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www.giggleswick.org.uk
News…News…News… Peter Macdonald (CH/P 83 – 91) has recently established his own business; for information go to www.petermacdonaldrecruitment.co.uk. We have become aware recently that David Manduell (OG – CH/St 72- 80) was one of four rescuers who were awarded the New Zealand Search and Rescue Council gold award for the most significant contribution to search and rescue in 2009, at a ceremony in the New Zealand Parliament on 21 April 2010. The team from the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust plucked a fisherman to safety, after he was trapped at the base of a cliff. Michael Muggeridge was being pounded by two metre waves against a cliff face after he was thrown from a boat while crossing the Patea Bar in February 2009. The waves made it impossible for a boat to reach him and the rescue helicopter was unable to lower a winch directly to him. Paramedic Rob Berry was winched into the surf, put Mr Muggeridge in a rescue nappy, moved him from under the cliff into the open and the pair were winched back to the helicopter. The winch operator, Noel Watson, had to time Mr Berry's descent so he arrived between waves, while pilot David Manduell had to keep the helicopter steady against the wind and close to the cliff. James Mabbitt (P 95 – 00) now lives in Mold, North Wales, working as a physiotherapist in Wrexham. Congratulations to Alexandra Breare (CH/C 98 – 06) who has been awarded her MSc for her work on Memory and its Disorders. Hartleys, based in Loughborough, received the award as Best Small Midlands Estate Agency at a ceremony in London on 3 December 2010. Founder and Senior Partner Gary Hartley (CH/C 71 – 80) said, ‘…we were delighted to win, it’s a great accolade. Personally, it’s the culmination of a lot of years of hard work. It is dedicated to my staff, many of whom have been here a long time and form the backbone of the company.’ The Sunday Times judging panel wrote: ‘With superior service levels and attention to detail, the team is kept fully engaged with the direction of the business and there is a culture of sharing ideas and innovations which has enabled them to retain and expand their energetic and quality employees.’ The photograph shows James Cracknell (double Olympic gold medalist) who presented the award, Sue Moores (Head of Sales), Gary Hartley and a representative from the sponsors. We were first alerted to Gary’s success by RAC Meredith (Headmaster 70 – 78). Gary writes: ‘That Mr Meredith saw this locally in Loughborough is possibly a story in itself – he was Headmaster for most of my time at school. After my degree at Nottingham Trent University (as it now is), I joined a local independent firm in Nottingham, later worked as a Partner in two other agencies, before opening Hartleys in May 1995, growing to a sixbranch firm today with sales, lettings, professional surveys and mortgage divisions across the North Leicestershire area’. After leaving school I continued to play rugby and social cricket. The rugby took me to England Students, U23s, England ‘A’ and eventually England Classicals, with whom I toured Bermuda in 1995, 17 years after the Giggleswick Tour there in 1978. The final cherry on the rugby career, via Nottingham and The Midlands Division, was three Barbarian caps; alas a full England cap eluded me, despite being in the squad for two seasons, carded for the
Don't miss Laurie Ashworth on OG Day – an important diary date! Laurie Ashworth, soprano, who teaches singing in our excellent Music Department, was awarded the Kathleen Ferrier Song Prize in 2010 and is increasingly in demand as a concert soloist. She appeared recently on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night and has announced several new dates for 2011, including a concert in the Richard Whitely Theatre on the evening of Saturday 2 July to coincide with OG Day.
Australia Tour in ’88 and playing in the final trial of the Possibles v Probables twice! Married, with four boys, my eldest leaves university this year, No.2 leaves school this summer and the younger two will soon follow. They are all good sportsmen and I hope one or more makes it to full England level; we have broadened the chances with a hockey player, a cricketer and two who are rugby mad. Andrew Mabbitt (CH/P 96 – 04) is currently an IT Strategy and Transformation Consultant at Accenture Australia, working in Sydney. Also now in Australia is Glenn Williamson (M 89-94), living in Perth, working in Education Management at Perth Institute of Business & Technology, but also offering private tuition at home. The last we heard of Jessica Roberts (C 00 - 02) she was a Specialist Recruitment Consultant leading the SAS Department at Advanced Resource Managers in Portsmouth. Georgina Watson (C 97 – 02) is currently studying for her Masters degree at SOAS in London on the Anthropology of Food. Her brother William Watson (P 95 – 00) is working towards his PhD at Sussex University, which involves building and running complex computer simulations of the very early universe, though the detailed description of his work is much more technical than this!
OG Tom Figgins tour launch
Tom Figgins (Nowell 04 - 09) returned to the Richard Whiteley Theatre on 6 February this year at the start of a UK tour. From his early years in London to life in the North, Tom has been on a journey ~ a journey through music and film and theatre and the 'everyday ordinary', which has formed a talent mature beyond its years. A guitarist of skill and subtlety. A songwriter of depth and imagination. A voice that makes you sit up and listen ~ lean back and dream. www.tomfiggins.com.