News and Congratulations

Our congratulations go to…

Annelise Brown (née Tvergaard) (05-07) who has married Howard Brown. The wedding was attended by ONs Morgan Pretswell (05-07) and Kooyeon Kim (03-07). ‘We were married after being together nearly eight years and have relocated to Newcastle. I’m now working at Ryder Architecture. Howard is a Police Sergeant and he’ll be moving up in the next few months.’

Max Hill QC (72-82) who has recently been appointed Director of Public Prosecutions following his role as the Government’s Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation. Max will take up his new position from 1 November, on a five-year term with a pledge to “restore public trust in the Crown Prosecution Service”.

Max Hill QC delivering his speech on life as a Barrister at the RGS Lower Sixth Enrichment Lectures, 2016 David Greensmith (67-77) who was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List for services to the administration of justice and to the UK Scout movement.

Christian Gardner (00-07) who was awarded the Young Achiever of the Year 2017 Award by the professional independent body, Chartered Insurance Institute of Newcastle.

Julian Yates (79-86) who has been appointed the Chair of Harry Fletcher Brown Professor of English at the University of Delaware.

Lauren Shelmerdine (née Jones) (06-08) who writes: ‘I attended RGS and was Head Girl in my final year. I just wanted to let everyone know of my recent marriage to Louis Shelmerdine, a Maths Teacher at Gosforth Academy. It was on 29 July 2017 at St Mary’s Church, Ponteland with the reception at Vallum Farm, Matfen, Northumberland. I attach a picture with other ONs from left to right as seen: Laura Clifton (06-08) (ex Deputy Head Girl), Andrew Hall (01-08) (Master of Ceremonies), myself and Alexandra Gardner (07-09) (Bridesmaid)’.

School War Memorial

As this is the year of the centenary of the ending of WW1, and the school is holding a service on Remembrance Day (Sunday 11 November), the CCF thought it appropriate to renovate the fascia of the organ, which is the Memorial. It is also the memory that many alumni carry with them of the Main Hall, and visitors will ask to see it again. The work involves cleaning and repainting the pipes and cleaning and polishing the woodwork. The names on the Memorial will also be regilded this summer with thanks to a kind and generous ON. The ONA have joined with the CCF to help with this work, and the school has agreed to meet the balance. If anyone is interested in

supporting this work please get in touch with Jane Medcalf by email

at ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk.

Mike Barlow (53-64)

Au Revoir to Chris Ward

The ONA say a fond farewell to Games Teacher, Chris Ward as he moves on to teach Games and History at St Bede’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College. Huge thanks to Chris, who was at school for this academic year and his father, Graham Ward (74-81) for organising two fantastic events; John Elders Memorial Match at Christmas and to Chris also for organising the ONA Cricket Team. Ed. See you both at the ONA Dinner!

Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn There are plenty of Old Novos social media groups around, but we have our own groups. Join us by becoming a fan of the Old Novocastrians Association pages on Facebook and LinkedIn. Appeal for ON email addresses Where appropriate, we would like to stay in contact with you by email. Please email ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk with a current email address where we can contact you.

Bursary Campaign Appeal Update

A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Bursary Appeal, which has raised over £65,000 to date. We are delighted by the response. If you still wish to make a donation, it’s not too late.

Please contact Jane Medcalf by email at campaign@rgs.

newcastle.sch.uk.

Your support is appreciated.

Personal Details and Data Protection

As we are all aware new data protection rules (GDPR) came into force on 25 May this year, and ONs should have received a letter regarding contacting you in the future. As part of the requirements of GDPR the school has produced a new Privacy Notice that can be accessed on the RGS The school knows that a very special relationship exists between the RGS and its former students and teachers, therefore we very much wish to continue to keep in touch with you. To do this we would like to keep basic details of your time at school, such as attendance dates, what you have been doing since leaving the school and your contact details. A copy of the letter and consent form can be found at https://bit.ly/2OAWpXB

We very much hope that you will complete the consent form, so that we can continue to keep in contact with you.

The Mike Perry Kitchen Plaque

Novos RFC were proud to unveil ‘The Mike Perry Kitchen’ plaque earlier this year. Mike Perry (49-54) kindly left the club a considerable sum of money, after his sad passing in 2008. The club finally decided to spend his bequest on a brand new kitchen in late 2016. The appropriateness of using Mike’s money on the kitchen was that he cooked all his life. Mike joined the Army Catering Corp for three years immediately after leaving school. That, as well as the club Supper Nights, when he was the key man in Jim Lewin’s (47-56) team. So long as he was fed a few rums, which he would drink sitting on a keg of beer, no one else was allowed near the cooker to do the gammon, pineapple, peas and chips, which were always on the menu. At school, Mike was famous for being an expert at ‘the plunge’, whereby one would dive in and see how far one could swim without making a stroke or taking a breath; nobody could match him!

The plaque gives thanks to Mike, a man rarely without his pipe (affectionately carved into the wood), who for many years rarely went on holiday, so that he could be involved in the bar administration every Monday, Thursday and Saturday. This, in spite of the fact that he suffered from epilepsy and was never able to drive. Novos RFC officially opened the kitchen on 27 January website under the Policies section.

2018 before our home game against Guisborough; Audrey Perry (Mike’s sister) was the guest of honour.

By Chris Ward Novos RFC