OBs meet again 40 years on
Bud Gemmell and Surapong Sugunnasil during their School days Bud Gemmell (Wendron 1965-1971) is meeting up with Surapong Sugunnasil (Wendron 1965-1970) in Chiang Mai near Bangkok, Thailand in November this year. They played in a band together for about 5 years at School but they haven’t seen each other since their Bromsgrove days over 40 years ago.
Dr Jonathan Phillips cleaning the OR equipment with Haitian supervision
Jonathan Phillips on his journey to Haiti Dr Jonathan Phillips (School 1972-1977) is Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, having previously been Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, also in Orlando. After the Haiti Earthquake in January 2010, Dr Phillips travelled to the island to give his medical services to the local hospital. He has kindly provided us with an account of his time over there that can be downloaded by going to www.bromsgrovians.com (then click ‘Bromsgrovian News’). A couple of paragraphs from the moving article are listed below. … It wasn’t until we descended to about 2000 feet on our approach to Port au Prince that we started to see what we were in for and everyone got a little bit quiet. The city was a grey brown vista of tin roofed shacks. From the air it was not obvious how many huge buildings had collapsed killing their occupants and not until we saw them at eye level did the power of the earthquake really hit home.
Everywhere we looked as we left Port au Prince behind were pan caked buildings, poorly constructed concrete crumpled like cardboard, reinforcing rod sticking up from the rubble as if making rude gestures to the sky. Barefoot shell shocked Haitians trying to survive picked their ways down the road, some carrying water, some carrying a few valuables. There was an air of devastation but quiet resignation, a typically Haitian trait as I would come to find out. Our arrival in Saintard was low key and winding up narrow roads seemingly impassable in our big bus until we eventually came to a massive steel door in a ten foot concrete wall topped by razor wire. The guard duly let us into a four acre compound containing an orphanage, sleeping and eating quarters and the clinic, a partially finished building at the north end of the complex still, after ten years, under construction. We were greeted in the waning light by the sight of a desperate looking father who had brought his 4 year old daughter to the clinic hours earlier. Word had got out that there were doctors finally coming to Saintard and he had patiently waited half the day for our help. She had suffered an injury to her eye when concrete had fallen on her in the collapsing house the family had lived in. The wound had become infected... It later turned out that this was not the whole story… and she had had surgery on this eye a few months before. Somehow we got an IV in her and gave antibiotics. Overnight she gradually rehydrated only to deteriorate into uncontrollable seizures: the fluid that kept her alive had swollen her brain. It seemed that the previous “surgery‟ had probably been for a retinoblastoma, an eyeball tumour which subsequently invaded her brain. A local optician came by and confirmed our impression that she was untreatable. She was given last rites and sent home to die. Welcome to Haiti Jonathan.
Mrs Celia Skitt (formerly Gibbin)
Mr Al McClure and Mrs Celia Skitt in the Old Chapel Mrs Skitt (formerly Gibbin, 1959-1980) returned to Commemoration Day for the first time in over 20 years. Celia was married to one of the previous Housemasters of Lupton. Whilst in the Old Chapel Celia chatted to current Lupton Housemaster Mr Al McClure about her time at Bromsgrove.
Salim Hadri-Khoussa
Salim Hadri-Khoussa (Elmshurst 19941999) is currently working in Dubai. If any OB is visiting the area and would like to get together for a meal/coffee, please email him at salim.hadri-khoussa@hotmail.com
Mike Jordan is Chairman of Summit Systems
(Photograph credited to Mike Jordan/British Plastics and Rubber magazine)
Mike Jordan takes on Boomerang
Matt Neal racing for Honda
Matt Neal Matt Neal (School 1979- 1984) has been involved in motorsport for over 20 years as a driver. His current contract is with Honda Racing driving for their official team in the British Touring Car Championship. Matt is currently running in 3rd position this year.
Mike Jordan (Gordon 1971-1976) is Chairman of Summit Systems. Summit’s spin off company Boomerang Plastics specialises in recycling contaminated plastic in niche markets. Mike recently featured in trade magazine, British Plastics and Rubber, showcasing his company’s new venture.