“As an Old Waconian myself, it was an obvious choice to send my girls to CHS. They represent the fourth generation to attend the School and are proud to be in the Marsh House - named after their Great Grandfather Cyril Marsh who, along with his 2 brothers, attended CHS prior to the First World War. The School has inspired them to enjoy learning.”
– Henry Marsh, Class of 1979
“As a former pupil, I was keen to see if my children would be exposed to an education as enriched as my own with the broad spectrum of opportunities that were present to me. Needless to say, they are, and it has gone beyond my expectations as a parent. My favourite part of the day is pick-up time to hear exciting stories from their day.”
“As a former pupil I was keen to see if my children would be exposed to an education as enriched as my own with the broad spectrum of opportunities that were presented to me. Needless to say they are and it has gone beyond my expectations as a parent. My favourite part of the day is pick-up time to hear their exciting stories of their day.”
– Emma Gilligan, Class of 2000
Dear Old Waconian
Welcome to the latest issue of the Old Waconian magazine, just one of the ways that we try and keep our OWs connected to each other and to what’s happening in their former school.
Our priority this year has been to return the School to some kind of normality after a hugely disruptive 18 months. Although COVID-19 has by no means disappeared (as I personally discovered having escaped its clutches throughout the pandemic and finally seeing the dreaded second line just prior to the end of term!), we have been able to enjoy so much of what makes CHS special. We’ve enjoyed several outstanding and varied theatre productions, a full programme of music concerts,
This year’s issue features a number of interesting interviews with Old Waconians which showcase the wide range of careers and initiatives that our alumni are involved in. The CHS values clearly shine through each of them and their interviews are not to be missed. I hope that they inspire you to share your news with us and join the growing
unprecedented sporting successes and a diverse programme of other co-curricular activities. A particular highlight for me was the debut staging of ‘Scuttlers’, Rona Munro’s play about Manchester’s street gangs who plagued its districts during the last 30 years or so of the nineteenth century. This was originally staged at the Royal Exchange in 2015, and was certainly a challenging production for students to perform.
It has also been lovely to resume Old Wac events this year, with a huge turnout for the Annual Dinner, our first ever Former Staff afternoon tea in March, a London event and a new Manchester event added to the calendar in early July. In addition, we continue to be immensely grateful to the many Old Wacs who have given up their time to provide valuable mentoring support or careers guidance to our pupils, support which I know they really appreciate.
During the course of this year, SLT and the Board have worked on developing a new long term strategic plan, CHS2030, which has been developed in response to the fundamental changes which we have seen in the educational landscape during and after the pandemic, and with a clear focus on empowering, and inspiring all members of our school community to thrive at CHS and beyond, whilst ensuring all aspects of school life are sustainable in the long term. Full details of the new plan will be shared with OWs early in the new academic year.
On behalf of the School, I would like to acknowledge and thank you for the ongoing support which you provide, and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Neil Smith Headnumber of Old Wacs who are supporting our current students and recent leavers through careers advice and mentoring.
A huge thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Amazing Campaign for the Bursary Fund. Your commitment enables us to further open up opportunities for young people to be part of the CHS Community, regardless of their background. Our recent partnership with the Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation is the latest step in our journey towards achieving our ambition of becoming a needs-blind institution.
As Neil said, it has been lovely to reconnect with Old Wacs again at in-person events. Remember you are always welcome to contact us to arrange a tour and relive your school days.
As always, I’d like to thank you for all the support over the past year. I look forward to catching up with as many of you as possible over the coming months.
Fran Kennedy Director of Development and External Relations
Silverware has become the norm amongst our CHS sports teams especially for our netball and football teams.
Our U15 football team competed in a tense ISFA final in March, going head to head with Eton College at Burton Albion Football ground. After scoring a late goal in extra time, CHS won the match 2-1 and brought home the cup.
Our U15 netball team was crowned Independent School Netball Cup Champions at the beginning of March with a 45 - 22 win against Millfield School. Meanwhile our U16s travelled to Oundle School to take part in the National Schools Final. The team beat Putney School 20 - 8 in the semi final and went on to be crowned champions in the final game of the day. The team was invited to collect their trophy at Manchester Thunder Netball Club.
The Pre School, Infant and Junior School donned their best red, white and blue outfits to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee in June. All children came together in the afternoon to enjoy a street party in the playground, which included a rendition of the National Anthem and plenty of cakes and jubilee themed games.
This year CHS’s Green Plan was launched with an aim to improve environmental performance, enact real change to help to save our planet and to help in the School’s aspirations of being Carbon NetZero by 2030. A Green Path was created behind Pre-School with new sapling delivered by the Woodland Trust as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy.
You can read more about our Green Plan on our website https://www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk/the-green-plan/
Congratulations to Felix, Class of 2022 who was selected to play for England Hockey in all of the remaining U18s international fixtures in Europe this summer. After finishing his last A Level exam earlier in June, Felix and the rest of the U18 Hockey players travelled to Europe to compete in a number of different tournaments across Germany, Frankfurt and Belgium.
Sparks flew when CHS’s F1 in Schools’ team, CHS Lightning, visited Aston Martin Wilmslow this year. The team met with the Marketing Manager and Principal Dealer to learn more about social media use, particularly in terms of showcasing a new car to the public. Since then the team’s prototype car has won at the Manchester Metropolitan University test track, competing against cars designed by graduate students. The team will soon compete in the regional heats at Silverstone.
A team of 5 Sixth Form students channelled their passion for fashion into organising a sustainable fashion show as part of their Arts Award. “Our goal with this fashion show is to promote sustainability and to raise awareness of fast fashion and its impact on the environment. As a group, we discussed different ways of being more sustainable when it comes to clothing, such as reusing and revamping old clothes, making clothes, buying second-hand clothes from charity shops and more. We incorporated these themes into different sets of our fashion show to show that you can still be stylish while also being sustainable”.
All funds raised from the event went to Prevent Breast Cancer.
The CHS Archive Trail has been installed all around the School site. Next time you join us at an event or for a tour of your old School, scan 1 of the 16 barcodes that are dotted on the historic CHS buildings to download the CHS Audio Trail app and hear about when the buildings were built, what they were used for at different times in history and learn something about your school that you might not have known.
The Class of 2022 joined the Old Waconian community at their Graduation ceremony in June. The year group has generously donated a new fruit orchard behind the Sixth Form Centre, ready to grow fruit for the School’s kitchen.
After 22 years at CHS, Ian Chippendale is leaving CHS to start on a new adventure in Basel, Switzerland. We caught up with Ian to ask him about how CHS has changed during this time here and how he feels becoming an Old Waconian.
When did you start at CHS? I remember my start date very clearly as it was 1st January 2000!
Did you always want to be a teacher? Before becoming a teacher, I worked for Dow Chemicals for around 5 years - which I enjoyed but realised that travelling round the world with work wasn’t for me. I had always considered becoming a teacher and decided to apply for a PGCE at MMU. I knew straight away that this was the career for me.
Since joining CHS, what have been the most significant changes? I’d say the ethos and the way the CHS looks after its young people has always stayed the same. The biggest change is in the facilities. When I joined a lot of development still needed to happen - the old boarding rooms where the Geography and Psychology departments are now still had the old floor boards, caretakers still lived on site and the site wasn’t secure at all. The Science labs, Pavilion and 3G pitch and so many other developments have helped to transform the site into the amazing school we have today.
What are your fondest memories of CHS? This has to be working with the students and the Chemistry department who have all made CHS a lovely place to work. It has been very special that my children also came to this school. We often share funny memories of school around the dinner table and the fact that we’ll be all Old Wacs together means we’ll continue to have a shared connection with CHS. I’m grateful to the teachers who helped to nurture and develop my own children during their time here.
What’s next beyond CHS? My wife and I are moving to Basel in Switzerland. She has a 5 year contract as the Anglican Chaplain and I’ll be doing some tutoring.. I’m definitely not working full time though - we’re already planning weekend trips to Lake Como and other exciting places.
Any stand out moments you want to share? Performing ‘What a Wonderful World’ with Stuart Taylor at the Variety Show and roping in other teachers was definitely a highlight. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being involved with football at CHS. I’m grateful the Head invited me to watch the recent ISFA National Final. My last ever match with my Year 11 team saw them thrash MGS 5-1. That was a great ending to football at CHS for me!
How do you feel about becoming an Old Wac? I’m looking forward to keeping in touch with everyone - especially the Chemistry Department.
“Definitely one of the reasons I enjoyed/ partially understood science! I probably wouldn’t be a doctor today without your help so thank you and best of luck for the future. I hope you still have your ukulele” - Jess Gray, Class of 2012
“Huge thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to helping students who want to pursue a career in medicine. All the best for your next adventure”
- Aaron Hewitt, Class of 2012
“He taught me for 6 of my 7 years of CHS and was easily one of the most formative teachers of my school career”
- Louis Massey, Class of 2017
In January we welcomed Nik Basran, Class of 1998 to the role of Old Waconians’ Association President. Nik completed a degree in German and Management at the University of Leeds before joining his family business, The Authentic Food Co., in 2003 where he is now CEO.
Illustrator and writer Ella, has celebrated recent success with the news that her graphic biography of Virginia Woolf will be published in the UK in the summer of 2024.
Ella told us, “I’m so delighted that my graphic biography of Virginia Woolf is going to be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson also by Pantheon in the US and translated in France, Spain, Germany and now Brazil! I have a lot to thank CHS for. My English and Art teachers were brilliant and always nurtured my creativity. Winning the Alan Kelk Award for Creative Writing in Upper Sixth also inspired me to pursue a creative career.”
Matthew Torkington, Class of 2020, has spent the last two years writing the music and script for a new musical Double Crossed. Performed in St Andrews in March, where Matt is currently studying, the fun and family friendly detective show has recently gone on the road to the Edinburgh Fringe for 9 days.
Alice Mee, Class of 2012 returned to CHS to speak to pupils about her experiences studying and living in the Ukraine, giving a fantastic insight into the history and culture of the country. She spoke movingly about her friends who have stayed to contribute to the war effort and how their lives and communities are being destroyed. Mr Michael Jones, Head of Sixth Form said “Alice’s talk was fascinating as not only did it provide a unique perspective on the devastating conflict in Ukraine, it also showcased her incredible career since leaving CHS. I would hope that all of our Year 13 pupils would have been inspired to explore options of studying and living abroad at some stage in their lives.”
Congratulations to Akshay Shah, Class of 2012 and member of the Alumni Board for his role in ‘The Father and the Assassin’ at The National Theatre in May and June.
Before the play began, Akshay told us “I guess what I’m most excited about is being part of a production that feels like a really historic moment for the National Theatre. This is a play written by a female South Asian writer, directed by a female South Asian Director, and has a fully South Asian cast. The importance of what this play represents isn’t lost on me and every time I look around the rehearsal room it feels so moving to see the team that has been assembled to tell this story about our overlooked and intergenerationally traumatic history with the British Empire. It feels like the right time for an important piece of theatre like this, and I’m really proud and humbled to be a part of it.”
Can you tell us the story of how Buzzy Bee Bakery came about? We first started selling at Artizan Markets around Cheshire and Manchester every weekend and this really helped us gain loyal customers and raise the profile of the brand. When lockdown hit we thought the business would just stop and we wouldn’t be able to do anything with it. But after 2 weeks of doing nothing we decided to build a website and put a few boxes online in the hope of selling a few. In our first ‘drop’ we sold 400 boxes in 6 minutes and this continued throughout lockdown. At weekends, we had 180 people queuing to collect boxes of Brookies. We didn’t use any paid ads or influencers. Everything was built organically through Instagram and word of mouth.
Did you know what you wanted to do for a living when you were at school? Were you already baking or thinking about doing something else? Millie has been baking ever since she was a young and always had the skills and techniques
Beck Johnson, Class of 2020 is the Old Waconian behind the hugely successful food blog, Beck Bites Back. What started out as a hobby producing videos of her recipes has developed into a full time job with her working alongside well known food brands and Eat Manchester, which curates and promotes the vibrant Manchester Food Industry. “After I finished my A Levels, I had an offer from UCL but was unsure about the course so I decided to take a Gap Year. If I had gone to uni, I wouldn’t have been able to devote so much time to creating content and would never have got the job with Eat Manchester. I’d encourage any young current students or Old Wacs who are interested in starting a blog or creating content to just go for it as you’ll never know where it will take you.”
from very early on. After leaving school she trained at Leiths cookery school in London. She had always wanted to start her own business. My role in the business at the beginning was baking and was trained by Millie, but my main role now is the Operations side with Marketing and Sales. At school I wanted to become a photographer, which does help with the business today.
What has been the highlight of Buzzy Bee since it began? Our first day opening the Bakery on September 18th 2021, we had hoped for queues but nothing prepared us for the queue we had that first day, people were waiting for over an hour. It felt amazing that all the hard
work had finally paid off and something we had dreamed of was coming true.
What is the biggest challenge you have had to overcome? Definitely finding the correct staff to hire and having that responsibility that their rent and their bills are paid and that we keep going and being a success.
Why is being part of the Old Waconian network important to you? Having an extra support system behind us knowing people we went to school with are proud of us and happy to see us succeed.
Follow the sisters on Instagram @buzzybee
If you would like to relive your school days, take a tour and stop for a photo in front of the Green Door, you can do so by emailing er@chschool.co.uk. We look forward to seeing you.
Some of our recent overseas visitors included Mark Farrar, Class of 1982, Judy Keeling, Class of 1974 who visited with her grandchildren and Chris Jones and Sara Ball, Class of 1980 with Akira Wakabyashi, Class of 1977.
We are always interested in hearing what our alumni have gone on to do after leaving CHS.
Follow Beck on Instagram @beckbitesback
Share your news by email er@chschool.co.uk or call us on 0161 488 3341. You can also write to us at the usual school address.
Following a two-year pandemic hiatus, in-person reunions returnedbringing Old Waconians and friends of CHS back together at last.
It has been so energising to see our Old Waconians back on campus and to witness the power and deep connection of the CHS community firsthand.
Neil Smith, HeadOld Waconians and friends of CHS came together to remember Charlie Everton, Class of 2006 who sadly passed away in September 2019. Along with his brother Nick, who passed away in 2002, Charlie represented the School in sport during his time at CHS. To honour their memory and their contribution to CHS sport, one end of the 3G pitch has been named “The Everton End”.
In November, we welcomed back Old Waconians for the Annual Dinner as well as hearing from Chair of the Alumni Board, Rod Goddard, Class of 1974 and the Head, Neil Smith, we thanked Katie Derham, Class of 1988, for her service to the Old Waconians during her term as OWA President.
Despite a tube strike, around 50 OWs joined our new OWA President, Nik Basran, for his first event in the role at the London Drinks event in March.
“As my first alumni event for CHS I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I was taken aback by the kindness and positivity of everyone in the room. It served as a great reminder of what a fantastic school and great network we are all part of. I look forward to meeting more Old Wacs at the next event.”
In March we welcomed back Former Staff to have a look around school and catch up with former colleagues over Afternoon Tea. This successful event is now an annual fixture in our events calendar!
Joined by four Old Waconian marketing experts, this virtual event gave OWs, parents and current students the opportunity to gain insight, tips and advice about different aspects of marketing. Big thanks to Belinda Walmsley (Martin), Class of 1994; Alex Severn, Class of 2007; Rachel Smith (Rowley), Class of 2005; Remi Akande, Class of 2009 for giving up their time and sharing their wisdom.
Old Wacs travelled from all over the country for the Open House event in May. These included the Class of 1982 who celebrated their 40th anniversary and the Class of 2012 who returned to celebrate their 10 year reunion. A special mention to Megan Randles, Class of 2012 for sharing her home videos of the year group, made while they were at school.
The sun shone in Manchester for our Summer Social event. Old Wacs from across the ages came together to catch up and sample ‘The Old Waconian’ cocktail.
Waconians’
November
White Circle
Manchester Art Fair
Manchester Central
Once again we’ll be exhibiting work by CHS artists work back at Manchester Art Fair Service of Remembrance
CHS
128th
CHS
Plus reunions for the Classes of 1962, 1972, 1992 and 2002. Reunions begin at 5pm. Pre-dinner drinks from 6pm.
Old Waconians’ Association AGM
CHS, 5.30pm
March
‘23
Afternoon Tea in
The Old Waconian Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of our alumni community and the variety of ways they are making an impact across the globe. Each year they present an opportunity for the School to acknowledge role models and thought-leaders and outstanding service within our Old Waconian community.
Recognises an Old Waconian’s sustained achievement over a long career.
Recognises exceptional accomplishment early in the nominees’ post school career.
Elana has been recognised with this award due to her unfaltering support and advocacy for her son, Euan and the wider autism community, and the passionate demonstration of CHS’s Waconian values throughout her career as a specialised educationalist. Elana lives in Phoenix, Arizona but visited CHS to receive her award at our Graduation Ceremony in June.
On receiving the award, Elana commented “I’m truly shocked. After 10 years of being hyper focused on what’s been immediately in front of me, learning of the award caused me to reflect on all that has happened and all that I have tried to do. It has been quite rewarding
At the age of 18 Hannah moved to London to work in the music industry. After a career change into the world of tech she has become an award winning app marketer with a passion for making positive change through technology.
In addition to running her own consultancy, working with over 200 companies, she has featured in podcasts, talks, and panels, watched by hundreds of thousands of people, and mentors founders and Chief Marketing Officers pro bono, in order to contribute to the tech ecosystem and help new products grow.
Hannah was unable to attend our Graduation Ceremony to receive this award but sent this special message for the Class of 2022. “It’s an incredible honour to have won the Old Waconian Early Career Award for 2022. It has been a whirlwind of a decade since I left CHS and what I’ve learned is it’s okay not to know your plan. I’ve changed and evolved more times than I can count in the last few years, and I hope the same for all of you. Take every ending as a new beginning”.
to see how all of my efforts to help my son and my students have not only allowed them to achieve and grow, but have also made their worlds a bit more inclusive. I’m honoured to be recognized by Cheadle Hulme School for this.”
Old Waconian Contribution Award Recognises an individual’s service and contribution to CHS.
This award recognises David’s outstanding support , as a parent with three daughters at CHS, a Governor, Alumni Board representative and Chair of the CHS 150th Anniversary Bursary Trust which was established during his 20 years service as a Governor.
David is passionate about supporting students from all backgrounds to be able to access a CHS education. His time and financial contributions have impacted many current pupils and Old Waconians for which the School is very grateful.
“Thank you. I am truly honoured and flattered by the award. It has been a long and happy association. CHS is a great institution with its own special character of which all Old Waconians should be proud. I encourage all Old Waconains to stay connected with school and your old school friends”.
You can read more about the Old Waconian Awards on the website https://www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk/old-waconian-awards/
Remi is a hugely successful content creator with a relentless drive for success. Expressing himself through the highest quality photography, videography and written word, Remi has established himself as a professional and respected name, building his personal brand in media over the last few years.
After leaving CHS in 2009 Remi completed his law degree at Manchester Metropolitan University. Alongside completing his degree, Remi set up a successful Fashion events & PR agency, MCR Fashion Industry. His personal brand grew exponentially from this, helping him to launch his own personal platform and make an impact across social media. An outlet to share his personal style, opinion and personality, ‘The Style Lawyer’ was born with his blog transitioning into content across Instagram and more. Alongside all of this, Remi is a regular in the world of global Fashion Weeks, with his opinion on trends being highly regarded as a writer for international fashion magazines.
During our Let’s CHat: Marketing networking event, Remi shared with us some of his branding top tips…
Think About Value. Branding is more than just a logo or a product. It’s a result and a consumer’s gut feeling about a product. How can you deliver value to the consumer? How do you make them feel after they’ve interacted with your product/company? What are you giving them in exchange for their time and attention? Remember branding is a slow process so initially you will need to give as much value as you can without expecting lots in return. After lots of jabs you will eventually deliver the knockout punch and get a return on your investment.
Use Social Media Platforms That Suit Your Strengths. Capitalise on the technology that is at your fingertips. Build on your strengths and understand your weaknesses. There are opportunities and resources that you can use to your advantage. If you’re not a great public speaker, focus on, for example, writing articles on LinkedIn. If you’re great at speaking, create film content and podcasts. Mould the social media platforms into your own, and use them wisely.
Network, Network, Network. Use the internet to connect with other people, whether this be friends or people and organisations that you aspire to be like. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the industry you’re interested in and ask for a meeting with them. Create partnerships and build up a community of support.
Kind Candour. We’re in such a difficult world post-pandemic and the brands and people that succeed are transparent and have good intentions. Be authentic and true to who you are.
Document, Don’t Create. Don’t overthink the art of storytelling. The consumer wants to know about how a brand works, how it’s been created and the people and personality behind it. Don’t bombard people with sales, build up your story. Share some failures or struggles and showcase how you got to where you are now. People buy into the journey, rather than just the polished end product.
Be Consistent. Marketing has evolved. It’s no longer about pure advertising, and putting the product in front of the consumer. Consumers are bombarded on social media so try and strike a chord with your audience. Be consistent, set a schedule, and produce content daily.
Imposter Syndrome is Real. It’s perfectly normal to feel like you’re not doing enough or are in a position that you shouldn’t be in. Understand that this feeling is true for people along any part of their journey, even in the highest leadership roles. Remember you’re in it for the long haul so try to enjoy your journey.
Follow Remi on Instagram @remiakande
Meet the Old Wac behind the British Business success story.
Deborah Price, Class of 1992, is the Managing Director of British Boxers. Her boxer short designs can now be found in Harrods, Joules, Debenhams and John Lewis.
When I left CHS, I studied Art and Textiles at Manchester Met. It was a really exciting time being in Manchester in the early ’90s. When I graduated, I worked on John Lewis’ shop floor for six months. I was striving for creative success and suddenly I was on a shop floor! In hindsight, I was learning excellent customer service and how to sell to high-end clients – but it sure didn’t feel like that then. I remember the head of HR laughing when I mentioned I wanted to be a buyer. So, I set out to prove her wrong…
that we knew we had to be near family. We settled in Leek. I can remember sitting with my husband and telling him that I needed my own business. I had to be in control of my own time so that I could be there for our daughter. We had some money saved up in an ISA and we started the business from the spare bedroom. We began making boxer shorts at a factory down the road, and British Boxers was born.
I’ve now come full circle. A real high of the business has been selling into Harrods, Joules and Debenhams – as well as John Lewis! Having had the gauntlet thrown at me all those years earlier by that head of HR, it was a lovely feeling.
I remember the head of HR laughing when I mentioned I wanted to be a buyer. So, I set out to prove her wrong…
I applied for a job as an assistant to the director of a fashion supply company in London. I looked forward to the glamour of working in the fashion industry. In reality, I was stuck in a warehouse writing out packing lists for customs. Again, it wasn’t what I wanted. It was only when I was moved upstairs to the sales team that my career started to take off.
We were designing collections of clothes to sell to buyers at the likes of H&M. We were buying from textile mills all over the world, flying to Paris and Frankfurt to meet at big trade fairs. We went to LA, Paris and Milan to see what other stores were doing for inspiration. I absolutely loved it.
A short while later, my daughter was born. She has a condition called Williams Syndrome, and was so poorly back then
My advice for students wanting their own fashion business? Start at the beginning. Make an Instagram page. Build your confidence in selling anything. Don’t reach out for the glamour. Just crack on with the graft. It takes years to build your knowledge, product and brand, and you need to work hard if you want to make it in the industry.
But don’t be afraid to enjoy your time now, too. My favourite memories of CHS would definitely be creating artwork out of textiles with Mrs Jones and painting with Mr Yearsley. I would sneak off to the art rooms at lunchtime to carry on with my work! I loved it all so much, and I’m so grateful for the years I spent there.
https://british-boxers.com/ britishboxers
@GrandpaJem
To read our full interview with Deborah, visitwww.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk/blog/
“In 1976 when the new kitchens were built, the ‘Girls’ Window’, which was opposite the ‘Boys’ Window’, was removed from its position in the Dining Hall. The Old Waconians’ Association was founded in 1892, so in the late 1980s whilst making plans to celebrate the centenary of the Association, the committee decided to raise funds to have the ‘Girls’ Window’ restored and replaced. Along with ties for men, T-shirts and other items, the committee decided to produce a scarf for ladies with a design depicting the Window itself.
In 1990 the sections of the window were located and after minor restoration work, the window was reinstated in its current position in the Dining Hall. There were several scarves left and we would like to congratulate Year 11 pupil Izzy on designing and creating this stunning dress using these scarves.”
Carol Leather, Class of 1964Izzy, Class of 2024 recently wore the dress for her Year 11 prom. She told us “I designed the dress with inspiration from Zac Posen’s Met Gala pieces and simply loved the print of the scarves which most definitely added to the design. I created the dress purely for fun and thought the scarves were perfect for an extravagant yet smart garment, it was only later I decided why not wear it to the Year 11 prom.”
After studying Fashion Management at the prestigious Istituto Marangoni in Milan, Neil Malhotra, Class of 2014 has created a contemporary luxury menswear brand, AZAT MARD.
Neil joined forces with a friend, former Armenian national footballer to create the fashion-forward brand. “Creating our first line has been a journey”, said Neil. The outcome is a season that speaks of both our individual styles, as well as understanding our audience and builds recognition and confidence in the brand”. AZAT MARD, is from Armenia and translates as ‘Free Man’.
www.azatmardofficial.com
@AZATMARD
Lucy Ward, Class of 1987
is a writer and journalist. She shares her career journey, her memories of CHS and the inspiration behind her new book, ‘The Empress and the English Doctor’.
Can you give a brief overview of your career path since leaving CHS? I’m not sure path is the right term – more of a meander! I had always wanted to be a journalist, possibly not very imaginatively since my dad was one. At university, where I studied Early and Middle English, two friends and I edited an arts magazine (not as grand as it sounds because we were the only staff) which had a small but perfectlyformed readership. We printed out all the articles on a very early word processor, cut them up and stuck the text down with Spraymount. We were always looking for stray letters or semi-colons, which would turn up stuck to someone’s sock. After university I spent a year in Prague, where I taught English but managed to get a job making minidocumentaries for Radio Prague, the English language station. It was an exceptionally interesting time, as it was the year after the Berlin Wall fell. I also did a comedy slot in which I pretended to be a tour guide for the Czechoslovak state travel service. Hopefully the tapes have since been destroyed.
It all got more conventional after that. I spent a year working as a production assistant for BBC local radio in Manchester and Liverpool, which was great but convinced me I wanted to work in newspapers. A notebook and pen are so simple and unintrusive. I became a trainee with Westminster Press, a large local and regional newspaper group, and then moved from my paper in Bradford to London. I did a few weeks of shifts on the Daily Mail (I had to buy a skirt for this because apparently Paul Dacre liked women reporters to wear them), then moved
great regret – balancing work and family was even harder then than now, although I did negotiate the first job share in the parliamentary lobby. After a couple of years living in Moscow thanks to my partner’s job, I freelanced again and then worked for four years doing communications at Cambridge University.
In 2019, I left to research and write my first book and I now hope to write another.
I learned that the best thing you can do as a journalist is leave the office and go out and talk to people – and really listen to them.
to the Times Education Supplement, and from there to the Independent as education correspondent. After a year I got a job at the Guardian as a political correspondent, and stayed at the paper for ten years, latterly covering education and social affairs. During that time, I had three children, and eventually left the Guardian with
Your first role as a journalist was as a general reporter for the Telegraph & Argus, Bradford. What did you learn in those early years? I learned that the best thing you can do as a journalist is leave the office and go out and talk to people – and really listen to them. So many journalists and news outlets called Brexit wrongly: I genuinely think that wouldn’t have happened if more reporters had left London and asked more questions. Of course, I had the good fortune to work in local journalism at a time when – even though there were cuts – real reporting was done, which then fed upwards to national news. Now, costs have been slashed, news is given away free and much local ‘content’ is syndicated drivel. Local government and courts are no longer covered; politicians are not held to account on the doorstep, and social media in all its unreliable madness floods into the vacuum. It’s extremely bad for democracy.
On a more personal note, I learned to try and observe everything with accuracy. On my first day at the T&A I got the splash after covering a house fire in which I’d discovered the dad had talked to his kids about how to get out in a fire only a few days previously (looking back on it now it seems vaguely suspicious but we’ll let that pass). I came back to the office very excited and my deputy editor, an uncompromising Yorkshireman called Malcolm Hoddy who always wore red braces and Mickey Mouse ties, asked me how many windows the house had and how many storeys. I had to admit I didn’t really know (it had an attic I hadn’t noticed), and he told me I needed
to check details. I never forgot that. I did, however, ignore his instruction to “brush yer hair, Ward”. I still rarely do.
What did your role as a Lobby correspondent for the Guardian entail and what were your proudest moments? The Parliamentary Lobby is the group of journalists who cover news at Westminster, and have special access to parts of both houses of parliament as well as the right to attend Lobby briefings from government spokespeople. I worked there from December 1997 until 2003, so I covered the early years of the Blair government up to the Iraq War. Labour had a huge majority, so the drama at the time was less about knife-edge votes and more about the playing out of the New Labour’s promises in government, and the increasingly tense dynamic between Tony Blair and the Chancellor, Gordon Brown. It’s an immense privilege to have that job, and I learned a lot. I am proud that I tried hard to highlight issues around women’s representation at Westminster and elsewhere in politics, as well as policies around maternity and working rights, including parttime and home working. I also covered debates around equalising the age of consent and worked with some gay MPs on stories to allow them to ‘come out’ – thank goodness this is less of an issue now. I have to admit I didn’t always love the self-obsession of Westminster politics: some of my favourite times were getting out of London to cover byelections, which I love – each has its own unique combination of national and local issues. Finally, I’m proud of writing an accurate story (about Rupert Murdoch and Manchester United) for which Peter Mandelson tried to have me sacked. My wonderful editor, Alan Rusbridger, refused.
In your role as Head of Communications at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge, you worked with Professor Stephen Hawking - what was that like? One of the first things I was asked to do on starting work at Caius was to draft a speech for Professor Hawking – a mildly terrifying assignment! Fortunately, it was about access to higher education for students with disabilities and not about astrophysics. Professor Hawking generally worked at the maths faculty, but whenever he came into College it was like being visited by a rockstar – the students always wanted selfies with him. Everyone wanted a piece of him – I think it could be very pressurising in some ways for his assistants, who had to balance his fragile health against his continuing sociability and the demands of so many others for his time and attention. I was asked to organise a 75th birthday present for him and suggested
we commission a new piece of music. The resulting work, Beyond the Night Sky, by Cheryl Frances-Hoad, was partly inspired by NASA space recordings and was truly beautiful. When Professor Hawking died in 2018, the piece was played at his funeral. I organised the huge international media operation on behalf of the College – tributes poured in from all over the world.
In April of this year your first book was published ‘The Empress and the English Doctor’. Can you tell us what it’s about and where the inspiration for it came from? The book tells the story of how Catherine the Great of Russia summoned an Essex-born physician called Thomas Dimsdale to St Petersburg to inoculate her and her son against smallpox, then promoted the lifesaving procedure across her empire. Inoculation was the foundational technology behind vaccination: it involved giving a healthy person a minute dose of smallpox virus itself, bringing on a mild case of the disease and conferring lifelong immunity. Catherine was extremely far-sighted in recognising the potential of the procedure, and in using her own example to try to influence her highly superstitious subjects. She was also very brave: inoculation was far safer than many modern scientists realise, but it still carried risk. She spun her action in multiple ways, using it to strengthen her position domestically by showing her care for her people but also to demonstrate her enlightened, pro-science credentials abroad. I came across the story after meeting a direct descendant of Thomas Dimsdale in a school playground – she told me about him quite casually when I mentioned I’d lived in Russia. The Dimsdale family generously gave me access to their papers, including Thomas’s doctor’s notes describing how Catherine and her son endured the unpleasant inoculation experience. The Empress and her physician remained friends for life, and the book is also very much about the relationship of these two
very different characters who bonded over science. It also charts 18t century debates over inoculation that are very familiar to us from our experiences of Covid and vaccination today.
Were there any teachers from your time at CHS who had a significant influence on you? So many teachers at CHS had a big impact, but one of the most important to me was Beryl Freer, who sadly died in December 2021, just a few months before my book came out. She taught me O Level and A level history, including 18th century Russian history, and was a born teacher, often acting out scenarios in which she was invariably the Pope or a monarch and we pupils were always peasants. She first got me interested in Catherine the Great, including explaining the way apocryphal stories of the Empress’s alleged sexual proclivities were used to smear her name – I hope my book may help replace those lies with a little-known truth about her statecraft. My A level English teacher Alan Kelk was also hugely influential, helping us dissect Shakespeare, Jane Austen or TS Eliot with rigour and enormous humanity. I can still remember him telling us that Austen’s goal was to tell us ‘how to live’. He also ate fruit cake with Wensleydale cheese, which fascinated us. I should also add Peter Bullock to the list: I gave up physics after O Level but I still have a clear grasp of ripple tank experiments and abiding memories of poems Peter famously wrote, particularly one about everyone in our form and another about my cat.
What are your favourite memories of school? I joined CHS late after transferring from another school in the first term of the third year (today’s year 9). It sounds a bit basic, but I genuinely loved that I could study and work fairly hard without it being considered weird. I enjoyed a lot of daily life – I really liked having my school diary in my blazer pocket and the variety of lessons. I didn’t really push myself to do loads of exams – I only took eight O levels (though I did do three of those aged 14) and I enjoyed studying drama, which –blissfully – had no exam. I made friends I still love and have happy memories of sitting out on the field in summer. The trips were good, too: I sailed on Loch Lomond one freezing April with the Columbus Fellowship and went to Germany on a choir tour. I especially loved a classics trip to Italy where we drove all the way from Stockport to Naples, presumably to save money. It took days, but we all found it hilarious and Herculaneum was worth the drive.
Emily founded and runs Em’s Easy Eco, a zero-waste refill shop based in Bramhall. She was inspired by a geography lesson on rainforest destruction, and wrote to the then Prime Minister to challenge him on his inaction.
Rachel is about to finish a PhD in Marine Ecology. She has a lot of experience in scientific communication and outreach, and has created an online course titled CEADI science. She is also the Director of Breakdown Education..
Claire is the Program Manager for the Song Saa Foundation, working with NGOs and the Cambodian government to protect the Cambodian coastline.
Megan works as a Political Campaigner at Greenpeace UK. She was formerly part of the WWF UK politics team from August 2020 to May 2021. You can follow her on Twitter @megrandles.
Huw was a member of New Zealand’s Green Party and was involved in its historically successful election in 2020 in Auckland as well as environmental campaigns, protests and organisations. He was also a National Coordinator for Extinction Rebellion and has worked as an Operations Manager for a vegan food company.
At CHS we are committed to educating our community about the importance of environmental sustainability. Earlier this year, our student-led Eco Committee interviewed five Old Waconians to learn about where their interest in the environment came from, their careers, and what individuals can do to take action. The panellists shared some valuable advice.
Our Year 13 committee – George, Huw and Edie kicked off the sessions by asking each of the panellists what sparked their interest in the environment. Their answers were diverse and intriguing.
“When I was young, I spent a lot of time in the water. I fell in love with the ocean. I got booked on to do a scuba diving course. Once I learned what was under the water, it became what I wanted to do –where I wanted to be. The ocean has been part of my life for a really long time now.” – Claire Ogg
Rachel Gunn also has professional diving experience. She’s a PADI Divemaster and Master Scuba Diver, and her interest in the environment has taken her diving in the UK, the Canary Islands, and even the Caribbean.
“I’ve always loved nature. Going to the zoo is one of my favourite things to do. Rock pooling was a big thing for me growing up as a kid. That naturally led into doing things like biology. It was the ecology side of it that appealed to me more than anything else, but I also loved animals and understanding organisms, so I did an undergraduate degree in zoology. The summer between my second and third year, I went on an expedition with Operation Wallacea.”
– Rachel GunnOthers began their journey as an environmental activist on dry lands…
Huw Morgan’s interest started in his last year at Cardiff University after reading a developmental economics paper by Professor of Economics Calvin Jones. He learnt about the externalities in economics, such as pollution and climate breakdown, which weren’t being interrogated. This really opened his eyes. One thing led to another, and in 2015, he got involved in the Conference of the Parties (COP) in France.
Megan Randles’ turning point also involved an inspirational figure.“Igotin touchwithAlfDubs[MemberoftheUK HouseofLords]anddidsomevolunteering withhiminmygapyear.Itwasreally inspiringtofollowhimaroundandget thatparliamentaryexperience.”
Fellow panellist Emily Mee’s environmentalist journey involved a brush with politics too. She was made aware of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest from a very young age and expressed her concerns in a letter to former Prime Minister Tony Blair. He responded to her letter in 2004 – which Emily found again recently when sorting through some stuff at her mum’s house – but as she pointed out, deforestation is still very much an issue.
Since those early days, the panellists have all dedicated their lives to promoting sustainability and protecting the environment. But how did their careers begin?
“When I finished my degree, I started working in a dive shop in Newcastle. I worked on becoming a diving instructor. It’s through being a diving instructor that I eventually got into working in marine conservation. I then became an instructor for a marine and conversation project based in Fiji. I lived out there for a year. It was incredible.” – Claire Ogg
Claire’s work has since taken her across the globe. Over the years, she’s travelled to the likes of the Philippines and the Maldives – and she’s now stationed in Cambodia.
Some of the other panellists live and work more locally. In the summer of 2020, Emily launched her own initiative to spread awareness about the environment and sustainability.
“I wanted a refill shop in our local town of Bramhall because I grew up there and I didn’t think there was anything coming any time soon. So I just thought, why not? The response is better than anything I could have imagined.” – Emily Mee
Rachel has launched her own business as well. After looking at what else she could do to communicate the science of conservation and ecology to the public, she created a free online science course called CEADI science. The course has been such a success that it has expanded into science and the arts.
This leads us nicely to the next topic: individual action.
It’s clear that we need to come together and hold governments and big corporations accountable for their actions and contributions to climate change. As Huw emphasised, it’s great if people stop using plastic, but what actually needs to happen is plastic manufacturers need to stop producing plastic.
With that being said, what else can individuals do to get involved and make a genuine difference in the world? And how can we engage with people at a more local level?
“Climate change issues are so massive and so far-reaching and so frightening that people often freeze because they don’t know what to do. Getting engaged on a local level and with your own communities can really help people who are perhaps so scared about it that they don’t know what to do.” – Claire Ogg
Huw suggested that the single biggest thing that anyone can do is to stop eating meat, but are there other actions we can take beyond changing our eating habits?
“Individuals and local communities can make a massive difference. I think it starts with making people aware that there is nature everywhere and they can protect it – even if it’s a flowerbed in their back garden. Having said that, the big changes will come top down. A lot of the issues we are facing can be prevented if big corporations make changes. But because that is so hard to do, we kind of have to work bottom up.” – Rachel Gunn
As Rachel stated, awareness is key –and she isn’t alone in thinking this.
“The government will change their policies on something because they see that the general public are interested or they have drive behind it. That comes from people like David Attenborough or Greta Thunberg. They have a movement behind them.” – Emily Mee
Collectively, our panellists also highlighted the importance of getting involved in community activities and volunteering to make a difference.
“If you want to go to university, I would definitely recommend really throwing yourself into societies and local conservation efforts. Definitely join the Greenpeace political lobbying network.” – Megan Randles
Climate change issues are so massive and so far-reaching and so frightening that people often freeze because they don’t know what to do.
- Claire Ogg
Towards the end of the interview, the panellists each offered some important words of advice for CHS students looking to get involved in environmental protection initiatives, or organisations such as the WWF and The Green Party.
“If I could just give one piece of advice to those that are really interested in the environment and politics and advocacy, it would be to try and tailor your university experience to environmental stuff. I also got involved in lots of societies and internships.” – Megan Randles
They unanimously agreed that it’s essential to join a group or organisation where you can come together with likeminded people, and express your concerns and exchange ideas. And, of
course, the most important thing of all is to consistently stand up for what you believe in.
“You’ve just got to be persistent and fight your cause.” – Claire Ogg
You can find out more about our Green Plan and wider sustainability commitments by visiting our website: www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk/ the-green-plan
Amanda Newman, Class of 1992, has worked in technology for over two decades. She runs The Career Mum, a global community of over 6,000 members that supports and empowers women.
A degree in Maths, Stats & Computing set me up for my long career in tech. The course at Liverpool John Moores University included a placement in tech support, and my first post-graduate role was as an IT Helpdesk Analyst at IBM. The wonderful thing about working in tech is that you can then move to any industry. The start of my own journey involved a year-long contract at Shell, and I ended up becoming a permanent team member for 21 years!
In 2017, I took redundancy. My original plan was a year out to look after my four kids and focus on The Career Mum. However, I was soon approached to apply for a role at Microsoft. This was my first experience working in a consultancy. Then, after 18 months, I moved to my current position at Accenture. It’s a great organisation – your career progression is incredibly important to them. But even on a personal level, they supported me when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, designing a phased return-to-work programme, and ensuring I didn’t suffer burnout.
Times are changing, and I want women to recognise that they don’t have to take a step away from work after having children. If they’re in the right environment, with the right employers, they can request more flexibility. I also want to attract more women into tech. It’s an amazing career journey, where you can be financially independent and access constant learning, growth and travel opportunities. It’s helped me to see the benefits of diversity too – that diversity of thought around the table is so important. Decisions around tech design must be as diverse and inclusive as the population that’s using the technology.
Know I chose CHS for my own children. I know it’s the right environment to help them achieve their potential and develop life skills.
My top tip for those wanting to work in tech? Get experience in hot skills – like cloud and data analysis. But even if you’re not on the tech side of things, this doesn’t mean you can’t work in it. Like organising people? Choose project management. Psychology? Pick user experience.
Cheadle Hulme School was indispensable to my career. I wasn’t a top pupil – I struggled academically and was actually put back a year. I also suffered malaria during my A-levels. However, CHS supported me throughout, and I left as a well-rounded individual armed with social skills and a strong network. You can’t put a price on your network. For example, it was a fellow former CHS pupil who approached me for that role at Microsoft. My experience has been so beneficial, and that’s why I’m honoured to give something back as an Old Waconian.
In fact, I chose CHS for my own children. I know it’s the right environment to help them achieve their potential and develop crucial life skills. It was a relaxed boarding school during my time there – us kids took care of each other and surrounded ourselves with a good support network.
Looking back, my biggest success has been navigating my career and building a strong network. It’s this that has helped me to secure two senior roles. I’m also very proud of The Career Mum. As for failures? I don’t believe in them. ‘Fail fast’ is a term used in tech, which I think applies to life too. Tech moves quickly, so you’re encouraged to innovate and recognise that not everything works first time. Everything in life is a learning opportunity.
Follow the Career Mum on Facebook: thecareermum.co.uk/
David Isaac, Class of 1987, has worked as a scriptwriter for over 15 years. He currently writes for Coronation Street, with other notable credits to his name including working on the Lee Mack sitcom Not Going Out and his own sitcom, Lunch Monkeys. Here, he recounts his route into scriptwriting.
It was a long journey, but I feel like I’ve reached somewhere where I know what I’m doing, and I enjoy doing it.
SCRIPTWRITING WASN’T ACTUALLY MY FIRST CAREER.
IstudiedLawatuniversityandwasalawyerfor 13 years. I’ll be honest, I hated every minute of it. So, I did an MA in something I was actually passionate about: Scriptwriting for TV and Radio. I’d go in once a week after work, and thosefourhourswerethehighlightofmyweek.
IT’S BEEN A BUMPY ROAD TO EARN A LIVING AS A WRITER.
It’s a tricky industry – you’re essentially writing and hoping someone will pay you for what you’ve done. I received rejection after rejection, but eventually someone said, “we quite like this”. Of course, my work still wasn’t perfect, so I learnt to develop my skills and send something better back. I pursued every lead I knew in the industry. I was introduced to Channel K and wrote a sitcom pilot called Admin (later renamed Lunch Monkeys), based loosely around a law firm. It ended up having two series.
BUT THEN, THE WORK DRIED UP.
I had several years where I felt lost in the wilderness. I’d given up law and was earning a pittance as a writer. To get by, I created and taughtmyownsitcom-writingclassandsigned up to do a PGCE – which was even harder than being a lawyer! Thankfully, I managed to get a job as a script editor on the daytime soap Doctors. From there I moved to Coronation Street, where I eventually joined the writing team. It was a long journey, but I feel like I’ve reached somewhere where I know what I’m doing, and I enjoy doing it.
WORKING FOR CORRIE HAS BEEN A DREAM. Asthey’vebeengoingforsixdecades,theshow runs like a well-oiled machine. There’s such a variety in the storylines, from dramatic car crashes to heart-breaking suicides. There have been so many iconic stories over the years, but one of my favourites to be involved with has to be the Pat Phelan serial killer storyline – it had so many twists and turns. I love the humour that’s interlaced with Corrie too; it’s great to write for characters that I grew up watching, like Steve McDonald.
ANOTHER BIG SUCCESS FOR ME WAS WRITING A FILM FOR CINEMA.
It’s called Eaten By Lions and at the time of writing is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer. It was well-received by critics, and I’m really proud of it. I also had a play performed at The Lowry called The House That Stank of Death, a horror/comedy anthology of six short plays and films.
MY EXPERIENCE AT CHEADLE HULME SCHOOL WAS GREAT. I loved school, and my teachers really encouraged me. It helped me follow that traditional route: study A Levels, go to university, and get a steady job. Ultimately, that wasn’t the path I should have taken – but as a teenager, I didn’t realise that.
THAT’S WHY I SUGGEST SCHOOL-AGED KIDS TAKE THE TIME TO THINK. Reallyconsiderwhatyouwanttodoforaliving, and what you might enjoy. You don’t have to go down that standard route and get lost in the wilderness like me. And the sooner you start thinking about what you want to do, the sooner you can find a way to get experience and make a career in it.
I ALSO RECOMMEND THAT THEY APPRECIATE THEIR EDUCATION.
I’d love to experience school all over again. I wasn’t aware of the great opportunities I had to learnsomethinganddevelopmyself–Iwasan average student, but I could have done so much better if I’d worked harder. Education really is wasted on the young.
Ultimately, that wasn’t the path I should have taken – but as a teenager, I didn’t realise that.
Our Old Waconians are our greatest ambassadors and by sharing your skills and experiences you can make a difference to our current students and young alumni. Wherever you are or however much time you can afford to give, there are always plenty of opportunities for you to get involved and inspire students at your former school.
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Old Waconians provided careers support for current students and young alumni
337 hours were donated by our Old Waconian volunteers
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CHS Community users have offered to host work experience for current students
As well as offering internships and placements at your organisation or mentoring students, there are many other ways you can volunteer at CHS.
Hundreds of Old Waconians have returned to CHS to speak about their careers. Our current students relish the opportunity to gain exclusive industry insight from people who were once in their shoes. Whether it’s networking practice, skills workshops, a business breakfast or panel discussions, could you come back and speak to our students about careers?
We invite Old Waconians with a particular passion or knowledge to come back and speak to our Upper 6th students as they prepare for life beyond CHS. Your talk can be academically focussed or career based. If there’s a talk you’d like to give to students, please get in touch.
By signing up as a mentor on our online CHS Community you can let other Old Wacs know that you are willing to help. And if you’re starting out in your career, or looking to change direction then reach out to someone from our supportive community today. Our Mentors can help with CV and interview preparation, industry or sector specific advice, setting up or running a business, returning to work advice and much more.
How would you persuade a family to choose CHS? Prospective families love to hear what CHS life is like from people who have lived it.
CHS Community is our online networking platform, offering Old Waconians the opportunity to both reconnect with old classmates as well enabling you to utilise the trusted CHS environment to expand your professional network.
Find and reminisce with fellow Old Waocnians, see what they have been up to and stay in touch.
Give Back Introduce, employ and offer to act as a mentor to Old Waconians.
There’s no liberation until the entire community is liberated.
TRIGGER WARNING: This article discusses sensitive topics such as mental health and suicide.
Eva Echo, Class of 1998, is an activist, ambassador, blogger, educator, and public speaker. She is the Head of Communications & Engagement at Birmingham Pride, an LSIP member of the Crown Prosecution Service, a brand ambassador for London Transgender Clinic, and a representative of CC3 Entertainment and MS Represents.
What was your understanding of gender identity at school, and how did it impact your experience? In fairness, gender identity has only recently started to be discussed. But my understanding at the time was limited; it wasn’t a subject area in school. I just felt… wrong. I remember sitting in class and not understanding topics, but being too afraid to put my hand up. I was so paranoid that people were watching or mocking me. I felt so incredibly isolated and alone.
Tell us about your struggles with gender identity and how it has influenced your work as an activist. I’ve felt different since I was around four years old. I didn’t want to be like the other boys, but I didn’t know how to articulate the feeling. I never realised that it would have such a detrimental impact on my mental health, but I had spent most of my life trying to be who the world told me I needed to be. I was playing a role – one that would end with me trying to take my own life.
I would wake up in hospital, get discharged, pick myself up, and try playing a different role. I developed an eating disorder. I abused alcohol and painkillers. I never looked both ways when I crossed the road. The ongoing internal conflict meant I didn’t care what happened to me. I was convinced nobody would understand or accept me. It wasn’t until I started to document my journey that I realised I wasn’t the only one experiencing these feelings.
The euphoria after coming out was short-lived when I was faced with a lengthy wait for an appointment at an NHS gender clinic – and looking over my shoulder in public in the meantime. It’s this realisation – and not wanting future generations to have to go through what I, and thousands of others, went through – that keeps me going in the fight for inclusion and acceptance. There’s no liberation until the entire community is liberated.
What has been your greatest achievement while working with organisations like Birmingham Pride, We Create Space and Gendered Intelligence? I’ve taken NHS England to the High Court over its unlawful waiting times for trans patients. I’ve campaigned to raise awareness of trans and non-binary issues. I’ve helped implement change within the national cancer-screening service to be more inclusive of trans people. I’ve also helped individuals to just feel like they’re enough. There’s still so much to be done.
What has been your greatest challenge as a member of the Crown Prosecution Service? There are deeprooted issues between the LGBTQ+ community and the police. The biggest challenge for me is bringing the two sides together. I can recommend changes and hold parts of the criminal justice system to account, but it means nothing if the community doesn’t trust it. I know there’s no quick fix for the animosity, but I’m determined to try.
I never realised that it would have such a detrimental impact on my mental health, but I had spent most of my life trying to be who the world told me I needed to be.
How do you think schools can support students and alumni in their own journeys? Creating safe spaces for awareness, offering education and having representation will create a culture of acceptance amongst the next generation.
View Eva’s online portfolio at: linktr.ee/evaecho
To read our full interview with Eva, please visit: https://www.cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk/blog/
your
I am proud of you
I am grateful for you
“In 2019, we welcomed our first art bursary student, after noticing incredible potential. With the support and resources available at CHS, he was able to flourish. His ambition to be the first in his family to attend university and he did exactly that. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
- Adam Hayley, Head of ArtI came here because of you
“Simply put, the generosity of donors is life-changing to many children. Our own daughter came from the care system and had a difficult start to her life. However at CHS she has been given the opportunity to put the past behind her and achieve everything in her potential. We will always be eternally grateful for the selfless heroes, who play a huge role in giving a disadvantaged child the chance to a better life.”
- Parent of current bursary student
“I was so excited to be offered a place at CHS. I worked hard for the opportunity and I’m grateful that everything fell into place. I have had the chance to fulfil my potential to the amazing teachers who supported me.”
- Elvis, Class of 2021
To every Old Waconian who has made a gift to CHS – thank you for being a part of our mission to open our green door to as many deserving young people as possible.
To those who are new to our donor community, welcome. Thank you for your belief in your former school and the CHS experience. To those who have supported us for some time, your generosity means as much as ever.
The Bursary Fund has reached its initial target of £5m. What’s next? The ultimate aim of the Bursary Fund is to create a genuinely needs-blind approach to admissions, so that all children, irrespective of family circumstance, can study at CHS. Having achieved our initial target of £5m, we now aim to increase the size of the Bursary Fund to £10m by 2030.
How does the target for the Bursary Fund sit alongside the future strategy for CHS? The new CHS 2030 Strategy has three strands: Empower; Inspire; Sustain, and development of the Bursary Fund is a key strategic objective to enable us to create a sustainable future for the School.
What impact does the Bursary Fund have on the wider school community? Increasing the number of pupils who can access the Bursary Fund not only has a significant impact on the families who directly benefit, it also adds much to the wider CHS Schools community. Whilst it enables us to remain true to the philanthropic ideals of our founders, and experiences of many of our Old Waconians it also creates a more diverse pupil body.
The numbers 2021 / 2022
One in 12
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CHS X Madlug: A new collab to make a difference
Madlug stands for ‘Make A Difference Luggage’ and that is what founder Dave Linton, a youth worker and serial foster carer, set out to do in 2015. For every bag you buy, Madlug donates another to a young person in care. CHS was drawn to partnering with Madlug because the social enterprise has values so closely aligned to our own.
Both Madlug and CHS actively work to support children in the care system, Madlug through their buy-one-donate-one business model, and CHS through our Transformational Bursaries. For more information visit www.madlug.com
Donor Reunited
Syeda has just completed her second year in Mechanical Engineering at UCL and secured a highly sought after placement at Formula 1 Redbull Racing, working on mechanical design of their engines. She has also been awarded a Young Leaders Scholarship from the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering.
Paul said “Female engineers, scientists and researchers are one of our biggest untapped resources. The UK is way behind other countries in capitalising on this opportunity. The bursaries are one way I have been able to play a part in raising the aspirations of young females by giving them access to the outstanding education which Cheadle Hulme School provides. Syeda has a very bright future ahead of her and I’m looking forward to seeing where her career takes her. I know she wants to be a voice for young women in Engineering and am very proud to have played a part in her story.”
Syeda and Paul will be returning to CHS later this year to talk to pupils about careers in STEM and meeting with our F1 in schools team.
Remember CHS in your will
Talk to us
Paul Abell, Class of 1970
Turaya Awenat, Class of 1994
Susan Barratt (née Josiffe), Class of 1954
Anne Bracegirdle (née Gibb), Class of 1952
Eve Brock (née Nuttall), Class of 1949
Elspeth Carnegie (née White), Former Staff, served 1957-1958
Mike Chambers, Former Staff 1997-2015
Carol Clements (née Marshall), Class of 1956
Gordon Crosse, Class of 1956
John Crummett, Class of 1951
Raymond Denton, Class of 1957
Bjorn Dockree, Class of 1992
Roy Eckersall, Class of 1964
Philip Edge, Class of 1948 (Left CHS 1946)
Marcus Fisher, Class of 2009
Jeremy Fishwick, Class of 1962
Beryl Freer, Former Staff 1971-1987
Basil Garratt, Class of 1949
Andrew Gibson, Former Staff 2017-2018
Jenny Gillan, Class of 1961
Ruth Green (née Read), Class of 1947
Maragret Heughan (née Crook), Class of 1944
Derek Hughes, Class of 1945
Christine (Mary) Jackson (née Baldwin), Class of 1951
Rae Kennedy (née Westbrook), Class of 1957
John Kenyon, Class of 1979
Kenneth Leighton, Class of 1953
Alan Lord, Class of 1951
Kirsty McKie, Class of 2002
Alan Fraser McMichael, Class of 1953
Jackie Nixon (née Jones), Class of 1971
Elisabeth Parker, Class of 1973
Jean Pearlman (née Maddock), Class of 1950
Gillian Phizacklea, Class of 1971
Jon Richards, Class of 1988
Don Smith, Class of 1948
Sue Snowden (née Clifford), Class of 1963
John David Stansfield, Class of 1951
Peter Taylor, Class of 1957
Elizabeth Van Lottum (née Percival), Class of 1952, Former Staff 1955-57
Dr (George) Peter Walker, Class of 1945
Joan Webb (née TaylorHibbert), Class of 1938
Frank Wetton, Former Staff 1953 - 1992
Michael Williams, Class of 1956
Alan Wooldridge, Class of 1951
5 Nov 1926 - 26 Dec 2021
Beryl Freer was a member of staff at CHS from 1971 to 1987. Born and brought up in Leicester, Beryl attended Newarke Girls’ School, where she was Head Girl, and went on to read History at Bedford College, University of London. After gaining a Diploma in Education she taught history in two schools, the second as Head of Department, before marriage to Allen and the birth of her two daughters Catharine and Mary (both later pupils at CHS) took her out of the classroom.
The family moved to Cheadle Hulme in 1966 and in 1967 Beryl was appointed to a temporary one-term post at CHS. In 1971 she joined the History Department on a part-time basis, becoming full time in 1974. From 1974 to 1987 she taught History throughout the age range and also – such was her versatilityJunior School French.
Beryl was a gifted teacher. She was able to bring history alive and to convey her own enthusiasm for the subject to students. She was also a first-rate form teacher. Colin Firth said of her, ‘There was no form better cared for than hers’.
In retirement she worked as a volunteer for the Friends of the Whitworth Art Gallery. She and Allen travelled extensively in Europe and America and together edited and published the Travel Journals of Robert Hyde Greg. Together they assembled an extraordinary art collection which made their home into a miniature art gallery.
15 July 1919 - 26 May 2022
Joan, from the Class of 1938 was a regular attendee at Old Waconian events. Even in her 98th year, she made her way alone to a reunion event.
She will be greatly missed by the team and all Old Waconians who knew her.
Mike Chambers
9 Aug 1952 - 16th Feb 2022
We were sadly informed that former member of staff Mike Chambers passed away on 16th February, after battling cancer for several years. Mike worked at CHS for almost 20 years, starting in 1997. He worked across a wide range of areas, including productions, AV, and IT. Mike was extremely loyal to the school and a fantastic, reliable colleague with a very dry sense of humour. In his spare time, you would often find him surrounded by a plethora of plectrums and guitars, as well as rocking out with the ‘Staff Band’ in A1.1.
10 Sep 1930 - 7 Mar 2022
During Mr Wetton’s time at Cheadle Hulme School (1953–1992) he inspired generations of students as Head of Classics and Careers. Many of you will also remember his wife, former CHS Teacher of French Brenda, and his children (Jennifer, Steve, Paul and Catherine) who attended the School. Michael Scaife, former Deputy Head of History, shares some of his memories of his friend and colleague.
“The school played a big part in Frank’s life, but he also played a big role in the life of the school. Arriving at CHS in 1953, he must be almost the last, if not the last, member of staff appointed by the legendary T.T.R (Tommy) Lockhart. He served under five more heads: Douglas Whiting, Leslie Johnston, David Wilcox, Colin Firth and Donald Wilkinson, retiring in 1992 after 39 years.
When I first knew him, I recall that Frank was teaching Latin from beginners to A level. It goes without saying that he was a good teacher and he and Wal Greenhalgh, the Head of Classics, formed a strong team. When Wal retired in 1975, Frank took over as Head of the Classics Department and over the next 17 years, the department continued to flourish under his leadership. Furthermore, he added Russian to his
Mrs Joceline Schnieden and her family have generously donated funds to create a Living a Wall at CHS. It’s a home for insects and offers the CHS Community the opportunity to reconnect with nature. The Living Wall is in memory of Jocelines’ daughter Vivienne from the Class of 1980.
classroom repertoire. However, if you ask Old Waconians of the 1970s and 1980s what they associate first and foremost with Frank I think most of them would say Careers. His most important contribution to the school was to build up a Careers Department which I would claim was second to none in the independent sector at that time.
Under Frank’s direction the school joined the Independent Schools Careers Organisation, and he established links with the Stockport careers Service. Careers Conventions were now organised by our own Careers Department and became biennial. In the competitive market of independent schools in the South Manchester/ North East Cheshire area, the school’s reputation depended to a large extent on its success in getting students into universities and the Careers Department which Frank built up in the 70s and 80s was a crucial element in this.
It goes without saying that a man with such long experience and such an important role in the school was a key member of Heads of Department meetings. His advice was always thoughtful and not always what you expected. The rookie teacher of 1953 became the respected elder statesman of 1992.
Have you visited our online gift shop yet? Head to https://www.chscommunity.co.uk/ shop to purchase your official CHS merchandise. All proceeds go directly to the CHS Bursary Fund.
Limited Edition Framed Prints by Urban Colours
Jamie Edwards, the artist behind Urban Colours, has recreated the Main Building of CHS in his distinctive style. Limited stock so order yours fast!
A luxury silk tie designed by Founder and Creative Director of Lord Willy’s (New York), Alex Wilcox, Class of 1982.
Each tie is delivered in a branded CHS gift box.
This beautifully illustrated book brings the history of the School to life. Suitable for children aged 11 upwards. Why not share your school’s story with a family member today?
This beautiful 100% silk scarf in black and cream shows off the iconic CHS crest and keys motif.
The story of Cheadle Hulme School, retold by Melanie Richardson, Class of 1980, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the School’s foundation.
WACONIAN noun (ouldwa-kau-ni-an)
The term ‘Old Waconian’ stems from the original name given to the School in 1855:
THE WAREHOUSEMEN AND CLERKS’ ORPHAN SCHOOLS
Every former student and member of staff becomes an Old Waconian when they leave Cheadle Hulme School.
Head - Neil Smith
Claremont Road · Cheadle Hulme · Cheadle · Cheshire · SK8 6EF
Tel 0161 488 3330 · Email head@chschool.co.uk cheadlehulmeschool.co.uk
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Registered Charity Number 1077017