Feature Articles

Cheltenham’s Covid Front Line

Dr Clare Oliver (Q, 2009)

Clare at College Clare now

I will never forget the strange anticipation I felt when rumours spread that Gloucestershire NHS Foundation Trust had admitted its first positive case of Covid in March 2020. This highly infectious and life-threatening virus, which up until then felt very far away, was suddenly here on our doorstep.

In early April I received a phone call, woken from a post night shift sleep, asking if tomorrow I could start work in Cheltenham’s ITU. Without hesitation I said ‘yes’. Returning back to sleep I awoke later that day with a greater, less hazy, comprehension of what the next few months might entail.

The first time I stepped onto ITU, I was taken aback by how unrecognisable the unit was; there were now twice as many beds and every patient was ventilated. The coming months were to be extremely tough. Long shifts in PPE felt restrictive, hot and uncomfortable, but I was strangely comforted by the fact that the visors had been made by the DT department at College.

The iPads we used to communicate with our patients’ loved ones were provided by charities supported by many OCs. During one brief moment of levity, I and one other doctor took up the challenge of drawing trains to decorate the bedspace of a patient whom we had discovered from his relatives was a railway fanatic. After weeks of ventilation, his first words to me were, ‘that Flying Scotsman is pretty rubbish.’ I’ve never felt so elated to receive such a bad review!

College has always played a core role in the community and never was that more evident than during the first lockdown. They provided free parking to hospital staff and made accommodation available in Westal for ITU consultants so they could be close when needed. The College community came out in force for the ‘Clap for Carers’ and this support was very visible from ITU spurring everyone on in the final hours of a shift. And who knew that Mr Wright, once my Latin teacher and now my neighbour, was so effective at banging a saucepan?

Many arduous hours and lots of tears later we hope we have finally turned a corner. It has been tough for everyone but the support shown to us by so many, including College, helped us work our way through it. I have never been prouder to call myself an Old Cheltonian.

Manned Flight at College

Peter Evans (Cheltondale, 1952)

Peter at College (seated centre, holding the rugby ball). Peter was Head Boy and captain of the rugby team.

It should be recorded that manned flight took place on the College playing field many decades ago. It was nothing to get the Wright brothers excited nor to worry about the coming of the third runway. It started with some bright spark in the Air Ministry, now the MOD, in 1952 thinking it would be a good idea to issue selected CCF air wings and Air Training Corps (ATC) squadrons with a glider.

So, long before anyone had heard of Ikea, a lorry delivered a flat pack to the College air wing HQ near Boyne House. It turned out to be a fairly crude craft. The fuselage was little more than a large plank on its side with a simple seat for the pilot at the front. The wing was mounted just behind the pilot’s head and the tail was the usual horizontal stabiliser with vertical fin. The flight controls were standard, however, with a simple stick working the ailerons and elevators. The rudder, as is normal, was controlled by two foot pedals. The pilot’s seat was completely open and there was no instrument panel, not even a vital air speed indicator (ASI).

After assembly, we took it to the top corner of the College XV rugby pitch. This was September and the rugby posts were up but the glider came with no performance manual, so we had no idea whether the craft would reach the halfway line, reach Chapel or even clear Chapel on to the Prom.

Launch was achieved by two elastic bands, spread in a V with five or six stalwarts heaving to extend the elastic. When ready, the pilot pulled a toggle to release the tie down at the tail. The glider, in effect, was the missile in the eye of the catapult.

Naturally, Mr John Bowes, who ran the flying wing, was to be the test pilot. We cadets understood that he had flown photo-recce Mosquitos in WW2. I was on the end of one elastic band and when Mr Bowes released the glider there was a twang and he passed me above head height. The glider reached a height of about 15 or 20 feet but… oo-er… it was headed for the far rugby posts. That was no problem for the Great Master of Aviation. A dab of rudder and a slight bank to the right took the glider towards the diagonally opposite corner post. The Master put the glider down just before it. There was no landing gear, just a metal skid along the bottom of the fuselage and the landing run was no more than 20 feet.

Mr Bowes had decreed very wisely that the only pilots should have had some experience of flying. That meant only two cadets, Mike Larkham (Cheltondale, 1952) and myself. Both of us ended up landing well past the College XV pitch and down by the road.

And that was it! I am fairly sure that we didn’t fly the glider again. Just those three flights. None of us had learned anything new and it certainly wasn’t democratic for the stalwarts who pulled the elastic bands. Mr Bowes was right not to let inexperienced cadets loose. Even if there had been two seats and dual control, no one is going to learn to fly in a couple of minutes airtime. And what today’s ‘Elf and Safety’ would have to say!

I don’t think any of us at College found out how other air wings and squadrons got on. Were there any accidents? No internet in those days! And I regret not asking any of the school XVs that we met that term – Clifton, Stowe, Radley, Marlborough – of their experiences, if any.

Going up to College from Cheltondale each day, there in the background was Leckhampton Hill. Now that would have made a launch pad…

The Circle of Life

Jack Avery (NH, 2007 and Prep Staff) & Jessica Avery (Prep Staff)

Jack at College

Having been born in a boarding school in rural Sussex in a house named Stud House (named after its equine history rather than the ambitions of the Sixth Form boys there) you could say that boarding is in my blood.

My parents spent their careers working in education and I grew up in beautiful school houses with amazing grounds and sports facilities that were all mine during school holidays. Surrounded by friends, boarders of all ages, matrons who loved me and groundsmen who drove tractors, I was very lucky. For a sport mad, tractor loving child, life couldn’t get much better. Boarding life was my life and I loved it.

My earliest memories of boarding life were of Battle Abbey in Sussex and having Sixth Formers as babysitters. Battle Abbey was steeped in history; the Abbey housing the school was built by William the Conqueror in 1066. It was on the battle fields where it is said that King Harold was shot with an arrow in the eye. This experience was quite useful when it came to Common Entrance History a few years later. The Battle of Hastings always featured somewhere on the paper! In 1996, the year of the Euros, we relocated to St Hugh’s School, Oxfordshire and that became our new home. It may come as a surprise but I was never a great boarder when I was at prep school. Although I boarded at St Hugh’s in the dorms, my bedroom was also just down the stairs. Any time I was homesick I would walk downstairs and get into my own bed, which I did often. This was certainly not the best preparation for senior school boarding!

When the time came to move on, a piece of advice I was given

College 1st XV after beating Radley 20-10.

and that I often give to parents is that choosing a school is similar to choosing a house, you’ll know when it is right. This meant very little to me until I looked around Cheltenham College and I’ll never forget it. I was greeted by Sam Cover (NH, 2003 and a St Hugh’s old boy). Sam took us on a tour of the school and then introduced me to Martin Stovold (Hon OC, College staff, NH Housemaster 1992-2010 and past parent). Martin, or Stovs as he was known in House, sealed the deal. After five minutes I turned to my parents and told them that this was the school for me. ‘This school and this House,’ I said. If I look back on my schoolboy memories, I would happily be transported back to my College days. I will be forever grateful to Martin Stovold. His support, guidance and the example he set helped make me the man I am today. I think of him often. He played an enormous part in my life.

From College, I studied Sports Coaching and Physical Education at Oxford Brookes University and met the future Mrs Avery. A short time later another College connection would guide us both onto our next adventure. Cue Mr Mark Durston (Hon OC and past staff, Christowe Housemaster 2000-2009). Mark Durston had moved to Kenya to be Headmaster of Peponi School. Thanks to his introduction and support, we were lucky enough to move to Nairobi and enjoy three years of ex-pat life working in a prep school there. We loved it but after three years of enjoying mingi Tusker baridi (many cold Tusker beers!), it was time to head back to the UK and St Hugh’s was our destination. Back to my roots.

Alongside our teaching responsibilities, we took on boarding duties that quickly accelerated to Deputy Houseparents. The circle was completed when we took over the Boarding House in 2019. Moving our new family into the same boarding house that I had once grown up in was a special moment. Our daughter Fleur even slept in my old bedroom.

I remember visiting Cheltenham College Prep during our first year back from Kenya, reminiscing what a special place Cheltenham had been for me and that should the opportunity arise, it would great to be part of the Cheltonian community once again.

We took over as Houseparents at The Prep in September. As a boy I used to walk over the playing fields with John Archdale (NH, 2007). Nigel Archdale was Headmaster of The Prep and John and I both enjoyed sharing the amazing memories we had growing up within a school environment.

Now Jessica and I are looking forward to creating special memories for a new generation of Prep boarders. It really is the circle of life!

Mixtape

Kate Gedge (née Robinson, Ch, 1984)

Kate at College Kate now, at Buxton International Festival

Music has always been in the mix for me and much as I’d like to think that the combed-back hair and winklepicker days of listening to David Bowie in Christowe – illegally – were formative, in truth it was A Level Music and Chapel Choir that really paved the way for me and my career as a music PR.

College music was great fun and as there were only a handful of girls between 1982 and 1984, we were encouraged to join in with everything. I was never a very good musician but we were indulged with time and interest from the staff and important seeds were sown. Dr Proctor and Mr Wright taught me and OC Ruth Ireland (Ch, 1984) A Level Music and we played, we sang, we listened, we laughed and we learned a great deal about music and also about life. ‘Spud’ used to teach me the oboe, she was a brilliant musician with groovy scarves and a lavish, velvet-lined oboe case which I can smell to this day. After taking a music and politics degree at Oxford (then) Poly, my first job was with a travel PR company. I learned the tricks of the PR trade on the job – who to chat up and who to open doors for – before combining my two skills at the London-based music agent, Harrison Parrott. HP introduced me to superstars in the classical music business as well as the all-important music press. In 2000, I was lucky enough to move to Wales with my family and set up my own PR consultancy with a rattly old fax machine. I’ve never looked back and have been promoting individual artists, choral and instrumental ensembles, symphony orchestras, festivals, exhibitions and leaders in music education for 20 years. Whilst my specialisation is classical music, I do go off-piste too – I worked with Quentin Blake and The Big Draw for five years and with Antarctic explorer, Felicity Aston, who famously took eight ordinary women from the Commonwealth to the South Pole.

Best-ever bits of press coverage? Composer Patrick Hawes’ ‘Great War Symphony’ on ITV News at Ten; the Antarctic girls live on Good Morning America; recreating Constable’s The Hay Wain in Trafalgar Square live on BBC TV; or working with ORA Singers and Stephen Fry on the Today programme and BBC Breakfast. It’s hard to say. But I know where it all began. www.kategedge.com

Kate handled the worldwide PR for the 2009 expedition when eight ordinary women from the Commonwealth reached the South Pole with explorer Felicity Aston. Photo by Kaspersky Lab.

Follow Your Dreams

Oli Soames (BH, 2014)

Oli at College Oli now

I have always been sports mad and arguably more naturally talented at rugby, however I honestly couldn’t tell you what attracted me to cricket: possibly it was the love of the perpetual chess game between batsman and bowler or maybe it was the strawberries and cream at teas or perhaps I didn’t like the idea of having to tackle the protein shake fuelled giant opposite me in rugby.

Having looked around numerous public schools my parents gave me the decision of where I wanted to go. Without a second thought my reply was College, and when asked why I replied, ‘no other school’s cricket pitch compared.’ My love for cricket was always present during my time at College: I managed to intertwine the topic of cricket with the rise and fall of the British Empire in my final A Level coursework, much to the amazement of Miss Doidge-Harrison and Mr Moore. I have some fantastic sporting memories from my time at College with highlights being the unbeaten season in 2012 along with captaining the XI and receiving my Full Colours in 2014.

Despite the achievements, my time at College was laced with promise and potential that I never really fulfilled. It was only when I attended Loughborough University, upon the recommendation of Mark Briers, where I started to consistently perform. Admittedly most of my time at Loughborough was spent hitting cricket balls and improving my game, though somehow I managed to scrape a 2:1 in Accounting and Financial Management.

Despite taking a rather unconventional route, at the age of 22 all my hard work was rewarded when I was handed my First Class debut for Hampshire against Worcestershire on 4 September 2018. It was a moment that I had dreamt of when I was a young schoolboy but never really believed would happen. The journey that professional cricket has led me on has been a rather surreal one for a cricket lover: from playing with and against modern day greats (Dale Steyn, Stuart Broad and Ajinkya Rahane to name a few) to playing on test match grounds to spending six months during the winter in both Australia and South Africa.

I would encourage any aspiring young person to follow their passion and believe that their dreams are within reach. With confidence, dedication and a bit of luck anything is possible.

Oli on the way to 44 off 194 balls against Nottinghamshire on the Isle of Wight: ‘against a star-studded bowling line up of Broad, Ball, Mullaney and Fletcher – one of my favorite innings to date’.

Around the World in 80 Jobs

Polly Taylor (Ch, 1999)

Polly at College Polly now, with the Barabaig tribe, northern Tanzania

Vamizi Island, northern Mozambique, where Polly established the sales and marketing office and forged a partnership with WWF who monitored Green turtle and Humpback whale migrations.

I arrived at College in my Granny’s white Toyota corolla – the shabbiest car on the street – and joined a queue of girls outside Queen’s. Dressed in jeans and a rugby jersey, with my Kenyan supermarket-bought green tin trunk, my name painted on top in white wobbly capitals, I remember worrying, ‘Am I really going to fit in here? Have I made a huge mistake?’

In spite of my apprehension, I made friends and immersed myself in College life, playing rugby after tea and hockey on AstroTurf – a very different game from the molehillinfested pitches in Kenya; singing in the Chapel choir and being terrified of tripping over my too-long cassock during the Sunday procession. I joined the rowing team – never having seen a scull or eight in my life – and made the 1st VIII. Rowing in winter was especially challenging for a girl who had never learned about the joys of chilblains.

I signed up for CCF and competed at Ten Tors, a two-day army challenge covering 55 miles across Dartmoor. Being too big, my army boots cut into my heels, so I opted to walk barefoot, worrying army officials who thought that I could be bitten by a snake. I retorted that I would rather take my chances. (We did see an adder that day, but it slithered off peacefully). I enrolled in the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and the expedition took us to the Yorkshire Dales. We planned our route in advance, and on the second night, we were unaware that our campsite was on a pig farm. It had rained solidly and when we arrived, we had to pitch our tents in mud mixed with pig dung, which made for a very damp and unpleasantly smelly night!

To say that my career after College has been chequered would be an understatement. I spent my gap year in Kenya helping to build the Vanessa Grant Special School, which College still supports. I worked as a nanny and then went on to read Physiotherapy at Manchester University, before deciding that Forestry was more my calling. I moved to university in New Zealand, and later Aberdeen, where I was the only female forestry student. I graduated with a First-Class degree, thinking the world would be my oyster, only to be thwarted by the global recession.

After a series of temporary jobs, I found work starting up the sales and marketing office for a private island retreat, Vamizi, in northern Mozambique. It was a steep learning curve and my forestry training eventually urged me to propose ways to alleviate the island’s carbon footprint. Vamizi ultimately joined the WWF who became a stalwart part of the operation’s conservation arm.

Since then, I have worked in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya, largely for high-end safari companies. Latterly, I set up my own forestry and conservation consultancy. Currently, I manage a veterinary practice in the foothills of Mount Kenya where my commute takes me past a rhino sanctuary. The practice mainly treats domestic pets and horses, though occasionally wild animals. Recently, a cheetah which had been mauled by a lion was brought in.

Life is never dull and my time at College taught me to step out of my comfort zone, meet new people, work hard, learn and apply myself to whatever has been thrown at me, make the most of challenges, no matter how hard – and most of all, to have fun doing it.

Wild Refill

Harry Symes-Thompson (OJ & L, 2012)

Harry at College Harry now

I have very fond memories of my time at College, surrounded by great friends, inspired by teachers and playing a lot of sport. I never really had a clear idea of what I wanted to do afterwards, but a few experiences around Young Enterprise and some side-projects I ran to make a bit of pocket money steered me towards exploring an entrepreneurial path. I chose to take a working/travelling gap year and then study a Business degree at the University of Bath.

I was lucky with my course at Bath. It involved two industrial placements and an academic exchange programme abroad. In my first placement I landed in a role at a then very early-stage startup called HelloFresh. The team was only around 15 people in the UK at the time and I was able to see first-hand what goes into building a highgrowth business and strong brand. My role at HelloFresh also opened my eyes to a number of emerging consumer trends and to understand what is needed at the core of a business mission to be successful – particularly around sustainability (reducing food waste and single-use plastic) and the growing potential of social media and e-commerce.

After University I worked at Google in their digital marketing and growth department, consulting various highgrowth companies within the UK on their digital marketing strategies. It was a fantastic opportunity to gain access to some of the most inspiring minds and be at the forefront of technology and digital strategy, not to mention make the most of the free food Google provided on their campus!

After two and a half years at Google I developed what could only be described as an entrepreneurial twitch and wanted to look into building something from the ground up that could have a positive impact on people’s lives and the planet. Fortunately, at the same time, my old boss from HelloFresh had just launched a minimum viable product for Wild.

I took a leap of faith and joined him as part of the Founding team at Wild in October 2019 to lead the growth of the company. Wild’s mission is to reduce single-use plastic in the bathroom (a category that has drastically stalled in the sustainability and innovation department over the years) and we undertook a year’s worth of research and development (R&D) to create a unique refillable deodorant, consisting of a colourful aluminium case that lasts a lifetime and compostable deodorant refills. We officially launched the business online in April 2020 (just as Covid was taking off which was slightly nerve wracking!) and have been on an incredibly exciting journey since.

Since launching, Wild has quickly grown to become the UK’s leading natural deodorant acquiring over 300,000 customers, launching internationally and most recently into retail stores where you can find Wild products in 300 Sainsbury’s stores nationwide. Environmentally, this equates to hundreds of tonnes of plastic saved from landfill and over 50,000 trees planted as part of our carbon offsetting programme.

Launching Wild has been a whirlwind experience, but we have no plans to stop soon. We hope to lead the personal care category towards a truly sustainable bathroom experience, where single-use plastic is removed entirely from people’s daily routines and natural, highly-effective products become the default option. Hopefully it’s an exciting path ahead!

To find out more please visit www.wearewild.com

Cheltonian Racing Dynasty

Jacqui & Jonjo O’Neill (past parents), Jonjo O’Neill Jr (OJ & NH, 2016) and AJ O’Neill (OJ & NH, 2017)

Jonjo and AJ at Cheltenham College Junior School.

The family at Jackdaws Castle.

Set in 500 acres of glorious Cotswolds countryside just 25 minutes from Cheltenham, Jackdaws Castle is one of the finest racehorse training establishments in Great Britain and the home to the O’Neill family for over 20 years. In that time they have had multiple big-race successes, including 28 Cheltenham Festival winners, winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2012, the coveted Grand National in 2010 and a couple of Royal Ascot winners.

In recent years, Jonjo Snr has seen both of his sons, Jonjo Jr (OJ & NH, 2016) and Anthony Joseph, known as AJ (OJ & NH, 2017) become huge components of the business as they strive for more success in the forthcoming National Hunt season and beyond.

Jacqui & Jonjo

Sending Jonj and AJ to Cheltenham College was a very easy decision.

Shortly after relocating from Cumbria, we started investigating options for the boys’ academic future, with help from our dear friend and Jonjo Jr’s godmother, Dr Linda Barber. As we came away from Cheltenham College, it was clear to us that it was head and shoulders above the other schools. The facilities were outstanding and we felt that they would thrive there. It had a similarity to what we were trying to achieve at Jackdaws Castle; giving the best care and education to every individual. People are like horses, each one is very different, and you need to find the edge that makes them learn, grow and flourish.

Once our decision was made, conversations led us to realise many of our friends had attended College, including OCs Jeremy Hitchins (NH, 1972 and past parent) and Stephen Hitchins (NH, 1965 and past parent), who were our first local owners here at Jackdaws Castle and to this day very loyal supporters.

Although Cheltenham is not far from our home in Temple Guiting, we could go many weeks without seeing the boys due partly to the racing calendar but more so the fact they were having a wonderful time at school. This start set them up for life and gave them great friends in the process.

Having both boys enter the business has been an exciting time for us. Jonjo Jr is one of the yard’s retained jockeys, and AJ has just finished his business apprenticeship and is now Assistant Trainer. Our link to the school remains as strong as ever and the boys apply the lessons learned to our business.

Jonjo Jr

One of my first memories of College was walking into the Dining Hall at the Junior School and thinking how big it was. At that time the Harry Potter films were everywhere and, being a massive fan, I thought I was in real-life Hogwarts.

Away from the classroom, I absolutely loved sports. Head of Troy, Mr Dawson, was a big influence. He was great fun and a keen rugby player. Rugby went on to play a large part during my time in Senior School. Our games on Saturdays would attract huge crowds of both parents and fellow pupils which was amazing.

College was simply the best time. I made lifelong friendships. I was originally a flexi-border but loved staying there so much I became full-time. Home was just 20 minutes away, but with all the wonderful activities and opportunities on offer, College truly was my second home. I was very proud to become Head of Newick House, the same House as fellow jockey and friend Tom Scudamore (OJ & NH, 2000) some 15 years before me.

My love of riding really came to life when AJ and I were picked to represent Great Britain in Pony Racing. College was incredibly supportive of us during this time being away from our studies and commitments.

Due to various injuries, I had a frustrating start to my career as a jockey. However, the last couple of years have been really good with some very memorable victories, including my first Cheltenham Festival win on Early Doors in 2019 and ending that season by becoming Champion Conditional Jockey.

I enjoy being part of the team at the yards I am lucky to ride for. I get fantastic support from dad and racehorse trainers Colin and Joe Tizzard.

It’s my dream to become Champion Jockey one day. I’m realistic that I don’t have the ammunition just yet to achieve this but it’s something I will definitely work hard every day to reach.

AJ

I have so many fond memories of College. I was surrounded by great friends and wonderful people. My first Houseparents Jim and Melanie Walton were so lovely and kind and made it feel like it was a home away from home.

The field trips that we got to experience were truly incredible. One of the most memorable was our Senior School visit to the Residential School for Children with Special Needs, Bradet, Romania. It was a real eye-opener and something I will never forget. I was also Captain of the Junior School Ski Team – the Ski Club went to Gloucester Ski Slopes every Monday and we were lucky enough to put all our practice into action on the annual school ski trips. Racing is in my blood and I was proud to win the Charles Owen Pony Racing Championship at Aintree. During my last few years at College, I stopped riding to explore other opportunities. I really enjoy media production and events management and have just completed my Business Management Degree apprenticeship at Pearson College, London.

I am now full time Assistant Trainer to Dad, a role I am really enjoying. At the peak of the season we will have over 100 horses in training. My main role is to assist Dad in planning each individual horse’s daily training regime. I arrive at the yard at 6am – the first of five lots go out at around 7.30am and we will usually finish at around midday. Alongside the yard jockeys I also school the horses over hurdles and fences in preparation for their races. If we have runners in the afternoon, I will often go to the races, to oversee the horses and spend time with our owners.

I hold an Amateur Jockey Licence and have ridden one winner up to now which gave me a great buzz. Due to Covid, opportunities for amateur jockeys have been limited but I am working towards getting my Category B Amateur Licence which means I can ride against professionals. For this you need 15 completed races with the majority over obstacles. With that said, my goal is to one day emulate Dad and become a Trainer. There are so many different aspects to training racehorses and running a successful business which really interest me.

My dream would be to one day train a Cheltenham Festival winner. Cheltenham is the best racecourse in the world and to be able to achieve that would be absolutely amazing.

www.jonjooneillracing.com

The Once and Future Pupil-Student

William BR Jeremy (Wilson & NH, 1989)

William at College William now

In 1989, the year our year left College, Mrs Thatcher was Prime Minister, we had to queue to use the public telephone box whether on street corners or school houses, and the world wide web was a twinkle in the eye of Sir Tim Berners-Lee. The Cheltonian schoolboy of 1989 had much in common with the Cheltonian schoolboy of 1889, although thankfully we did not face the twin privations of beatings and cold showers. Organised violence was the preserve of the rugby field, and Colours were still awarded in full assembly. The rowers of the first eight had the most glamorous suits, and the late Victorian time-travelling schoolboy would have had instant recognition factor. The daily Chapel service would have, no doubt, been familiar, and the hymns belted out by several hundred adolescent boys between the ages of 13 and 18 a very evocative sound, lightened musically and in all ways by our Sixth Form girls – before the great age of full co-education.

The hymns spoke of the promise of citizenship of ‘Zion’s city’ and whether at weekday 09.15 or 20.00 on a Sunday night the message was clear and unambiguous – the earthly striving has the eternal in mind and it is all about self last. In these moments we believed it with all our hearts.

I was lucky to have benefitted from a ‘360 degree’ experience of the depth and breadth of College life: I started at Wilson House, in the smallest and newest built building between the venerable Southwood House and the Junior School. Every morning I walked past the house that OC Edward Adrian Wilson (Day Boy, 1891), who went with Scott to the South Pole, lived at on Montpelier Terrace. Life at College fostered in me a sense of people mattering and the understanding that institutions are as alive, or dead, as just or cruel, as transformative or spirit-crushing as the human beings who inhabit them. In my life orbiting the worlds of public affairs, education and the arts this developing insight started at College. Now the Covid world has re-ordered such manifestations of ‘success’ such as the expense accounts, airports and the panoramic office in favour of home working and the rediscovery of family in daytime. In the age of Covid, never were the words of the hymn we once sang with such verve, ‘earth’s proud empires pass away’, more relevant or more profound.

WBR Jeremy is a writer, tutor and producer with a background in freelance feature writing and broadcast production for the BBC, community radio and the monthly press.

Pursuing Potential in Education

Katie Alvey (née Ellis, Ch, 1997)

Katie at College Katie now

Up until my Sixth Form years at College, my experiences of the education system had been somewhat unfulfilling. I had struggled to develop a clear sense of my own identity, had little idea of the pathway I was heading towards, and the prospect of achieving a university placement was doubtful. However, moving to College for Sixth Form became a turning point in my education, providing me with the confidence, resilience and motivation to realise my potential and moreover that this potential could be achieved. College became the arena in which I was encouraged to establish my true sense of self, to recognise my strengths, and to develop a sense of self-efficacy. More importantly, these aspects of my identity were valued and celebrated, and from this point I could truly thrive.

My years across different school settings exposed me to all that can go wrong for pupils. Yet, my period at College instilled in me a very clear vision of how education really should be for all. Furthermore, I had developed the confidence to progress to university where I initially completed a BSc in Psychology at the University of Southampton.

Whilst I was very clear in my mind that my desire was to work primarily with children, it was in my final year that I took a module in Educational Psychology. This module was led by Adrian Faupel (a highly-regarded Educational Psychologist), an inspirational tutor who rekindled my passion for education. With his support, I pursued the long academic pathway towards becoming an Educational Psychologist – a year’s PGCE in primary education, followed by two years’ experience as a Qualified Teacher in an inner-city primary school in London, and a year’s Masters in Education at the University of Exeter, followed by taking my first position as an Educational Psychologist with Oxfordshire County Council in 2004. For the last 11 years I have run my own private practice. Throughout this journey, I have continued to reflect upon my own time at school. Educational Psychology is a true vocation, a role through which we can genuinely improve outcomes for pupils and their families, and in which I still hold dear and promote the values established during my College years. My aim is to empower parents and teachers to achieve a deep and full understanding of how each individual child thinks and feels, which factors contribute to or inhibit their success, and therefore how their potential can be actualised.

Katie runs her own private Educational Psychology practice, ED PSYCH PLUS, offering an enhanced service to schools, children and families in Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and surrounding areas.

Katie and her husband Christian Alvey were married at Cheltenham College Chapel in August 2005, ministered by Reverend Reynaud de la Bat Smit. Katie and Christian’s daughters Rosie and Bethan (pictured) were christened in Cheltenham College Chapel in 2008 and 2011. Both ceremonies were also ministered by Reverend Reynaud de la Bat Smit, who taught Katie RE and contributed to her decision to pursue Psychology at university.

An Asymmetric Path

Aran Dharmeratnam (NH, 1994)

In May, I had a wonderful lunch with Sebastian Bullock. The conversation flowed; memories of College flooded back. My world is very much one of being in the moment, yet to reflect on the past is a valuable exercise. Time is not as linear as we think. Past, present and future will often spiral into each other. Some of the memories than came back to me... discussions about the tactics of Alexander the Great with Mr Wright, my Ancient History teacher. I recalled the surrounding Cotswolds, which I got to experience via the cross country team. I must confess, though, I signed up as someone told me it was one of those sports where they weren’t so strict about attendance, only to find on my first day Mr Wintersgill, complete with zeal and a list of names of those to be attending! I also recalled the words of the late Richard Morgan who was Head of College then. He said something along the lines of, ‘Your time at college will go quickly, use it wisely and be active.’ Those words resonated that carpe diem mind set of seize the day and make use of opportunities. After I left College, I read Law and Criminology at university. My path has always been an asymmetric one and in the years ahead, I spent much time studying forms of self-defence; an exploration that took me to the Far East, USA, Russia and other areas. I also worked in various areas of the security sector from the gritty to the more cerebral. Today, I’m mainly based in London, where I work with global security and investigations companies involved in financial fraud investigations, complex problem solving and reputation safeguarding. It requires mental and sometimes physical agility! Also, I’m a personal safety adviser to high profile figures, senior executives and their families. Subjects covered include how to be calm under pressure, how to avoid threats, and how to protect oneself.

One thing my path has taught me – something I’d like to share with current Cheltonians – is the ability to see what the moment presents is a truly potent one... somewhat echoing what Richard Morgan said, all those years ago. Aran now If any Cheltonians or OCs would like to receive any insights on the subjects mentioned, I’d be happy to share some travel notes; just drop me an email.

Aran demonstrating how to handle and escape from a hostile encounter within a confined space. Aran can be contacted at office@tri-tier.com

Aran’s research into different forms of defence tactics has taken him to various regions, including Russia.

Stillness practises, as demonstrated here in the beautiful Highlands, help one to be calm under pressure.

Lockdown in the Bolivian Jungle

Tommy Haddock (H, 2020)

Tommy at College Tommy now

It won’t be a surprise to many that living in Hazelwell for five years prepared me very well to work with a group of 20 spider monkeys in the Bolivian Amazon.

After the strange and abrupt end to my Upper Sixth year due to Covid, I was left with a deferred university place and no ability to travel anywhere with the imposing global restrictions. I decided to email multiple volunteer organisations in the hopes of staying in one until it was time for university. That is how I ended up at Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi (CIWY), an NGO located in the small town of Villa Tunari in central Bolivia. CIWY rescues, rehabilitates and cares for wild animals seized from illegal trafficking, and fights to end animal trade through educational programs, research projects and public actions. CIWY is not open to the public and relies on volunteers and donations to stay open. I was offered a job as an animal caregiver. The change from virtual A Levels to living in the middle of the Amazon was very sudden but I feel it was what I needed.

After two days of travel, I arrived with my small backpack at the entrance to the rescue centre and immediately encountered my first monkey. Once freed from quarantine, I was able to get stuck in and explore my new surroundings. I was greeted by the coordinator of the spider monkey group who seemed very pleased to have me, as she had been alone in the area for six months due to the pandemic.

We packed a backpack full of bananas and began to walk for what seemed like forever until we reached a small clearing in the jungle where 17 Chamek spider monkeys were waiting for us. At CIWY the spider monkeys are semi free, meaning they spend their lives living free in the jungle without boundaries or restrictions, only relying on us for food and veterinarian support. Áteles Chamek are new world monkeys, reaching almost 70cm in size with a meter long prehensile tail. They are considered one of the most intelligent species of primates which has allowed me to form many deep relationships with the individuals I have worked with.

Eight months later I still work in the spider monkey park but now as the coordinator, managing 16 spider monkeys and three babies which we are currently introducing into the group. I have deferred my university place another year in order to help the centre move the group of spider monkeys to a new area in the north of Bolivia. Our current centre is being constantly challenged by an increase in tourism and urbanisation. As a result, the decision was made to move the animals onto land privately owned by the NGO. We are waiting until the new area has finished construction, when we will begin the difficult process of introducing them to their new habitat.

In the future, I hope to study Zoology at the University of Exeter, with the hope of working with gorillas at some point.

Due to the pandemic, the number of volunteers and donations at CIWY have been greatly reduced. We are always looking for volunteers and donations so if you would like to help out, please visit www.intiwarayassi.org.

Tommy carrying the newest rescued spider monkey, who had been stolen for the illegal animal trade, on a walk to help reintroduce the group to the jungle – this would normally be the job of the monkey’s mother but she was killed when her baby was stolen.

The Pot’s Car

Roland Pelly (Cheltondale, 1961)

Roland at College

I left College 60 years ago. As a result of a number of recent extraordinary coincidences I have been asked to confess to the moving of The Pot’s car. (At the time, every Master had a nickname but the Headmaster was always ‘The Pot’. Where it came from, I have no idea and never thought to ask.)

In those days there were always rumours of leavers who were going to carry out a ‘Spectacular’ though so far as I know no one ever did. I decided to do something about this. Together with three others - AB, CD and YZ – we initially planned to put our House Tutor ‘Mugs’ Miller’s Morris Minor in the Cheltondale yard. When this proved impossible, I decided to put The Pot’s car on the tables in the Dining Hall.

The first step was to establish if it would actually go through the doors. Knowing the make, a Ford Zephyr or similar, getting the measurements was easy enough and there was a clearance through the doors of no more than two inches on each side!

Next was to get a key to the Dining Hall. The actual key was held by the College Porter. From time to time, boys inadvertently left their books in the Dining Hall and would need to ask him for the key. He was supposed to open and lock the door personally and not to part with the key, but it was known that he often did. He gave it to me when I asked and I made an impression of it in a bar of soap. There was a lovely old fashioned blacksmith who lived in the village where I grew up; as a small child I was fascinated by his skills and had spent hours watching him work. He had agreed to make the key if I could get an impression. He was as good as his word and the key, when made, worked perfectly.

The next step was to get a key to The Pot’s garage and an ignition key for the car. Getting the car key was comparatively easy: on a day when I knew that he and his wife would not be there, but his car would be, I managed to obtain the details needed. I cannot now remember how I got his garage key. It may be that I had to risk that the garage would not be locked.

As the end of term approached Philip Cleland (Cheltondale, 1961),

my lifelong friend, Head of House and a College Prefect, became certain that I was planning something. For some reason which I have never understood, he was certain that I was planning to plough up the pitch which was prepared for the county matches that always took place at the beginning of the summer holiday. ‘I am going to catch you, Pelly!’ was his oft repeated threat.

The day before the end of term, AB and CD, who had both been offered places at the University of Cambridge, pulled out on the basis that if we were caught they might have their offers withdrawn. YZ and I had had no such offers (or even the temerity to apply).

We needed two scaffold planks to enable me to drive the car into the Dining Hall. At the time there were always building works going on around College or builders materials stored around College buildings. The plan was for YZ to collect the planks and put them in place and to move the Dining Hall tables into position while I went to collect the car and drive it around for a bit to give him some time.

Meanwhile, Philip Cleland and other College Prefects had gone off to keep watch and catch the phantom ploughman. I knew that they also had a College Prefects’ room in Thirlestaine House and calculated that they would get bored sitting out in the open from about 23.30 when I knew they were going to start their watch. I also knew that there was at least a store of beer in their room and calculated that by 02.30 they would all be fast asleep.

In those days we were allowed to sleep in our shacks (studies) so at about 02.15 the alarms we had set went off and we made our way to the Dining Hall to establish that there were no College Prefects anywhere around.

I went to The Pot’s house. In fact his car was parked outside his front door and he had left the ignition key in it! I set off on a jaunt round Cheltenham. I had passed my test the summer holidays before and my parents also had a similar Ford (plus I’d been driving tractors since birth). I was half way round my circuit when I realised I had failed to put the lights on; I nearly died thinking of the possibility of police interest in such a vehicle at such a time!

All was well and on returning to the Dining Hall the planks were in place. I drove the car straight in. YZ had put the tables together and the planks were soon in place for the attempted drive onto them. I started to drive up them, with huge amounts of exhaust and noise, but as soon as I got half way up the tables tipped towards me and all of YZ’s weight was not sufficient to keep them down so after two attempts we had to give that up. The tables were separated and the car left in the middle of the hall. The Dining Hall was locked and we melted into the night.

There was a very fierce catering manager and when she arrived to do breakfast she decided that there wouldn’t be any, what with a car in the hall. When I arrived for breakfast there was a sea of boys waiting to be let in and some standing on each other’s shoulders to look through the windows to see if there was any reason why the doors were still locked. At the time, there was still the system of fagging and I had a most obliging one to whom I passed the key so that all could get a better look.

There was a rumour I heard some months later that the Rev ‘Holy Mo’ Morrison, the then Housemaster of Boyne House, offered to drive the car out and managed to scrape both sides in so doing but I have no idea if there is any truth in that part of the story!

The next time I met David Ashcroft (Headmaster 1959-1978) was at the 150th Anniversary of College celebration weekend when the photo of Philip Cleland and me was taken on the famous steps. I don’t think David ever knew who had borrowed his car!

Opportunity Knocks

Quentin Johnson (Xt, 1967)

Quentin at College Quentin now

I was born in Assam, India and my brother was born in Pakistan. In 1962, I came to College and was in Christowe. My time at College was a happy experience and I am grateful for the education I received. I went on to Keele University and received a Joint Honours Degree in Chemistry and Economics, moving on to work for Associated British Foods until 1975.

My wife, Susan and I emigrated to Montreal, Canada landing in a snow storm in January 1976! After 20 years in the flour milling business, I struck out on my own as a food and nutrition consultant. In 1996, after a couple of lean years, I was contacted by an organisation now known as Nutrition International (NI). The next thing I knew I was on a plane to Bangladesh! My area of expertise has been the advocacy to stakeholders on the design and implementation of staple food fortification programmes for countries.

These programmes add back the essential micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that get lost during the processing of staple foods. Fortified foods include wheat, maize flour and rice fortified with vitamin B1, B2, B3, folic acid and iron; salt fortified with iodine; vegetable oil, milk and margarine with vitamin A and D; and fruit juices with vitamin C. In Canada the government has a strong staple food fortification programme that is rigidly enforced.

Since then, I have been working as an independent consultant. My other clients have been UN agencies (WFP, UNICEF, WHO) and other agencies and organisations such as Helen Keller International, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Nutrition International, Smarter Futures and the Food Fortification Initiative helping countries implement staple food fortification programmes. My job has taken me to more than 90 countries around the world for the past 25 years. I have assisted countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and the Pacific. I have met people from senior government officials, senior food company executives to small scale millers and food processors.

I have been truly blessed living with Susan, my wife, who has resolutely backed my work, despite the sometimes lengthy absences. Susan and I now live in Rockwood in Ontario, Canada.

My advice to fellow Cheltonians is always be ready to knock on or open the doors of opportunity, you have no idea where it may lead you.

Fortification system in a flour mill in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Behind the Visor

Olivia Nunn (Q, 2012)

Olivia at College Olivia now

I left College nine years ago and still take time to reflect on what it taught me and how it shaped the person I am today. I spent the majority of my time in Queen’s House under the wing of Mme Bates and I am forever grateful for the support and guidance that she, and all the teachers, gave me during my time there. The caring nature that all the Housemasters and Housemistresses showed the younger children coming through College sparked my interest to study nursing.

Following my A Levels, I attended the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2015 with a degree in Paediatric Nursing. I took my first job as a staff nurse in an intensive care unit (ICU) at Bristol Children’s Hospital and after three years moved to cardiac intensive care at the world-renowned Great Ormond Street Hospital. Recently, I completed a year long university accredited intensive care specialist course and have just had my first promotion, which after the year we’ve all had feels like a huge achievement.

My experience nursing with Covid is a short one compared to my colleagues in adult ICUs but is one that will remain at the forefront of my mind forever. Two weeks into the first lockdown Great Ormond Street Hospital was asked to distribute staff across London’s adult ICUs to help cope with the increasing demand Covid was placing on our NHS. Despite never nursing adults, my intensive care skills would be invaluable to their units struggling to keep afloat during this global pandemic. I decided to volunteer, and was redeployed to the adult ICU at The Royal Free Hospital for a month. From mine and my colleagues’ experiences, what the nation and our NHS was facing was honestly life changing. On arrival, a 34-bed unit had been stretched over three floors to care for more than 100 patients. Nurses were not only required to care for four to six times more patients than normal, but with unfamiliar machines, which was both daunting and commendable. Loved ones were saying their final goodbyes over FaceTime to patients. All we could do in the chaos was try and comfort these families over the phone – it was heartbreaking.

This past year we’ve all had to sacrifice an incredible amount but the heartache, claps, laughter, tears and hard work has made me a stronger and more resilient person. So thank you to every single one of you who has supported and continues to support the NHS in fighting this virus.

Brave New Digital Age

Professor John Cosmas (NH, 1974)

John at College John now

Since leaving College, I have spent my whole career devoted to developing technical solutions for the ‘digital age’, first in the area of video coding, then in digital television and Mobile Internet, and now in the Internet of Things and the Tactile Internet.

As an Electronics and Communications Engineering professor at Brunel University, my role has been to propose, bid for and win collaborative research projects with international companies and institutions from across the world, and to inspire generations of Electronics/Electrical, Mechanical, Aeronautical and Civil engineering students to think creatively to develop innovative digital solutions for their own industry. This involves imagining digital innovations and developing a fictional, technical narrative that describes how they should be realised and what benefits they will bring to society at large. This is so important because the future is fraught with change, uncertainty and danger for which digital solutions could provide a possible resolution.

A good example of this is the worldwide consumption of fossil fuels; consumption continues to rise whilst new reserves are becoming harder to find – oil and gas reserves are predicted to run out in 50 years and coal reserves in 80 years – so the world will soon enter the postfossil fuel era. The consequences of this are dire. Competition between civilizations for control of these dwindling resources is destined to intensify and, at the same time, the continued intensive use of fossil fuels is causing global warming, due to higher concentrations of greenhouse gases such as CO2 in the atmosphere, and more erratic and extreme climate behaviour. It is therefore incumbent on technical innovators to find technical solutions that obviate the overreliance on fossil fuels.

One technical solution is in enabling people to work remotely from their homes and therefore be less dependent on physical transportation. For this to be realised, my research team and I are developing a high-performance communication system for buildings that allows for innovative services in homes and workplaces.

Wireless networks in buildings suffer from congestion, interference, security and safety concerns, restricted propagation, and poor indoor location accuracy. Our project, the Internet of Radio Light, is developing a safer, more secure, customisable and intelligent building network. This Visible Light and millimetre wave communication system reliably delivers increased throughput (greater than 10Giga bits/second) with low latency (less than 0.1ms) from access points pervasively located within buildings, whilst minimising interference and electromagnetic field exposure, and providing location accuracy of less than 10cm.

The Internet of Radio Light project was recently awarded a Champion Project prize for innovation at the joint United Nations / International Telecommunications (ITU) conference: World Summit on the Information Society. More information on the project can be found at https://iorl.5g-ppp.eu/

All this may seem a world away from Cheltenham College but not so, for on the 1st XV College playing fields I learned mental resilience, teamwork and perseverance in the face of temporary setbacks.