OP News

Seth Fletcher (2020) earned a scholarship to the University of St Andrews after winning an essay competition organised by St Andrews’ New Visions in Theological Anthropology programme, with the title ‘How might the science of addiction and habit formation inform the Christian belief that everyone is a sinner?’.

David Palmer (2019) had his plans for a gap year cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a creative re-imagination of plans, he instead embarked on a six-week ‘trip’ to six countries in which charity Tearfund is doing humanitarian work, and ‘climbed’ the highest mountain from each country, all from his own staircase. Throughout the course of the challenge, he climbed over 10,000m (equivalent to 90 times up his staircase every day for six weeks), whilst learning about the countries he was visiting and raising over £3,000 in support of Tearfund. Matt Timmiss (2011) has just released the trailer for his first feature length film, City of Queens. The film takes an explosive look at the real lives of seven London drag queens. The documentary champions difference and resilience, contrasting the glamour, fun and sharp-tongued humour you might expect from drag queens with stories of abuse, attacks, and past trauma dealt with through unrelenting resilience. This film goes behind the makeup to tell the unfiltered gritty human truth of their lives. You can see the trailer online here: youtube.com/matttimmiss

Zaman Akhter (2017) was named Sportsman of the Year for Oxford Brookes University for his role in the 1st XI and Oxford MCCU Cricket team. He also represented Cambridgeshire & Suffolk v Essex 2nd XI over a two-day match in August, playing alongside current Perse pupil Nikhil Gorantla (Y13) and against former Perse teammate Michael Pepper (2016).

This year a number of Old Perseans were awarded university colours. Congratulations go to Zaman Akhter (2017, Cricket – Oxford Brookes), Sofia Baldelli (2018, Hockey – University of Oxford), Jasper Dix (2017, Rugby – University of Oxford), Tommy Goldberg (2017, Hockey – University of Oxford), Dilip Goyal (2015, Hockey – University of Oxford), Henry Hackett (2017, Rugby – University of Oxford), Nick Taylor (2014, Cricket – University of Cambridge). We would love to hear from any OPs who have also received colours recently.

Donna Landy (1981) fulfilled a lifelong ambition during lockdown, by becoming a stand-up comic. After enrolling on a course with Laughing Horse Comedy in London, she undertook two days of training before her first performance, all via Zoom. Since starting in June, she has done over 50 virtual gigs, all around the world. Ethan Aho (2020) won the 2020 Cromwell Association A Level Essay Prize.

The Original Theatre Company, including Artistic Director Alastair Whatley (2002), have reinvented their touring productions and created ‘Original Theatre Online’ to create and share their work digitally. Since March 2020 they have streamed their 2020 productions The Habit of Art and The Croft, as well as three ‘made for online’ productions of Birdsong, Watching Rosie (starring Miriam Margolyes) and Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon to over 18,000 households in 32 countries. The productions have employed over 60 freelance theatre and film workers, as well as raising money for the Royal British Legion and Dementia UK. originaltheatreonline.com Alex Coles (2018) signed a three-year contract extension with Northampton Saints in June, moving up from the club’s academy set-up into his first senior contract.