WHY I GIVE GRAHAM WARD

WHY I GIVE

BY GRAHAM WARD (74-81)

I set up a standing order a few years back, to give a small amount each month to the Bursary Campaign, as a thank you for the benefits I have had in life from attending RGS.

Back in 1974 when I joined RGS,

it was a very different world, and I was one of many who attended on the, then, free-place

scholarship. My brother Liam (1973-80)

had the same benefit the year before, and from our Langley Avenue Junior School in West Monkseaton, I think there were seven or eight of us who passed the entrance exam in two years. I think we might have all been on a scholarship.

Needless to say, the education at RGS and opportunity to develop as an individual was fantastic, and I still use much of what I learnt at school, especially foreign languages on holiday. Perhaps the greatest impact on my life however, was being introduced to rugby union. Having arrived at RGS as an ardent (and reasonable) footballer, I remember my distress on learning that there was no football AT ALL!

I'm absolutely certain that if it hadn't been for my scholarship, I would never have played rugby. Of the many sports teachers, my fondest memories are of learning rugby from the late, great John Elders (57-82 and 92-96), and where the sport has taken me. After school, I played colts rugby at Gosforth, before moving to Novocastrians, where I am now in my first year as President. I captained the club from 1988 to 1990, and was lucky enough to play for Northumberland including at Twickenham in the 1995 County Championship Final. Now retired, I was a Police Officer with Northumbria Police, and represented the British Police on a number of occasions, playing with a whole host of internationals including Dean Richards and our very own Jim Pollock (67-77).

Graham (centre) and sons Chris (L), former Games Teacher (17-18) and Jonny (R) at Novos RFC

Various rugby tours and matches over the years have taken me all around the UK and Europe, and also to Canada. In 2013, my retirement present to myself and my two sons, Jonny and Chris (former Games Teacher, 17-18), was to go to Australia for the British Lions tour, taking in all three tests of the winning series. I think it’s safe to say, that without rugby, my experience of life and the world would have been very different indeed. And I would never have met the hundreds, probably thousands of people who have become friends through the wonderful sport. So, thank you RGS, and thank you to the scholarship that took me there.

Jonny and Chris both share my love for rugby. I would have loved to have been able to afford to pay for them to also attend RGS, but that wasn’t to be. What I have been able to do in later life however, is to donate a modest amount each month to the Bursary Campaign, in the hope that I can help even in a small way for a child to be able to attend RGS, and like me, have life-changing experiences.