscience, saying, “I shall drink to the Pope, if you please, still, to conscience first.”

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission.

I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.

I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.

We were also taken kindly

by Miss Thompson and Mrs Pepper to hear Bishop Robert Byrne speak in Durham about Newman. The Bishop focused mainly on what makes Newman a Saint. At the heart of this was his love for God, which overflowed in his overwhelming kindness, particularly to those in need in his community in Littlemore. He also pointed out that Newman was saintly before his conversion to Catholicism, making him a unifying figure between Catholicism and Anglicanism, showing that,

“He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.”

These words are words I hope to echo and believe have been instilled in me throughout my Ampleforth education. The celebration of his Canonisation was marked by fireworks in the Valley, of which the whole school enjoyed on the Saturday evening with members of the Ampleforth Society. I’m sure that Newman will be interceding for Ampleforth and how grateful we are to be able to look to his witness for our own lives.

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SISTINE CHAPEL DAY

by Cecelia Wishart (M)

D

uring the Christmas term the Middle Sixth A Level Art group took part in a Sistine Chapel Day. We were put into small groups of 4-6 people and were given a task to use chalks, charcoals and graphites to create a huge scale art piece of a painting in the Sistine chapel of our choice. In the morning we spent time scaling up the small print out copies to the size that our art was going to be. Although it didn’t seem necessary at the time, as the day went on, we realised just how much help it was going to be to us. We had all day to complete the piece, which seemed like a particularly long time but boy, how did time fly!!

Each group had a different colour as their base, which made each group’s art different and unique to the others. Usually in both GCSE art and A Level art we spend time working individually to create our own work, but this day gave us a chance to be able to collaborate as a group. I don’t think that many of us had known beforehand how nice it was to work in a group of people for such a long time, where we could use each artist’s strengths and different styles of working to our advantage. As time went on the drawings started to come together and it was amazing to see the differences between them all. Some were more contemporary and others more cartoon, although this was what made it so fun to be a part of. Each group focussed on different formal elements i.e. tone and line and you could really see this in the end result. After a day of drawing with chalk and charcoal I didn’t think that it would ever come out of my hands, but it was worth it because when the finished pieces were hung up in Main Hall over the balcony, we could finally see what all our hard work was for.

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Mental Health

by Greg Chang (H21)

We all suffer from mental health problems and I strongly believe it is vital to offer various, suitable ways to deal with it. I chose to ask the Upper Sixth about mental health because they have the experience of dealing with the stresses of GCSEs, A Levels, and ordinary school life. Moreover, the younger years are more likely to listen to a Year 13, which makes it especially easy to connect and ultimately not lead to words falling on empty ears.

In my video, the Upper Sixth who I interviewed did sometimes offer contrasting advice. I saw this as an opportunity to show that as a person grows up, they develop their own healthy method to dealing with mental health problems. It is a personal task, yet advice from others should always be in consideration.

To conclude, I made this video as a way to give back to a community which I treasure and will always be in debt too. This is just a small part in raising awareness about mental health problems.

There is undoubtedly a long way to go, however, you do not have to be great to start, but, you have to start to be great.

HOUSE ATHLETICS

by Daniel English-Brown (J)

A

mpleforth’s elite athletes took position behind the 100 metre starting line; their heads faced down, the air was silent, their breaths heavy and all eyes were on them. “On your mark, set...” Lt Col Blackford was in his element! “Bang!” went his starting ‘pistol. They exploded from the blocks and the intensity with which they raced was matched only by the volume of support from the stands. Each House was sure that the louder they screamed, the faster their representatives would run: who needs training in such a world?

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There were two primary things that I am ever so happy to have witnessed: the first, ironically, came during the 32 by 200 metre event where Augustin Lai (J) took up the baton for St John’s and tore up the track with blistering fury and speed! Initially this was in the wrong direction, but once he found his way there was no hope for his opponents; a maxim for life: if you value your pride, don’t race Augustin Lai. The second spectacle worthy of note was Fr Ambrose with the microphone. Despite a couple of slip-ups, the passion with which he spoke into the microphone surely indicates that, in another life, Fr Ambrose would be a successful MC. His stage name? perhaps ‘Lil Ambreezy,’ however, I am open to suggestions on that.

A proper characterisation of my first Ampleforth House Athletics must surely be: “an event with uniqueness and pleasurable success that is unique to Ampleforth.”

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LOCKDOWN LEARNING Although this last year probably stands out most for its mind-numbing, soul-sucking boringness, it is of great historical interest. Of course, to say that about the present is quite a statement to make, but I feel it is justified. This year will be one we look back on as a turning point, and therefore I think creating as many primary sources as we can will be important (not least to torture history students in 70 years’ time). Alternatively, it just seems big because it happened to me and in a few years people will have got over it (see any event in history, ever).

Since the start of the pandemic was akin to the best science fiction apocalypse books I think that it ought to be recorded. I remember hearing seemingly meaningless snippets on the radio talking about a virus in China, and those references becoming more and more ominous in the early months of 2020. I recall a now very strange interview I heard in the lent half-term holiday: the man interviewed was a Chinese Scientist who kept warning the interviewer about a ‘damn’ that was about the break and flood the world (i.e. the Virus), and the interview responding: “well I doubt it will come to all that” as BBC interviewers like to do. Either way, this ominously unconcerned start followed by panicked leaving of schools and endless death statistics and ‘lock-downs’ seems to have petered out into the most un-science fiction result possible (probably a good thing really).

So now here I am a year and a bit later. No apocalypse. No triffids. But the good news – no exams. I see now that by missing my GCSEs my year had the best luck of all, seeing the year above and below suffering with the education departments quasi-exam torture.

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But what really happened whilst I was getting bored in lock-down? The world it seems has changed. The Internet has found its reason to be everywhere – there is no going back now.

But why should we? If we are intelligent about it (as if) then it will be used for good and will not replace those good things we have. If we are not, as is to be expected, the impact upon the Human will be catastrophic.

And what a telling measure of human nature the last year has been. The most important things in our lives suddenly becoming clear: our communities and human interactions. And yet in balance to this the spectre of human indifference is raising its apathetic head once again, and we have seen mankind become selfish on a global level, driven by a fear fuelled by the media. I myself by writing this article have demonstrated this fear and selfishness, by concentrating on the surreal nature of the past year, by complaining about my own privileged position as ‘monotonous’ and by omitting the most important aspect of this pandemic: Mankind is mortal.

Looking back at lockdown is surreal, it feels like a lifetime ago, and yet was only a few months. At the time, many students struggled to cope with online lessons and complex topics were difficult to teach without personal interaction, but it is worth taking a moment to appreciate the work the teachers put in. They also had to adapt to teaching from home, they had the near impossible task of instigating work through a screen. Every lesson they had to appear cheerful, even if they were not feeling particularly enthusiastic. One can see, looking back, the work they put in, the time

it takes to prepare a lesson, and then to deliver it to tired teenagers. My physics teacher for example made quizzes which involved current events and inside jokes to get us interested, while at the same time ensuring we were working by intertwining these with the course content. It is this kind of selfless commitment from staff, even in difficult times, which helps to define an Ampleforth education, and develop each student in more than just an academic sense.

by Alasdair McKell (J)

No matter what we have created, discovered, destroyed or conquered we still die, defeated by a microscopic enemy (see H.G.Wells). We do not rule the world and we never will.

So those reading this (if you exist) many years in the future, think of this brief episode of History as the moment Man was once again humbled by Creation, and I pray it will also be the moment Mankind learned, if only in a small way, what it truly needs is not what it thinks it wants.

by Henry Wakeham-Dawson (DO)

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Ampleforth Debating Society

by Henry Wakeham-Dawson (DO) It was certainly good news when the Government had argued with itself on the internet sufficiently to allow us to argue with each other face to face. The Ampleforth Debating Society, which had been running steadily online has now returned to the Library, where attendance has rocketed. In a world of the equally concerning extremes of censorship and radicalism, what could be more important than debate? Where better to learn how to see through the meaningless spin, fancy rhetoric and down right lies to the heart of the matter than at 9:00 on Thursdays in the Library?

Those (now honourable fellows) who have taken a stand and debated themselves have truly done themselves

a favour – not only an opportunity to state their case but moreover the acquisition of those vital skills: public speaking, cohesive arguing and contemporary understanding.

It is an encouraging testimony of our generation’s war against indifference that anyone would show up to watch at all, let alone bombard the speakers with (usually) powerful questions. It seems the often shocking attention span of the modern social-media-spoonfed world is being stretched.

It is a curious thing, speaking to a camera in the knowledge that there could be a hundred people or no-one at all watching at the other end, trying to convince an audience that you can not see nor hear.

It is uncanny arguing to only

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one face – your own – but this (for better or for worse) is the future. To talk to a room with 20 people in it knowing that the hundred thousand watching through the small camera at the back are the ones who will matter in the vote. Knowing you can’t say one thing to one person and another to someone else, you can’t tailor your arguments to the listeners because the listeners are everyone in the world. You can’t read the camera lens as you might read the room. Our first live-stream debate put this change into perspective for us, those speaking having to learn to debate in a way the world has known for barely half a century. Cicero and Demosthenes were never faced with a live-stream.

“The Debate Society is a fun activity where I get to develop my public speaking skills while exploring current topics.”

Hamish “I enjoy the Debating Society because it gives me a chance to refine my opinions which helps me collect my thoughts and present them in a coherent way – and I like having a formal debate with my friends.”

Zara “The Debating Society is somewhere where you can be passionate about whatever you want. It is somewhere where you learn valuable life lessons such as being adaptable. It also teaches you to see the unforeseeable, to adapt your words to your judge, motion and opponents. It forces you to improvise and to do so naturally.”

Simon

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A note on race, privilege and protest

by Keza Pitteloud (M)

I

out of this man filled me with disgust and caused a newfound outrage to bubble in me. I decided to research further.

The reality hit me when I moved to America this year, and when, during the lockdown, the news that George Floyd had been brutally murdered captivated every screen. My little bubble of privilege had been burst, when I realised that the person crushed under Derek Chauvin’s knee could easily have been my mother, cousins or even me, if I had been born in a different reality. Seeing the unfazed look of the policeman as he squeezed the last breath

As my journey of unearthing was going on, the world was on fire around me and I happened to be in the centre of it all. In my house in Washington DC, in late May, the sound of sirens rang through the streets.

Helicopters encircled the city, and chaos was felt in every neighbourhood. This was when I realised that I needed to be part of the change and I hoped attending these protests would change history. At family dinner that night, my parents and I debated on what was to be done next. Due to my father’s tricky position in diplomacy, we were worried that my wanting to go out and protest the system and the President that he worked with, would put his work in jeopardy. He was also worried about my schoolwork, as this was exam season. My mother on the other hand wanted me to protest but was worried about what might happen. No matter what my parents said, I knew that I would go. My mother firmly said that as soon as it got violent, I would leave.

Late that night, I frantically drew up some caricatures on banners and excitedly prepared myself for the next week as police sirens wailed into the night. After having finished my

have been asked all my life about how I feel being the way I am, being the colour that I am and what it represents in today’s world.

Growing up in a privileged childhood meant that this question rarely arose apart from when I had to ask myself why my skin was darker, hair curly and features more defined. Being bi-racial also erased the question in my mind that two races couldn’t love each other as equals. I had always been brought up to love the other and I had never noticed or cared where people came from. My parents’ approach to education led me to be shielded from the fact that race was a bigger subject than I had ever imagined. I never realised that the world would see this minor difference in melanin levels as a reason to take away someone’s life.

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morning lessons, my friends and I biked for 15 minutes all the way to the White House. In the summer heat, hundreds of people stood with banners. The fact that I could see people of every colour, age and socio-economic background warmed my heart.

Barricades of policemen and soldiers were arranged in lines in front of the White House.

The protests went on for two weeks, and I attended for seven days.

After a very short time at Ampleforth, I knew I had made a new home here. In all of the countries and places that I have lived in, I knew that this was one of the things and places which really grounded my life. I was one of the only black students, but this had a minor impact on my life here and the only difference was the colour of my skin. However, the events of this year have made me realise how lucky I am to live in such an accepting and loving home. I still believe that everybody has room to consider others more, and for further education about what is happening in the world outside our own lives. Ampleforth is a bubble which, for me, burst after the events of this year.

If we all take time to learn what is happening in the world outside, and to care about this, we can all change things for the better and pave the way for the next generations.

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GIRLS’ CRICKET Is girls’ cricket the most exciting sport on the scene these days?

Our girls certainly think so, and they are not alone!

In 2019 the England and Wales Cricket Board laid out their ambitious action plan to transform Women’s and Girls’ cricket – “Inspiring Generations” – with a real focus on growing the game in schools around the country. With a cricketing tradition like ours it is hardly surprising that Ampleforth College has plans to become a hub for the development of Girls’ Cricket in the North, and our girls are already rising to the challenge. Watch this video from Lucy, who tells us all about why she is so passionate about cricket at Ampleforth.

England. We are now the North Yorkshire Girls’ Cricket Hub, with weekly sessions held at the College

by Yorkshire Cricket Board coaches, which are open to all across the county who want to excel in the sport. A partnership we hope that will continue to grow in the future. Having the Northern Diamonds and their Academy side train and play at the College has also been inspirational to many of our girls. As a result, there has been an enthusiastic uptake in the junior years for the game, and we know from our

friends at Prep Schools around the UK that the appetite for the sport is continuing to grow. This summer we hosted the Worsley Cup, our first U13 tournament for girls’ and boys’ teams, which was a real success and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Our ambition is for all cricketers to be given the best opportunities to play and develop in the sport and make Ampleforth College the centre in the North for promising cricketers, girls and boys alike.

Seb Phillips (C00), Head of Cricket, and Emma Craig, Head of Development, are leading our plans to achieve this and will be seeking your support to upgrade some of our older facilities so that Ampleforth College becomes the epicentre of this fantastic game for generations to come.

The ECB conducted research in 2018 to understand the profile of the sport, and we are excited about what they have found. With over 2,500 girls playing County Age Group cricket, we know we are well-placed to spearhead the growth of this in the North of

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OPERATION MORNING THUNDER

D-Day, H-Hour

I

n the afternoon of Saturday 23 May of this year over 60 Cadets, NCOs and staff of the Ampleforth College CCF set off into Gilling woods on Operation Morning Thunder.

This was the culmination of several weeks of careful planning and preparation, and an opportunity for the Cadets of Year 9 and Year 10 to demonstrate what they have learned over the last year of training.

by Giles Murphy (T21)

of the Year 9 cadets under the command of Capt Anglim, and those NCOs attached to the Year 9 throughout the year led

by CSgt Anglim.

Enemy forces proceeded to occupy three defensive positions across Gilling woods, which would be reconnoitred by the friendly forces once they had occupied their own harbour area, in the course of these Recce patrols the Friendly forces successfully Friendly forces were made carried out a snap ambush up of a Platoon, led by JUO on patrolling enemy forces, Harmer as Platoon Commander dispatching them in short and JUO Vigne as Platoon order. After these patrols both Sargent - leadership roles forces retired for the night, with normally trusted to Officers the Enemy forces in keeping in training at RMC Sandhurst. with their persona of a militia The platoon was made up of non tactically, and the friendly two sections of Year 10 Cadets forces tactically with strict light under the command of Year discipline and the posting of 12 NCOs, and a third Special sentries throughout the night.

Forces section made up entirely of Year 12 and Year 13 Cadets The following morning commanded by CSgt Kilpatrick. (D-Day) Friendly forces were Enemy forces were made up joined by Dr Pomroy who very

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kindly came out to view the exercise as the first member of the Senior Leadership Team. JUO Harmer gave his orders for the attack, and after some time spent in final preparation for battle on both sides, H-Hour arrived, and the attack begun. This consisted of a simultaneous full platoon assault with 1 Section (Year 10) and 3 Section (SF) beginning their assaults on their respective positions. 3 Section was dispatched to take control of the enemy airstrip and main source of supplies.

Whilst 1 Section attacked their main base of operations with covering fire from 2 Section.

The defenders fought well but were overrun in both cases, dying gallant and perhaps overdramatic deaths in the field of battle. After the success of the fist phase of the assault 2 Section advanced on the secondary Enemy positions taking it and completing the destruction of enemy forces

under the covering fire of 1 Section. At the end of the assault and the expenditure of over 6,000 rounds of ammunition, not a single face was left unsmiling, as cadets began to pack up kit for the march back to college.

Operation Morning Thunder was the only overnight exercise to be carried out in the 4 Brigade area, and we are very lucky to have the space and committed staff to be able to carry out such a large expedition despite the restrictions placed on it

by Covid. The exercise, like the CCF in general is the embodiment of the school’s ethos of Independent Thinking, Learning and Coping, where students are taught excellent leadership and life skills exemplified by the almost entirely cadet led nature of the exercise. The whole exercise was an enormous success and enjoyed by all that took part.

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The Big Walk Every year, our students raise money to host the Friendship Holiday with Oakfield School in Nottingham, which hasn’t happened for the past two years due to Covid. Undeterred by the restrictions, they still went ahead and complete the Big Walk last year to raise money for Oakfield to have a special day trip at the end of term. They walked for 24 hours with no sleep to cover the 72km from Whitby back to Ampleforth, raising more than £4,500 for the school – well done to everyone involved!

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Choral Scholarship Success

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hree Year 13 students have been awarded Choral Scholarships at prestigious institutions next year. Emilia Jaques, Anna Barrett and Xavier Leitch have been awarded Choral Scholarships at The Queen’s College, Oxford, Christ’s College, Cambridge, and Portsmouth Cathedral respectively. This is a superb achievement by our student singers and a testament to their dedication to the superb tradition of choral music at Ampleforth. We asked them a few questions about how they prepared for the auditions and what they will be expected to do…

How has your experience at Ampleforth prepared you for the next step in your musical journey?

Ampleforth gave me a platform to continue developing my voice as a music scholar in the Ampleforth Abbey Schola along with other groups such as the chamber choir. Schola especially broadened my knowledge base of choral works and, because of the tight schedule on learning pieces for upcoming services, allowed me to practice my sight reading skills.

What did you have to do for the audition?

Sight reading was a big part of the audition at Portsmouth Cathedral as I also had to sing a song of my choice, mine being O Del Mio Dolce Ardor by Gluck. I prepared for this piece with my Ampleforth singing

teacher, Matthew Lennox, who I had a singing lesson with each week while at College.

What are your duties as a Choral Scholar?

As a Choral Scholar at Portsmouth I will form part of the choir along with the choristers and other Choral Scholars and Lay Clerks.

Along with working in the Cathedral I will also have a job at The Portsmouth Grammar School in administration and supervision of younger students. This will be an interesting experience for me as I will be given an insight into the other side of schooling.

I also feel that this year at Portsmouth will also help me prepare for student life as I will be living in a flat with other Scholars and will be responsible for my food and utilities helping me learn to budget.

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What I am most exited about, however, is the prospect of continuing to develop my voice in much the same way that I did at Ampleforth.

Emilia Jaques writes…

How have your experiences at Ampleforth prepared you for this next step in your musical education and experience?

Firstly, as part of the College choir, Schola, I have been lucky enough to regularly sing challenging repertoire in the amazing venue which is Ampleforth Abbey. This has been both as a part of the Abbey’s religious life and in fantastic school concerts, for example the annual performance of Handel’s Messiah. I have also had many varied vocal opportunities, for example

being part of the ‘Ampleforth Singers’ and the Schola Christmas trip to London.

Alongside this, I’ve received excellent individual and ensemble tuition from dedicated staff of Ampleforth Music Department: my performance skills, wider musical knowledge and analytical thinking have really developed during my time at Ampleforth.

What are the responsibilities of a choral scholar. What are the perks?

As part of a specific college at my university, I believe I’ll have a responsibility to contribute to the best of my ability to the choir and the musical life of the college, whilst upholding the standard of its long standing musical tradition.

Through this, I will also have

to support the religious side of college life, singing in services in the chapel 4 times a week. There are of course perks as well - I will be able to sing at a really high standard under the direction of top choral professionals, for example the choir director, Professor Owen Rees, surrounded by young singers who enjoy singing as much as I do! I will hopefully get amazing concert, recording and touring opportunities too. Not to the mention the free dinners in the college dining room when we’re singing Evensong!

What did you have to do at the audition?

Firstly, I had to record a 5 minute piece and send it in before the audition, which was Rejoice greatly from Handel’s Messiah. In the actual audition (which was on Microsoft

Teams), I had to sing a short accompanied folk song to my college’s Director of Music and do a short piece of sight reading. It was all very relaxed and after the sight reading we had a quick chat about what singing events I had been doing in recent months.

What do you hope to gain from this experience?

I hope to further develop my singing, musicianship and ensemble skills, broadening my musical education alongside my degree. I’m also really looking forward to making friends with musical students throughout the college who are passionate and spending lots of time singing with them!

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THE LEARNING HUB We are extremely grateful for the support, vision and enthusiasm of donors who have worked in partnership with us to make the new Learning Hub a reality. Over the course of 2020 the Support for Learning Team, Development Office and donors set out a vision for a new space in the heart of the College that would create a unified and welcoming Hub. It was vital that we created a space where students wanted to spend time and where support for all learning journeys would be at hand when needed most. This has been a true partnership, driven forward by parents who want to break down the barriers to learning and who brought their energy and knowledge to this project.

Without their financial support this new home would not have been possible, so on behalf of all our students we say a big thank you.

“The Learning Hub has a lovely, welcoming and friendly atmosphere. It is a place where help is always available, as well as tea and biscuits. The staff are all lovely, and always happy to assist you with any work or problem.”

“The Hub has a great working atmosphere which makes it easy to concentrate.”

“There’s space to sit and work with friends, as well as quiet rooms where you can sit undisturbed.”

“I love how there’s always a mix of year groups and Houses in the Learning Hub.”

“The Learning Hub is always welcoming and inviting. We always have a place to be and feel comfortable even if we are having a bad day. I always feel I have someone to talk to here and I know they will do their best to help.”

“The Learning Hub teachers understand that school work can be challenging and are always willing to help at a moment’s notice. This attitude is enabled by the large, comfortable and modern facilities that the Learning Hub now has.”

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What is the purpose of ‘A Catholic Education’?

“It gives an orientation, and that is its value in a world which has increasingly gone mad, and in which education depends more and more on the school.”

by Blandine Delplanque

O

n 23rd June 2021 I was unexpectedly moved by the sad news of the closure of the only free newspaper in Hong Kong, published by a Catholic. That makes it more important than ever that Catholics have an obligation to put oil in their lamps and keep them shining.

There is no doubt that in today’s Orwellian world, characterised by the semblance of peace, the semblance of truth and the semblance of wisdom, Catholic education is a path to freedom.

As always, it is the Cross which can act as guide in an education claiming to be Catholic, with a tension both vertical and horizontal. These are two tensions which symbolize the human aspiration for the divine, fulfilled in human history, with Mary, who is never far away, pictured by artists of every age

at the foot of the Cross of her Son, who at his last breath turns his face towards her.

This Cross, majestic and simple, hangs over your valley of Ampleforth.

How should Catholic education given to our children be characterised, what does it bring over and above the fine education offered also by other schools ?

It gives an orientation, and that is its value in a world which has increasingly gone mad, and in which education depends more and more on the school.

Father and mother are the first educators in a child’s life. The work begun in the mystery of conception is completed by the parents in daily life and always continues in the divine presence. ‘There is only one way of attaining the true

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altruism that makes a person free, by the patience acquired by small acts of generosity day after day,’ explains the Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, ‘by the daily attitude of self-denial, which suffices to show to what extent a person is slave to his or her ego. Only by this attitude are human eyes slowly opened.’

What a sublimation of the daily task, whatever it may be !

The education which we parents do our best to give to our children is prolonged in the school. In any logic a Catholic education is best developed in a Catholic school. In France teaching Congregations were obliged to disappear or go into exile under the yoke of atheism incarnated in the French Revolution and fully developed in the following centuries more or less forcibly, as the Benedictines of Ampleforth well know. A fiercely combative laicisation became the norm

and a dogma in France. On the pretext of protecting liberties all neutrality was forgotten, and this dogma was exercised primarily against any public expression of religion, tacitly to oppose Islam.

Catholic education was often its first victim, if not its first target, although historically the Catholic religion is the cement of French society, and Jude0-Christianity is the root of European society.

But its practice has become so weak that Catholics in France as in Great Britain (but for different reasons) have become a minority.

More necessary than ever!

Because it imparts a truth which is not the truth espoused by society, especially with regard to the natural law. In the current climate the ideology of gender, the dogma of equality – especially in France – and

passionate faith in science pose serious risks to our children.

It is not a question of cutting them off from the world, but of preserving their capacity for reflection, for making good decisions and of giving them confidence, for they have many instruments at their disposal.

More than ever they certainly have a liberty and an abundance of information which they can use well or badly. The direction given by a Catholic education enables them to advance in a good direction. It is not always the direction of the world ; this offers amusement and rootlessness – two attractive threats – with the world at their feet.

In this age of re-discovery of nature the comparison of a young person to a plant remains valid. We say that a young person shows promise of development. Certain plants,

naturally fragile, develop better with guidance. Any gardener would take greater care of these. A gardener would take exactly the same care of all, without touching them, without interfering – the basis of all education – fertilising them only in order to encourage growth from the earth, duly sheltered, under glass, with air, water and light.

To set off in the right direction and to search for the truth which is not that of the world, such basically is the aim of a Catholic education, despite the qualifications and imperfections which humility teaches us, and with the demands of a charity which makes us always mindful of others.

Blandine Delpanque is a former parent and respected French journalist. This article was translated

by Fr Henry Wansbrough OSB

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The Rule of St Benedict

by Cicely Craston (M)

T

he Rule of St Benedict was first adopted in England in the 7th century its principles are still relevant to our modern world. The Rule has guided students at Ampleforth since the College’s foundation in 1802, and since 1993 this has included girls. The school sets out to provide students with a compass for life by giving us a strong sense of community and recognition that we are made better people by each other; something that I want to be able to emulate in my personal and professional future. Although Ampleforth was founded as a boys’ school, the Benedictine core encompasses qualities that both girls and boys alike can flourish under.

Ampleforth’s core values are inspired by the Benedictine Rule: Respect, Hospitality, Attentiveness, Integrity, Stewardship and Equilibrium.

By encouraging us to live these values, I feel the school is teaching me how to become an independent adult in society as well as providing me with a broad academic education. St Benedict wrote his Rule for a

monastic community, but his guidance helps any group of individuals living harmoniously together. Lives have changed a lot since 1802, we live in a much more diverse, fast paced and, as shown by COVID, less permanent world. As our personal experiences become increasingly entwined and complex, the combination of boarding and a Benedictine environment where respect, welcoming all, and listening to others are so valued teaches us how to live with a multitude of different personalities and people with different views.

Coming from a London day school where I could choose who I spent my time with, I have found that, even though at first I would not have immediately gravitated to some people I live with, they are now some of my closest friends. It has taught me that all interactions are important and we grow from them.

Our co-educational classrooms allow a mixture of perspectives and provide a forum where everyone is encouraged to contribute, to express themselves but also to listen.

Our lives will continue to be

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co-educational in the world beyond school so growing up in this setting prepares us with confidence for our future. I feel that my school creates an atmosphere which encourages fruitful friendships, regardless of gender, and ones that support each other wholeheartedly. Living in a boarding house of 65 girls, I have seen an array of personalities and talents and we respect and support each other in all that we do. This is not exclusive to your own house but ripples out into the whole community.

As I go into my final year, soon I will be moving on with my life elsewhere. But as part of a family of Old Amplefordians, I have witnessed that it is hard to leave the school completely behind. I know I will stay in close contact with my friends for life and will return to the hospitable valley as I have seen so many before me do. The values are naturally ingrained in girls and boys of the school so, by the time we leave, we really have received a ‘Compass for Life’ that will guide us just like the Benedictine Rule has done for generations before.

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Message from the Dean Dear Leavers, It won’t surprise you to know, that what I want for you most is to be holy.

Pope Francis says to young people setting out in life: Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality, or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self. To depend on God sets us free from every form of enslavement and leads us to recognize our great dignity.

I want you to be holy, because what I’ve learnt from my own experience is that happiness, and a sense of purpose, value and peace come from the commitments I make, not the options I keep open. Holiness is there for me when I put others first in charity, I’m honest about myself in humility, and I’m committed in faith. I usually find when I’m unhappy, whatever else may be going on in life, deep down something is causing me to hold back. I learnt this from St Benedict, though the lesson still needs learning as I grow older and discover more about myself, through experience and from those who know me best.

Above all, I want you to be holy, because it’s the best way of life really reaching the heart and bearing fruit.

If you accept to live life at depth, in gratitude and generously, you will find your heart opening up to welcome the full range of human experience, even the most unexpected and even difficult times, as a gift of God ‘in whom we live, and move, and have our being’, as St Paul puts it.

Pope Francis goes on to say to you: He calls you and he waits for you to return to him and start over again. When you feel you are growing old out of sorrow, resentment or fear, doubt or failure, he will always be there to restore your strength and your hope.

I write these words at length because of our commitment to you as a Benedictine family, wanting always what’s best for you.

I wish you every blessing for this next great step in life. And as a parting gift, these words of St Catherine of Siena, who I’m sure prays for you: Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.

Fr Ambrose Henley OSB Dean of Ampleforth College

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Online Events Overview Our packed Ampleforth Society programme usually means being out on the road, hosting a wide variety of events and seeing OAs and friends of Ampleforth in person. So, to suddenly find everything was behind a screen was a new reality in 2020. It is reassuring to look back on the last year and see how far we have come. We were plunged into a new and somewhat daunting situation moving everything online; it was initially a concept none of us knew how to tackle and we weren’t sure who would be interested. However, the Ampleforth Society was delighted to put on an exciting online offer and I have been thrilled to see so many of you, old and new, participating wholeheartedly in the online events.

Some highlights for us included the Masterclasses with Ed Stourton (H75), Major General Prince Chris Ghika OBE (E88), Julia McFarlane (M07), Clemmie Cooper (B17) Lizzie Mary Cullen (A04) and Hicham Felter (A01), where the students and audience were able to interact and interview directly with live questions in a real-time conversation. All of these are available to watch on catch up on our Ampleforth Global platform. Equally, we were delighted to host monthly Career Insight Events. These took the form of five panellists at different points in their career and a Chair, discussing how to get into the industry, what they enjoy about it, the challenges the current climate poses and how mentoring can help.

The audience was made up of OAs of all ages and stages of a career, parents, and Sixth Form students. Other students were able to make the most of the sessions following some detailed and focused career work at the end of term, re-watching the sessions and discussing them in workshops. The topics covered so far include Sport, Travel, Entrepreneurship, Women in Business, Finance, Marketing and

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Communications, Recruitment and Talent, and living and working in Asia. All the sessions are also available to watch again under the resource section on Ampleforth Global. The site provides a unique opportunity for OAs to seek career advice and guidance or offer insight and opportunity in a variety of careers and mentoring or to connect with each other.

The bespoke Question of Sport event that drew together all the OA Sports Clubs was enormous fun. Delivered via YouTube with a quizmaster, teams of four raced against the clock as we went through three rounds and then opened the virtual Windmill to announce the results in Microsoft Teams. The online Ethics forums drew in varied audiences and covered topics from Modern Slavery where we met Abbot Robert for the first time to Education, Travel and Business. The online Compass for Life events drew a global audience and many of you who hadn’t seen each other for years, recounted many a happy tale about memories of daily life in the Valley. We were happy to be able to catch up with our OA community in Asia, so many of you all over Europe, East and West Coast USA and Australia and many of you spoke about a desire to meet up in person, which we look forward to doing sometime soon. Do let us know if you manage to have a catch up in person. We always love to hear about these.

With all this interaction, we have taken the opportunity to be in touch with many OAs all around the world to ask them to reflect on the past year and the global Covid-19 pandemic or so for our ‘Letters in Lockdown’ feature. Read on to hear stories of life, love, work, travel and study from our OAs around the world.

Dionne Saville Alumni Relations

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Oliver Blackett (O13), Dumfries I was inspired by the guest speakers that used to come in and speak at the Headmaster’s talks.

Read more >>

Tom Bilborough (EW13), London It’s made me rethink the fact that no plan is safe. Having a plan is so important…

Read more >>

Carlota Brenninkmeijer (B11), Amsterdam ….it gave me a chance to focus on what I always wanted to do and opened new doors for me to walk through…

Read more >>

Terry Mahoney (E61), Kuala Lumpur It has also brought me closer to God and the Church, as one has more time to meditate.

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Xander Fircks (H79), Japan I spoke to a Hindu monk here who said that people might now learn the beauty there is in solitude and silence.

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Tom Ainscough (W04), London Sport, however, I think was seen as a positive when it began to return in June 2020, something for the public to engage with again.

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Alexander Cooper (J16), London Seeing friends (in a Covid safe environment of course) at every opportunity has really helped. Keeping active as much as possible as well.

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Natasha Power (A06), Ipswich ….be prepared to try anything as there is generally lots going on; always be honest and own up to your mistakes as maintaining trust in a family business is key….

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Rupert Vitoria (W92), London The importance of maintaining a good network has often been highlighted in my career.

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Jose Suarez (B05), Madrid It’s the three “Fs” which matter the most to me: Faith, Family and Friends.

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Bernard Hornung (E75), Shaftesbury My faith, my shared values, my family and my colleagues at work, have enabled me to want to do more each day.

Read more >>

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Francesca Tonna (B08), Malta I took advantage of the extra free time to discover new places in Malta.

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Lallie Fraser (A08), London Work hard, don’t be shy, be creative, bounce ideas off anyone that can be helpful.

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Izzy Mayer (M20), South Africa It’s been hard to conceptualise that we cannot control what happens in the greater world; it’s something I’ve learned throughout this year.

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Toby Codrington (T91), Singapore Like all organisations you adapt. We have offices across 10 countries that have gone in and out of lockdown over the last 18 months.

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Jasper Reid (O90), New Delhi India has had difficult times and this has given insight into the hard side of life and I really think people forget how difficult it is for the poor.

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Hamish Adams-Cairns (H09), Sydney Covid has made me realise how lucky I am to be living in Australia.

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Will Simpson (H08), Aldershot The pandemic has certainly given me time to assess what is truly important in life, rather than just sticking with the status quo.

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Dan McFarland (W90), Belfast During lockdown I missed the social aspect of my job most of all.

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Jack Blakiston Houston (C08), Belfast …the things that relate most from Ampleforth are being able to work in a team and have trust in one another…

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Tom Madden (EW05), London I have loved staying involved with the wider Amplefordian community and am keen to continue leveraging and giving back to the network.

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Raoul Sreenivasan (H96), Seattle My family got me through the pandemic. Our love and close bond got us through this time of disarray.

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Antony Fitzgerald (T59), Hungerford I am sad that I have not been able to get back to Ampleforth (only twice in 60+ years since leaving).

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Dominic McGonigal (W80), London I have actively kept in contact with people, just to see how they are.

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Digby Walker (T11), London The true joy of life at Ampleforth was that within a matter of days it became my home.

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Erris de Stacpoole (M07), London I’d advise anyone looking to get started to get busy and make themselves visible.

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Andy Kong (C04), Hong Kong I find it easier to remind myself that we will eventually win this battle, and life will become normal again.

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Jamie Evans Freke (E94), Lewes Find something that you enjoy doing and find a pathway that will enable you to develop skills.

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Philippa Jalland (M13), London I still have a close group of Ampleforth friends who I keep in touch with daily.

Read more >>

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Sam Heward (O10), London Lockdown has brought has given lots of opportunities to be creative and test new things as a business.

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Chris Gilbey (T99), London I have learnt that balance is key and it has allowed me to reconsider my approach to work.

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Edwin Leung (T97), Hong Kong most importantly I do miss the Ampleforth culture as I have been distanced for quite a while.

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Charles Monthienvichienchai (O99), Thailand What I miss the most is the ability to travel – either on my own means or as part of work.

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Michael Brennan (H95), Singapore At mealtimes, the most important strategy was to ensure one was in line for the toast basket.

Read more >>

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there are clear moments when an image or feeling resonates with me.

This is mostly brought about by a subconscious process although sometimes it is informed by a brief that has been given to me from a client. There is then the process of transferring this ‘clear moment’ into a physical object, in my case a painting, which often involves the making of many studies and many paintings, many of which simply don’t work. There is a lot of fumbling about and stumbling across possible solutions. Quite often the final work is a combination of all the above and then something else quite random that I have come across from a completely different source.

INTERVIEW: OA JAMES HART DYKE (C85)

continued. I don’t know where this commitment has come from but since I was about eight painting has been a big Interviewed by part of me. Somehow, I have survived Fitzroy Schofield (J21) as an artist, having undertaken many uncertain projects and taken many Q. You have talked about waiting financial risks. After everything I have for hours in the Himalayan done, I have a strange sense that I’m mountains just for ten minutes just beginning. of the clouds parting to jot down a sketch of the great peak, Patience is certainly important, or flying in a helicopter and although I’m a very impatient person. attempting to sketch as you are The journey as an artist is measured shot at from below on the streets in terms of a lifetime. My work of Baghdad. What has each of moves forward steadily but very slowly. these frustrating and terrifying Patience is certainly needed with each experiences taught you about project, especially narrative landscape your own personal commitment painting where one is completely at the to art and the value of patience mercy of the weather. While watching an artist needs to commit to the art world change and develop, with a project? fashions that come and go, I must stay true to myself and march forward On a day-to-day basis, I often feel quietly making the paintings that are deeply uncertain and worried about within me. It often feels like climbing what I’m doing, about the value of a mountain in a storm, one must just my paintings in relation to society put one’s head down and step by step today and about the practical business push up the slope. of making a living. I’m so engrossed with the future; I rarely think about Q. When I look at your work, I what I have done. However, looking feel a whole back story, a whole back, I realise I must be committed world that we as a viewer don’t to painting, otherwise I wouldn’t have know but you are letting us see a 44 | SUMMER 2021 | AMPLEFORTH DIARY

rare showing of. You have seen so many amazing and versatile back stories and worlds across your career, from landing in total darkness in Helmund and jumping out with body helmet on the wrong way or climbing up the Himalayas with Led Zeppelin playing on your personal radio as you painstakingly navigate the many mists and altitudes to paint - in my personal opinion, your best work. How does an artist so successfully charge all the information and events they have seen and experienced into one single image whilst keeping the visual power and rawness of the single image?

I should say that that all the projects I have undertaken have directly or indirectly come from my interest in landscape painting, from the painting of remote mountain landscapes which require physically demanding expeditions to the more pedestrian paintings of country houses. This is absolutely central to what I am about as an artist.

Each project presents an overwhelming amount of visual information, however,

Q. You have talked on the paradox of old and ancient mediums like paining to illustrate the advanced battlefields of the 21st Century. However, you also noted just how far the painting of warfare has gone and what a varied history it has; some to display the many medalled Generals and Colonels, some to display brave solders in the battlefield and some to display civilians caught in the crossfire of war. Could you rank these three pieces of art of war and why?

Lady Elizabeth Butler’s Scotland Forever!, John Singer Sargent’s Gassed and Francisco Goya’s Esto es Peor (in English: This is worse)?

It is difficult to rank these three works as they have all been generated through very different circumstances.

It might be worth briefly saying something about the relationship between war and artists. Artists have been depicting war in some form as far back as human history goes. Sadly, it seems to be part of our way of life and artists generally represented it to celebrate or mark significant battles,

often as a way of politicising campaigns.

The Bayeux Tapestry is a good early example. I have read that during the Anglo Dutch war in the 17th century, the Dutch built ships for their artists to paint from during sea battles. Obviously, before photography the only images of war were paintings or illustrations.

The bosses of Newspapers would often send artists to battles. The images these artists made during the battles were transported, sometimes at great expense, back to be printed. These images could greatly influence the sales of newspapers. Today, photographers and other media have taken over this role. I find it interesting that despite photography artists are still sent to war zones to make work; some simply make narrative renderings of scenes while others try to dig deeper into some other aspect of war. The British military has a strong tradition of commissioning paintings. The Imperial War Museum in London has a fantastic collection of artworks.

The artists you mention each have a significance. Lady Elizabeth Butler was important at her time simply as she was a successful ‘woman’ artist.

She never went to war but she is famous for having the cavalry charge her in Hyde Park so she could get a sense of a cavalry charge which she conveys extraordinarily well in her painting ‘Scotland Forever’. John Singer Sargent’s massive painting ‘Gassed’ depicted the horror of modern warfare, quite different from the majority of his work which tended to glorify people or scenes. I have read that Sargent turned up at the front in his white suit and asked if they stop on Sundays. I’ve no idea if this is true but I think it reflects well how the public at the time had little idea what was really going on at the front. Goya’s painting ‘Esto es Peor’ which depicts the depravity of war, a revolutionary idea at his time, goes on to be highly influential to the development of

‘modern’ painting. I have read that Picasso and the surrealists were inspired by this work.

Q. The Bond Street Gallery* is normally associated with pre-1900 European paintings and the work of Old Masters than with any contemporary artist. However, your work has been described in quotes as the “annual expedition to the rule.”

Does it feel safe and comforting as a working artist to have a good perception and image already established or is it more uneasy as it may feel that it tries to draw a box around you and what you can accomplish and progress to later in your work?

I exhibit with the John Mitchell Gallery, an Old Master Gallery, because we have the same interest, that of the early romantic mountain painters. Many of the first climbers were artists. They initially invited me to exhibit with them after seeing one of my mountain paintings over 15 years ago. William Mitchell, who is also an experienced climber, is establishing himself as the authority in mountain artists, especially the early romantic artists. This interest in mountain painting bonds us and makes us unique. I’m the only living artist they exhibit, and I feel this gives me a privileged position of being their contemporary mountain painter.

Exhibiting with an Old Master Gallery does distance myself from the contemporary art scene which I find difficult. In my mind, the work is perfectly valid in a modern environment. Most of my paintings are framed in simple box frames giving a sense of an object in a box rather than just a painting of a scene.

Also, I’m working on making large paintings, with robust paintwork, which changes the nature of my work.

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Q. From your first commission of a water colour study of the home of the interior designer Tessa Kennedy to your most recent commission, a 2019 oil painting of Dents de Midi, you have had many commissions from portraits to landscapes across your career. How much do you think the commissioner should have a say in what the commission looks like and how much do you think the artist should have artistic expression?

It is a difficult balance, but I do my best to make something that the client is really happy with. Sometimes this means making a kind of painting that I wouldn’t normally think of, however, generally people come to me because they have seen what I do and want something similar.

Q. The often monochromatic and sometimes cool palette of your project ‘A Year with MI6’ conveys a unique atmosphere: one that is mundane but also filled tension and uneasiness, like otherwise ordinary grey clouds hovering together, building for a storm. Likewise, the information and artistic freedom was limited with the project as it was commissioned by the Secret Service and certain parts of what you saw was censored and you were vowed to secrecy.

What were the effects, artistically, of working on such a project that limited a lot of an artist’s choice in its own project?

I have to say that MI6 gave me as much access as was possible without compromising security. I wasn’t shown anything that was secret or sensitive.

They didn’t sensor many of my paintings, although everything was heavily vetted before being made public.

There were a few ‘bits’ I had to change.

The paintings were, on the whole, quite generic, just giving a sense of what working at MI6 was like.

The constraints of working in such an environment are, to me, generators of work. Not being allowed to use photography resulted in much of the work being done in situ, often in very difficult situations, giving the work a raw and gritty feel, which gave a much more realistic sense to life in MI6.

There are a few paintings that I’m unable to explain in full which gives them a sense of surrealism, which in a way conveys an aspect of working in such an organisation. Also, for over a year I worked in absolute secrecy. This gave me a very real sense of everyday life for someone who works for MI6 which I tried to convey in some of the work. The monochromatic aspect of much of the work just seemed appropriate to give a sense of mystery.

Q. Your most recent and upcoming exhibition, EDGE, which will focus on paintings of North Norfolk, has been inspired by the works of English Landscape painter, John Constable. You first saw Constable’s work when you eight and I’m sure it held a lot of influence on your artistic growth. Do you think it is important for artists to trace back and rediscover the works of art which first inspired them, which helped to mould how they see the world? Is artistic growth as much about learning from the past as it is about progressing forward into the future?

Learning from the past is essential.

You will find that most successful artists or designers, however crazy their work, look to history for some form of inspiration. Although artwork or designs today may look very different to those objects from the past often

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many of the essential ideas are much the same. It is just that the development of materials and design processes have advanced giving designers and artists new vocabularies to choose from. This is a huge generalisation but certainly learning from the past is crucial to move forward.

In relation to my own work, I am still very inspired by the work of John Constable and much of my landscape work reflects this. However, I am also looking at the work of artists like Jenny Saville and Gerhard Ritcher. In particular, I look at their paintwork, much of which can be found in the work of John Constable, although Constable’s work is on a much smaller scale. Often in my mind I take one of Constable’s small studies and imagine it as a huge painting. Suddenly it becomes something different and ‘contemporary.’ I am working on this notion to move my work forward although finding opportunities to do this are difficult.

Q. And my final question, if you could give one piece of advice to all young and inspiring artists across the world, what would it be?

I think it would be ‘do’ what you love doing. I remember on my first day at the Royal College of Art we had a talk from the Rector. His advice was that whatever one is doing, however crazy or mundane, keep doing it.

INTERVIEW: OA JOHN KEAY (B60))

locations: from the main school building and from aumit hill when St Bede’s House was relocated. I In November 2020, we were was not particularly interested in delighted to interview acclaimed world affairs whilst at Ampleforth.

OA historian John Keay However, I do remember being drawn (B60) and discuss his time at into history because of the great Ampleforth, his journey beyond teaching I experienced. I was taught the Valley and even his love of classes by Fr Hugh Aveling, Tony trout fishing. The conversation Davidson, and Thomas Charleswas particularly poignant for the Edwards, all of whom I found most interviewer, Bron Bury (former inspiring. I also found the Library Ampleforth Society and to be a fantastic resource. In my Marketing Coordinator), who last two years at Ampleforth, I was inspired to study History at would certainly say I experienced an university after reading John’s intellectual awakening which was very 1991 publication, The Honourable much stimulated by my education in Company: A History of the English the Valley.

East India Company.

I do have some memories of playing Q. Please tell us about your rugby and cricket at Ampleforth, memories of SHAC. Were though I was not particularly there any particular moments distinguished in either. Another which sparked your interest in vivid memory I have from this modern history? time is when it was announced that National Service was to be I studied at Ampleforth between abolished. The announcement came 1955 and 1960, during which I during assembly one morning and I experienced Ampleforth from two clearly remember the applause and

cheers which immediately echoed around the big passage and along the school’s corridors.

I was also fortunate to be joined at Magdalen College by my core nucleus of friends from Ampleforth, many of whom I remain close with to this day.

Q. I understand that it was during a fishing trip to Kashmir in 1965 when you initially became interested in Far Eastern affairs. What else drew you towards writing about India and the Far East?

During my time at Ampleforth and Oxford, I had little knowledge of India or the Far East, nor any family connections with the region.

However, after university, I had the opportunity to go on a fishing trip to Kashmir; I first got into fishing when at Ampleforth. I returned to Kashmir the following year after ‘dropping out’ of my job in advertising and stayed in the region

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for six months, where I spent my time writing and fishing. It was during this time when I became a freelance journalist, primarily focused on the political and civil unrest in Kashmir.

My writing eventually caught the attention of the Economist, and shortly afterwards I became one of their chief political correspondents for the region.

It was at this time I was stereotyped as being someone knowledgeable on all Indian affairs.

In fact, at this time I did not know much of the region as a whole; to this point my knowledge was primarily on Kashmir. As a result, more assignments came along, eventually leading to me being asked to help produce the revised copy of John Murray’s Handbook to India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (1975), and later my first book, Into India.

My career in broadcasting also followed shortly afterwards, including programmes for both BBC Radios 3 and 4.

Q. You are commonly praised for the flair of your writing. When reading ‘The Honourable Company’ I felt

completely immersed in the story of the EIC, and you have been commonly praised for the fast pace of your books.

In both your writing and broadcasting, did you ever consciously set-out to make history accessible and engaging to readers?

I feel quite strongly about this subject. I believe history should not be an academic subject; I have never considered myself to be an academic.

I believe that writing is equally as important as research. Indeed, as my income comes from the sale of my books, I am always conscious that my writing is enjoyable and engaging.

Great Arc.’ Do you ever find yourself working with other OAs, either by coincidence or intentionally?

William is an interesting example.

We are almost a generation apart in age and it was a long time until I realised he too had studied at Ampleforth. Our connection was more of a coincidence, and unlike William my interest in India was not pre-ordained. Another Old Amplefordian writer I remain in touch with is Philip Bowring (A60); we regularly meet together in the UK. Q. What advice would you give to any aspiring historians or journalists currently studying at Ampleforth?

I would encourage the students to take time to enjoy the pleasure of writing. During my time at the school, I entered several writing competitions which offered me the opportunity to develop my writing style. I found this to be a particularly satisfying exercise.

Similarly, if you know you have a passion or an interest: go for it.

I would also advise the students to always be ready to cut their losses.

Sometimes change arrives as a force of circumstances, but I would recommend that you try to focus your efforts as much as possible.

As well as delving into the archives, I have also personally found that experiencing things first-hand is valuable and is a legitimate form of research.

Q. If you could go back in time to 1960 and speak to a young John Keay at Ampleforth, what advice would you give to him?

Q. When reading the expanded edition of ‘India: A History’, I noticed that the book features a front-page quote from another OA, William Dalrymple (E83), as does ‘The

Be brave and get out there. Don’t be afraid of doing something different and not doing what everyone else is doing.

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THOUGHTS ON THE PROCESS OF USING AMPLEFORTH GLOBAL

O

n Ampleforth Global, the OA private platform has 1439 users and 70 percent of those users are willing to help. From meeting for a coffee, opening doors at a workplace, offering work experience or insight into an industry, speaking or become an ambassador, Mentoring is so important because of the impact of what it can do for you and for each other.2 With a jobs feed that updates every day as well as contact information for each other and forthcoming events you will also find groups from Mentoring to Sports so reach out and connect with each other.

talk to; whether just for general information about a certain job path, or for more concrete advice on CVs, experience etc.

I was surprised by the huge reach of the network that Ampleforth can provide into dozens of careers, with many people in important managerial positions. I took the fact that they were on the website at all as a sign that they would consider helping even if they didn’t advertise this fact plainly.

As I was looking for advice on how to get into a career in law, I narrowed my search to only those people who were part of the legal profession. Among those who were part of the website was an OA whose Here OA Henry Bridel son was in the same year at H18 tells us about his first Ampleforth as me. I emailed experience using the platform him directly with the email he and finding a mentor had supplied on the website and arranged a call later in the I first logged on to Ampleforth week. The conversation was Global near the end of my first productive in that it helped year at university, however only place myself within the wider after looking at possible future context of the legal industry career options in my second and how I still had time before year, did I properly look at the people usually considered website and was presented with entering the profession. He a huge number of possible was extremely helpful both contacts and people I could in how he provided plenty

of possible schemes and internships for me to look at while still at university, while also helping me realise what would make me stand out, applications-wise in a crowd.

An important aspect and advantage was that it was an individual conversation and one that gave more ideas and advice than any number of careers fairs or webinars can provide, though they of course remain useful in many ways.

A difficultly I found once having left the valley is that people’s timelines differ enormously, for example, I’ll have left university by the time some of my OA friends will be just beginning. It can be hard to situate oneself in a particular process, be that applying for internships or when generally planning for the future. The ability to speak to OAs who have familiar mind-sets and can help in this way is extremely beneficial and made me extremely grateful for the network and the tools that are provided when one has left Ampleforth.

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Photo Credit: Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment

CONNECT, BTS

O

n 5 February 2020 on New York’s Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 3, Antony Gormley (W68) introduced his new international art project Clearing in collaboration with the pioneering global superstars from Korea known as BTS. CONNECT, BTS is an international art project taking place in five cities on four continents, in Berlin, Buenos Aires, London, New York and Seoul, developed by a group of curators under the artistic direction of independent Korean curator, Daehyung Lee on behalf of BTS. Antony is one of the 22 contemporary artists taking part to provide a fruitful and democratic cross-pollination between the worlds of rarefied visual art and pop music.

Antony’s Clearing had its beginnings in 2009 and has existed in iterations since then at major museums all around the world. For the first time it is exhibited outdoors and speaking about it, Antony said: “This is the first time that I have attempted to make Clearing without architectural support. I am enormously excited about the opportunity of making this energy field in conversation with Manhattan across the waters of the East River. It can be seen as an evocation of human connectivity, a materialisation of the energy of the people that view it and the people that made it.”

Clearing is conceived as a single line made up of more than 11 miles of square aluminium

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tubing that loops and coils without beginning or end, rising to a height of nearly 50 feet, turning itself into an environment for the viewer that counters the grid of modernism and the city with swooping lines of energy.

Antony said it was visionary and extraordinary that BTS wanted to do this collective cultural project. The power of art to transcend boundaries and bring high concept contemporary art to the masses. CONNECT, BTS draws motifs from parts of BTS’ philosophy that centres around diversity, love and care for the periphery, as well as communicating and fostering connections that transcend barriers. Audiences visiting the exhibitions were able to access special artwork introduction videos recorded by BTS. For those of you who don’t know who BTS are, they debuted in 2013, after three years training together. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook. All aged under 30, they have been gaining recognition for authentic, selfproduced music and top-notch performances putting Korea firmly on the map. They regularly make charitable donations and inspire the fans to work with them on these endeavours. #CONNECT_BTS #CONNECT_BTS_NEWYORK www.usbtsarmy.com/connect-bts

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About Antony Gormley Born in London in 1950, Antony Gormley has had a number of solo shows at venues including The Royal Academy of Arts, London (2019); Delos, Greece (2019); Uffizi Gallery, Florence (2019); Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia (2019); Long Museum, Shanghai (2017); Forte di Belvedere, Florence (2015); Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern (2014); Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (2012); Deichtorhallen Hamburg; State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg (2011); Kunsthaus Bregenz (2010); Hayward Gallery, London (2007); Kunsthalle zu Kiel; Malmö Konsthall (1993); and Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen (1989). Permanent public works include the Angel of the North (Gateshead, England), Another Place (Crosby Beach, England), Exposure (Lelystad, The Netherlands) Chord (MIT – Massachusetts

About Brooklyn Bridge Park Brooklyn Bridge Park, one of the largest and most significant public projects to be built in New York City in a generation, has transformed a once dilapidated industrial waterfront into a vibrant and thriving 85-acre civic landscape. The self-sustaining park, spanning 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River shoreline, was designed by Brooklyn-based landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and features expansive lawns, rolling hills, waterfront promenades, innovative playgrounds, a greenway, sports facilities and the popular Jane’s Carousel. Brooklyn Bridge Park sees five million visitors every year between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation (BBP) develops, maintains, and fully operates the Park as a 501 (c) not-for-profit, controlled by the City of New York, and oversees all Park operations, including horticulture, maintenance, capital planning and construction, event permitting, and concession oversight.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Big Hit Entertainment

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Monastery Lockdown Life

by Fr Richard ffield (A59)

W

hat has been the impact of lockdown in the monastery?

We have been much more fortunate than most people because of being already an enclosed community, although two monks out for a walk on a Sunday afternoon were stopped by a Police Car on the road to the lakes and had some difficulty in convincing the officer that they lived in the monastery. The biggest effect has been on our pastoral activity. This has been both negative and also enormously positive. It has meant that we have been unable to visit people who are sick and that people have not been able to come into the church to share in the Mass or the Office. Even when there was some relaxation in the restrictions, we were still only able to celebrate a Public Mass twice a week, separate from the Community Mass and with only limited numbers of people who had to book beforehand and squads of monks sanitising all the benches afterwards.

We learnt of one religious community in which a priest insisted on taking Communion to the sick, which resulted in three of his community, not himself, dying of Covid.

But most of us have agreed that we have benefited from the lockdown as a community. With few of us having to be away for various reasons, we have felt that we have grown closer together as a community. It has been extremely heartening to find how many people value our prayer in choir, which is the main reason for our existence as a monastic community. Before the lockdown we were already livestreaming our office and we know that many people listened to it regularly. The lockdown led us to introduce video streaming for our daily conventual mass and many people have expressed their appreciation of being able to take part and to listen to the homilies.

Thousands joined us online for the Easter Triduum.

This in turn led to the initiative of the daily Home Prayers.

These are streamed each morning at 10:00am. Lasting less than five minutes, people at home can join in using the texts downloaded from our website and the monk whose turn it is to present home prayers gives a very brief reflection as well.

Encouraged by the number of people who tuned into home prayers, Fr Kevin introduced a

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series of weekly Home Retreats on Saturday mornings. These are video streamed and consist of a 15 or 20 minute talk by one of the monks. These too have reached hundreds of viewers because they are available afterwards on YouTube. So, paradoxically, the lockdown has vastly increased the number of people to whom we have been able to minister.

As we got used to sharing online and gradually acquired some new equipment, such as cameras and computers, we found that monks who are away from Ampleforth, on parishes, in Zimbabwe or wherever, are now able to take part in community discussions online and to hear Fr Abbot’s talks to the community instead of only being able to read them afterwards.

The numbers of people able to take part in the virtual St Laurence Ethics Forums have been greater than when they were in London or Oxford, though one misses the opportunity to meet people and chat afterwards.

As a House Chaplain, there have also been good and bad

effects. I am only able to go into St Cuthbert’s once a day for evening prayers and cannot join in any social interaction.

On the other hand, it has been rewarding to celebrate Mass with the whole House on Sundays, though the downside of that is that there are now many students who have never seen the inside of the Abbey Church. However, regular House Confessions in the enclosed Crypt chapels have been able to continue with two metre distancing.

It was a privilege to be asked last year to take up again the post of Chaplain to the Ampleforth Society that I had relinquished in 2003 when I went to join our Monastery of Christ the Word in Zimbabwe. The Ampleforth Society is so much more than just an alumni organisation.

One illustration of this is the latest initiative of setting up, alongside the Directory of Professional Mentors, a list of OAs involved in all sorts of voluntary activities, from running Scout Groups or being a School Governor, to being active in the Society of St Vincent de Paul or Master of Ceremonies in one’s local parish, from prison or hospital

“There is a unique bond between those who have been at Ampleforth, whether for short or long periods and it is the Mass that celebrates the cross between this horizontal bond and the vertical bond with the Lord that is common to all of us.” visiting to supporting asylum seekers or juvenile delinquents.

These people will be willing to give advice or support to anyone considering these activities.

Abbot Robert has recognised the special role of the Society by recently adding them to our prayers at the end of Matins each morning. We have been praying for those suffering from the Covid pandemic, for survivors of child abuse and now we pray each day for the Ampleforth Society as well as the Lourdes Hospitalité. We have always added the names of those who are sick or who have died and the Chaplain celebrates Mass for individuals who have died. There is a unique bond between those who have been at Ampleforth, whether for short or long periods and it is the Mass that celebrates the cross between this horizontal bond and the vertical bond with the Lord that is common to all of us.

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DATES FOR THE DIARY In light of the ever-changing situation with the pandemic it has been very difficult to plan. We do hope in the forthcoming months to return to some physical events, whilst also keeping the very best of our online offer. Please do keep checking the website for up-to-date information, as well as

social media channels, LinkedIn group and Ampleforth Global for updates. All being well, in 2022 will have many events in person and we look forward to seeing you all soon. we 2021 Events

November 3 6 10

2020 Leavers’ Weekend OA Reunion weekend, Ampleforth Edinburgh Compass for Life Reception (in person)

May 7

Ampleforth College Open Morning

June 9 15 22 25

Ampleforth College e-Open Evening Hong Kong e-Compass for Life Reception Malta e-Compass for Life Reception Ampleforth College Open Morning

We are also finalising dates for the following: Northern Counties Dinner, Mass and Dinner in Newcastle Ampleforth College Open Morning Brompton Oratory London, Mass and Pizza evening

December 2 3 8 9

April 2/3 28

Under 30s OA Dinner, London at Granaio Christmas Carols, Farm Street, London Sussex & Kent OA Dinner Christmas Yorkshire Drinks at Ampleforth

2022 Events January 13 Ampleforth College e-Open Evening 27 Poland e-Compass for Life Reception 29 Ampleforth College Open Morning February 9

Belgium & Holland e-Compass for Life Reception

March 3 15 24 26

Ampleforth College Asia e-Open Evening Vienna Compass for Life Reception (in person) Ampleforth Society in Ireland (in person – details tbc) Old Amplefordian Armed Forces Dinner, In & Out Club, London

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OARFC Black Tie Dinner Rescheduled event from 2019 date Spring 2022 OA Networking Dinner TBA Summer 2022 Ampleforth in the Country - Rural affairs networking outside of London Summer 2022 Ampleforth Society Summer Garden Party, London Summer 2022 St Benet’s/Oxford Summer Drinks Autumn 2022 OA Networking Dinner Autumn 2022 Ampleforth in the City Networking Event at Gallaghers, London 2022 OA Music and Media Drinks, London 2022 OA Property Drinks and Lunch, London 2022 Industry specific lunches 2022 Virtual and in person Ethics forums

For more information and to keep up to date on new events as they are announced, please go to the Ampleforth Society website or Ampleforth Global. If you have any questions about upcoming Ampleforth Society events, please contact Dionne Saville on: societymail@ampleforth.org.uk.

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A Community that Creates Impact The alumni and supporters of Ampleforth College have always gone above and beyond to create real value in the world, in small and large ways. As we look to rejuvenate our community in the wake of Covid-19, it is time to celebrate your generosity and the gift of the wider Ampleforth family.

What has struck me in the year since I took over responsibility for Development is how incredibly strong and vibrant this community is. This is something all of us with connections to Ampleforth have always known, but to see it in action over this difficult year has been a source of joy in times that would feel much harder without this community.

Virtual events, talks, quizzes, Mass, Lectio Divina, WhatsApp - the list goes on and I know I am only seeing a fraction of the connectivity of this Ampleforth family. No other Alumni, Parents and Friends network in the world remains this close to each other, across ages, interests, continents and, even, pandemics. You will have read in this special edition of the Diary about the wider Ampleforth community and its activities during the last year and a bit, it is for me to reflect more on what this community achieves as we begin to look ahead to the future.

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There is no doubt that Old Amplefordians have a strong culture of giving back to their community. When speaking to an old boy from another prestigious institution he said, “In my life and work I have always been able to spot people from Ampleforth, they are just kinder, warmer, better people.” I certainly would not dispute this statement! We see this spirit of generosity in the incredible Movember efforts of the OARFC, in memory of their dear friend Ben, raising over £22,000. Last summer the Ampleforth Lourdes Pilgrimage fundraiser “A Pilgrimage for Pilgrimage” saw people from their own homes cover not just the distance to Lourdes but to Fatima, and back. I have spoken with Old Amplefordians who sit on Charity Boards, volunteer in their parish, help others in their community and do incredible things to benefit those in need.

Our own students completed the Big Walk, they continue to do great things through FACEFAW and the list of acts of service and generosity go on and on.

What has truly blown me away is the willingness of Old Amplefordians, Parents, Former Parents, Grandparents and Friends of the College to help current and future generations of Amplefordians.

Even in these difficult times,

so many of you have reached out offering to help, either volunteering to get involved in the Society or College, speaking up about your experience of receiving a bursary, funding key projects in the College, pledging a legacy in your will to support future generations or making regular monthly contributions to the bursary fund.

The cumulative impact of your generosity on the lives of our students, now and in the future, is incredible and set to grow. In the coming months we will be releasing the first Impact Report from the Development Office, showcasing the support that we receive and how it helps us to transform educational experiences at Ampleforth College.

I look forward to working with you all in the coming years to see us all rally together to enable Ampleforth College to flourish, here in the Valley, and as a global community made stronger, not weaker, by the last year and a half. Please do feel free to get in touch at any time and I hope to see many of you as soon as possible.

Emma Craig Development Office

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How to go on Pilgrimage in a Lockdown and more inclusive by reaching out to each other, culminating in two Virtual Pilgrimages over the last 18 months.

Since the 1950s the monks of Ampleforth Abbey have led and accompanied a Pilgrimage to Lourdes every year, until now. Over the course of 2020 and 2021 the Ampleforth Lourdes Hospitalité sought ways to bring together this Pilgrimage family of Monks, Old Amplefordians, College Staff, Oblates, Assisted Pilgrims and friends of Ampleforth in new and digital ways. Whilst there has been great sadness due to not being in Lourdes together, this community has grown stronger

Every week up to 40 households have met on a Monday night via Zoom to pray the Rosary; there has been weekly Lectio Divina and the very popular “Thirsty Thursdays” every month, bringing together up to 90 people all around the globe for a short reflection from a Chaplain and plenty of time to catch up online.

Younger members of the Pilgrimage volunteered to help those less technically savvy to become Zoom and YouTube experts over the last 18 months. There was a team of helpers who spent 2020 reaching out to those Pilgrimage members and Assisted Pilgrims who have been at the most risk of isolation at the height of lockdown; checking in, praying together, and ensuring they know how important they are to our Ampleforth Pilgrimage family.

There was a special Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated

by Fr Edward from the Upper Chaplaincy, with 100 households tuning in. Fr Abbot celebrated Mass for us in March, live from the Abbey Church, with 300 people viewing in addition to the normal virtual congregation.

In 2020 we ran a lockdown fundraiser “A Pilgrimage for Pilgrimage”, where Hospitalité members collectively wheeled, walked, cycled, swam and ran the distance to Lourdes from their own homes. In the end we “made it” to Fatima… and back! This raised over £15,000 for future Pilgrimages and enabled us to make donations

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to the Acceuil Marie-St Frai in Lourdes, as well as to the monastic community at Ampleforth to help with Live Streaming equipment.

Congratulations to our top fundraiser David Craig (H66), who singlehandedly raised a third of our total!

From 16 - 23 July 2021 the Pilgrimage ran online for the second time, with a wide range of activities bringing together over 250 individuals and families for Mass, praying the Rosary, Lectio Divina, children’s activities, talks and the ever-popular Ward Party and Café Society. The week was devised and delivered by the Virtual Pilgrimage Working Party: Diana Williams, Fr

Ambrose, Tim McKeever (C13), Nik Birkett, Emma Craig, Philip Westmacott (O71), Ros Wood and Hamilton Grantham (H93).

The week opened with a beautiful Mass from the Abbey Church, celebrated by Fr Ambrose, and a powerful opening talk from Fr Abbot.

Many members of the monastic community and other Pilgrimage Chaplains worked alongside Pilgrimage members to enable a virtual Torchlight Procession, daily Mass, Stations of the Cross, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and a whole host of activities. There was beautiful music throughout the week provided by talented

members of the Pilgrimage including Tim McKeever (C13), Mary-Clare Ridge (A11) and Mark Pickthall (B73).

We were blessed this year with a Live Streamed Mass for the Ampleforth Pilgrimage from the Grotto celebrated by Mgr Xavier d’Arodes, ViceRector of Lourdes, with Paul Williams (T69) representing the Pilgrimage as our candle was lit and Mass offered for all our intentions.

It was very evident from the start of our Virtual Pilgrimage this year that the longing to be back in Lourdes is now stronger than ever. Please pray hard that we will be able to return in 2022.

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OLD AMPLEFORDIAN CRICKET IN THE VALLEY

D

uring these strange times there is nothing quite like the sound of leather on willow in the Valley. We were very lucky that over the last year we have still managed to host the Old Amplefordian and Emeriti Cricket Clubs here on the spectacular Match Ground. Whilst our traditional style of hospitality in the Pavilion may have been affected by Covid, the atmosphere around the boundary was fantastic.

Over the May Bank Holiday in 2021 there were picnics galore, with Fitzherberts, Codringtons, Philips, Ainscoughs, Craigs, Walkers, O’Kellys and many more cricket dynasties all reliving Exhibition matches from decades past, some in spectacular style. The OACC Chaplain was never far from the ground and Fr Edward’s binoculars were out in force, accompanied by excellent match commentary.

Future Ampleforth cricketers were known to invade the pitch during tea, and we look forward to both men’s and women’s sides representing the Old Amplefordians in the future.

Cricket is synonymous with the Valley, with our Pavilion and grounds being unrivalled in the North. The introduction of a new tournament pitching the Old Amplefordians, Old Gregorians and Old Aysgarthians against each other was a brilliant addition to the calendar. We look forward to cricket continuing to go from strength to strength, with the accompanying warmth and support of so many past and present Ampleforth cricketing families.

If you are interested in supporting the future of cricket at Ampleforth please contact Emma Craig in the Development Office – emma.craig@ampleforth.org.uk

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“Don’t be a monk. Monks are not cool” These words provide one of my few quibbles with my time travelling friend.

However, if only they were the limit of the sentiments expressed by my secondary school contemporaries.

I don’t have any dramatic story of conversion which led to the development of my vocation.

So too, I don’t claim to be anything special either, but my vocation was just something always there. From as young as I can remember there was a tug, undefined at first, but gradually becoming clearer.

I wasn’t overly pious growing up – I went to Mass each Sunday and Holy Day, but that was it. I suppose I was fortunate to have known and been influenced by monks from my grandparents’ parish (St Mary of the Angels, Canton, Cardiff) from the beginning. It was one of these, Fr Bernard Boyan, who had become a close family friend, who had a key role in nurturing my vocation.

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I would stay with him when he moved to work in Liverpool and from there one summer he brought me to visit Ampleforth. I was thirteen years old. From the first moment of my arrival I just

felt at home and that was that.

Until I was accepted into the Novitiate in 1987 I would spend holidays at the Abbey, getting to know and becoming known.

Thus I return to my beginning.

My last few years at school became a nightmare as contemporaries found all sorts of ways to hurl abuse at me and my family for being so utterly weird. Strangely, once I had entered the Novitiate those same characters became supportive and curious as to my life.

From this point in August 1987 my monastic life has just progressed, with a few bumps along the way. I was Simply professed in September 1988 and Solemnly Professed in August 1991.

It was perhaps here that I faced my biggest “bump”, the question over my maturity. The Feast of the Birthday of John the Baptist, and the words of the prophet Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you…” helped me find my way through.

I was ordained priest in June 1998, one of six ordained by Cardinal Basil. Amongst all our families and friends gathered in the Abbey Church was the Welsh Contingent in national

costume and waving flags and daffodils – much to my embarrassment.

The rest of the story is essentially a CV: four years at St Benet’s Hall studying History very badly, fifteen years teaching at Gilling, eighteen years serving the parish of Our Lady & St Chad, Kirkbymoorside with St Mary’s Helmsley and currently Warden of the Visitor Centre, Sacristan and Chaplain to St Margaret’s House.

There have been a few adventures: Fire Squad, Sports Liaison (through which I had the privilege of getting to know a number of sports personalities), redevelopment of the monastery model railway, founder of the SMA Centurions Flag American Football Squad, and my immersion in the adventures of a certain Time Lord with a Blue Box. To end, another quotation which perhaps sums me up.

“There’s no point in being grown up, if you can’t be childish sometimes.”

Even though there has been some development of maturity over thirty two years of monastic life, there is still something of “Peter Pan” in me – never quite growing up.

AMPLEFORTH DIARY | AUTUMN 2021 | 67

M

ichael T Clanchy was one the world’s most distinguished medieval historians of the last half century, and his work on medieval England helped to reframe the understanding of the Norman and Angevin epochs. Born in Reading in 1936 into a family of Irish Catholic heritage, Michael was the son of Captain Henry Clanchy, RN. Writing on Twitter shortly after his death, Michael Clanchy’s daughter Kate notes that at the age of six weeks he accompanied his father as Naval Attaché to Stalin’s USSR, until the NaziSoviet Pact and looming war forced their departure in 1939.

After attending prep school Michael arrived at Ampleforth in the late 1940s, boarding in St Dunstan’s, and his teachers included Basil (later Cardinal) Hume. Leaving Ampleforth in 1954, he matriculated as a Scholar at Merton College, Oxford in 1956, which was then one of the great nurseries for medievalists. During his undergraduate years he met his future wife, Joan Milne, a scholar and JCR president at St Hugh’s, and later an eminent Headteacher.

Professor Michael Clanchy (D54) (1936-2021)

Photo Credit: Courtesy of www.ucl.ac.uk

By Alastair Dunn, Ampleforth College’s Designated Safeguarding Lead

68 | SUMMER 2021 | AMPLEFORTH DIARY

Gaining a second class degree, Clanchy did not have funding to pursue postgraduate research at Oxford, and returned to his home city of Reading, where he combined school-teaching with a studying for a PhD at the university. Reading was a great powerhouse of Medieval studies, due to the presences of

Sir Frank and Doris Stenton, and later that of Sir James Holt. Clanchy’s early research followed in the traditions of English administrative history, pioneered in the previous century by Bishop William Stubbs and T. F. Tout. His publications established him as a skilled researcher on the reign of Henry III, which helped to bring him to his first university position, at Glasgow, the home city of Joan, where he rose through the ranks to be Reader. It was during his tenure at Glasgow University that Michael Clanchy wrote the work that will forever define his reputation. From Memory to Written Record (Edward Arnold, 1979) bears a dedication to his former Merton tutor R. H. C. Davis, but in many respects this work broke dramatically with the past, and was an outrider for the integration of post-modern concepts of text and authorship into the English administrative historical. Clanchy was as much interested in the materiality of the vellum account rolls, the ink and the instruments as with what they reveal of the growth of royal bureaucracy and administrative practice.

With chapter headings including ‘Memory and Myth’, ‘The Literate Mentality’ and ‘Hearing and Seeing’, Clanchy’s debt to anthropology, and to continental historiographical threads, was clear, and acknowledged. More than forty years since its publication, From Memory to Written Record remains a fresh and arresting read. The quality of his prose is clear

from the line ‘In Domesday Book lords and serfs, animals and ploughs, mills and streams, all stand in arrested motion like clockwork automata when the mechanism fails.’

Several books followed including England and its Rulers, 1066-1266 (1983) the success of which is attested by its reissue in three successive editions, with an extension to cover the reign of Edward I. In 1985 the appointment of his wife Joan from the headship of St George’s, Edinburgh, to that of North London Collegiate School, necessitated a relocation to London at a time of cuts of Humanities budgets across the higher education sector. In spite of the academic acclaim attaching to his work, Michael Clanchy’s teaching at University College, London was not a fully tenured basis, and his research was undertaken without the enabling structure of awardbody funding. Notwithstanding these challenges, among his continuing output he produced another ground-breaking work Abelard, a Medieval Life (Blackwell, 1997), about which he later spoke on Radio Four’s In Our Time. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. On 29 November 2016 he returned to Oxford to speak to a graduate seminar on Peter Abelard’s Ethics.

After a highly successful career in educational leadership, Joan Clanchy died on 15 January 2021, Michael outliving her by only fourteen days.

Michael T Clanchy in 1968 AMPLEFORTH DIARY | AUTUMN 2021 | 69

News from Ampleforth College, the Ampleforth Society and Ampleforth Abbey

www.ampleforthcollege.org.uk

OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Alexander Cooper (J16), London Alex, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I loved my time at SHAC because of the people I met and also the opportunities I received. From playing pool with housemates in the St John’s common room, to going on tour with the 1st XI to Sri Lanka - many memories have faded together, but all of them are happy.

Tell us what you have been doing since leaving the Valley.

Since leaving, I have graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Anthropology and have since been working for Amazon Logistics. With the easing of restrictions, I hope to start training with the Metropolitan Police to become a Police Constable.

How did the pandemic effect things for you?

When Covid hit I was still at university in my final year, which was rather lucky as it meant many of my final assignments and exams were cancelled (Covid seemed a bit of a blessing back then). After finishing I took some time off before starting to look for jobs. In the end it seemed that long term jobs were not hiring so I got a job working in an Amazon warehouse while waiting for the relaxation of restrictions. It was nice to take some time off when everyone thought that Covid would only last a few months, but being stuck at home all day started to wear a bit thin.

How did you keep positive?

I think looking forward has helped to keep me positive. Thinking that this can’t go on forever. Seeing friends (in a Covid safe environment of course) at every opportunity has really helped. Keeping active as much as possible as well.

Have you missed anything?

I have missed normal life really. Being able to make spontaneous plans with friends and not having to wear masks everywhere.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

Lourdes is an excellent example of the Ampleforth family as generations of OAs meet to serve a common purpose together. It was the way I experienced the wider OA network first. I really enjoy going to it.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Andy Kong (C04), Hong Kong Andy, tell us about your memories of SHAC. It was like living in a different world, a world where it was easy to forget there was a world outside SHAC, a place where life was simple in a beautiful way.

Tell us what you have been doing since leaving Ampleforth.

I studied Medicine at Newcastle University and graduated in 2009, then practiced in the UK and New Zealand before eventually settling in Hong Kong. It was the 2003 SARS epidemic, which happened when I was in the Middle Sixth at SHAC that inspired me into a career in medicine. Before I went to Ampleforth I had always believed that I wouldn’t get the grades to go into medical school, but the excellent tuition I received at SHAC opened the door for me to study what I wanted.

Have you managed to work during the pandemic?

As a general practitioner I continued to operate in my clinic during Covid, and I was also able to help out by being the resident doctor in the community treatment facility for mild Covid cases. I was also the resident medical officer overseeing a BioNTech vaccination facility.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of becoming a Doctor?

It is easy for a global pandemic to inspire a lot of people to a career in healthcare, but I would advise them to make sure they understand the nature of our jobs before they make the decision to join us.

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

I am very grateful that I can directly be a part of the pandemic effort. While I don’t get to be on the “front” line like intensive care units, by performing my duties as a GP, I was able to alleviate a lot of anxiety for my patients regarding COVID and the vaccines.

You must have had difficult experiences this past 15 months. How have you kept positive?

The pandemic has been a physically and mentally straining experience. I tried to look after my own body by adapting to a healthier diet and diverted my attention away from COVID by managing a medical society that I co-founded. After witnessing the progress we’ve made in the pandemic, I find it easier to remind myself that we will eventually win this battle, and life will become normal again.

Have you missed anything during the pandemic?

I missed the days when I didn’t have to wear a facemask. It is harder to develop a rapport with people when both sides can’t see each other’s facial expressions.

Have you kept in touch with other OAs since you left the Valley?

I am still good friends with some boys from SHAC. What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

It is an identity, one that is not restricted by nationality or borders. Ampleforth will always have a place in my heart.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Antony Fitzgerald (T59), Hungerford Antony, tell us about your memories of SHAC? I was at St Thomas’ under Fr Denis from 1954 to 1959 and before that at Junior House and Gilling. To this day I feel privileged to have been at SHAC and I remember nothing but kindness and support. I wish I had put the same effort into my studies as I did to sport as I didn’t get into Cambridge, which was my goal. I did play in both the 1st XV and 1st XI. I particularly enjoyed being at St Thomas’ with its sporting reputation at that time and feeling of somehow being in splendid isolation from the main school – particularly when we ended up in far distant Romanes House in the sixth form.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

I had an idea on leaving that I would like to be a writer, and someone suggested that I go into advertising. A contact of my Uncle’s arranged an interview with the MD of a famous American-owned agency and, largely to get me out of his office, suggested that I get more life experience and travel. I emigrated to the USA at the age of 18 and got into advertising at a famous advertising agency in New York. On returning to London, I worked at that agency (Young & Rubicam) for a year.

I had an opportunity to join a group driving to Australia overland, which was an unusual occurrence back in 1962. In Australia I worked for another well-known ad agency (S.H. Benson) and was accepted as a copywriter. Three years later I drove back through Africa with a friend, ending up in London as a copywriter with various ad agencies. I then became a creative director at S.H. Benson in Nairobi, Kenya. By then married and not wanting to leave Kenya, I started my own advertising agency and lived in Nairobi for over eight years.

My marriage sadly failed, and I returned to London and joined Time Magazine where I sold advertising space in London and was promoted to Manager in Johannesburg for southern Africa and then to Amsterdam to cover Benelux and the Nordic countries. I left Time Magazine in 1995 and started my own company representing American publishers in Europe with other colleagues. With the media trends changing dramatically, I transferred that company to my French partner and set out to be an Executive Coach gaining the top, post-graduate level qualification in 2020. I am now actively working at coaching mid to senior management in a variety of companies.

I have coached one other OA and am more than happy to discuss executive coaching with any others that may be interested.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of a career in advertising?

My career in advertising has allowed me to travel the world and, at the very least, get a superficial knowledge of literally hundreds of different industries. It satisfied a creative urge at a certain time in my life and, later, it taught me the life skill of salesmanship. Sales has been a much under-rated profession in this country. Done well it is about listening and learning and building relationships. Good salesmanship is part of just about every organisation there is. It can be learned, and it can be taught. Nine years of boarding school and living and working on five different continents certainly helps!

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown and have you missed anything?

Covid isolation has not been too hard for us. I have been able to do coaching on Zoom and except for a couple of months of serious lockdown have been able to play golf at Sunningdale, which I love. The main worry we have is the effect it has on my three daughters and their families. It has been much harder for them. They are now 38, 47 and 50, respectively. How time flies!

What is your involvement in any OA groups?

Of particular importance is our remarkable Catholic parish at Hungerford in Berkshire which has been able to keep our church open and, during the lockdown, was amongst the first to live broadcast our services. I actually moved away from religion for a long period of nearly 30 years and a crisis in my life brought me back in my mid-fifties. I derive great peace and purpose from being received back these 25 or so years. I have to say that my nine years in the Valley must have played a large part in, as it were, the background of my mind. I was, until very recently, a regular supporter of the OA Golfing Society. Occasionally I have gone to Mass online at the Abbey. I am sad that I have not been able to get back to Ampleforth (only twice in 60+ years since leaving). I very much want to visit again and to show it off to my wife.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

Ampleforth gave me a well-rounded education, a great love of reading, exploring and learning, and a grounding in spirituality that came to my rescue many times, accompanied by a life-long desire to understand and communicate with others of all creeds, colours and nationalities.

You can learn more about Anthonys coaching here www.anthonyfitzgeraldcoaching.com

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Bernard Hornung (E75), Shaftesbury Bernard, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I have very happy memories of my time at Ampleforth, which was eclipsed by three outstanding monks: Dom Basil Hume as Abbot; Dom Patrick Barry as Headmaster and Dom Edward Corbould as Housemaster. I still keep in touch with Fr Edward. Whether it was in the classroom, in the carpentry shop, beagling, in Fr Edward’s garden, maintaining Gilling Castle golf course, or shooting on the range, every day was a happy one. Being together with my two brothers, Michael (E77) and Charles (E79), in the same house helped.

Tell us what you have done since leaving the Valley.

It is 50 years since I first went to Ampleforth, arriving on a very cold and snowy January night in 1971. I left as Head of House and Captain of Shooting, Second Whip to the Ampleforth Beagles, and an Under Officer in the CCF, with an enthusiasm for gardening and carpentry. I captained the Ampleforth Shooting VIII at Bisley in July 1975, and within two months I was back at Pirbright Camp having enlisted into The Irish Guards to attend Brigade Squad, prior to going to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst the following January. Tracy my wife and I have recently moved to Shaftesbury, having sold up and left London last year. I think that in the last 40 years we have moved house more than 20 times, and this has included living in Germany, Spain, Portugal, and throughout Southern England.

What are you currently working on?

I pivoted into my current role with Coltraco Ultrasonics last May, two months after we went into lockdown for the first time. I studied History at A level, and I was interested in Economic and Social History, and in particular the period which included the Agrarian Revolution, The Industrial Revolution and the early 20th Century. More recently I was involved in supporting the successful fundraising programme for a Portuguese First World War Memorial. This led me towards researching the disproportionate suffering endured by the Portuguese during this conflict, and afterwards as a result of the Spanish flu. At Ampleforth I had learnt about how during the 19th Century there was a belief that a bad smell could spread disease, and so in London, sewers were directed into the Thames, contaminating the water. This move ended up killing far more people as cholera spreads via contaminated food and water.

We have made similar mistakes with measles and tuberculosis, which are aerosol infections, which we thought for decades were spread by droplets. More recently, we have done the same with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the culprit behind the Covid-19 pandemic. It was only recently that the WHO and CDC finally accepted aerosols as one of the main modes of transmission of Covid-19, on 30 April and on 7 May 2021 respectively. In the UK we accepted this last June.

How have you found your work/life balance during the pandemic?

At the moment there is no life/work balance as we are in the middle of a crisis, and we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to recover from this pandemic, and to fundamentally change the way in which we do things, by moving away from a linear economy based purely on consumption, towards a circular economy, and to explore effective solutions to pressing social issues. The Climate Crisis and the loss of Bio Diversity are global challenges, which we must address with urgency.

How have you coped with lockdown?

I am at my best when placed under extreme pressure and so this pandemic and its lockdowns have really helped me to remain positive, as I feel that I am fully engaged with my work and my reward is being valued. I guess that many others will have had a similar experience, certainly in this country where there is such a tremendous sense of community. My faith, my shared values, my family and my colleagues at work, have enabled me to want to do more each day, and working from home has brought me closer to Tracy. We miss our immediate family, our children and grandchildren, who live in Italy and in Spain. We plan to see them soon, and I am now able to see my mother more frequently, and I hope to see my brothers and sisters again this year. Separation from the family has been hard.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I was commissioned into The Irish Guards in August 1976, aged just 19, and posted to Germany, but I actually joined the Battalion in Canada. The Commanding Officer was an Old Amplefordian, as were many of the other officers, and this really helped me. Since leaving the Army 30 years ago I have met and worked with many Old Amplefordians, and the Ampleforth family is important to me.

Our son Alexander (E02) was educated at Ampleforth, as were both my nephews, Anthony (EW11) and George (EW14).

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Carlota Brenninkmeijer (B11), Amsterdam Carlota, tell us about your memories of SHAC? I have great memories of SHAC. From Gilling Castle to the College hockey pitch, the netball courts, the rounders pitch, to StBede’s House, to Theatre Square, The Windmill and many more. However, my fondest memories come from either being on the hockey pitch, which was my happy place, or evenings spent in the House with the girls. Being part of the hockey team(s) at both St Martin’s and Ampleforth was where I was happiest. Being part of a team enabled me to develop as a person and learn skills such as leadership, resilience, accountability, respect, and teamwork. It was also a great way for me to connect with other girls and it brought us together because we were all working towards one goal, winning the game. I was lucky enough to be able to go on two hockey tours Ampleforth. The first one while I was sat St Martin’s (Gilling) to South America. I was one of the youngest (if not the youngest), and the older girls really looked out for me and made sure that I was enjoying the trip! Although I do not remember much of the trip, the smile on my face on the photos that I dug out of my mini trunk box of memories, tells me I was having a great time! The second hockey trip I went on was while at the College when we went to South Africa. This time I was the oldest and Captain of the team, so the roles were reversed, and I was looking out for the younger girls making sure they were ok and enjoying themselves. Both trips showed me how sport can unite people from different cultures and backgrounds because it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, everyone speaks the same language, namely the game of Hockey. Next to the amazing hockey trips I was able to go on, I just loved being on the hockey pitch scoring goals and having an undefeated season in my last year at SHAC. The evenings spent in the House were my favourite. We were most likely not doing our homework but rather chatting and laughing about the most random things. I was lucky to have both my sister and two cousins in the same House at the time, so it was easy to mix between the year groups and get to know the older and younger girls also.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

I left Ampleforth ten years ago this year....! I still can’t believe that it’s been ten years! A lot has happened in ten years so in a nutshell, I will expand. Since leaving SHAC I started studying in London though didn’t enjoy it that much, so I moved to Amsterdam to work.

From Amsterdam I moved to Tilburg for my bachelor’s and then moved back to Amsterdam to work in Utrecht. I stopped working and decided to study again and stayed in Amsterdam. With regards to studying, I moved to London after leaving SHAC and completed one year of International Events Management& Portuguese. This year gave me the opportunity to work at the London 2012 Olympic Games as a Hospitality Agent for JetSet Sports, a company that provides clients with unparalleled hospitality experiences. With regards to working, I left the UK in 2013 and moved to Amsterdam to take part in the family business trainee year with six other cousins.

Throughout that year, I worked in the stores as a sales assistant and assistant store manager. After this year I moved to Tilburg where I completed my BSc Liberal Arts & Science at Tilburg University College. I majored in Social Science and minored inOrganisational Studies, and in my last year wrote my thesis on the Underrepresentation of Women in Senior Management in the Netherlands. From Tilburg, I moved back to Amsterdam worked at Lagerweij, a HR consulting firm in Utrecht, as a Junior Consultant and Project Manager for nearly two years. I parted ways with Lagerweij in August 2019 for a new challenge. Before looking for a new job I travelled through South America (Chile & Bolivia) with my best friend for a month and once I came back the world started to be affected by the current global Covid pandemic. The job market at this time was crumbling and not many new opportunities were becoming available and that’s when I decided to start studying again and do a Masters in Sports Management at the Johan Cruyff Institute in Amsterdam from which I graduated in June 2021.

Were there any moments that sparked your interest in your chosen working life?

I have always had a fascination for people, more specifically why people do what they do in the grand sense. That is why I studied social science and went into HR. Understanding why people do what they do, in essence where they get their energy from, was a key component at a Lagerweij. Their mission is to get the best out of people and encourage people to find work in which their talents are central and they get energy from what they do. It’s not about improving and getting better at something you inherently aren’t good at but rather focusing on what you are good at and becoming great at it. The pandemic helped me figure out what it is that I actually wanted to do which was work in the sports industry. That is why I decided to do a masters in sports management. After graduating, I volunteered at the EURO2020 football championships in Amsterdam as a hospitality production volunteer. It was amazing to be part of such an event but most of all it was awesome to see so many happy people and to hear the roars coming from the crowds in and outside of the stadium. After 18 months without fans at live sporting events this experience was a reminder of what it used to be like and a sign of the good things to come when all restrictions are lifted. Furthermore, it also gave me the interest of finding work in this field, namely large scale (international) sporting events!

How have you managed in the time of Covid?

For a lot of people, including myself, last year was really challenging. A lot was taken away from me and still I was asked to live in a world that is foreign to us all. Last year forced me into isolation, took away freedoms I didn’t realise I had, or how much I’d miss; it disrupted the way I work, live, and learn, stole loved ones from me, and pushed me to the brink. As challenging of a year as it was though, it wasn’t all bad, because it gave me an ultimatum: sink or swim, and as best as I could, I rose to the challenge, building resilience along the way. A year ago, everything was different and now that I look back, I realise how much a year can do to people. So, last year, was a tale of unusual events and a tough pill to swallow at times, but it gave me a chance to focus on what I always wanted to do and opened new doors for me to walk through, which I will always be grateful for.

Has the pandemic made you rethink things?

The past year has taught me new lessons and at the same time proved many of my old ideas to be true. Here are a few things that last year showed me: •H ow a small word of encouragement or gesture could be the much-needed fuel to carry someone through what they were going through •H ow much people can change in a year •H ow the world can band together to fight a common cause •F amily and friends are my number one •F inding pleasure in the little thing such as dinners or walks with or without other people •My resilience motivated me to push through even though I didn’t think I could • I t made me appreciate the pause and find a balance •L ast year motivated me to understand that although I am an individual, I am part of a larger whole and that what I do matters.

Has it been advantageous to work/life balance?

Personally, it has been advantageous because it has forced me to find that balance and take time to rethink, readjust and re-imagine what I would like my life to look like. I believe that a lot more emphasis will be put on finding a work/life balance both from the individual but also from employers. This past year has been proof that working from home is not a taboo subject anymore and that we can be just as effective working from home as we are at an office.

What have you missed if anything?

I think for a lot of us social interaction with both family and friends has been what we’ve missed the most. Being able to call up a friend and grab a coffee or have dinner was suddenly not allowed anymore and that was a strange feeling. Personally, travelling was something I missed. I have friends and family spread across Europe and the world, and not being able to fly somewhere to see them or them being able to fly to Amsterdam was difficult at times. Next to travelling, I really missed going to and watching live sports events.

So being part of the EURO 2020 Football Championships was incredible. It was a joy to see so many happy fans and to hear the loud cheers and chants.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

The Netherlands never really went into full lockdown compared to the UK and other countries around the world. We were not allowed to meet people inside but were allowed to go out of the house to do our shopping or go on walks with other people as long as we kept to the rules of social distancing and wearing masks and so on. This was one of the many ways I stayed positive, because I knew other countries had much stricter guidelines which made me appreciate our situation and the little things such as walks with friends (or alone). I also didn’t think or plan too far in advance such as where to go on holiday in the summer or what I’d be doing for my birthday because everything was so uncertain. Furthermore, I had lots of Zoom/Teams game nights with friends and family, watched Netflix shows I’ve been meaning to watch for a long time and had time to read books that I didn’t have too much time for before (or so I thought at least). Finally, I reminded myself every day that I am not going through this alone; the whole world was going through a similar experience.

Have you worked with or stayed in touch with other Old Amplefordians?

Leaving the UK after my short stint in London also meant leaving everything I knew (social life, culture etc.) behind to discover a new culture and way of life. So, staying in contact with Old Amplefordians became a little more difficult. Having said that, I have remained in touch with a few of the girls in my year and House and if I am in London or they come to Amsterdam we reconnect and it’s as if no time has passed. Since this year marks ten years since I left Ampleforth, I organised a Zoom call with the girls in my House to celebrate that together. Unfortunately, not all of us could make it but for those who could, it was a lovely call where we caught up with each other and looked back on our ten years as St Bede’s girls.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

The Ampleforth family means a whole lot to me, and I believe it is a special family to be a part of. As with any experience, no one else knows exactly what it was like unless you were there. I was in the Valley from age 10 to 18 and a lot happened in those years, both good and bad, and I was glad that I had great people around me to celebrate the good moments with and to get through the tougher moments together.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Charles Monthienvichienchai (O99), Thailand Charles, tell us about your memories of SHAC. My foremost abiding memory of SHAC were the monks. The people of my native country, Thailand, set great store in learning acquired during the Buddhist monkhood. Here, it is still a tradition for boys to be temporarily ordained before they are considered to be men. The obligations are fulfilled even if a person enters the monkhood for a week, but of course, greater respect is accorded to those who stay for longer. So many here are surprised that I spent ten years (if you count the time at Gilling) learning Theology, Ancient Greek and Latin, oftentimes from monks.

Other memories are the lakes and forests. To be honest, at the time I did not really appreciate them so much, but when I found myself in bustling metropolises like Bangkok, New York City, Hong Kong, and London, I do miss the wide-open spaces, the nature of the forests (especially the wild blackberries), and fresh air.

The last one is my first (legal) experience of a pub with friends. The legal drinking age here is 20, so my cadets are generally surprised to learn that I was drinking in pubs since I was 16. Although there were certainly some over-inebriations going on, the early exposure to alcohol has more or less immunised me to the novelty (and effects) of alcoholic drinks.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

I think I’ve had my fair share of adventures since leaving Ampleforth in 1999. Academically, I went up to Oxford University to read for a degree in Modern History, which was followed by a Master’s in Thai Studies at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok. I then went to Cambridge University to read for an MPhil in Chinese Studies in 2004, before continuing on to a PhD in History at the School of Oriental and African Studies, which I completed in 2010, with a thesis on the effects of Thai nationalism on the development of the Catholic Church in Thailand during the First and Second World Wars.

Workwise, I joined the Thai diplomatic services in the same year that I completed my PhD, where I worked with international organisations under the United Nations banner and in European Affairs, particularly with the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Russia.

About four years in, I transferred over to the Royal Thai Army and am currently a Lieutenant Colonel and Assistant Professor at the Department of History, Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy. The Academy is the Thai equivalent of the US Military Academy at West Point.

In the process of these moves, I have found myself living in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Paris, Hohhot, Bandar Seri Begawan, New York City, Hong Kong, and, of course, Bangkok. I also managed to travel; not to many places, but to a few ‘exotic’ locales like Lhasa and Pyongyang. At the moment, I am based in Nakhon Nayok, a town about an hour and a half away by car from Bangkok.

Were there any moments that sparked your interest in working in the military?

Originally, I had no intention to come down the military route, although the regime at SHAC has certainly allowed me to thrive in this environment and not be surprised by anything. My first career was in Thailand’s foreign services, which made great use of my existing knowledge in history, as well as linguistic skills in Thai, English, French, and Mandarin.

However, after I was invited as a special lecturer at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, I found that I could apply my knowledge to shape the new generation of military leaders - who may also turn out to be political leaders - while also maintaining a dual role in both the military and academic circles. This would not have been possible in an ordinary university.

It also helped that very senior people were interested in retaining me as a permanent lecturer and in using my special skills at the national level in various behind-the-scenes roles. So, when I was invited to transfer, my curiosity and the new opportunities the new place offered got the better of me. Overall, the pay still isn’t that great, but I am happy and healthy. However, at times, I do miss the hustle and bustle of the diplomatic circuit. The feeling is alleviated somewhat when I have to make the occasional return forays into this circle though.

Have you managed to work in the pandemic?

When Covid first struck Thailand, I was in the middle of attending the Staff Officers’ Course at the Royal Thai Army Command and General Staff College. Actually, Thailand was the first country outside of China to report a case of this disease. I may have even caught it quite early on from a mainland Chinese gentleman, as I was bedridden for a couple of days after the encounter, which is a very unusual reaction to the flu for me. My course quickly transitioned into an on-line one, which, like everywhere else, was not as effective as anyone would have liked, but the best that could be provided under the circumstances.

With the previous experiences of SARS and Swine Flu still fresh in the memory, the government reacted sufficiently quickly to prevent this first wave from getting out of hand. So, from around May 2020 onwards, most Thais including myself were able to return to a semblance of normality, albeit without the usual crowds of tourists to impede our paths and to support the economy.

Unfortunately, the government has not been so successful with the latest outbreak in 2021 and so focus has now turned to expediting the vaccination drive. We have a mix here of Astrazeneca (which Thailand will soon manufacture and distribute throughout Southeast Asia), Pfizer, Sinovac, and Johnson & Johnson. With our close relations with Russia, it may be that the Sputnik V will also become available soon too. Even so, the amateurish opposition parties are doing their best to discredit the efficacy of pretty much every vaccine, which isn’t helping things. Naturally, they have all had their tax-payer funded immunisations prior to this smear campaign.

I have been lucky in that since the Military Academy is essentially a boarding school, we can more or less isolate ourselves from the world. Classes have been taking place as normal, although everyone is practicing social distancing as a precaution. However, in-person events such as seminars and meetings have largely been postponed or cancelled.

Strangely though, I have been invited to more online events that I otherwise may not have been able to attend, had they been in-person events. For example, I participated in a seminar on the 70th Anniversary of the Korean War that took place in Seoul, as well as another one with a prominent think-tank in Washington DC. So at least on that front, there is some new and interesting development that could be of use in the future.

Has the current situation made you rethink things?

As a trained historian, I’ve always been sanguine about the possibilities of pandemics. This pandemic is not the first one that the human race has experienced, and I highly doubt that it will be the last. Nor has it been the worst; if anything, I think we got off lightly compared to the Plague of Justinian or the Black Death. Also, as a species we have always proven ourselves to be adaptive, so just as the Spanish Flu, where many more died and no vaccines were available, was followed by the wild exhilaration of the Roaring ‘20s, I expect that this pandemic will give way to similar post-pandemic exuberance. It may also lead to some people rethinking their priorities in life.

Has it been advantageous to your work/life balance?

I think work/life balance has suffered somewhat since the start of the pandemic, especially as the line between work and home has blurred. It was already on the decline with the rise of social media and other means of communications that allow anyone, anywhere to contact you. It had been worst in the diplomatic services, where during the day I would have been dealing with the Thai ministries and agencies. When those were closing down for the day, the Americans and the Europeans were just getting started, which meant that there wasn’t a real end to a day, just a suspension of activities for some sleep and a meal, perhaps.

On the plus side, if you live in a country with a flexible culture and good access to Internet, it could mean an end to cramped city living and may lead to people working from wherever they like, which I think is an improvement over the existing conditions. On the spiritual side, I have also been interested in viewing the online Masses during the periods when communal worship was not allowed. It gave an interesting insight into the diversity of the Universal Church and brought some nostalgia, especially when I joined into some of the churches that I had visited in-person in the past.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

I have probably been the least affected by this pandemic. I have been able to exercise regularly, go to shopping centres, and, to a limited extent, even socialise. Even so, in the worst of it, I am reminded of a fable concerning King Solomon who wanted a magic ring that would make him happy when he is sad and sad when happy. The wise men of the court fashioned an iron ring with the words “This too shall pass.” So, this pandemic too, shall pass. But in our happiness at its eventual passing, it should be an invitation for us to also think about those who were less fortunate and find ways to help them out, in whatever way that we can.

What have you missed if anything?

What I miss the most is the ability to travel – either on my own means or as part of work.

Have you stayed in touch with other OAs? I have not had the chance to work with any Old Amplefordians, although I have kept in touch with a few and had drinks with them in places like London, Chengdu, Hong Kong, and Dubai. There is also a somewhat inactive e-mail group for Oswaldians that finished in 1999. My generation seem to be inordinately allergic to most online social networks and if you want them to participate in something, you really have to make an effort to invite them to do so!

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Chris Gilbey (T99), London Tell us about your memories of SHAC? What an adventure! From the moment I turned up at Gilling to my adolescence at Ampleforth I have always felt a huge sense of camaraderie and friendship. In particular, I always loved breakfast, the buzz of the refectory with everybody starting a new day, discussing our various trials and tribulations of what the day had in store and how best to deal with them.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

Since leaving I went to UWE in Bristol followed by turning up in London with no idea what I wanted to do! The only thing I did have were some drumsticks (drumming being a huge passion of mine) and promptly set about joining bands with the idea of being the next big thing! Although it felt deadly serious at the time, it was not my true calling and stardom would have wait for another life.

It did however give me a huge sense of independence, which allowed me to grow in confidence. It was not until it struck me one day looking out of window of the day job I had with a wine shop to the plumbing merchant opposite that I saw all the things I love doing come to life. I loved fixing and making things and plumbing was it, the career for me. I managed to get an apprenticeship and a place at plumbing college and worked on the weekends and evenings for local building contractors and friends to gain some extra money to keep me afloat. This is when starting a business came to mind and felt like my ultimate calling. I wanted to set up a multitrade company as I was always asked while fitting a tap if I could hang a picture or shelf and from that Bits Bobs and Odd Jobs was born. I then took an ad out in the yellow pages, got some business cards printed and enthusiastically set about driving round in my grannie’s old polo attending to my growing customer base. We have grown considerably since then and are now based in Battersea with numerous employees. My family and I live in Hampshire from where I commute three days a week.

Were there any moments in your life that sparked the interest in your chosen working life?

Sometimes it is the smallest things within your interests and hobbies that turn out to be the biggest drivers in your career choice. I recall endlessly drawing logos that littered my lever arch files at school but never really knowing why it gave me such pleasure. I also loved driving and was endlessly out in the car discovering new places. I have always considered the car as a mobile sitting room! It is therefore apt that the career and business I have ended up starting involves a lot of fixing and driving, as well as my passion for designing and building a brand.

How have you managed through the pandemic?

Covid has ultimately turned out to be a very positive experience. It has forced me to reconsider and audit every aspect of the business and we have ended up pulling the whole thing apart, which has effectively felt like starting a new business. We have changed our payment structure so our team now have the autonomy to organise themselves and ultimately earn more, and employed a new accountancy firm specifically engaged due to their analytical approach, which has given us far more foresight and control of our numbers. We have also moved into a brand-new office which is twice the size but half the cost of our previous and engaged a new SEO and digital marketing company who have built us a new website specifically designed to gain as much SEO traction as possible.

The last thing on the list is to change all our vans so we are up to date with central London emission regulations and won’t get clobbered by the new emissions charges. Overall, it has been a true lesson in survival that has given me the time to work solely on the business rather than in it, which has ultimately set us up to bounce back better than we were before. Personally, it has given me the space to listen to audio books, having never really read a book in my life partly due to dyslexia I now get through about two books a week, which has opened up my world considerable. But ultimately the biggest wonder of the pandemic has been the birth of our second child, wee Henry is a total delight and I have been gifted a wonderful opportunity to spend a lot of time with my dear family.

Has the pandemic made you think differently about life and work?

I have learnt that balance is key and it has allowed me to reconsider my approach to work. Instead of filling every hour with the view that there is always something to be done, I now take a proper lunch break and go for a walk, which gives invaluable time to myself. I also work from home two days a week, which I would have no way, shape or form considered a year ago. I love being at home for bath time and to help my dear wife. In fact, due to the pandemic, I am more efficient with my time and weirdly can often achieve more than I did previously. I have learnt that less really is more and there is no need to be so frantic – keep calm and carry on!

What have you missed if anything?

Seeing friends and family.

How have you kept positive in lockdown?

I had ignorantly thought meditation was rather a whimsical idea – how wrong I was. A dear friend of mine came for lunch and after being open about my concerns she mentioned she had done a meditation course that was one of the best experiences she had had, which gave her a far better sense of clarity and calm. I thought, ‘what have I got to lose’ and promptly signed up on a course. I now mediate twice a day and can’t tell you how beneficial it has been. It has helped me keep positive and level-headed when there have been difficult moments.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

My Ampleforth friends remain to this day my very best friends. Having grown up with each other we have formed a very strong bond that is unbreakable. Six of them are Godparents to my children not only because I have known them for a long time but because they are like all SHAC type human beings with the greatest sense of fun and faith.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Dan McFarland (W90), Belfast Please tell us about your memories of SHAC? Sitting on a steal sprung bed in St Wilfrid’s junior dormitory, parents having just left, my own duvet cover giving me a tiny sense of continuity in a world that promised both terror and opportunity. It is my lasting memory of that sense of opportunity, that eclipsed all the anxiety that comes with any big change. The opportunity to forge lasting friendships; the opportunity to study broadly; the opportunity to play sport, especially team sport; the opportunity to play a musical instrument (badly), to be in the CCF (half-heartedly), to be in the Choral Society (not for the singing), to learn how to turn a pot (I still have it!). The list is long and I can’t do it justice here.

There is a tremendous sense of gratitude for those opportunities, the associated memories and the fact that my parents had to work so hard to put me in that position.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth and what bought you to where you today.

I went to Newcastle University straight from SHAC and studied Classics. In my third year there I met Danielle, a lawyer, and we were married in the final summer. We have two children, of whom we are very proud - Alexandra (23), who is finishing her Law Degree at Edinburgh and Tomas (20) who is studying Geography at Glasgow. On leaving Newcastle I studied as a teacher, while Danielle qualified as a solicitor. Rugby went professional in 1995 and I took a gamble joining Richmond FC, learning quickly that I could make up for my lack of talent by doing the dirty work that the super stars didn’t do. John Willcox had a huge influence on this mindset, when you have completed Christmas Tree sets on cold December afternoons in the valley as a 17-year-old the rest seems easy! I went on to play for Stade Francais in Paris before moving to Galway, playing for Connacht. The West of Ireland is a wonderful part of the world and we spent 15 years there. I stopped playing in 2006 and immediately moved into the coaching team, working as an assistant coach to Michael Bradley, Eric Elwood and Pat Lam, whilst doing a degree in Psychology, before deciding to move to Glasgow in 2015 and work with Gregor Townsend at Glasgow Warriors and then with the Scottish National team. In 2018 I was offered the opportunity to become the Head Coach of Ulster Rugby here in Belfast, which was a tremendous opportunity and we have been here since. It was particularly special for me because my grandfather on my dad’s side had been born and brought up in Belfast before moving across the water.

Were there any moments that sparked your interest in your chosen career?

Rugby has always been a huge part of my life; my dad was captain of the 1964 SHAC team and went on to play for Rosslyn Park, London Irish and Headingley. I have great memories of watching 5 Nations games with my brother Ben (E92) and Dad, Patrick (D64). Obviously the opportunities to play rugby at SHAC were instrumental to what I do now. Rugby was life for much of my time at school. It didn’t matter what it was, from running out for the 1st XV vs Sedbergh or the Rosslyn Park Sevens final to a Senior House Match vs St Dunstan’s (who were terrible) or a 6pm propping session with myself and Pete Tapparo (A90) learning from Andrew Hollins - it was all gold.

How have you managed during the pandemic?

We have been fortunate as a family to remain healthy and although the earning capacity of rugby as a sport has been decimated, the impact personally has been manageable. I work with a great group of people and their ability to adapt to the needs of lockdown was superb. As a family it is obviously frustrating and I really felt for Alex and Tomas who should have been experiencing student life, although I’m pretty sure they will make up for it when it is all over. However, we also recognise that we are extremely fortunate in comparison to many, many people.

Has the pandemic made you rethink things?

No – I still have the same goals and mentality to those goals. It has reinforced that time with my family is special. We spent a number of months together and I will treasure that time. For a long time I appreciated the importance of “living where my feet are”; the pandemic reinforced the importance of having direction in my life but also that I can’t be tripping over myself chasing goals due to not paying attention to where my feet are.

What have you missed if anything during the pandemic?

During lockdown I missed the social aspect of my job most of all; I love the people I work with. I also missed the heat of competition - although Alex, Tomas, Danielle and myself played a lot of badminton, it wasn’t quite the same!

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Dived into the new challenges faced at work, enjoyed family life, read a lot, watched loads of sports documentaries and lost weight!

Have you stayed in touch with other Old Amplefordians over the years?

I keep in touch with a group of guys from my year, many of whom went together on a “summer of 1990” holiday that still causes me to laugh (and break into cold sweats). The nature of me living and working abroad and the fact that professional rugby matches are always at the weekend means that one of the things I have had to sacrifice over the years is the ability to connect regularly with people who don’t work in sport.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Digby Walker (T11), London Digby, tell us about your memories of SHAC. Arriving in the Valley as a 13-year-old fresh off a plane from Hong Kong could have been daunting. There were certainly things to get used to, like wearing trousers. Similarly, Crocs (particularly orange ones) weren’t a common choice of footwear in the UK at the time, but I am delighted to see they have finally come into fashion some 15 years later! Rural Yorkshire could at times seem a long way from home.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

After taking a gap year (including working for former Ampleforth PE Teacher Dave Schell out in Trinity College, Australia, and later living with the Manquehue Movement in Chile), I went to Durham University to study Environmental Geosciences. After a period of reflection whilst brushing up on my Mandarin in Qingdao, China, I moved to London and worked for three years in the oil trading team at Glencore Commodities Ltd as a Risk Manager, then just before Covid struck I went to Google to work in their Marketing Finance Risk team. However, I left last month and am currently studying a course in Sustainable Finance. My advice to anyone thinking about their career right now would be ‘don’t be shyd - reach out and get in touch and you will be amazed by the people willing to help you out.

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

Covid has certainly made me rethink things in terms of work, and indeed has prompted a career change! I am still not quite sure where the path will lead, but I am excited about the journey ahead…

What have you done to keep positive during the pandemic?

I was extremely lucky to be able to spend much of lockdown at home in Scotland with my family. The fantastic weather at the start of last summer definitely helped to keep spirits high, and without the usual distractions and temptations of ‘normal’ life we threw ourselves into trying to get fit! It was also wonderful to be able to tune in virtually to Sunday Mass in the Abbey Church each week via the YouTube channel, alongside hundreds of other people doing the same - it gave a real boost in what was an undoubtedly tough time for us all.

What have you missed most during lockdown?

Much the same as everyone else: being able to see friends, play team sports, the freedom to go to pubs, clubs, restaurants, museums, churches, theatres; all the things that we took for granted in the past. I actually also really missed being in the office - work is not quite the same when you are stuck in a room for days/months on end by yourself!!

Do you have any involvement in any OA groups?

Certainly one of the best things I’ve done since moving to London has been getting involved in OAs sport, primarily rugby and cricket. I’d encourage anyone who is keen to get in touch; we are always on the lookout for new members! During lockdown the rugby team organised numerous activities (both fitness-oriented and social) via Zoom to keep the squad engaged, and the boys are already chomping at the bit for the season ahead. We also had a lot of fun during lockdown playing chess for the OAs in various online tournaments, coordinated by Peter Hornsby (T12).

What does the Ampleforth Family mean to you?

The true joy of life at Ampleforth was that within a matter of days it became my home. I remember both Fr Dominic and Fr Edward introducing themselves early on by telling tales of when my dad, Bruce Walker (T66), had been at SHAC some 40 years earlier, and being amazed by the extraordinary sense of continuity and community. St Thomas’ House, led ably by Mr Brennan, welcomed me and later my two younger brothers, with open arms and created an environment where we could grow and learn. Life at boarding school was not always easy, and it may not be for everyone, but I absolutely loved it.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Dominic McGonigal (W80), London Dominic, tell us about your memories of SHAC. So many memories. Of people and places. Fr Henry producing lunch for 50 people out of the back of a coach while on tour. Fr Barnabas with his ‘blow lamp.’ Simon Wright playing and singing all parts as we sightread a new piece. David Bowman demanding high standards at the Friday evening sung Mass. Commander Wright incensed that a mere musician got a higher grade in AO level Navigation than a devoted member of the CCF. John Wilcox coming straight from the rugby pitch to teach me A level French.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

It was the Ampleforth connection which fixed my first job in a life-forming gap year. Penelope Armour (cello teacher and cellist in various local orchestras) kindly invited me and two other leavers to lunch in our final week at SHAC. Her son Nicholas Armour (D69) was visiting and, being a first-class diplomat, asked us all what our plans were. I was going to spend my year off doing music and learning French but absolutely nothing was arranged. Without any hesitation, Nicholas asked if I would like to go to Lebanon to conduct the Beirut Sinfonietta. Two months later, I was in Beirut for a formative year before going to King’s, Cambridge to read music. Since then, I have worked in the music, creative and digital industries, now as entrepreneur, director and composer.

Have you managed to work in the time of Covid?

I embraced digital very early on and all my businesses operate a hybrid model (remote and physical). I have many clients I have never met in person. What changed was that remote working became the norm for everyone. Of course, some things are much better done in person and I hope we will return to that soon.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

I have actively kept in contact with people, just to see how they are. I have actually had more time for ad hoc phone calls and they have been more important for keeping well.

What’s your involvement in the OA music and media group?

A few years ago, some of us got together for an occasional lunch and that has grown slowly into the OA music and media group.

Pre-pandemic, we would meet for drinks in London and I hope we’ll get back to that soon.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about getting into your line of work?

I have been very fortunate in doing what I love through most of my career. I would certainly recommend taking time to find out what really makes you tick. Most people don’t know when they’re leaving school. Now the workplace is more fluid which provides an opportunity to try things out. I suppose the best advice I picked up early on is make your own opportunities and work with people who are good at what they do.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians during your career?

I have worked with Andrew Greasley (B86), Mark Wilkinson (T85) and James Morgan (H87) over the years. It’s a very easy working relationship and you can see the Ampleforth values taken for granted between us.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Edwin Leung (T97), Hong Kong Edwin, tell us about your memories of SHAC? SHAC means ‘Family.’ Within the nine years across Gilling Castle to Ampleforth, I have lived with people from different counties and countries. No matter whether it was good times (celebrating rugby/ competition wins, getting through GCES/ A level hardships, chit-chatting during late nights, watching movies on a Saturday nights, skipping Mass on a Sunday etc, or not so enjoying times (10 mile morning runs as punishments, rugby training in freezing snowy weather, rainy and cold conditions patrolling inside the river during CCF training exercises - we as a group always stuck together and helped each other out - no betrayal!

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

I studied at University College London for my BSc (1997-2000) and City University (2000-2001) for my Masters degrees, in disciplines surrounding business management and technology. At that point I did not have any strong interests or clues on what my future career should be. But one thing I knew that I must do - meet the basic requirements first by having a degree, and try to obtain the MSc while I still have time, in areas that I have an interest in (Business and IT). Once I graduated in 2001, the economy was at its worst in recent years and jobs were scarce. I have picked up a contract IT role at a local kindergarten school and have enrolled on a 6-month professional IT certification course. The goal here is to build up my CV. My thought process was that I will at some point be back in Hong Kong (as my family is there) and one obvious industry to get into is the Finance sector. I needed to somehow get myself closer to this. When the economic situation turned better in 2004, I found a junior position in a Retail Bank (Bank of China), responsible for mortgage approvals but also picking up other retail bank duties at their branch level - good experience to soak up and learn! I have across time got familiar with how the retail bank works, including Know Your Customer process, Telex Transfer etc, as well as how to service customers.

I decided to relocate back to Hong Kong in 2006. Two major considerations: 1) looking after my family; 2) if I have to move back, I would be better off doing so earlier in my career. After my relocation it was fortunate that the market was at a high in Asia and I managed to get into the Asset Management industry. Something completely new. I am always a dynamic person, looking for a different environment every day and good in project management and communications. My initial role was the business manager for the Regional Operations head. Throughout the past 15 years I have delivered consistently and went through four different roles, no matter whether I liked them or not, to learn new skillsets and get to know more people. Now I specialise in the Client Experience and Insights position across the region.

Key takeaway is that you may not know the exact role that may interest you. But you should build up your skillset and experience in the broader sense. A lot of basic skills and knowledge are transferable, and employers are often looking for who you are: your passion, the way that you think and self-discipline, demonstrated through your journey to date. Always be curious and admit to things you do not know. Don’t stay in one position - try to move on every two to three years learning new things and discovering what you are good at and interested in.

Have you managed to work through the pandemic?

Despite the global impact, COVID has brought a lot of positive changes to the world (looking at it positively). It has fast-tracked how corporate companies operate. Dynamic working is now a trend where from an employees’ perspective, we are not bounded by 9-5 anymore and physically being in the office every day. More time can be spent with families to bring along work/ life balance. From a people management perspective, a lot of this is dependent on TRUST between you and your colleagues. Focus on delivery and not how long a task takes, or how long a person is ‘working’ throughout the day. On the flip side we need to have self-discipline.

Technology has moved on so much within the pass year. Virtual meetings can happen anytime via Zoom (no need to physically book an office…) with MS Teams available to connect with colleagues anytime. We can log onto our office PC virtually anywhere I tend to do this during weekends where needed in a cafe - great!

I now have far more time to connect with my family, spend more time with my wife and my dog. From a work perspective I do have more time to think and deliver more quality work. In fact, I think I have spent more time working (whenever I want, even late nights and weekends) as I enjoyed it far more versus being locked up during Monday to Friday in an office.

In short, being enjoyable helps to reduce stress levels, hence increasing productivity. Good from both an employer and employee perspective.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Exercise is key for me. This helps to reduce my stress level and my interest has always been in Muay Thai (Thai boxing). During lockdown I did this at home with my ‘YouTube’ training anytime that works with my flexible working environment. I also tended to eat less as I stayed at home most of the time. Fill yourself to 70% only and this helps your body to be more aware and active never eat too much.

What have you missed?

The quiet time (especially in the countryside) to self-reflect. And of course the nice gloomy British weather, as it is so sunny here in Hong Kong! But most importantly I do miss the Ampleforth culture as I have been distanced for quite a while.

What is your involvement in any OA groups?

I have been fortunate to be included in the Hong Kong OA WhatsApp group, connected with a lot of OAs. Due to the pandemic I was not able to attend a couple of planned drinking events. Dionne Saville has been great to ensure interactions within the group continues. I wanted to contribute more to the OA network, and the time came when Dionne reached out to see if I could help to be a panellist for one of the OA Career Insight sessions - something I accepted without thinking. Really refreshing in connecting with younger Amplefordians. Looking ahead, I am looking forward to any potential support that I can provide.

What does the Ampleforth Family mean to you?

The simple and true friendships continue even to this date. I am still in touch with a few close friends (Rose, Richard, Fr Richard to call out a few) and whenever I am in the UK I will try to connect in person and visit Ampleforth. Of course when I am not in the country, we now have Zoom and WhatsApp to continue with the connection. The Ampleforth experience and coaching of Fr Richard (and of course the entire monastic community) have shaped me into a good person with a sense of duty, responsibility, willing to look after others, someone people can trust and gives back to society - something so valuable I have gained being at Ampleforth.

As Dom Toretto has called out in the Fast & Furious movies: “I don’t have friends, I have family.” resonates so much to me when I reflect back on SHAC.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Erris de Stacpoole (M07), London Erris, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I have such fond memories of SHAC, from being Captain of the 1X Hockey team, the fantastic Art Department with Mr Bird, to the early morning walks to breakfast from St Margaret’s.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

Since leaving Ampleforth I went onto Chelsea College of Arts, then Bristol University, and I am now working in the media and advertising industry – I’m very fortunate that I’ve found a job I thoroughly enjoy. Before Ampleforth, my siblings and I used to play a game ‘guess the advert.’ You had to be the first to guess the brand as soon as you saw an ad come on TV. My older brother George de Stacpoole (J02) always gave me a head start because I couldn’t read the straplines as quickly as him!

So even when I was little, advertising always played a part in my life. What I love about it, is its ability to be both creative and commercial in the same setting. It has also come a long way with technological advancements constantly helping the industry evolve and push boundaries, and I believe it’s seen as a great place to start anyone’s future.

Have you managed to work during the pandemic?

I’ve changed jobs during Covid – from French multinational advertising company Publicis Groupe to integrated agency group UNLIMITED. I think for most people in the media industry, it has been an incredibly interesting time and our industry thrives on change.

For example, we’ve had to re-think the purpose of the office. Often creative meetings take place face-to-face and some were sceptical in the beginning thinking they couldn’t be done remotely, however, it has shown it’s completely possible and flexible working is likely to stay for the long-term with many companies now looking at ‘hybrid’ setups.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking looking for work?

Two words: Get busy. My industry is always looking for new talent, so I’d advise anyone looking to get started to get busy and make themselves visible. By being ‘visible’ I mean a few things. Connect with not just people in HR but CEOs CMOs, Directors and other C-suites (LinkedIn is ideal for this).

Have an opinion on industry topics – did you like or dislike an advertising campaign you saw on TV? Or even a social media campaign? What was good / bad about it and what do you think they could have done better? Always be constructive with your views. Post articles on LinkedIn or start a blog. There are many platforms you can use to post your content and this not only demonstrates your thinking, but your ability to communicate and your writing skills.

I’ve also always been impressed with candidates who read up on industry topics (good industry magazines are Campaign and The Drum) because it provides excellent interview fodder.

What have you done to keep positive during lockdown?

Being in lockdown has been a positive experience for me. It has allowed me to be more efficient with my time and set up an office space at home.

What is your involvement in any OA groups?

I recently did a Career Insight Panel event discussing media and communications for the Ampleforth Society.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Francesca Tonna (B08), Malta Francesca, tell us about your memories of SHAC. When I was at SHAC I got involved in the organisation of fundraising events within the House and participated in activities such as the Friendship Holiday. These increased my interest in the event management industry. During the Summer Term, I would spend a lot of time planning trips to Malta with friends – although at the time the nightlife and beaches were what intrigued us most, most of us also wanted to learn about the history of the island and go sightseeing too, so this made me look at Malta as a more holistic tourism destination.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

When I left Ampleforth, I was uncertain about what I wanted to study at University. I had gone through the whole UCAS procedure, but when results day came, I felt like I was not 100% sure about what I wanted to do. I then decided to take a gap year and started to work in the family business, whilst travelling around the world assisting with the organisation of B2B meeting forums. Eventually, I decided to read for a degree in Information Systems & Management through the University of London’s International Programme. I essentially got the benefit of studying with a UK-based university, whilst enjoying the sunshine in Malta. I had always wanted to work in the tourism and hospitality industry, even before I went to SHAC. Tell us about working for a family business and how it is going through the pandemic?

The family business is a travel agency which has an outgoing department which caters to locals who want to travel on business or holiday, and a destination management department which caters to people and businesses who want to travel to Malta for a variety of reasons. The company was set up in 1970 by my grandfather, but its roots go back to 1926 when the company was set up as a bus and chauffeur-driven transportation operation to cater for the British forces in Malta. Until 2019 business was growing with record numbers each year, however, we have been hit hard by the pandemic, as have most businesses within the tourism and hospitality industry. Malta officially opened to tourism on 1 June, so we’re hoping to slowly start the recovery process over the next few months. The pandemic was a very demotivating time, as we were inundated with cancellations and postponements for the past year and a half.

Has the pandemic made you rethink things at all?

As a company we took a decision for employees to work reduced hours, so we thankfully managed to avoid any redundancies.

As a team we were made sure to be in contact with each other daily, even though we were all working from home we all tried our hardest to keep each other motivated, even through the worst stages of the pandemic. Everyone put their creative thinking caps on and worked on their own projects. I like to look at this as the ‘silver lining’ of the pandemic, because it gave us the opportunity to come up with some exciting new product updates. We’re expecting travel trends to change in the post-pandemic world, with more travellers focusing on wellbeing, responsible tourism and sustainability. I would therefore like to continue following in my grandfather and father’s footsteps in ensuring that the business remains one of the forerunners in the tourism industry in Malta, by making sure that we meet our clients’ ever-changing demands and ensuring that the company operates in a sustainable way as much as possible.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up a business in the travel industry?

The advice given to me when I first decided to join the industry 15 years ago, is still very relevant today – the industry requires a lot of patience and commitment, and you will either love it or hate it. If you love the industry, then the long hours and working weekends won’t seem so bad.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Thankfully in Malta, we did not have any hard lockdowns so although we could not meet in large numbers, we were free to go for walks and to be outdoors. I took advantage of the extra free time to discover new places in Malta whilst brushing up on its history. I used this new information to develop new itineraries which focused on gastronomical experiences and combined it with the history and cultural aspect. I am a huge believer of lifelong learning, so I also took the opportunity to complete a diploma in hospitality and tourism management.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians? What does the Ampleforth network mean to you?

I had worked with some Amplefordians based in Malta a couple of years ago when the Schola had travelled to Malta on tour. I have also recently been in touch with a company who got my contact details from an Ampleforth Society event, as they wanted to organise a pilgrimage to Malta.

I feel like although I personally don’t make enough use of the Ampleforth Society and the tools available to me through this network, it is really a useful tool to have to expand my personal and professional network. It is also great to have access to a number of experts in different sectors of my industry who I can turn to for mentorship.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Hamish Adams-Cairns (H09), Sydney Hamish, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I don’t want to bore you saying that Ampleforth were some of the happiest memories of my life, during which I met my closest friends (although it is true). I won’t recount stories of my times with my teachers, monks and friends (though there are many to tell!). I would rather discuss how lucky I feel to have spent my formative years in Yorkshire. Far away from the hustle and bustle of London. A breeding ground for the insecurities of any teenage boy or girl. Yorkshire is for me, the greatest place that I have ever been. Notably for its people. Wherever I have travelled or lived around the world, I have always run into people from Yorkshire and they have been for the most part, my favourite people. Their warmth, humour and approach to life has forever had me yearning to return!

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

Soon after I finished at SHAC, I followed seemingly every other Amplefordian and enrolled at Newcastle University where I studied English Literature for three blissful years! I then took a route that many Old Amplefordians probably haven’t taken by enrolling at a clown school in Paris for two years. Soon after, I returned to London where I worked as a comedian and actor whilst also helping one of my closest friends set up a charity to help build Rwanda its first ever cricket stadium. My ambition has long been to be a TV and radio presenter, so in 2017 I moved to Australia to focus solely on that dream. When I moved here, I stepped off the plane and met a girl on my first day that I am now engaged to! Workwise, I have spent the best part of two years in the TV industry - though not as a presenter yet...

What sparked your interest in working in your current industry?

Boredom is what sparked my interest in a job like mine! I challenge any Old Amplefordian to a job-off. Since leaving school I have worked as porridge chef, the Surrey Cricket Club mascot, a children’s party entertainer to the rich and famous (!), an actor, a clown, a kombucha salesman, an olive farmer, and I was once accidentally a stripper at a hen do! Recently we moved from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast in the hope that regional radio might be an easier way to get my foot in the door. TBC on this front...

Have you managed to work during the pandemic?

Sadly, Covid meant all TV work closed down. I had been working in TV production for the best part of two years and was working on Big Brother when suddenly the carpet was pulled from under our feet. What followed was six weeks of unemployment. We moved into my fiancée’s dad’s house and I was allowed to empty my superannuation (an Australian pension) in order to pay the rent of the apartment we were no longer living in. On the plus side, the sun was shining, our covid numbers were low in comparison and I got to watch every TV show I had never had time to watch before.

Has the pandemic made you rethink?

Covid has made me realise how lucky I am to be living in Australia. Truthfully, we cannot begin to understand what this pandemic has been like in almost every other corner of the world. Our life has continued as normal - relatively speaking. I have felt guilty to see so many friends and family struggle through these times. Sadly for me I missed my brother’s wedding day, instead having to send my best man’s speech as an audio recording (along with a 6-foot cardboard cut-out!) In spite of this, I have felt as connected as ever to all of those back in the UK and around the world. We have communicated more, and relationships have strengthened through missing each other. At present, I am not allowed back to the UK. I have not seen my friends or family in over two years and I have been forced to cancel my own wedding, but I feel more excited than ever to be reunited with you all as soon as it is safe to do so!

Has the pandemic been advantageous to your work/life balance at all?

I have never had a job that has enabled me to work from home, so I feel somewhat inexperienced to answer this question. I have always worked long, irregular hours in many a freelance and casual job. Any work is good when you are self-employed. With that being said, the time that we had away from the city during Covid inspired us to pack up our bags 12 months later and move to Queensland, which has an even greater work life balance than Sydney. The weather (oh God how British to mention it!) is wonderful all year round. My day starts at 5am with a beach walk or a surf lesson and I spend most of my working life outside and on my feet. It certainly beats the Northern Line commute or cycling through Brixton in sideways rain!

What advice would you give to anyone who wanted to move abroad?

Work wise! Just come and talk to me. I have made every mistake possible and can offer my advice as to how to avoid these pitfalls to anyone. I chose to only do what I found immensely fun. This has possibly been my downfall in terms of income but has always stood me in good stead with regards to my mental health. In terms of moving abroad I will tell you what a dear friend of mine once told me: ‘There is nothing more tragic than being born, living, working and dying in one place.’ This might sound obvious to you - or perhaps that life sounds bliss. I feel very fortunate to have lived in London, Yorkshire, Newcastle, Paris, Sydney, Tasmania and the Sunshine Coast. I have learnt something at every corner. The most beneficial of which has been to expand the variety of people I know. I love Amplefordians as much as anyone - but don’t limit your friend base to them and them alone! It’ll only make your world a smaller and less exciting place to live in.

What have you done to keep positive during the pandemic?

Cooking, exercise and travel - what a cliche! I learnt how to bake sourdough. I make my own kefir. I now spend my weekends at food markets in order to make the perfect roast (I feel like I’m in my 50s already). I started surf lessons, joined my local football team and have made the most of Australia’s cheap domestic travel flights. As I mentioned, I moved to the Sunshine Coast, I spent a weekend in Port Douglas snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef and exploring the Daintree Rainforest. I went to Sydney to see Hamilton (the only place in the world where the infamous musical was performed live), and travelled to Thredbo for the first weekend of the ski season.

What have you missed if anything during lockdown?

The Oval, Surrey Cricket Club and Match of the Day - although missing these has nothing to do with Covid! I have missed how in the toughest of times, family and friends have bonded ever tighter. I have missed the fact that my brother walks miles to visit his wife’s 104-year-old grandmother - talking to her through the window of her house. I have missed that my parents set up a tent in their garden which has allowed them to host Covid safe dinners for their nearest and dearest. I have missed celebrating my engagement with those I hold closest. And I have missed not being able to help those struggling in any way other than through a call or a letter.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I am in regular contact with almost all of the friends that I met during my time at Ampleforth. Strangely for me, since leaving the UK just over three years ago, many of them have gone from single, to in a relationship, to married, to having a child of their own.

I am not sure how to describe what these relationships mean to me. For most people, the friends you make during this time see you at your most embarrassing and develop alongside you as you change and evolve. I will forever feel grateful to following my grandfather, my uncles and brother to this school in Yorkshire that I had never heard of or wanted to go to because they didn’t really play football!

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Izzy Mayer (M20), South Africa What are your best memories from SHAC? The community life is the backbone of Ampleforth and where all my memories stem from. The underlying sense of friendship and support flourished the more time I spent in the Valley and the House spirit is something that portrayed this. The competitive fun and way everyone conducted themselves, each student unapologetically shouting and screaming, wearing their House colours with such pride.

A memory from my last year: watching the girls’ senior house hockey. St Margaret’s were given a short corner in the last five minutes, neither team had scored. The goal was executed with such professionalism and the uproar of excitement that came from all the proud pink and blue spectators was quite something to behold. As we flooded the pitch, waving the flag to celebrate our win, all laughing at our competitiveness but proud of our team and our House.

Tell us what you have been doing since leaving Ampleforth.

I’m in South Africa as I write this, it is July 2021 and I have spent around seven months away from home. Meeting people, going on road trips and jumping off the highest bungee in the world, flying around this amazing continent has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life so far.

In September 2020, I attempted to waitress at my local pub to earn some money for my unlikely travels. However, a few poorly poured pints later I found myself in Costa Rica. My first encounter travelling alone half-heartedly learning Spanish and attempting to surf whilst living off the bare minimum so I could then spend money on the more cultural experiences. I spent around four weeks in this surfer-bum town drinking beetroot juice and eating too much rice; my highlights include watching an old leatherback lay her eggs, all 110 of them! I lived in an open tree house for a week with a view of the beach and catching my first black tuna and eating it on shore with some soy sauce. I was amazed by the amount of activities and exertions I managed to get up to in Santa Teresa and felt so lucky to find myself in this very special position so I took full advantage.

After spending some time at home I got thirsty for more travel, so through the same gap year programme, The Leap, I got on a plane to Kenya to take part in volunteer programme. On the coast in a small fishing landing site situated in village called Kuruwito in Kilifi county, the programme was part of the Oceans Alive marine conservation project. Me and 20 others were there to assist in the building and upkeep of the beach and the coral, which was a completely different experience to my time in Costa Rica. You could call it a culture shock due to one being able to witness and experience the two paradigms of the wealth gap within a 500 metres radius, as well as the two spectrums of emotional wealth. This exposure meant we were immersed into every aspect of life alongside the locals, from celebrating with the community at church for four hours, to regular beach clean ups and volleyball matches. This constant interaction encouraged us to live and love the locals’ way of life. I didn’t wear shoes and had grasped the language of Swahili, which I really enjoyed speaking. A golden experience for me was my first time in ‘the bush.’ For a weekend we made our way to Tsavo East, cycling and driving different parts of the journey. Sitting on top of the vehicles looking out for ‘the game’ and enjoying a good old sundowner looking out at the Savannah. After the programme I hopped around the coast with a bunch of friends, sailing around Lamu island and getting to know locals at art cafes and studios, as well as taking daily motorbike trips to the main island to play basketball at the local orphanage. In April I flew to South Africa to go on various adventures alone and stay with family friends. I fell in love with the beautiful landscape, from the eastern cape to the western cape you could reach the ocean within a few miles then go the other way, you’d be in the bush spotting game.

How have you managed through the pandemic?

It’s been hard to conceptualise that we cannot control what happens in the greater world; it’s something I’ve learned throughout this year. But what we can control is our emotions and the way we approach life. This is what the pandemic has taught me: to understand what you can and can’t control in your life.

With the help from the gap year programme I was able to travel during this crazy time. I realise I have not had the normal experience of most during this constricting time and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. This rich tapestry that is our life has shown me that one of the most important things you can do is to step out of your comfort zone! I was meant to be travelling for five weeks but the Benedictine core values have followed me around the world and with them, weeks very quickly turned into months.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Ultimately it was a hard time for everyone, and I did so much to keep myself proactive: walks, writing, music and even the occasional Zoom. So, a better question here is what didn’t I do to keep myself positive? I didn’t take enough time in my day to properly shut down and be with my thoughts; mindfulness is so important, and our screens are the main distraction from our thoughts and feelings. Aside from lockdown this is still a problem most face today; we must face our worries, stresses and concerns through recognising our emotional state. So, through talking and writing I have managed to keep positive.

What have you missed during lockdown?

I have missed being surrounded by my St Margaret’s family. After meeting so many people travelling I now recognise the special bond I have with the girls in my House and the friends I have from Ampleforth. We were all brought together by community, friendship and faith which create friendships that really do last because of the foundations on which they were made upon.

The Schola was a key part of my time at Ampleforth. Singing in the Abbey on Sundays was my favourite time of the week, and being able to perform a service with such accomplished and dedicated musicians really was a privilege and brought me so much joy.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

Community, compass and faith. The meaning of these to me are the reason why I still feel so connected to Ampleforth. I bring all of these words with me wherever I go in my life, I use them as my tools for life. This is especially prevalent to my travels, due to the way I’ve lived everyday meeting different people and taken part in so many activities and encountered experiences. I had to utilise all of my tools; attentiveness is the most worn down tool in my box of tricks and is what has enabled me to build my gap year story and continue it. The Ampleforth family is my tool kit for life and that is invaluable.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Jack Blakiston Houston (C08), Belfast Jack, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I have great memories of Ampleforth and am still in regular contact with many friends from my time there. It wasn’t that long ago that my youngest sibling Michael (C17) was there so I have close memories. Most of all I remember being part of a great community, but also the opportunity to be challenged or learn in a manner that challenged each individual – the opportunity to be ‘free’ in thought and activity was something that I will always value. I’m also in contact with a few other OAs, and a team that has included a number of OAs have re-founded a great prep school in Ireland called Headfort that came into grave difficulty in March last year.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

I now live in Belfast with my wife, Emma and children Hamish and Rose. We run a RICS rural estate management business and a farming business, which I returned to Northern Ireland to work in. We help rural estates across the UK and Ireland so I am often on the road. After Ampleforth I went to University and then to Kenya to work for the British Council for a couple of years. I returned to London when I met Emma and after doing a Masters at Reading in Rural Land Management, I worked in London for a short time in management consultancy before returning to Northern Ireland. Although it is certainly rural, I think the things that relate most from Ampleforth are being able to work in a team and have trust in one another, and also that hard work pays off.

What have you missed during the pandemic?

It has been very hard not seeing friends and family – but we have managed ok. The biggest challenge is being able to see a lot less of people face to face, which really does make things difficult. I suppose we are all in that terrible boat. Covid has obviously been a challenge, but possibly not the major challenge to agriculture at the moment, although it is certainly up there.

Has the pandemic made you rethink things?

Probably that I need less time on my emails. It has certainly not been beneficial to a work life balance…

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Re-founding Headfort School has been a major positive, along with fellow OAs Mark Pery-Knox-Gore (H73) and Marcus Williams (O90) and many others – we are looking forward to a boom in enrolments in September 2021 and beyond with returning international boarding. It is a special place, and the teachers and pastoral staff are wonderful.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

They remain some of my closest friends.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Jamie Evans Freke (E94), Lewes Jamie, tell us about your memories of SHAC. SHAC was an awesome place to complete my school education between 13-18. You are given space to develop an independence and resilience while being positively influenced by values that provide a perspective beyond self-gain and the material world.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

I now live in East Sussex and run the Lewes Office for Strutt and Parker. On leaving Ampleforth I took a gap year and travelled/ worked in Australia and Northern California. I then went to the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester and did a BSc in Rural Land Management. I then worked as an assistant agent on a Rural Estate in North Yorkshire where I took my professional exams and became a professional member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors as a rural surveyor. While there I married my wife Emma and we had our first child Merlin. We then moved to work in the Cairngorm National Park managing a large property portfolio. This was working for a national firm, Smiths Gore who then provided an opportunity to work in the South Downs National Park managing a rural estate near Lewes. By then we had three sons and my wife was running her own company selling her art on a web-based portal. We then worked for one of Smiths Gore officers managing estates for The Crown Estate and a number of private owners. In 2014 we were approached by Strutt and Parker to support the rural team in their Lewes Office. In 2017 Strutt and Parker was merged with BNP Paribas Real Estate and I was promoted to Director in 2017 and have been head of the office since then.

Were there any particular moments that sparked your interest in your current industry?

I have always had a passion for rural Britain and people and I saw this line of work providing a way of supporting both.

Have you managed to work in the time of Covid?

Yes, our team adapted fairly quickly to working at home. Our clients also evolved very quickly to holding virtual meetings on Zoom and Microsoft Teams.

We will be a lot more flexible looking forward on home working, but we want to ensure there is a balance to ensure the team and our new starters benefit from the face-to-face interaction and the positives from being around each other.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of or wanting to start their career and may have concerns about where to start post-pandemic?

Find something that you enjoy doing and find a pathway that will enable you to develop skills to add value to clients which you can then charge for.

Has the pandemic been advantageous to work/life balance?

Yes, it has encouraged all the team to focus on what their ideal would look like, which varies hugely from person to person.

We need to ensure the team has the support to thrive professionally and personally while keeping the focus on client delivery.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Routine and fitness. I got the trainers out of the cupboard and started running once a week. Walks with the dog daily and started playing tennis again.

What have you missed if anything during lockdown?

I miss the buzz of the office and the team socials. While I definitely enjoy being at home more, we will be insisting all the office are in for two or three days a week.

Have you worked with or stayed in touch with other Old Amplefordians on anything over the years? What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I’m still in touch with lots of old school mates. I made friends for life at Ampleforth. There have been periods when some mates’ paths and mine have taken us different directions for long periods, but when you see each other again you pick up from when you left off. SHAC provides a unique experience where you are taught to see beyond the material world. The monks teach you that all things that make us happy can’t be bought or purchased. Birdsong, a beautiful day, laughter, friendship and love. We are all extremely lucky to be given this perspective for the rest of our lives.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Jasper Reid (O90), New Delhi Jasper, tell us your memories of SHAC. I have great memories of Ampleforth. Gosh, it seems a long time ago now, but I really did get a huge amount out of my time at SHAC; I was lucky, with a tonne of great mentors, teachers and all kinds of opportunities.

I went up to Oxford (Christ Church) because of my English teacher Lucy Warrack and her investment in me; I was heavily into the theatre and played Creon, Hamlet, Coriolanus and loved every part and the green room vibe. I was in John Willcox’s 1989 team that won the Festival and Open tournaments at Rosslyn Park. I was also Deputy Head of School. I think I peaked early!

And I was given opportunities - yes, I had to take them, but they were there in the first place and that’s a great gift.

Since Ampleforth what have you done?

A bunch of things and any number of different jobs. Kind of an entrepreneur but I began in bigger businesses (Swire, Macquarie Bank). I graduated from Oxford, went to Hong Kong, Asia, Bombay, UK, America and Australia working in airlines, banks, railways and now I have my own business (an India trading house - IMM) and we live in India.

For 20 years I’ve been married to Megan and we have wonderful twin girls (Cecilia and Elsa) now at Bryanston School. In terms of hobbies, I have my own TV talk show - Billion Dollar Idea - and a cookery show - Jasper’s Cook In. I write for the Economic Times, the Wall Street Journal, Evening Standard and others. I have had a diverse and interesting life with a lot of travel and excitement. I’m crazy about India which is at the heart of a lot of our life.

Linking back to Ampleforth I’ve used many of the skills I gained at school with strong doses of confidence, knowledge and faith!

Any moments that sparked your interest in work?

I basically love any job I do - I get a kick out of challenges and sometimes it works, sometimes I make money, or I make trouble, or I move on. I’ve had a blast and have been master of my own ship for the last ten years. I am now a much better risk-taker and entrepreneur. We have 600 staff and serious shareholders. The spark was wanting to build something, and I credit Ampleforth with this where I did a lot of stuff from nothing.

How have you found likfe during the pandemic?

Well, you know I think, my opinion is the pandemic - and how it effects one - is directly related to how fortunate you are in life. If you are in India, you might be a migrant worker, homeless, or a refugee and for these groups Covid is an unmitigated disaster where lockdown means you can’t work or move and thus you can’t eat.

India has had difficult times and this has given insight into the hard side of life and I really think people forget how difficult it is for the poor. Everyone forgets about how bad it can be and there’s a lot of talk about enrichment and personal growth when there is so much suffering around. We did our bit by launching a social enterprise programme feeding 35,000 people and raising a lot of money. This was a God-given opportunity to give back and I was lucky to be awarded a BEM in the New Year’s Honours list.

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

Yes and no. It has reaffirmed my view that life is full of sheep and followers who are easily scared. I think the consequential costs and the true impact will be realised in due course and I think it’s revealed that people are easily manipulated and scared and selfish. Think about being poor, suffering domestic violence, being homeless - lockdown isn’t possible for these millions of millions of people. This has made me angry, but people will forget, they are just forgetful. But Covid has also reaffirmed my view of Carpe Diem. Have a lust for life, celebrate the good things, make the most of every day. You have only one life.

Have you found any advantages to life-work balance?

We got lucky; we are not too big nor too small a business to get badly hurt (touch wood), but Covid put a lot of pressure on work.

This said, building a business in India has its own pressures. Our working behaviour has changed a little bit but due to the charity work we were out all the time, so it didn’t change life that much. We have kept going because life goes on and there are far bigger things to worry about.

Have you missed anything through the pandemic?

We have been lucky, we made it work for us. We have managed to get back and forth from India to the UK and kept ahead of the worst.

How have you kept positive during lockdown?

I am a pretty positive person anyway and got on with it (cheery spirit tied back to what I learnt at Ampleforth). The camaraderie and resilience, esprit de corps and a sense of getting on with it - again all good SHAC things. The charity work has helped enormously, it gives you purpose and privilege and through it, we built a fantastic sense of community viz 2,000 donors from 35 countries, which was very interesting and exciting. This allowed those in a state of privilege to help those for whom lockdown was hell.

Do you keep in touch with any other Old Amplefordians?

I am in touch with a bunch of OAs. Patrick Brennan (H90), Jozef Mycielski (O90), Markus McNally (W90), Henry Piney (O90) and a lot of other people. We see Marcus Williams who lives in Ireland when we are in Connemara, and I bump into OAs all over the world.

There was a time certain when pubs around Chelsea were basically OA clubs.

In New Delhi there’s a SHAC cluster with William Dalrymple (E83), Patrick French (J84) (the writers) and, until quite recently, Sir Dominic Asquith (O74), the British High Commissioner to India.

What does the Ampleforth Family mean to you?

Well I think like any formative time, it means a lot. It means different things. For example, the whole monastic community, I was very close to Fr Dominic Milroy and he was really good to us over the years and used to come stay at our house in Oxfordshire, put his feet up and drink whisky and was always accompanied by his long-time assistant, driver and sidekick, Clare Jennings. We had truly wonderful times.

The Monastic community is essential and I love my memories of singing and going to Compline. The music is a memory, and I don’t hear it enough anymore. I am in touch with John Willcox and we send each other amusing emails. For the record (although he claims the reverse), he confiscated my blue woolly hat I think at Rosslyn Park. So perhaps I can appeal to you Mr Willcox through the Diary to return said hat.

The College means a lot to me and it’s a big family and I am sorry for the recent tough times and bad headlines, but the media can be awful and these things are temporary. The modern world is tricky, and every institution has to adapt but the monks have been around for centuries, and it will endure when others fade. The history goes back hundreds of years. Good luck for the future from me and God-speed to all Ampleforth men and women.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Jose Suarez (B05), Madrid Jose, tell us about your memories of SHAC. My memories of Ampleforth are, for the most part, cheerful. More so, when I think back of being at Gilling Castle, to be honest. It was a good time to be a child back then, surrounded by nature, and enjoying the freedom to wander off into the woods with your friends during that three-year period of my life. That feeling feels heightened now more than ever, possibly from living in a large city, and the way things have become in society nowadays, with children being kept more often than not indoors, and being, for the most part, escorted by their parents wherever they may roam, lest “something awful” should befall them. It really makes me realise how good we had it back then.

From that perspective, having enjoyed my childhood at Ampleforth actually provides me with memories of both; discipline (an everdiminishing quality to be found at schools nowadays) on the one hand, and plenty of rope on the other. As for SHAC, I have always taken fond memories with me, though I do find now that the more distant it grows, the more I cherish it. I remember my friends and I in the Sixth Form couldn’t wait to get out of our “bubble,” go to university, and see the wonders of the world (completely understandable at that age). Having seen quite a bit of it now, I do find a hidden charm to spending my adolescence at a boarding school, which I didn’t back then. My advice: be sure to enjoy things as they come, since one gets round to everything eventually, but getting the most out of the present moment is a skill that’s hard to come by.

What have you done since leaving Ampleforth?

Since leaving Ampleforth I have returned home to Madrid, gotten a law degree, started a family, travelled, worked and lived in Sweden and London and finally, for now, I’m back home again.

Have you managed to work through the pandemic?

One of the few wondrous benefits, for all its downsides, to working in front of a screen, is the ability to perform and fulfil one’s tasks and duties, whilst working entirely from home. There have certainly been no issues in that regard. Thus, work has not been an issue whatsoever; furthermore, it has proven extremely beneficial to my work/life balance, as I was blessed to be able to spend lockdown at my family’s farm, enjoying isolation amidst the trees, birds, bees…and wild boars. Come to think of it, I recall it as a time of great enjoyment as a family.

I currently work at a renewable energy project developer company, in the HR Department. I’d say the best part of that is the myriad of areas it covers, and the fact that you always strive to maintain a reasonable balance between getting the staff to work as happily as possible, and at the same time, uphold the company’s interests. It requires tact and finesse, particularly when breaking bad news to people (such as getting fired), and it takes a lot of trust, since I’m oftentimes privy to many personal issues, which, in my role, are to be dealt with smoothly and modestly (always ensuring secrecy and discretion).

What career advice would you give to other OAs in need of hope or advice after the pandemic?

I reckon any advice I can offer with regards to my line, or any other for that matter, is that you ensure whatever you do, first and foremost, is done out of vocation. Once certain your career is headed into something that you truly love working on, focus on using your time wisely, and getting the appropriate training and academic studies to make it happen. For me, the road to happiness and success, both personal and professional, hasn’t really undergone much change in the past few centuries. I believe it can be achieved through the consistent application of hard work and frugality. Simply ensure you use your time wisely, and towards the end-goal in mind. To quote one of Benjamin Franklin’s maxims: “Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

My personal belief is that many of us undergo, throughout our lives, varying degrees of existential angst. By this, I mean a mishmash of feelings, ranging anywhere from general boredom or feeling unmoored, to restlessness, anxiety, or isolation (to name but a few); only then to find oneself wondering “what’s off in my life?” since it usually tends to be vexingly difficult to pin down the reasons why.

During the pandemic, however, I found many have shifted the blame of all their life’s issues onto Covid (an external, tangible cause, with an “estimated” end-date in view), thus reassuring the concept that, once it all blows over, everything will sort itself out. This buttressing of life’s issues, however, in the post-Covid scenario, simply doesn’t hold, and once removed, actually makes any former burdens, even heavier than before.

We’ve all seen how, at the beginning, everyone was “prepping-up” on essentials to survive the ordeals to come; some visionaries even stocking up on…toilet paper? But I find that, rather than stockpiling, the best preparation is the mental and spiritual one, by simplifying life by narrowing our focus down to the bare necessities, such as one’s religion, purpose, loved ones, health, work, etc. I found that, during lockdown having my choices limited actually provided me with insight to see many things I had often taken for granted, differently. All it took was a little solitude, meditation, and prayer (in other words…taking a little break from all the hustle-andbustle of the everyday city-life).

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

It’s the three “Fs” which matter the most to me: Faith, Family and Friends (and yes, in that particular order). The fact that I was able to closely rely on my faith and family, fulfilled me in every way that counts. As for good old friendships, it’s never been easier to stay in touch. I’ve particularly enjoyed Friday family movie nights and family Monopoly on Sunday afternoons here in Spain.

What have you missed?

That’s an easy one…dining-out at restaurants and taking a walk down the street without having to wear a mask.

What is your involvement in any OA groups?

I’m currently in touch with OAs in my city (Madrid), and we rendezvous for dinner regularly, about once every couple of months, at our usual time and place, in order to stay in touch and keep each other posted on news regarding SHAC and other OAs.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Lallie Fraser (A08), London Lallie, tell us about your memories of SHAC. Filled with laughter and mischief – I made lifelong friends at SHAC which I think is a real testament to that time. Looking back, I think how amazing the theatre was and how the shows I was lucky enough to be part of really were brilliant, West End worthy! The strong smell of incense at Sunday Mass, long walks in the Valley and the excitement of The Windmill. There are many happy memories.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

With friends from SHAC, we took a play up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – aged 18, taking a show on the road with friends was SO exciting; foot loose and fancy free and makes me incredibly proud. I had the travel bug from an early age and took a year out to see more of the world, which made me realise I needed to work in travel which I ended up doing, going to Paris for university and now running a PR consultancy and freelance travel writing. Pre-Covid, I had predominantly travel clients, now there is more of a mix.

Have you managed to work in the time of the pandemic?

I lost pretty much all of my PR clients overnight with the first lockdown, so I had to think quickly and set up a plant stall at my local farmer’s market while the garden centres were still closed which was both thrilling and exhausting. It was a catalyst to setting up The Forest Project which I’m currently working on – a reforestation project that connects people to nature through nature-based activities with the opportunity to stay in beautiful treehouses.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

Being out in nature as much as possible – wild swimming at any given opportunity, walking the dog, many Zoom calls with friends!

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up a business like this or wanting to get into your line of work?

Work hard, don’t be shy, be creative, bounce ideas off anyone that can be helpful to you and remember that the sky is the limit! When I remember that it is only me that can change the direction of where my life is going, that is always a powerful reminder too.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians on anything? What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

On multiple occasions from working on press trips together to supporting each other’s businesses and various other ventures. Friends from SHAC are like family and that means the world!

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Michael Brennan (H95), Singapore Michael, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I was in St Hugh’s on Aumit Hill. At mealtimes, the most important strategy was to ensure one was in line for the toast basket which descended from top table to Sixth Form, then to the junior tables. Toasted bread was a key food source.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

During one of my summer holidays at university, I did a work experience in Bolivia in the company of a friend from SHAC. That made me fall in love with Latin America which ended up in my marrying a Colombian and working in a Spanish bank.

Have you managed to work in the time of pandemic?

Over the last 15 months I changed employer and country and feel very fortunate. I have children and have seen them more than ever which means Covid has helped with the life part.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of or wanting to get into your line of work?

Thick skin is not unhelpful. Very happy for anyone to give me a call.

What have you done to keep positive?

Bought a running machine which I use once a month. Great value for money.

What have you missed?

Going back home and reading the paper. Haven’t seen my mum and dad and three brothers and their new additions for a while.

Looking forward to a Singapore “cruise to nowhere” soon. I have missed going to church. In Singapore where I live it requires a supercomputer to reserve slots for your family before they run out, so I have not been much. Instead, I have ended up at my kids’ rugby club where I bumped into Roger Bernardo (O93), another OA who coaches there.

Do you keep in touch with any OAs? In Singapore I see OAs from time to time. Recently OA Toby Codrington (J91) invited me for dinner in Singapore and served roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. It was heaven.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians on anything? What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I had a very happy experience in Freshfields law firm where I worked with no less than three OAs. The community means a lot to me and has been much more than a school.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Natasha Power (A06), Ipswich Natasha, tell us your memories of SHAC. I loved that there was so much sport available, hockey was a favourite. I would spend days in the dark room developing black and white photographs for art. Compline in the evenings meant some quiet reflection time in the day. Aidans put on some great house parties and the end of school party for leavers was one to remember.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

We had an excellent Classics department which encouraged me to study it at university, and then I converted to law. The art department at SHAC was also a big influence and I have kept up photography as a hobby ever since.

Have you managed to work in the time of Covid?

Yes, I’ve been employed full time during Covid. I work in the head office of a Family Office which owns several businesses. Working during Covid reinforced the necessity of good communication, both personal and business infrastructure, as I was sending out government updates group wide and liaising with employees on furlough. Work/life balance always need attending to but living with the monastic hours at SHAC taught me to take time out for reflection.

What have you done to keep positive?

I’d love to say I’m now super fit, but it was online pub quizzes with friends and socially distanced walks with family that kept me going.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up a business or looking for work post pandemic?

I work in a Family Office which has businesses in industries from agriculture, renewable energy, manufacturing to hospitality. It has both a strong commerical investment and a philanthropic ethos.

Advice would be, be prepared to try anything as there is generally lots going on; always be honest and own up to your mistakes as maintaining trust in a family business is key; also remembering to enjoy the work you do, as well as doing it, is important.

What’s your involvement with any OAs? Less than it should be. I’m part of the Ampleforth OA group and spoke at the Ampleforth Society’s Women in Business event earlier in the year.

There have been OAs at most of the companies I worked at such as Disney and AEG Europe, and in my current job we instruct a law firm whose partner is an OA. The Ampleforth family to me means shared values, a point of connection and recognition.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Oliver Blackett (O13), Dumfries Oliver, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I have very fond memories of SHAC, from the parties at The Windmill, the huge sense of community, and the making of lifelong friends, whom I’ve kept in contact with, and indeed started a company with one of them since.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

Since leaving Ampleforth I had a gap year where I travelled across Africa and worked in a number of industries, including a start-up in Cape Town, which gave me good experience of the hard work and sacrifice needed to start a company. After that I attended Oxford Brookes reading Business Management, which again gave me a good grounding and understanding of how to go about starting a company. In the years after I worked in the City as a Financial Headhunter, which honed my sales patter. I enjoyed my job up until the start of Covid when I was made redundant.

You have recently set up a new exciting drinks business. Can you tell us about that?

Necessity became the mother of all inventions after I lost my job as a Headhunter. With my redundancy package in my pocket, I went to meet a friend from University who was fed up with his 9-5, and had always had a dream to work in the alcohol world, having studied at WSET. A few cocktails later and John Paul Jones Rum was born!

The next step was to find someone with experience in start-ups and a business development background; along came my best mate, and fellow ex St Oswald’s boy, Jack Cuddigan (O13). With the team selected we needed to start thinking about the paperwork, laws, flavours, bottles, logistics, packaging, printing, funding, marketing and label design, to name but a few things on the list. For the label design I happened to bump into another ex Amplefordian, St John’s boy, Bobby Donald (J11), who was in my art set at school, and I knew from experience was very artistically blessed! We couldn’t have hoped for a better graphic designer and are absolutely thrilled with how the label turned out! Fast forward a year and a half and we had our first batch of 400 bottles ready to go. We are now in a number of bars, restaurants and shops across London and around Dumfriesshire, and onto our second batch.

The namesake of the brand, John Paul Jones (JPJ), was born a stone’s throw from my parents’ house in Scotland. Born in 1747 the son of a gardener, he began his sailing career at 13, taking his first voyage to Barbados and Fredericksburg, Virginia. It was later, at the age of 17, that JPJ would return home to Scotland, being thrust into the role of Captain after fever ran rife aboard the homeward vessel.

Inspired by the American revolutionary spirit, JPJ emigrated to North America in 1775, offering his services to the newly founded Continental Navy. Working through the ranks, he took up his first commanding role of the USS Ranger, where he built a close friendship with Benjamin Franklin. It didn’t take long for JPJ to secure an infamous reputation as an enemy to Britain and a household name; sinking multiple ships and winning countless battles, he is today renowned as one of the founding fathers of the US Navy, the other being John Barry. After America, JPJ’s next adventure took him to Russia, where he fought the Ottoman Empire and Turks for Catherine The Great, before settling in Paris where he died at the age of 45. It was here where his body would lie for over a century, embalmed in an alcohol-filled coffin, rumoured to have been rum.

With this incredible story being the back-bone of our brand we aimed to develop a rum that did JPJ justice and incorporated the “flavours of his life.” After lots of late nights trying different flavours, we eventually came up with our first expression, the “Lowland Rum.” For this we hand selected a Jamaican White rum (much like JPJ would have sample on his voyages to the Caribbean), we then aged it in Charred American Oak, the same wood his ships were made of, before steeping it in fresh ginger, black peppercorns and seaweed, which we picked from the shores he first went to sea from. Prepare for a complex flavoured rum with maritime salty notes complimenting the quintessential flavours of vanilla and butterscotch, leading to a light and smoky finish. We have been compared to a Springbank whisky by connoisseurs, which is a huge compliment and incredible to hear as we were trying to reinvent rum and reckon we might have succeeded.

Tell us about setting up a new business in the time of Covid, has that made you rethink things?

It has certainly been a rollercoaster starting up JPJ, and with Covid thrown in the mix it’s been anything but easy. One of the challenges we encountered as a result of Covid was getting people to try the different experiments we had been creating, this resulted in the police turning up on one occasion and our rum tasting being asked to disband. Since launching we’ve been affected by Covid as lots of the bars and shops we are speaking to aren’t taking on any new brands, which is understandable, but as things continue to open, we hope that places start to have more capacity.

Were there any particular moments at Ampleforth which sparked your interest in setting up your own business?

I was inspired by the guest speakers that used to come in and speak at the Headmaster’s talks (HMLS), lots of whom were very successful entrepreneurs, as well as by some of the teachers, who taught me how to motivate myself and that hard work pays off.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

To keep positive in lockdown I channelled my restlessness into starting a company. I was also at home in Scotland for a substantial amount of it, which was a huge privilege to spend so much time with my family. The incredible weather certainly helped too.

Where do you see this new venture taking you?

We’ve purchased an ex-Laphroaig whisky cask, which we’re experimenting with for our next expression, which is going to be a limited edition named ‘Providence,’ which was the name of one of JPJ’s ships. We are also speaking to people in America and Benelux about expanse, so we’re hoping this venture will be an internationally recognised brand in the future.

You worked with other Old Amplefordians on this project, what does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

My Ampleforth family is as tight as my real family and will remain so for life.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up a business like this?

Make sure you realise how much work starting a company involves and that there are a hell of a lot of set-backs and hoops to jump through, but for me, when I see a bottle of JPJ behind a bar, it makes it all worth it! Also, be prepared to sacrifice going to the pub, unless you start an alcohol brand. As John Paul Jones said, “Those who will not risk, cannot win.”

You can order a bottle at www.johnpauljones.uk and get 10% off using SHAC10

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Philippa Jalland (M13), London Philippa, tell us about your memories of SHAC. There are so many good memories and some that I probably should not write on here! I think that one that really stands out is winning the 32 x 200m relay race on my last sports day at SHAC. St Bede’s were quite far in front of us, and it was not looking likely that we would come in second. I was running the last leg of the race against a friend who, just before we got into position to wait for the baton turned to me and said that she was fine because I was not very fast, which made me laugh, as what I lack in hockey skills I make up for with speed. At this stage St Bede’s were a good 20 to 30 metres ahead of us and I knew that I was going to have to run incredibly fast.

St Bede’s got the baton and started running while I waited. I was handed the baton and never have I ever run so fast! I quickly closed the gap on the bend, and we were neck and neck as we went into the straight. I then managed to get ahead and ended up winning the race. It was a great race, and the support and atmosphere was brilliant!

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

After leaving SHAC, I went on to gain a Bachelor of Science degree at University in London before coming back to the Valley where I spent two years as the Ampleforth Society Coordinator. This was followed by a move back to London where I took up the position of Member Relations Manager at Invest Africa, a networking and events company for those investing in Africa. After two years, which coincided with the beginning of the pandemic, I had a career change and in June 2020, I started working in the city running the Salesforce system, a customer relationship management tool, for a foreign exchange company. I am also in the reserve forces and play first team hockey for a London club.

Have you managed to work in the time of Covid?

Having a career change at the beginning of the pandemic was very daunting but I was lucky to move into a role that gave me the opportunity to learn, something that is very important to me, and offers more of a career path. Although working from home has some challenges and has meant that I have been with the company just over a year and only met about 15 of my fellow colleagues face to face once or twice, I really enjoy it and find it far more productive. I like to chat far too much in the office!

Has it been advantageous to you work/life balance?

For me it has been very advantageous working from home, however I would like to go back into the office 1/2 days a week as I miss the interaction with colleagues and talking to people on a screen is becoming rather dull. Working from home has enabled me to have a much better work/life balance and means that I can fit extra things into the day that I wasn’t able to previously. I love to run in the mornings but when previously commuting I would have to get up at 5/5.30am to fit it in before work, and I’m not quite prepared to join the 5am club, so on my working from home days I can get up at a leisurely time and still fit a run in. Getting to social engagements in the evenings is also a lot easier!

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of or wanting to start their career and may have concerns about where to start post-pandemic?

Remember that everyone is in the same boat and that there is something out there for everyone, even if you don’t find the right thing at the beginning, it is good to try things and find out what you do and don’t want to do. There are still opportunities out there, as long as you are willing to look for them. Get in touch with other OAs as well, as there are a lot of people willing to help if you need it. Two out of three of my jobs so far have stemmed from Ampleforth connections.

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

I was very fortunate to not find the lockdowns too difficult and to spend the first lockdown at my family home in Wiltshire, which was so nice as it was the longest my brother and I had spent at home for ages and the weather was amazing! I used the time at home as an opportunity to do things that I don’t normally make enough time for but enjoy such as reading, as well as lots of running and cycling.

For the other two I was in London and living with friends, so we had each other to keep us company as well as regular walks and calls with other friends to mix it up.

Have you missed anything during the pandemic?

I have missed a number of things such as being able to go out and about, seeing people and meeting new people, traveling and being able to try new things. I have also really missed playing hockey; every year I say I am going to stop playing due to other commitments and after this year and not being able to play regularly I will not be stopping anytime soon!

Have you worked with or stayed in touch with other Old Amplefordians? What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I still have a close group of Ampleforth friends who I keep in touch with daily, one I now live with as well. I also got the opportunity to meet many more wonderful OAs while working as the Ampleforth Society Coordinator and am now on the Ampleforth Society London Committee. The Ampleforth family is is exactly that, an extended family.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Raoul Sreenivasan (H96), Seattle Raoul, what you have been up to since leaving SHAC? I left SHAC 25 years ago and am happily married with my wife who has brought me 22 years of joy (and counting!), and two teenage kids (for my sins!) After leaving Ampleforth, I went to the University of Michigan in the USA, which could not have been farther away from the Valley both literally and figuratively, with over 40,000 students and an American Football stadium that holds over 110,000 fans! We live in Seattle, in the USA, and I work at Amazon. Ampleforth certainly contributed greatly to the person I am today, with different elements playing important roles throughout my life.

Can you tell us some of your memories of SHAC? My memories of SHAC remain remarkably vivid, encompassing lifelong friendships, character building experiences, and foundations for a life guided by faith. My dearest and closest friends remain those from SHAC. The bonds built as we grew together are irreplaceable and having spent much of my life travelling around the world, sometimes with many years in between seeing old friends, when we meet or connect it is as if no time has passed at all. The ability to connect on social media either directly or through our spouses, ensures that we remain in touch. My wife regularly tells me about what is going on with Old Amplefordians based on what she sees online, and frankly it’s awesome to see how the Ampleforth connection extends beyond simply those that went to school together. It is similarly mind blowing that most of us now have kids that are the ages that we were when we were at school together! I’ve also been fortunate to work with at least a couple of school mates, and while it’s certainly been beneficial for each of us professionally, it’s also fairly amusing to balance school time personas with how business colleagues might view each of us today.

In my personal and professional life, I make decisions every day that have long term impacts. The character built while I was at SHAC, based on spending my formative years in a boarding school environment has been extremely beneficial. The responsibilities bestowed on me as I progressed through my years at SHAC prepared me take on increasing levels of ownership from the early stages of my career. My ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds on a personal level, combined with an innate understanding of group dynamics has helped me progress throughout my career. This was certainly developed at an early age growing up in close quarters with individuals from varying backgrounds. Moreover, my capacity to embrace and absorb new challenges was established with the broad experiences offered to me during my time in the Valley.

Did anything specifically spark your interest in a career in the logistics industry?

I never planned on a career in logistics, rather followed a path of what I enjoy and roles that have excited me both professionally and personally, with positions that have taken my family and I around the world. While at university, I took on a summer job working on a cruise ship, purely to have a good time that summer. That lead to subsequent internships on the business side of that organisation and launched my career in logistics. I spent three years working in liner shipping straight out of university and my wife and I had the opportunity to live and work in Singapore, Dubai and London. Following this, I took my only stint out of the logistics world, working for Citigroup in London. I was then offered a role at DHL Express in the USA as a part of the leadership team tasked with turning around a heavily loss-making operation. My wife and I relocated to Miami, where we moved into our next phase of life as parents. I spent eight years at DHL, with growing responsibility that saw us move around the USA, from Miami to Phoenix and then to Chicago where I lead DHL’s commercial activities. Following the successful turnaround of DHL, we were given an opportunity to move to the Netherlands to work for TNT Express, another loss-making express shipping company working as their Managing Director of Marketing. The ‘Europe experience’ was awesome for the family, as we travelled extensively, and the kids were exposed to diverse perspectives and cultures. It also unlocked an opportunity with my current employer, Amazon, to launch Amazon Flex, a crowd sourced solution for final mile delivery, across Europe and Asia. My family and I packed up our belongings once again and moved to Luxembourg. As the kids grew and having made the most of our time in Europe, we decided to move back to the USA, where we currently live in Seattle. I work in an executive role for Amazon Air where I am able to leverage my career in transportation and logistics (that started with a fun summer job on a cruise ship), to scale air transportation operations for Amazon, and innovate daily on behalf of Amazon’s customers.

How have you managed through the pandemic?

Working at Amazon, the last 15 months have been busier than ever, and I am grateful to have been in a position to play a role in transporting important items around the world in this time of need. Throughout this time, I have been working at home. After countless years of 100+ nights away from home, I only spent eight nights in a hotel in 2020. While working harder than ever, I also managed to play a 40-day one-on-one basketball tournament with my son, handed a yellow belt to my daughter in her video conferenced karate ceremony, and my wife and I have taken walks together with our dogs almost every day for the past year. We took up hiking as a family, and binge watched a tonne of shows (many of which my kids selected and which I would not have watched under different circumstances). We initially participated in Mass online and were one of the earlier families to return to Church where we had the opportunity to assist in some of the re-opening activities enabling others to return as rules permitted. I am professionally looking forward to returning to the office for the benefits it will bring to my team. I am also happy to see my kids returning to school where they will grow socially and academically. However, there is a piece of me that will look favorably on the last 15 months. My family got me through the pandemic. Our love and close bond got us through this time of disarray. While our bond will not change (and frankly, all of our moves around the world in some ways prepared us to operate as a tight family unit), I am determined to ensure that we don’t lose the closeness of a family that was heavily reliant on each other to get through a challenging time. We opened our minds to new activities suggested by one another that we might not have in ‘normal times.’ We valued our times outdoors. We valued the role we played in our community, and we truly valued our time with each other. We spent more time thinking about what we would be doing together as opposed to what we would be doing apart. We spent more time thinking about learning new things or developing new skills, as opposed to doing what we knew or what was comfortable. Most importantly, we grew together. I am determined to ensure that the events that I might have sacrificed prior to COVID-19 due to any number of other commitments, do not become the priority again. When I look back on the pandemic I will reflect on many things, but most importantly I will reflect on what my family and I have learned. If I return to the same behaviours and priorities that I did 15 months ago, then any challenges we have overcome will be for nothing. I am determined to ensure that my family and I come out of this pandemic stronger than ever.

What lies ahead for you?

The last 15 months or so of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a learning experience. While of course my sincerest hope is that the world never sees this sort of devastation again, I truly believe that there are lessons to be learned on a macro and social level (that I won’t get into here), as well as on a personal level that I will grow from. I also realise that my family and I are fortunate, and that many others did not have the same resources, so I am purely focused here on my personal experience and learning, while those who have faced tougher circumstances remain in my thoughts and my prayers.

What does your time at Ampleforth mean to you now?

I remain eternally grateful for the foundations of my faith that were established during my time at Ampleforth. My faith has grown from purely Church going and awareness in the immediate years following my time at SHAC, to a key part of my marriage that brought my wife and I together and has guided us as parents, to eventual active members of our Church community as ministers of various missions, and finally to a deep awareness of my Catholic faith that guides how I live and drives a passion within me to explore deeper. There is no question in my mind that Ampleforth played an enormous role in my life and that of my family (and yes, I am even now thankful for the requirements to take RS GCSEs and A-Levels!)

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Rupert Vitoria (W92), London Rupert, tell us about your memories of SHAC. I have fond memories of my time at SHAC. I am sure there is an element of selectiveness about how I view my time there, but the fact that 29 years after leaving I am still in touch with so many friends on a regular basis says a lot I believe. In fact, a get together with a group of 10 of us was the first thing in the diary when the easing of restrictions was announced.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

Crikey! After travelling, university and a smattering of pretty awful jobs I decided that I wanted to work in the sports industry. My first break came via a friend from SHAC who managed to get me an interview with his uncle who ran Middlesex CCC at Lord’s. I ended up there for several years and it gave me the experience I needed to go on and spend time working in International Cricket, European Tour Golf and Premier League Football, before setting up on my own as a consultant in sport and particularly in sports finance.

Looking back at SHAC I don’t think there was anything that led me directly to where I am now, I am more surprised than anyone to be working in a fitness related business! I think the school instils a love of sport in most and an entrepreneurial spirit in many. I know there are numerous successful lawyers, doctors and soldiers etc amongst the OA community, however I would imagine when compared to other schools and the amount of business owners and entrepreneurs they produce, Ampleforth would have a much higher percentage. It is probably brought about by confidence, conviction and a touch of rebellious spirit that seem to be common characteristics of Old Amplefordians.

Have you managed to work through the pandemic?

I have managed to work during Covid and launched a new fitness app, WithU. The importance of maintaining a good network has often been highlighted in my career right from that first intro at Lord’s. The new business is the coming together of a group of people who had worked together at various stages over the last 15 years. I can’t claim to have given birth to the idea, but I could see its potential at a time when I was looking for a change of direction and I threw myself into it.

WithU is a fitness app with the differentiating feature being that it is audio led (who doesn’t need a break from their screen at the moment?) You put on your headphones and are guided through workouts in everything from HIIT, strength training and running to yoga and meditation. There are literally 1,000s of workouts delivered by leading coaches who range from current Olympic athlete Harry Aikines-Aryeetey to a stuntman/yogi brilliantly named Downward Doug! It is both a consumer product available in all the app stores and we sell it on a licence to companies as an employee reward/perk.

And so far, so good! We are way ahead of our targets and even spent a few days at the top of the charts in the app stores. We have some innovative projects in development and the rate of growth is both exciting and challenging. We are not quite Peleton yet, but that’s the goal. When so many have had a tough time, it feels a bit crass to say the pandemic definitely helped. It is however not a business created because of Covid, after over a year in development we were always launching in April last year a month or so after the lockdown began. Demand for at-home fitness content was at an all-time high, Joe Wicks became a part of most families lives as everyone sought not only an alternative to the gym, but a relief from Zoom and Netflix and a counter measure to the G&T’s, so although the market was ripe, the competition was everywhere. So, it may have helped and hindered simultaneously if that’s possible.

Where do you see this new venture taking you?

Who knows, we have grand ambitions, and we are on the right track so hopefully to a beach in the Caribbean!

What career advice would you give to other OAs who might need some hope and advice following the pandemic?

It’s competitive but that proves there is a market. If you ever thought, ‘I can’t do that because someone already does it,’ progress wouldn’t exist. We had a concept that we thought would hold its own in the market and built a team that could deliver it. So once again we are talking about the courage in your conviction to pursue something. You have to take risks, preferably manageable ones, and don’t be afraid to ask those around you for support, I find if they can help, they will and if they can’t, they won’t be offended that you asked.

What did you miss during lockdown? How did you stay positive?

I have worked from home for a long time so that wasn’t the change that affected me. I missed family, friends and doing various things, just like everyone else. As a result, I threw myself in to the WithU project and it has been a bit of a saviour; if I wasn’t busy, it would have been harder to stay positive.

I tried hard not to think about what we were doing at the same time in previous years or what we would be doing if things were ‘normal.’ I took each day as it came and, like everyone else, I enjoyed some unexpected family time, most of which was positive, some of which was challenging!

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

It means a lot. Going back to the point on having a network and making that work, I definitely feel that there is a bond there from the shared experience. There are three or four old boys that I have worked with one way or another on WithU. There seems to be a desire to help each other even if you weren’t direct contemporaries. Family is a good way to describe it, you don’t have to speak to them every day to know that they will be there for you as and when.

The following link will give a 14 day trial then 25% on subscriptions. https://app.withutraining.com/e/RcfIYCdNxgb

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Sam Heward (O10), London Sam, tell us about your memories of SHAC. Memories of SHAC revolve around the people I was lucky enough to spend my five years in the Valley with, many of whom I still see on a regular basis. The camaraderie built up in a boarding house are difficult to beat.

For me, Ampleforth was all about the teams I was a part of. Whether it was the St Oswald’s footie gang, the classes we spent most of the days in, the various sporting teams, rugby trips to Sedbergh, representing the first ever Ampleforth undefeated 1st XI Hockey team, playing cricket on those stunning fields or simply the house sports (which were probably the most competitive of the lot!) it was those moments which were so special and so many lessons were learnt that have moulded me into the person I am today.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

When I left Ampleforth I took a gap year where I worked and travelled in China, South East Asia, and Australasia before taking up a place at Newcastle University to study Geography. Upon finishing I joined the accountancy firm Grant Thornton. This was principally because I still did not know what career I wanted to pursue, but I was told that qualifying as an ACA could set you up for all sorts. I always wanted to run my own business but at the time I had no idea what it might be.

After qualifying as an ACA I wanted a change but still didn’t know what, so moved across to the slightly larger PwC for one year. It was also at this time that I met my now Co-Founder and we began plotting Ultra X. For nine months or so I juggled both but, in the summer of 2019, decided enough was enough and I handed in my notice and made the leap to form Ultra X. I have been running Ultra X ever since and whilst I used to spedt a lot of my life travelling with the business (in 2019 I took 49 international flights) the last year or so has been very much London based. My role involves acting as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer (strategic planning, customer relations, sales, PR and finance).

Were there any particular moments that sparked your interest in working in your current line of work and why?

I stumbled across endurance sport when I put my name down for the Marathon Des Sables aged 22 and to my surprise got in! The “MDS” is a 260km footrace across the Sahara Desert, which is supposedly one of the toughest events on the planet.

The event was supposed to be a bucket list check, but I left it wanting more, but also more importantly wanting to share this experience with others. It took me a couple of years to realise it, but it was this event where Ultra X was born. The mission – making multi-stage racing and life changing experiences more accessible.

Have you managed to work in the time of Covid?

Yes, we are the type of team that does not like sitting still. We saw the opportunity that came with the change and pivoted the business very quickly. Within weeks we were organising virtual races with competitors from over 40 countries around the world and diversifying the event portfolio. In February 2019 we had four overseas events and two in the UK. We now have six in the UK this year and are planning more!

We focused on what we could control and changed business goals to be based on audience growth, brand recognition and getting ourselves into a strong position for when the world could reopen. The last 12 months were not all sunshine and rainbows but like any event (ultramarathons in particular) when you look back, it is the highs that stand out rather than the lows. Thankfully, we have been able to continue to grow the Ultra X brand at pace.

Has the pandemic made you rethink things? Has it been advantageous to work/life balance and how is it all going from here do you think?

I’ve never been a big fan of the term work/life balance. Work is such a massive chunk of life that treating the two separately has never appealed to me. I’m very fortunate that I love what I do and as cliché as it sounds a lot doesn’t feel like “work.” That said, when the office is at home ensuring you are committing enough time to relationships, personal wellbeing and hobbies has become more challenging, as there is no longer the built-in beginning and end of the day otherwise known as the commute to the office.

Running a business where there is constantly a never ending to do list can place extra stress on people, so I managed the situation by imposing Chinese walls on myself, using surplus time and the groundhog days we have been living to build healthy habits and routines.

The beauty of a habit is that once done for a while the activity, well, becomes a habit so I am now finding that as the world re-opens, I am able to carry them on!

What have you done to keep positive in lockdown?

I am generally an incredibly positive person and our whole team is too. With chaos comes opportunity and the change that lockdown has brought has given lots of opportunities to be creative and test new things as a business. I’m massively optimistic that when normality (or close to) returns we are going to be in a great place as a business and that is exciting.

What have you missed during lockdown if anything?

People and travel! The human interactions which we have got through Zoom and social media are just not the same as the real thing.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a pretty introverted guy and like my own company, but I massively missed coffee meetings, physical events and the buzz of a busy pub. We’re just getting back to in person events, and I am buzzing for it!

As someone who runs a business which, until 2019 only had international events, not being able to jump on a flight has also been a huge miss. As I write this, I’m actually sitting in Belfast departures and wow does that feel good!

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of or wanting to get into your line of work?

Do not think too hard about it and trust your gut. If you have the right attitude, you will make it work. It’s very easy to get caught up in thinking about all the things that could go wrong but if you do you won’t move forward.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians on anything and if so, what does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

Not in a significant capacity but there have been several times where the OA network has provided an introduction or connection.

Regardless of age, house or industry every time I connect with an OA I’m amazed by the simple fact that we shared an education in a small Valley in North Yorkshire means that we have a bond which means each feels an obligation to support one another. I’m only just starting out on my journey with UltraX and so I am sure that if you ask me again in 10 years’ time, this will have changed.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Terry Mahoney (E61), Kuala Lumpur Terry, tell us your memories of SHAC. I have very happy memories of SHAC; five critical years that have been the foundation of my life’s happiness and success. Discipline, values and religion were inculcated into me, which have been the beacon of guidance through my life. I may say cynically that I had religion “rammed down my throat,” but it gave me a moral compass and a sense of values. Sports also taught me teamsmanship, fair play and most importantly the value of bodily fitness. I was very fortunate to have an outstanding Housemaster in Fr Jerome Lambert.

What did you do when you left the Valley?

After SHAC I went to Oxford University, Jesus College, where I read Modern Languages (French and Spanish). On graduating I joined BOLSA (Bank of London and South America) which took me to London, Hamburg and Zurich. After four years I went to INSEAD and graduated with an MBA. The following 19 years I was involved with institutional US equity sales in Geneva, Hong Kong and New York, with White Weld and PaineWebber. Then in 1990 I joined Barings Asset Management and launched one of the first closed-end Latin American funds listed in London. I was operating out of Boston. After five years I returned to Hong Kong, where I joined HSBC and launched their first Emerging Markets Fund. After two years I joined TCW (Trust Company of the West) to manage their Emerging Markets strategies. In 2000 when TCW wanted to move their operation to London, we parted company amicably as I wanted to stay in Asia. Since then, I have been on the Boards of a series of quoted funds living between Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia, where Joan my wife comes from. I have also been involved with Vietnam, which I first visited in 1995, as Vice-Chairman of VinaCapital, a leading asset management company based in Vietnam.

How did you get into your career in finance?

I suppose that having grown up with a multi-cultural family (my mother was American) and travelling to different continents during my formative years (my father was an executive of an international oil company), I learnt fluency in languages (French and Spanish) and had the ability to understand different cultures. This broadened my mind and curiosity, so when the opportunity of a job in Hong Kong arose, I jumped at it. The world of finance, as I knew it, has been totally transformed by technology and the computer. However, Fund Management, my field of so-called expertise, is still to oversee and protect the assets of investors and obtain a reasonable rate of return. Despite the complexity of new investment products with potentially greater returns and fees for the provider, integrity remains key to protecting the client’s interests, which should be the prime motivation of any advisor. In today’s world it is essential that integrity prevail over greed!

How have you managed through the pandemic?

Since January 2020 we have been based in KL, where we also have a home aside from Hong Kong where we live. In KL there have been several lockdowns with restricted travel. During the open periods we have travelled to the south to a beach resort for a few days, but the highlight was 10 days in Penang over Christmas and New Year of 2020. Otherwise, Joan and I lead a quiet life mainly spent at home with the very occasional outing to friends for a meal or necessary shopping. As churches have been closed, we have become quiet adept at online masses, being able to choose the better preachers. We spend a lot of time reading, listening to music, watching TV and maybe even Netflixing! We make a point to keep fit and do work out exercises on our large balcony, 40 meters long. We keep in touch with family and good friends. Zoom has been a blessing in disguise.

It has obviously made us so much more aware of the value of life and good health and most especially, to have a caring and loving wife, my dear Joan. Companionship will have proven to be the key to remaining sane and rational during Covid. Sharing the ups and downs are critical to surviving this pandemic and we have been fortunate enough so far not to have been contaminated. It has also brought me closer to God and the Church, as one has more time to meditate.

Has the pandemic forced you to rethink anything?

Maybe we have become too dependent on travel for both work and life, but so far, we have managed to continue living a normal existence, thanks to the internet and modern technology. It has given us a lot more time to focus on our interests, read and to catch up on things we had left behind. Most particularly it has been a bonanza for Joan who has been able to write four books, edit and have them printed, the two most notable being, “Millennials Meet Mary,” which was launched last year at the height of the pandemic at the Vatican Museum via Zoom and “Late have I Loved Thee,” her testament to God. Going forward our whole lifestyle will have to change and we will have to adapt to new norms as it seems that the Covid virus will be around with us for some time to come.

Have you missed anything during lockdown?

Mostly travel and not being able to see and hug family and friends. Also not being able to go to Church to receive the Holy Sacrament.

Have you kept in touch with any OAs? Sadly, as most of my life has been spent residing overseas, I was never really close to my contemporaries. I have always followed what was going on at SHAC through the Journal and the newsletter. I have occasionally tried to attend reunions in London when there and more importantly when Fr Wulstan visited Hong Kong. I am in touch with the Hong Kong OA group. Sadly, I have only been back to SHAC twice since leaving. The last time was March 2013. My first time returning was most memorable and I am greatly indebted to SHAC. In March of 1963, I was rusticated from Oxford (for not doing any work and over-indulging in social activities). This was 10 days before I was due to take my prelims exams. My Oxford tutor, rather reluctantly allowed me to come back and take them, most convinced that I would fail. My first phone call, even before my parents living in Switzerland, was to the late Fr Jerome, my former Housemaster. He told me, in fact ordered me to get on the next train and come up to SHAC and he would arrange that I could stay at the Guest House having all my meals at St Edward’s, which I duly did and after 10 days of adapting to monastic life, matins and vespers, I worked non-stop in the library, doing all the work that I had so far failed to do. Each afternoon I would take an hour’s break for a jog in the Valley. I took the prelims and much to the annoyance of my tutor I passed! This is a very personal story, but it reflects for me what SHAC is all about, the foundation on which we build our lives and go forth to try and lead a good, rewarding and sharing life. Above all, I owe all this to dear Fr Jerome. Bless him.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Toby Codrington (T91), Singapore Toby, tell us about your memories of SHAC. My memories of SHAC are of turning up as a nervous 13-year-old wondering what boarding school was all about and leaving five years later having had a lot of fun playing rugby and cricket and making a whole bunch of lifelong mates. I also got involved with playing both OA rugby and cricket, which not only took me back to the Valley year on year, but was a great way to meet and build friendships with OAs across various vintages. To cap it all off, I married the daughter of an OA and got married in the Abbey.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

Taught rugby and cricket for a year after university at Clifton College and applied for any sporting job under the sun. I spent 10 years working on the commercial side of sport at the RFU, Oval and Saracens before joining an outsourcing organisation that specialised in marketing and communication execution in 2006. I was sent out to Asia in 2015 for succession planning purposes and took over as CEO in 2017.

Have you managed to work in the time of pandemic?

Like all organisations you adapt. We have offices across 10 countries that have gone in and out of lockdown over the last 18 months.

Very much like in the UK we have had to set up our people across those ten countries to be able to work and communicate effectively from home.

Personally, it has been a big change. I spent two weeks every month visiting clients and our teams around the region, so it has been odd to say the least being rooted to one spot.

What post pandemic advice/hope would you give to anyone thinking of wanting to get into your line of work?

The advertising industry has been changing primarily due to technology and how people consume their content. The pandemic, like in many industries, accelerates the change. My advice is do your research before you decide where in the industry you would like to work i.e. creative, media, marcomms technology, production etc Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

How quickly ‘normal’ can change. We took for granted how easy it was to travel, not only in terms of work and holidays, but also getting home to see family and friends.

What have you done to keep positive during lockdown?

Sport, pints and checking in with friends and family here in Singapore and back home.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians on anything?

My golf handicap!

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

A tremendous amount. Ampleforth runs deep on both my wife’s and my side of the family. It is a special place and when back in the UK, I look forward to heading up for a visit and a few pints in the Fax or Swan.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Tom Ainscough (W04), London Tom, tell us about your memories of SHAC. Memories are predominantly positive of my time at Ampleforth. Funnily enough, given where work has taken me, the memories are mostly from around the sports fields. Whether it be 14B cricket, playing at Worksop with Charlie Villers (EW04) and others, or an eventful bus journey back from Barnard Castle with Tim Lacy (J04), my cousin Nick Ainscough (EW04), Ed Foster (H04) and Paddy Waller (B04) amongst others. It’s around team-work and the laughs we had along the way. In Sixth Form, they come from playing golf courses in North Yorkshire with friends in the golf team. I loved supporting the different team sports in sixth form, whether that be the rugby team on a Saturday, or trying to pick up the rules to hockey in the spring term watching friends play for the boys’ and girls’ teams.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth?

I left Ampleforth and quite a quickly disappeared to Sydney to be a gap year student at St Joseph’s College. I always knew that I wanted to be involved in sport somehow. I didn’t have any abilities on the field, so it was always going to be an involvement off the field. Post University I spent six months at IMG, the leading sports agency at the time, working on properties including Wimbledon and The Open Championship, before getting a role at CSM, where I am now. CSM is a sports and entertainment agency that specialise in sales, events, brand management and talent representation.

I’ve had two 18-month spells away from the business - both remaining in sport - working first for a wine company managing their sport sponsorships, and then working at Twickenham Stadium for England Rugby in their communications team.

Have you managed to work in the pandemic?

Covid certainly put a halt on the industry at its peak in March 2020, with live sport pausing. The uncertainty this brought to the industry shook it to its core, and there’s no doubt that individuals and organisations are still feeling the effects, as they are in nearly all industries. Sport, however, I think was seen as a positive when it began to return in June 2020, something for the public to engage with again. Brands and organisations saw it as something positive to be associated with, and so I think the industry has been fortunate to recover a little quicker than expected.

I was furloughed at the start of lockdown but returned in June 2020 to run a golf event for a bookmaker, before going on to spend time in the bio-secure bubble with England and West Indies in Southampton and Manchester. Certainly two projects I wouldn’t have envisaged being involved in before Covid struck.

Work/life balance has never been more important, and it’s something I have struggled with in all honesty. Working from home and finding the clear change from working during the day and then switching off in the evening has been harder. It’s a blurred line sometimes so requires some discipline, as I’m sure others have found.

What happens moving forward will be interesting. I would imagine a hybrid between working from home and being in the office. For the time being I’m trying to be in the office more often than not to try and have a resemblance of normality and help keep the work/ life balance in check.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to get into your line of work?

Be proactive in doing research into the industry - it’s a diverse industry in terms of specialisms, but surprisingly small in terms of people knowing each other. So, try and have an idea of what part of the industry you’d want to be a part of. The second part would be not being shy of asking anyone you know who may be involved in the industry for advice or support. You don’t find many (I’d hope!) who will close the door in your face without offering some form of friendly advice. It’s a very personable industry so reaching out and speaking to others is something that people are used to!

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians on anything?

I haven’t come across too many OAs directly in the industry if I’m honest. Chris Satterthwaite (B74) was Chief Executive at Chime, our parent agency, and he has been a brilliant mentor over the last seven or eight years. He’s kindly offered advice on career progression, client management, and provided a number of introductions. We bumped into each other at Lord’s last week and it was great to catch up. More of a contemporary would be Hector Tulloch (EW08) who I have spoken to a couple of times, and it has been great to see what he has been doin, in the recent Career Insight event which I was a panellist on. He is now based out in Switzerland with his family working with TEAM Marketing and UEFA. Alex Faulkner (EW05) would be another one who works closely in the industry but surprisingly our paths haven’t crossed too much outside of The Open Championship, a passion for both of us!

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Tom Bilborough (EW13), London Tom, tell us about your memories of SHAC. My favourite memories of SHAC were definitely the time spent with friends playing football and going fishing down at the lakes.

Having the ability to do so many different activities on your doorstep just created so many memories so it’s hard to pick a favourite.

Having the ability to just go fishing though while at school was incredible and something I’ll never forget!

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

I left Ampleforth for Sixth Form and then went on to take a gap year where I worked in a warehouse for a wine merchant for six months until January 2016. I then headed off to South America with a mate from Ampleforth where we travelled for five months covering seven different countries and having the most amazing time.

Once I got back from South America I moved to London and started working for my uncle who owned a company called Alternative Networks. I begged him for a job, and he gave me a role as an internal salesman. That meant cold calling over 100 businesses a day selling telephony systems and Vodafone contracts. I then moved to a field sales role in another business before being headhunted to join a SaaS start up, called ContentCal, as a sales manager. While we grew the team and the company, I was working on an idea in the background called UniWrk. UniWrk was built to help businesses find local and flexible staff in the hospitality sector. We started off by helping students and now support over 30,000 workers across the UK with only 25% of them being students. We work with over 100 businesses in the UK in logistics, manufacturing, farming and many more industries. We opened an office in London in March 2021 with seven employees supporting me with the day-to-day running of the business.

Have you managed to work in the time of pandemic?

We had to think on our feet with UniWrk as the pandemic completely destroyed the recruitment industry with very few jobs available across the country. I noticed on the news that a number of farms were struggling for fruit pickers due to the Eastern Europeans not being able to get into the country. We ended up working with a few farms across the country supplying them with a workforce. The BBC then also interviewed me for the breakfast show which was seen by 2.3 million people which was just incredible for the business and helped accelerate our growth in the middle of a pandemic.

What post-pandemic advice/hope would you give to anyone thinking of wanting to get into work?

There are so many jobs out there at the minute with businesses reopening and Brexit meaning we’ve lost all of our European workers.

It’s a time to try different industries and go for something that you’re genuinely interested in.

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

It’s made me rethink the fact that no plan is safe. Having a plan is so important but they can always change for best.

What have you done to keep positive during lockdown?

For me exercise is vital for keeping on top of everything. It allows me to clear my head and completely forget about work for an hour every day. It then means you can go back to a task with a fresh take on what needs to be done.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

I think the amazing group of friends I met at Ampleforth means a huge amount. I still keep in contact with most of them and I plan on carrying that on for years to come.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Tom Madden (EW05), London Tom, please tell us your memories of SHAC. I have great memories of Ampleforth: representing the school at sport (chess is a sport!), school/house plays; all the time spent with friends in the Valley and generally mucking about – all fond memories. In my time at the school, I was frequently the person that various friends would come to with problems to talk through and this led me to a Psychology degree and an interest in what motivates people, what satisfies them psychologically and helping enable people to get the best out of their settings. Ten years in recruitment satisfied this itch and gave me the ability to work in an area that was enjoyable whilst also being a core interest.

Has the pandemic made you rethink anything?

I enjoyed my time in recruitment but recently the pandemic, some life changes and the right timing meant that I have joined an old colleague in setting up our own business, focusing on helping individuals and companies realise their potential (Hatching Ideas Ltd). Covid helped me with the confidence to make this move, as it meant was used to working from home and my outgoings had dramatically decreased. People and businesses have had a rough year and are going to have to change dramatically to accommodate to the “new normal.” I believe we are in a good position to help with this. The company is growing, and it is very rewarding to be helping people with their mental wellbeing and resilience, as well as supporting companies that are looking to grow and develop.

Have you been able to keep positive during lockdown?

I was lucky in my lockdown experience in that I moved house between the lockdowns which meant I had a few changes of scenery.

Ampleforth always encouraged a variety of interests so having hobbies that I could fall back on was definitely a positive influence on my mental wellbeing. I am a committee member for the OACC and it was fortunate that we were one of the sports that was allowed to restart earlier than others. The club has actually picked up additional fixtures in the last year and has just booked its second tour to Grenada, scheduled for early May 2022.

Have you stayed in touch with the wider Ampleforth family?

I have loved staying involved with the wider Amplefordian community and am keen to continue leveraging and giving back to the network. If anyone wants to get involved in OA cricket, get some career advice or talk about what their business can do to support their staff ’s wellbeing as we exit lockdown then please do get in touch.

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Will Simpson (H08), Aldershot Will, tell us about your memories of SHAC. In my first year we were tasked to design a chair in DT class. We then had to sell this chair to the rest of the class - all of our classmates had a small pot of (monopoly) money. We spent a month designing and building a prototype, and at the end of the month, had to go and pitch our chair and convince everyone why they must own one. My best mate Adam Smith (D08) and I won the project with the infamous ‘Smithson’ and somehow Adam won the end of year DT prize.

Tell us what you have done since leaving Ampleforth.

After school I spent six months in New Zealand before attending Loughborough University where I read Geography, (but mainly played rugby). Leaving university, I went professional at Doncaster Knights in the Championship Division, before the lure of city life dragged me to London, where I worked as a shipbroker. Discontent with the hours sitting in front of a screen, I decided to join the Army, attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and eventually commissioning into 1st The Queens Dragoon Guards. It is here I have been serving for the past six years. I have had a varied and exciting time in the Army, with training exercises in Sierra Leone and California, representing Army rugby in front of 80,000 people at Twickenham, and instructing the next generation of soldiers. I have also been fortunate enough along the way to meet my wife, Jessica, who for some reason agreed to marry me in 2018. We now have a baby girl, Sienna, who was born in April 2020. I have also recently set up my own business, RealMeal.

Any particular moments which sparked your interest in setting up your own business and why in this field?

I have always been interested in nutrition and fascinated the crucial role diet plays as a prerequisite for optimal performance. More recently, during my training for Ironman events and particularly periods within the military, food has become a source of fuel for me - often lacking in flavour and nutritional content. RealMeal looks to address this with a fresh and unique solution. RealMeal is a tasty, satiating meal in a bar, carefully calibrated to contain what we believe the ‘Modern Day Professional’ needs to operate consistently at their optimal level. The ingredient list does not look like a science experiment. We have developed a list of natural, wholesome, and recognisable ingredients, which have resulted in a product that we are extremely proud of and believe will become an important part of people’s journey - whatever that is. It is Vegan, Gluten Free and has gained the Informed Sport certification. We launched at the beginning of July with two flavours: Blueberry & Almond, and Cacao & Peanut Butter, with another two in the pipeline. Our right of arc is targeting some of the UK’s more elite groups, military, sports teams, blue light services, universities, and schools. RealMeal also appeals to any individual with not enough hours in the day who values positive, healthy, and convenient nutrition.

Where do you see this new venture taking you?

In the short term the plan is to make a name for ourselves, to gain the trust and loyalty of our first group of customers. We want to then release more flavours, as well as introduce some exciting and novel ideas to grow our range. At the five year mark the intent is that RealMeal is the leading meal replacement option in the UK and available all over the world. Concurrently, I want to be in a position to follow the Tom’s Shoes model and match every bar sold by providing a meal for those without adequate access to food. This will be both domestically but also focus on West Africa, in particular Sierra Leone and Senegal.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of setting up a business like this?

To a certain extent I think success lies in your ability to cope with the unknown and have the conviction and confidence in your idea to stick with it. There is no blueprint for your start up, so you have to own in. Be hungry for your idea to become a success, and even though RealMeal is in its infancy stage, what I originally saw as roadblocks turned out to only be bumps in the road. The snack bar market is an extremely saturated one. The key is to find your niche and double down on that.

What have you done to keep positive through the pandemic?

The birth of our first child has kept us busy and we remain extremely grateful for the joy and sleep deprivation that Sienna has brought. I am fully aware as to how lucky my family and I have been with regards to the effect the global pandemic has had on our lives. Whilst it would’ve been amazing to see more of family and friends, and introduce Sienna to the world, it is a long journey ahead and plenty of opportunity to make up for lost time. My thoughts and prayers go out to all those OAs who have been affected over this tough year, and I’m sure that the OA network has provided a real bedrock of stability for many reading this. The pandemic has certainly given me time to assess what is truly important in life, rather than just sticking with the status quo. I hope people can draw similar positives out of this and prioritise these things.

Have you worked with other Old Amplefordians?

Many of my Ampleforth friends have been expert tasters along RealMeal’s journey thus far. Sam Heward (O10), owner of Ultra X has been extremely kind, allowing space for RealMeal to feature at some of his incredible Ultra Marathon events that he organises and runs. Others (who I wouldn’t want to embarrass) have assisted with so many different ways.

What does the Ampleforth family mean to you?

What I am confident of is that age, boarding house, friendship group…all of this means very little. The OA family is unique and the vast majority of this special group looks out for their own in an endearing and ultimately loving way. I have yet to see this replicated in another alumni network, and I feel very fortunate to be a part of it.

Website - www.real-meal.co.uk Instagram - realmealuk

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OAs LIVING AND WORKING IN LOCKDOWN Xander Fircks (H79), Japan Xander, tell us about your memories of SHAC. My first memory was arriving at SHAC for the first time on a cold, wet day in autumn, having travelled from Rhodesia, and then up from London by train. So I was apprehensive but interested to know what my parents loved so much about England, which was their ‘magnetic north.’ When I arrived, I was met by such friendly boys and monks that my apprehension quickly dissolved, and from then on SHAC for me was England; a kind of modesty, antiquity and beauty combined. Rhodesia was a new country, and it was England’s ancientness I loved. My new friends were witty and light, and never took themselves seriously. Whereas in Rhodesia, perhaps because of the war, there was a great heaviness.

What have you done since leaving the Valley?

I have done a hundred and one things since I left SHAC, starting with the Rhodesian army for nine months, until the war stopped.

Then I went to Bristol University, where I sneaked through with a degree, after which - not having a clue what I wanted to do - I went to work in the City, where all the money was. Money was my driving force, but I was no banker, and soon left to go back to Africa.

In Zimbabwe (as Rhodesia is now called), I did many things. The 90s were blessed with a good economy and, more importantly, the Game of Kings, which is polo, which I played obsessively. But then Robert Mugabe’s real colours were revealed, and the country collapsed. It was a sad time for everyone, of all hues. We lost our farm, being run by my brother Hugo (H85), along with thousands more, and hundreds of thousands of Africans lost their livelihoods. From then I went back and forth to England, then to South Africa, and then Zambia, where Hugo now farms. And finally, three years ago I came here to Japan.

I teach English in Tokyo. I have loved Japan ever since I came here for six months training, sent by my Japanese merchant bank in 1984. Thirty odd years later I have made it back. As for teaching - weirdly - it’s what I should have always done, but I was too enamoured with a more glamorous life in London, where I tried to cut a swathe.

Has life or work changed through the pandemic?

I’m very fortunate to work with probably the best English teaching school in Japan - Kikokushijo Academy - who IT’d up very quickly when Covid struck, and we were able to teach online, whenever we had to.

Has Covid made you rethink anything?

The Covid thing has been grossly manipulated by the powers that be. Amongst many other things, they should have been treating Covid with hydroxychloroquine (not even on my spell check because it’s been banned) and Ivermectin, from the start, which would have halted Covid in its tracks. Notwithstanding which, I spoke to a Hindu monk here who said that people might now learn the beauty there is in solitude and silence, which I think is true. In these Covid times I am delighted to be in Japan. The Japanese often wore masks anyway if they had a cold, out of politeness, and so were able to segue into tighter Covid controls with ease. And nothing really closed down anyway, at least not for long.

Have you kept in touch with other OAs? I have kept up with other Old Amplefordians over the years, though less so now. There are none in Japan.

Do you miss anything during the pandemic?

I miss what England was, but not what it has become. The attacks on SHAC by the ‘establishment,’ the new, draconian measures put in place by a Conservative Prime Minister (no less), the loss of freedom of speech, the skewed news and the coverups, have all served to make me less enamoured with the place I discovered and grew to love so much in 1977.

My greatest lesson, after a lifetime of wandering and changing jobs, is to do what I love. Teaching is a labour of love, if ever there was, so I couldn’t recommend it highly enough. As for Japan, there’s no place like it, but it takes an age even to begin to know it, so I’ll leave it at that.

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