Freemen's Calling Autumn 2023 by HelloFreemens

AUTUMN 2023

ISSUE 8

Freemen’s

Calling

The Kindness Issue Refugee Club Head walks Pilgrims’ Way Bursary stories

Contents 3 Note from the Editor 4

News

6 Refugee club 8 Holocaust survivor Marcel Ladenheim 9 Boarders return for engagement photoshoot

Hello from the Headmaster We started the new academic year with a brilliantly insightful training session for all staff with our Head of Upper School Ms Sophie Blair and Dr Hazel Harrison on the subject of ‘mattering’. Morris Rosenberg, a social scientist, defines mattering as “the feeling that one is the object of others’ attention, one is important to others, and others are dependent on us”. We all remember those teachers that said or did something that made us seen or heard and that we mattered. One of the highlights of meeting with alumni when they return to the campus is to listen to their stories of staff who guided them in the direction that was right for them. For some pupils, the opportunity to be at Freemen’s only comes thanks to the kind generosity of others. The Senior Leadership Team and I recently drafted the school’s strategic intent for the next seven years and in that strategy, our aim is to improve financial support for lower income families, so that 10% of the school community are in receipt of bursary provision by 2030, but we can only offer bursaries thanks to the kind donations of people like you. Gary, Irene and Zayan’s stories in this issue highlight the impact that this school can have not just on their lives, but those of their families and the people around them, as well as to the friends and staff they encounter in the school. I am proud of what they have already achieved and look forward to seeing how they continue to develop and grow in the future. I urge you to listen to their stories in full in the video on our website www.freemens.org/supportus to see why supporting bursaries matters. As ever,

Roland Martin

10 Freemen’s partners with Star Academy Schools 11 Sue Thomson Foundation 12 Headmaster walks the Pilgrims’ Way for Bursaries 14 Bursary stories 17 Alumni stories 19 From the archives 20 Obituaries 22 Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championship winner 23 Freemen’s School Association

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Note from the Editor Jason HarrisonMiles

We talk a lot about kindness at Freemen’s. It is one of the core values in the Junior School and permeates its way up through the whole school community. While I did not set out to produce a magazine with the theme of kindness, I am struck by how many of the stories in this issue revolve around the generosity of others. Whether it be Gary, Irene and Zayan’s stories, whose lives were transformed by the bursary support they received, or Marcel who was rescued from the Holocaust thanks to the bravery of strangers.

We feature Susannah Holliman, chair of the Sue Thomson Foundation, on why the Foundation chooses to give to Freemen’s, Tom on why he wanted to give back to current students and Dan on the launch of his new play. Plus Richard and Mina who’ve returned to Freemen’s 14 years after meeting here and falling in love. I hope you enjoy this issue, and please get in touch if you have any news to share: development@freemens.org

Stay in touch

We launched our new website in September and it is even easier to keep in touch. Remember, we can’t contact you if we don’t have your consent. If you or someone you know from Freemen’s isn’t receiving the magazine or news about events, update your preferences at www.freemens.org/alumni

FREEMEN’S CALLING

80s reunion tour While we sadly had to cancel the 80s reunion earlier this year, 10 former pupils who left Freemen’s in the 1980s took the opportunity to tour the school. Sharing a lot of memories and stories, the group, which included two former Head Girls, particularly enjoyed the distinction book in the Archive Room.

Hello Freemen’s Podcast We launched the Hello Freemen’s Podcast in the summer, hosted by Sophie Blair, Head of Upper School and Paul Bridges, Deputy Head (Academic). The latest episode is on sleep and its impact on young people and their education. The podcast discusses the science of sleep with Miss Vinall, Freemen’s’ Head of Psychology and you can hear the results of the sleep survey that students in Upper 2 (Year 5) to Upper 6 (Year 13) completed, which gives a fantastic insight into how much students think they need and how much they get. The show also talks about links to mental health, academic and sporting success and how much sleep you really need at different ages. Listen at: www.freemens.org/ podcasts

70s reunion visit It was a delight to welcome a large group of students from the 1970s for a visit and tour of the campus in June.

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OFA 50s group lunch

If you would like a tour of the campus and to share your stories, please email development@freemens.org

We were honoured to host 44 Alumni and their partners in Ashtead Park for their Fifties Group Lunch. It was the first time they were on site since the refurbishment of Main House. Guests enjoyed a wonderful lunch in the beautiful Orangery, while reminiscing over their time at the school, before tours of Main House and the archives.

2020 reunion We welcomed back the Class of 2020 in September for a reception in the Orangery of Main House. Due to the pandemic, the usual programme of Leavers’ events had to be cancelled so this was a chance to return to Ashtead Park and celebrate with their former classmates and the staff who taught them.

Alumnus returns with Hydrogen fuelled car Graduating from Freemen’s in 2001, Stuart Paterson, is a regular on campus inspiring students in the world of innovation and STEM careers. Stuart is currently a Project and Proposal Manager with Air Products and an ambassador to STEMNet. Before the summer, he drove in with his hydrogen fuelled car to demonstrate the progress in hydrogen technologies that provide reliable and resilient power and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, a step forward to cut our dependence on fossil fuels. With 17 hydrogen fuel stations across the country the tech is new and developing, and students from Lower 6 and Upper 5 that attended the talk were intrigued. During the presentation, Stuart went through the evolution of hydrogen as a fuel and a breakdown of possible careers with companies like Air Products ranging from innovation to marketing. He briefly explained his path from GCSEs to where he is today

and the students asked questions about the tech, engineering, and the ecological impact. Thanks to the weather we could run the Q&A outdoors with a demo of the car by Stuart.

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Refugee Club

In January 2023, City of London Freemen’s School launched our inaugural Refugee Buddy Club in conjunction with Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network (EERN). 20 Refugee families, predominantly from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria, who live in the local area, joined the club to improve their English and to find out more about their community. Each young person was paired with one or two Freemen’s students. The buddies met every Tuesday after school and had a chat or played games together. 24 Freemen’s students participated in the Club, and Freemen’s teachers also provided language support for the parents of the refugee families who attended. Activities included: a music workshop led by Surrey Arts; a fun tie-dye session where the buddies decorated t-shirts for each other; and a farewell party where each family brought in a traditional dish from their home country.

“The whole programme is simply wonderful! It has such a fantastic feel about it. All the children look relaxed and happy. There are all sorts of activities going on from homework, chess and card games, garden boules outside, and plenty of talking, smiles and laughter,” said one support worker from EERN. Freemen’s students also benefitted from the experience and learned more about refugee families living in the UK. We surveyed the students before and after the Club and the average score for 'Feeling confident about yourself' increased by 21%, the 'Ability to think creatively' rose by 17% and 'Ability to solve problems' increased by 24%. This academic year, more than 40 Freemen’s students have volunteered to help.

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Holocaust survivor Marcel Ladenheim tells students we must learn from history Freemen’s welcomed Holocaust survivor Marcel Ladenheim to the school, as part of a visit organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust. Marcel shared his experiences with Upper 4 students which served as a powerful reminder of the horrors that so many families faced during that time. Born in 1939 to Austrian Jewish parents, his family was unable to escape deportation. With co-operation from the French government, the German’s started to round up the foreign Jews in Paris, including Marcel’s father. The students heard how Marcel was one of the lucky few that escaped persecution from the Nazis, and become one of the war’s “hidden children”. Thanks to his mother’s quick thinking and her instinct of the dangers that lay ahead, she put Marcel and his younger brother into hiding. Marcel and his brother eventually lived with two sisters, Olga and Esther Masoli, until the end of the war and he remembers them with great fondness. Sadly, his mother never truly recovered from the ordeal of his father being taken away, and was hospitalised after suffering a mental breakdown. “There were 11,400 French Jewish children who were taken away and murdered. Over a million children under 16 were murdered in Europe during that time. I feel like it is really important for young people to know what happened, because that was an extreme case of racism,” said Marcel. “It is particularly important today to share this story because terrible things are still happening in the world, like Ukraine. The point is, that one has to learn from history,” he added. The testimony was followed by a question-and-answer session which gave students a chance to better understand the nature of the Holocaust and to explore its lessons in more depth.

Students Tess Drewett and Orlan Wilkins presented Marcel with flowers to thank him for sharing such a moving story and inspiring them to keep the story alive for future generations. The History Department said: “It was a privilege for us to welcome Marcel to our school and his testimony will remain a powerful reminder of the horrors so many experienced. We are grateful to the Holocaust Educational Trust for co-ordinating the visit and we hope that by hearing Marcel’s testimony, it will encourage our students to learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and make a positive difference in their own lives”.

Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust added: “The Holocaust Educational Trust educates and engages students from across the UK, from all communities about the Holocaust and there can be no better way than through the firsthand testimony of a survivor. Marcel’s story is one of tremendous courage during horrific circumstances and by hearing his testimony, students will have the opportunity to learn where prejudice and racism can ultimately lead. “At the Trust, we impart the history of the Holocaust to young people, to ensure that we honour the memory of those whose lives were lost and take forward the lessons taught by those who survived.” The visit is part of the Holocaust Educational Trust’s extensive yearround Outreach Programme, which is available to schools across the UK. To find out more about Marcel and his story, watch the video at www.freemens.org/marcels-story

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“Ultimately, the most memorable thing at Freemen's is the people we meet and the relationships we form, as they shape our experience and leave a lasting impact on our lives,” says Mina. “The ski trip to Folgarida, geography trip to Iceland and Christmas trip to Belgium were all unforgettable to us. Apart from that, we definitely cherished the countless weekends spent in the boarding house's common room with our friends watching a football game while cooking meals together.” Their advice to new boarders at Freemen’s is to make the most of this transformative period of your lives.

Mina and Richard’s advice for boarders

Boarders return for engagement photoshoot Class of 2011 Li Hoi Ming (Mina) and Lam Hoi Chun (Richard) met as boarders at Freemen’s 14 years ago. “We met in maths,” explains Mina as she prepares for her photoshoot with Richard in Main House. Mina and Richard have returned to Ashtead on a very warm and sunny Saturday in September for their engagement photoshoot. After graduating university their romance became long-distance with Richard living in London and Mina in Hong Kong. “It was very hard,” says Richard. “We only saw each other once during Covid.” But Richard recently returned to live in Hong Kong, where he works for a Hedge Fund. Mina is a solicitor, specialising in intellectual property. “Freemen’s is such a special place to us,” says Mina on why they wanted to return to mark their engagement here.

They plan to marry in Bali in 2024. Both Richard and Mina came to the school in 2009. Richard studied A Level Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Economics, while Mina studied Mathematics, Psychology and Economics, leaving in 2011. Richard is thankful for the advice his teachers gave him. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to study after Freemen’s and was deciding between medicine and economics. It was his economics teacher who suggested he should study economics, which he went on to study at UCL, before studying for a Masters at Cambridge. The couple share stories of Main House which was the girls’ boarding house in their time. Mina points to the stairs where she cried because she was homesick, before posing for their photographer. Richard tells me that most of their friends were couples when they were at the school, but they are the only couple still going.

“It’s crucial to prioritise your education and strive for academic excellence, but don’t let it consume your entire identity,” they explain a few weeks after the shoot. “Explore your passions, interests, and hobbies outside of the classroom. Engage in extracurricular activities, clubs, and sports that align with your interests, as they not only provide opportunities for personal growth but also help you build valuable skills and make a lot of good friends! “Take advantage of the guidance and support offered by teachers and mentors, seeking their advice and wisdom. Embrace challenges and setbacks as valuable learning experiences, and never be afraid to ask for help when needed. Remember to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as self-care and social connections are equally important aspects of your overall development. Boarding school life is a time for self-discovery, growth, and laying the foundation for your future. So, seize every opportunity, cherish the moments, and make the most of your unique boarding school journey.”

Would you like your wedding or special event at Freemen’s? Find out more at Freemen’s at www.freemens.org/venuehire or call 01372 822444

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Freemen’s partners with Star Academies Freemen’s launched an exciting new partnership in January 2023 with two Star Academies in the northwest of England, Bay Leadership Academy and The Valley Leadership Academy. Star Academies’ Aspire Programme aims to support more pupils to secure aspirational post-16 opportunities at worldrenowned educational institutions like Freemen’s. Year 10 students in both schools were given the opportunity to attend our careers talks, and a targeted group of Year 10 students attended a residential visit at Freemen’s in the Summer, with four taking part in the Freemen’s Summer School. The hope is some of the students will be able to join Freemen’s for a full boarding bursary place at Sixth Form.

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Sue Thomson Foundation Freemen’s has received bursary support from the Sue Thomson Foundation since 2020 and have funded three students through the Sixth Form. We spoke to Susannah Holliman, Chair of Trustees, and Sue Thomson, now Mitchell, about why they donate to Freemen’s. “[Bursary students] bring balance, grounding and a different perspective to the school as they have often had to face different challenges that other students may not have encountered. Their drive and determination is always inspiring,” writes Susannah Holliman. “Freemen’s have worked so hard to ensure they are giving opportunities to a diverse range of young people from all over the country. They take great time, care and consideration when looking to find suitable students and give them the opportunity to experience the school first hand before any decisions are made. This approach is commendable and it is a pleasure to work with such a committed organisation.” The Sue Thomson Foundation (STF) was endowed in 1988 by Susan Mitchell, who worked in book publishing as Sue Thomson, and in the grant-making charity sector until her retirement in 2003. She set up the Foundation with the principal object of offering financial support to Christ’s Hospital, the School where she was educated from 1947 to 1956, by presenting (nominating) children in need and capable of benefiting from the academic education that it is Christ Hospital’s mission to provide. The scheme expanded to other schools including Freemen’s. Sue Thomson (neé Hamilton, now Mitchell) is the daughter of a World War Two widow. She was the recipient of a ‘Presentation’ (bursary) to Christ’s Hospital (CH) from the company where her parents had worked, met and married, pre-war. Sue was a nil-fee-paying pupil at CH’s Girls’ School, Hertford, from 1947 to 1956.

Sue writes “My CH education changed my life. I came from a primary state school in an outer London suburb with 32 pupils in my class. I was not noted for hard work or any enthusiasm for schooling. At CH, class sizes were small, discipline was firm and idleness in classroom or on the sports field was not an option. The majority of girls at CH in 1947 were orphans or half orphans of WW2. At every CH academic school year end, leaving pupils are ‘charged’ by the Head Teacher: “never to forget the great benefits you have received in this place, and, in time to come, according to your means, to do all that you can to enable others to enjoy the same advantage’. (It’s the last thing the Headmaster says to Freemen’s students in their Leavers’ Service too.) In due course, well-educated and some 30 years later, I had great good fortune in business and was able to repay CH for my own education and to create a charitable Foundation that enables a few children in need each year to enjoy the same advantage in education, both at CH and elsewhere, as I had received. It has given me the greatest possible pleasure to be able to do so.”

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Headmaster walks The Pilgrims’ Way for Bursaries “It’s not every day you get to deliver an A Level class in a baseball cap while trying to find shelter from the drizzle.” Over Lent, the Headmaster set himself the ambitious target of raising £5,000 for the School’s Bursary Fund by walking 90 miles of The Pilgrims’ Way from Southwark Cathedral to Canterbury. “Funding bursary places is something very close to my heart as someone who directly benefitted from that support myself,” he explains. “Funding places for children from disadvantaged backgrounds is central to Freemen’s founding ethos as well as to our mission today.” The challenge took six gruelling days of trekking through mud, mud and more mud, up hills, through towns and across vast fields following the route Pilgrims took to the shrine of Thomas Becket, following his murder inside Canterbury Cathedral. “I found myself thinking of The Canterbury Tales, Chaucer and the demise of Thomas Becket in the quieter moments. There are so many nods to each along The Pilgrims’ Way and it provided a real opportunity for me to reflect as I went. Not quite enough for an epiphany, but still, plenty of thinking time, a chance to consider what I am most thankful for – some days that thought only went so far as a fresh bottle of Radox muscle soak (!) and on others it was an opportunity to dwell on things a bit deeper.” Mr Martin continued to work while walking. “The weather, phone connection and sheer tiredness all conspired to make my (very) remote working all the more difficult. But I was still able to chair my usual meetings, answer emails and take calls as I went, as well as dialling in to my English classes. My Lower 6 English class on the Wednesday morning seemed to enjoy the spectacle of me dialling in via Teams to talk Chaucer.”

CCF Commander Captain Alex Truelove joined the Head for 17 miles on the Wednesday, for which Mr Martin was very thankful. “Those of you who know the Cap won’t need telling that he has an infectious optimism and a willingness to get stuck in, which helped enormously to lighten the load - both physically and mentally. Our day together was spent cresting steep hills, getting stuck in thick mud and experiencing a shared shock at our relieved response to finding a McDonald’s in the middle of nowhere when lunch options looked dire. He may have been wearing camouflage, but there was no hiding Captain Truelove’s grin!” The Headmaster beat his target and to date has raised £7,485 for Freemen’s bursaries. The school’s relationship with The City of London Corporation means that every pound raised for the bursary fund is match-funded, meaning the amount to be donated is £14,970. “I am so grateful to everyone who has donated, to the Governors for agreeing a workable way of us achieving this and to my colleagues for ensuring nothing changed in School. It’s been gruelling, brutal, but so worth it. Having said all that, I won’t be rushing to do this again in a hurry... Jumping out of a plane would have been quicker!” You can watch the Headmaster’s video of the journey at www.freemens.org/ pilgrimsway And you can still donate to the Headmaster’s trek at www.gofundme.com/f/ pilgrims-way-freemens

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FREEMEN’S CALLING BURSARY STORIES

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Zayan’s story

At Freemen’s everyone was genuinely very nice to me. Everyone was my friend.

Class of 2022 “My old school was very different. There were a lot of people that did try, but there were a lot of people who maybe didn’t get the help that they could have because there were so many kids. Everyone achieved their maximum potential at this school.” Zayan grew up in Walthamstow, east London. A girl in the year above him at his secondary school was the first to find a place at an independent school through the charity Royal National Children’s Springboard Foundation. Zayan was one of five picked from the following year’s cohort to go to different schools. Zayan came to Freemen’s. “Coming here I thought everyone would be upper class, but they weren’t snobbish or rude. Everyone was genuinely very nice to me. Everyone was my friend,” says Zayan. He was surprised on his first visit by the wild deer running across the park and how peaceful Ashtead was compared to London. “I remember the first thing that I noticed that was a bit odd was after the first form time, everyone was saying thank you to the teacher. I found it a bit weird, I thought they were being sarcastic, but it is quite nice,” he smiles. Zayan felt welcomed by the whole Freemen’s community when he arrived, which made it easy for him to settle in, with teachers offering help and extra resources if he needed them. One of the biggest changes for him came on the sports field. “I never played rugby before I came here and they taught me how to play. All the boys were giving me tips on how to play and I’m still friends with all of them now. Some boys from Freemen’s are in London and I meet up with them every two to three weeks. I think [they are] friends I will keep for life.” He was also able to build on his previous passions, while he was at the school. “I started [boxing] in nursery or reception, but I never took it seriously, it was more of a fun thing. When I came to Freemen’s, I started taking it seriously and got my licence. I trained

in the gym at Freemen’s for my first bout. They are good facilities: a heavy punchbag which is what you need and enough space to skip and shadow box, weights as well for strength conditioning.” He won his most recent bout and many of his Freemen’s friends were there to see his triumph. Zayan feels Freemen’s was good preparation for university. “I was going to do economics and as I was going over the syllabus again, I thought is this something that I will really enjoy? I looked at other courses and looked at maths and thought I will probably enjoy this a bit more. My maths teachers made it sound like a fun thing to do and they really enjoyed the subject themselves.”

He is studying maths at Queen Mary University and hopes to go into something data science related or to pursue a masters in the same field. He is still friends with many of the other students who came to Freemen’s on bursaries and they meet up regularly. He offers the following advice to anyone joining Freemen’s in the future: “I’d definitely say it is what you make it. If you mope about, sit in your room and don’t get involved in anything, you’re going to hate it. Get involved, join clubs and get involved with people in the year group. Remember keep an open mind. It will be very different to how your secondary was, but put yourself out there and you will have a lot of fun.”

BURSARY STORIES FREEMEN’S CALLING

“”

Freemen’s want you to succeed.

main game that we used to play was Perudo which I think I got gifted for Christmas. We used to play Perudo all the time.” She believes her time at Freemen’s helped her get to where she wanted to get to. “Life at my old school was difficult. Not everyone wanted to do academic things after school. They weren’t really focussed as much as they were at Freemen’s. It was good to be surrounded by like-minded people.” Freemen’s really helped me get into a university mindset in terms of how to revise and how to work and not tire yourself out. At the school, they really emphasise helping with things like that. The way they teach at Freemen’s shows you how to problem solve and how to get to the answer. And that’s what I’ve carried through with me from Freemen’s.” Freemen’s offered Irene a lot of unique opportunities she would not have had the chance to experience without a bursary. “I got a grant to go to the Chinese University of Hong Kong (through the Freemen’s School Association) where I did a two week course in robotics and accounting. It was so much fun and I cried [when I left because] it was just such an amazing experience.”

Irene’s story Class of 2022 Irene’s family moved to the UK from Spain before she was born. After her father passed away, Irene’s mother was afraid that something might happen to her too, so decided to put her brother into boarding school. When it was Irene’s time to go into Sixth Form, she made the same decision and Irene came to Freemen’s.

time, but she quickly made friends.

“It was something that I wanted; to get away from the busy city, knowing that I was going to get a good education, then when they gave us the bursary, I was a bit like “oh do I want this, do I not want this?””

“On Fridays, we would all go to Sainsbury’s and do a shopping trip and it was just so much fun, it was like going to the shops with your parents, but you are with your ‘siblings’.

Irene recalls how nervous she was when she first came to Freemen’s, living away from home for the first

“I was feeling sad, but me and my roommate got along really quicky. It just felt good.” At home in London, it was only Irene, her mum and her two brothers, so Freemen’s became an extension of her family.

Nearly every day we would play board games or card games. Obviously I would aways win and everyone was always jealous,” she jokes. “Our

Irene went on to study statistics at Queen Mary University of London and graduated with a first. She encourages other bursary students to get involved. “My advice for potential bursary students would be to come with open arms, embrace everything that the school has to offer, because it will help you advance in life and get to where you want to get to.” Irene enjoyed her visit back to Freemen’s. “I would love to spend a night [in Walbrook] just to feel what it feels like again. There’s not one single bad memory. I want to cry every time I leave, every single time. It’s a really nice feeling to be here. I would send my kids here when I’m older.”

FREEMEN’S CALLING BURSARY STORIES

“”

I was able to separate home and school life and I had so much fun in school and that helped me get through that time because home wasn’t too great.

Gary’s story Class of 1992 Although Gary joined Freemen’s when he was 11, he was offered a bursary to stay onto Sixth Form in 1990. At that time, his parents were going through a divorce and money was tight. “This was when my parents split up. The housing market had collapsed, so there was that real worry that I might have to leave the school,” Gary explains. “School kept me grounded. My homelife was in a bit of turmoil. Being able to stay on at the school into Sixth Form gave me some continuity and grounding and some sort of connection to others that I would have lost if I’d left the school. Bursaries are important because they give pupils a chance that they perhaps would never have. Bursaries can open up so many doors.” Gary’s happiest times at Freemen’s were in the Sixth Form, when he says he “came out of his shell”. “Up until I was 16, I was a quiet and shy student and didn’t really have that many friends. I formed a group of prefects who would hang out together and in Upper Six, I actually became Head Boy.

“Teachers were really keen to see us succeed. They gave us a lot of help: prepping for university, filling out the forms and preparing for the interviews we might have to go to,” Gary recalls fondly. After leaving Freemen’s, Gary read Law with European Legal Studies at Bristol University, spending a year in Germany. He went onto practice law for a year. He spent the next 10-12 years working in legal recruitment. He now works as a Chartered Financial Planner at GSQ Wealth. “I realised there was a real need for students to understand more about financial education. I reached out to Freemen’s about four years ago now to see if they would be interested in me delivering financial workshops and they jumped at the chance.” He returned to Freemen’s in 2019 to deliver his first workshop. “I was slightly nervous because I hadn’t really been back at the school since I was a pupil and being on the other side of the fence was quite weird for me, but once you’ve got through four workshops in one day with 25 students in each workshop, you get used to being the one standing there delivering the class.” Gary has been back to deliver workshops every year since.

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Tom Clark Class of 2018

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A gap year is an excellent idea to see the world before academia. “A gap year is an excellent idea and between A Levels and university is the best time to see the world before academia. If it seems exciting, do some window-shopping and go for it.” Tom misses Freemen’s and the routine of seeing friends every day, although he recently went interrailing around Europe with friends, seeing 20 countries in a month. He remembers the strong relationships with teachers at Freemen’s. “They are on your side and push you to be best you can be. My teacher said that just because a university course looks amazing or it is your dream job, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. You need support and the right care, so that [the course] isn’t taking too much from you.” Today, Tom works as a software engineer for Chess Dynamics, a surveillance and fire control specialist. He admits that becoming a software engineer had not been on his radar in school, it had always been about programming. He describes his work as “complicated”, but he enjoys it very much. “The course at university is not like [software engineering] in practice. It prepares you for it, but there is a lot of learning once you make the jump into the workplace.” Tom reached out to Freemen’s following an initiative at his company to talk to more young people to get them interested in software engineering. He recently returned to speak to Freemen’s students at a careers panel. Tom Clark didn’t plan to do a gap year when he finished Freemen’s in 2018, but when he missed the grades he needed for university, he decided not to go through clearing and take the year to reapply. During that year, he spent seven weeks volunteering and trekking in Nepal. He dug ditches and mixed cement in the Gorkha region, connecting water pipes to villages and building tap stands, before trekking through the Ruby Valley. “You don’t understand what life is like until you do [something like] that,” he says when we meet on campus one afternoon in the summer. He saw the opportunity, earning the money himself to fund the trip.

Tom’s advice for those who want to get into software engineering: • Need interest in designing and creating apps • Enjoy coding • Maybe enjoy using python language • Do what I never did, research companies in the area you want to work in and contact them for work experience. Meet people and talk to them and understand their career paths.

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Dan Sareen

Dan Sareen is busy in rehearsals for his play Passing which is on at the Park Theatre from 1–25 November 2023. He took time out to answer our questions about writing and producing the play, casting another Freemen’s alumnus and what he misses about Freemen’s.

Class of 2014

which was used on a week of research & development, and since then the focus has been on more re-drafting and securing funding and a space to put the play on. It’s been very full on the last few months, it’s suddenly gone so quickly after years of slow but steady improvement.

Tell us about Passing. What is the play about? Passing centres on a mixed race Indian and White - family who are celebrating the festival of Diwali for the first time. The daughter of the family, Rachel, is worried about losing her connection to her Indian heritage for good, as her father has never himself been interested in passing it down, and her grandfather’s health is suddenly failing. It’s a one room comedy-drama which explores the relatable conflicts at a family gathering, whilst exploring themes of mixed race identity and heritage. Where did the inspiration come from? The play developed from feelings I was exploring for myself a few years ago, as I was trying to learn more about my own heritage. I’ve always been interested in writing a naturalistic family comedy piece, and the play takes inspiration from works I love such as Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests, Tracy Letts’ August, Osage County, and in particular Natasha Gordon’s Nine Night. I love the inherent conflict in a family dynamic, and how things can build though at the end of it all you know that everyone loves each other. So, combining those things, I wanted to see how the urgency of the grandad’s precarious health would rush the protagonist into saying and doing things, like organising a Diwali celebration, before it’s too late. I also felt at the time of writing that this was a unique story I hadn’t seen on stage before, and that there’s very little theatre that focuses on the mixedrace experience in the modern day, which spurred me on. What has the process been like going from writing a play to having it produced and performed? It’s been a very long process, but ultimately that’s meant I had the time to really develop the script to a point that I’m really happy with it. I first started writing in 2020, and it took me about 7 or 8 months to complete a first draft (which was nearly 150 pages long!). I was really lucky to be awarded some Arts Council funding in 2021

You are producing the play. What are the challenges producing and writing? A lot of producing I find is about not letting the budget run away, and when I was conducting my most recent edit of the script it was difficult not to let myself take out things I had written in which I knew were going to be difficult or expensive to achieve. In some ways that’s an advantage too, as it gives you objectivity on what’s superfluous to the play, but I had made my life as a producer difficult by writing a play which I never thought would be put on! Jack Flammiger who is in the play is also an alumnus of Freemen’s. How is it working together now? Jack and I have been friends since he joined the school in Upper 4, we sometimes reminisce about meeting

“”

I miss a lot of things [about Freemen’s].

at the auditions for Sweeney Todd - the school musical in 2009. Jack is the first person who read the first draft of the script back in early 2021, and he’s been with the play since, a sounding board for me whenever I’ve wanted to reason something out or try something new. He’s also a brilliant actor, so it was a no brainer asking him to join the cast. Because we’ve been friends so long and we both love theatre so much it’s always been really easy to work together, we have a great shorthand and way of communicating. What advice would you give to anyone wanting to write a play and/ or getting into the industry? The best advice I’ve ever had for writing a play is to keep going once you’ve started and just get to the end of a draft - even if you decide halfway through you’re going to do something drastic with what you’ve already written, like cutting a character or a scene. Once you have a draft completed, it’s much easier to go back and edit, rather than trying to perfect a few early scenes and never progressing. It can be really difficult to have your work produced when you’re starting out, but there are competitions to enter, and funding to apply for to produce your own work. The best thing you can do is get your script in front of an audience, even if it’s just an informal rehearsed reading with actors who are doing you a favour. If you can start gathering feedback and working on the next draft, you’re going to be in a better place to get the attention of industry going forward. Do you miss anything about Freemen’s? I miss a lot of things, often I’m struck out of the blue by really random things I miss like early morning swim squad sessions before the start of the school day, or debating society and Bachelor’s society meetings, even the UKMT maths challenge on occasion. I miss some of the teachers who I got on really well with, and some of my school year who I’ve lost touch with. Next year will mark 10 years since I left Freemen’s at the end of Upper 6 so I’m quietly hoping someone’s organising a reunion.

FREEMEN’S CALLING

From the archives

On Thursday 10 July 1986, City of London Freemen’s School was splashed across the front and back pages of the Leatherhead Advertiser in what they called a “souvenir edition to mark 60 years of CLFS in Ashtead”. The articles reflected on the decision to move Freemen’s from Brixton to Ashtead in 1926 as well as the history of Ashtead Park itself and the school’s links to the City. One story called ‘famous men’ talks about the role of the headmasters at the school – although the article does talk about the many women that were key to its success too. The back page includes plans and artistic impressions of the proposed new Junior School and an interesting piece called “A Challenging School” which reflects on the many and varied “extra-curricular activities” available to students in 1986.

Scarves Our new navy scarf with red and white stripe detail and the Freemen’s crest is available from our online shop. It is 100% acrylic and made in the UK. £15 (plus postage and packaging). All profits from the sale of scarves will go to the Bursary Fund. Order yours at www.freemens.org/shop

FREEMEN’S CALLING OBITUARIES

Philip MacDonald Headmaster, 2007-2015

We were sad to hear of the death of Philip MacDonald, Headmaster at Freemen’s from 2007-2015. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. His family sent us this message: It is with great sadness that I have to tell you that Philip Geoffrey MacDonald died peacefully on Sunday 27th August 2023. He had lived with cancer since a diagnosis in November 2019 and was blessed at the end with a holy and gentle death. His time at Freemen’s was a very enjoyable part of his career. His own mindset was to put pupils first, and was enthusiastic about their academic abilities and achievements whether in the classroom or outside in drama, music, sport or the many clubs that the school offered. School life was very busy, with many evening commitments, but he felt plays, concerts and parents’ evenings were all wonderful occasions to see pupils and their parents in a more relaxed environment. The dedication of the teachers to the school and its pupils was a significant part of its success and Philip valued their role in the school, whilst never forgetting the importance and contribution of those in more background roles, from cleaners and groundsmen, to support staff and the boarders’ houseparents. As someone very involved in his spare time with DIY, renovations and an interest in architecture, he was enthusiastic about and involved in the planning and building of the new Music Department and Boarding Houses, and began plans for the new swimming pool after the devastating fire which destroyed the previous one. The City and its traditions, charitable works and ceremonies were of course new to Philip, and he was grateful for the input and varied experience that Governors brought from the City to school. He enjoyed his visits there, as well as the school’s annual City Visit, which were opportunities to meet others involved in the charitable work of the livery companies who contributed to the life of the school through bursaries and prizes.

Wyn James Second Deputy Head, 1977–1999 ‘’Now, 40 years after I left school, I can still visualise him out front during Assembly asking ‘All GCE ‘O’ Level candidates, see me after’ in his distinctive and authoritative voice! However, he also had that magic balance of wit, humour and warmth. What a fabulous teacher he was.... if only I had understood and appreciated that as a slightly naughty and not very gifted 15 year old Physics student!’’ ‘’I have very fond memories of working in the Physics Department with your father. He was such a gentleman, with a fantastic sense of humour and a real passion for his subject. And, goodness, he could be very scary when he needed to be, particularly with naughty teenage boys! Wyn was a real character and was really missed when he left school.’’ These are extracts from just two of the many tributes sent after his father, Wyn, had passed away in February 2023 following a lengthy period of failing health. They sum up well the wealth of fond memories of Wyn and the huge respect for him from all those who had the privilege of either being taught by him or being a colleague at Ashtead Park. Benjamin Thomas Wyn James was born in St. Dogmaels in West Wales in 1937. His first language was Welsh and he only learnt English when he went to school. From a poor background Wyn had a simple but happy childhood with many hours spent bird watching and hanging around the beach and cliffs at Poppit Sands – a favourite location where he would later own a much cherished and refurbished beach cottage. He moved to Birmingham University to study Physics and every holiday he would cycle back 160 miles over the Brecon Beacons to St. Dogmaels in all weather conditions! Teacher Training College in London beckoned and there he was soon swept off his feet by Camille, an exotic vivacious lady, from a vastly different wealthy background in Guyana. They married in 1960 and had two children in the mid 1960s – Carolyn and Gareth. By now he was an ardent supporter of London Welsh Rugby and a talented highly competitive sailing

club member, winning trophies at National Championships. Wyn’s first teaching post was in a tough Wandsworth Comprehensive and after a spell as Head of Department at Raynes Park School, he joined CLFS in 1977. He was not only Head of Physics but also Senior Sixth Form Master and Second Deputy Head. This last role soon became his main remit. According to Michael Kemp, Headmaster until 1987, his school was run on a day to day basis by the ‘Welsh Mafia’. Joan Spicer, also from West Wales originally, and Wyn were the two Deputy Heads and both were sticklers for good discipline, high standards and values. Wyn was undoubtedly ‘the chief enforcer’ and many former pupils testify to the scarily hard but fair and consistent way he was able to use his cutting humour in just the right doses to the discomfort of any miscreants. When he ‘retired’ in 1999, he was retained as a ‘Clerk of Works’ with the extensive rebuilding programme in progress on site. His legacy in this respect can still be seen in the many new buildings of that era as he ensured every subject department had high quality premises fit for purpose. Wyn had eventually moved to Ashtead in the 1990s, living close to Ashtead Common where he spent much of his spare time as a volunteer. Other interests included hiking and climbing. Gareth, with his sister Carolyn, thoughtfully arranged a memorial event to celebrate their Dad’s life, in mid July at Ashtead Park, with the

blessing of the Headmaster, who also attended. Although many could not be there due to holidays more than 60 people attended; about a dozen family members, a similar number of Ashtead Common rangers and volunteers and more than 30 former colleagues and former pupils. They all enjoyed a ‘Cream Tea’ (which would have delighted Wyn) and they listened to the many anecdotes and tributes from Diana Hughes (former Deputy Head and Head of both Physics and Science who worked with him so closely), from former Headmaster, David Haywood, and from Ashtead Common colleagues and friends. These complemented a slide show which played out Wyn’s life whilst all the presentations were fittingly and wonderfully ‘book-ended’ by Gareth’s and Carolyn’s own tributes. As became clear in these speeches, Wyn included many other interests in his colourful life. Food was always high on his list of priorities, belied by his slim, lean physique! Dancing, jazz and astronomy were equally pursued with his customary vigour. On his retirement from teaching his last Sixth Form class presented him with the ultimate farewell gift. They purchased for him an unnamed star in the galaxy with his naming rights attached. So now, this most appropriate tribute to such a charismatic Welshman, held in such reverence by all who knew him, looks down from on high over CLFS and Ashtead Park for ever. by David Haywood Read the full obituary at www.freemens.org/wynjames

FREEMEN’S CALLING

Freemen’s student makes history at Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championships

Annabel took the title with a five shot lead after three rounds of great golf at Quinta do Lago in Portugal in November. Annabel was one of two 14-year-olds competing this year and this win tops off a “breakthrough year” which saw her secure three top finishes in the North of England U16 and English U14 events. She has also recently been selected as the youngest member of the England Girls National squad and played her first matches for the England U16s against Switzerland and Ireland. The Telegraph said: “The 14-yearold fended off several England internationals for a convincing victory that bodes well for her future. The

Walton Heath prodigy led from the start of the 54-hole tournament… all the way down to the line…”

“Annabel is coached by her dad, Simon Peaford and we are both hugely proud of the progress she has made.”

This is the biggest win of Annabel’s career so far, and she was very pleased to win against a strong field which included several girls from the England Golf women’s and girls’ squads who have all played for England internationally, commented Annabel’s mother, Alyson.

Miss McLaughlin, Interim Director of Sport, said: “Freemen's are extremely proud of the Peaford sisters and Annabel's outstanding achievement as the 'junior major' at the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Golf Championships in Portugal. Her achievements are testament to her hard work and dedication to golf, which follow a run of recent golfing successes including victory at the ISGA Alexander Quin invitational.

She added: “Annabel was delighted to win the tournament and had a great week in Portugal. Annabel has been automatically invited back to defend her title next year and is hoping her twin sister Emily can qualify as well. Annabel’s handicap is +4 and Emily’s is +3. They are very competitive with each other.

“Freemen's Sports department is pleased to promote participation in sport as well as supporting pupils in their pursuit for sporting excellence.” Annabel will continue her training and has set her sights on securing a golf scholarship to a US university and to play competitive golf at the highest level.

Luke Walker

City of London Freemen’s School Year 10 student, Annabel Peaford has been crowned the Justin Rose Telegraph Junior Championships winner – the youngest female to win the title.

FREEMEN’S CALLING

News from Freemen’s School Association (FSA) By FSA Chair, Oksana Giltrap The Freemen’s experience goes far beyond academic learning with community connections and events for pupils and their parents – from Fireworks display, Christmas Fair to the Annual Ball, they are creating shared joyful memories and opportunities to make a difference together. FSA is a registered charity run by passionate parent volunteers who organise social events and activities throughout the year to bring the Freemen’s community together to raise funds that help enrich pupils’ experiences at the school.

In 2022/23, FSA activities successfully raised over £25,000 which enabled funding new VR headsets, Raspberry Pis consoles, purchasing of mannequins for the art department, purchasing of table football sets for the U5 common rooms, replacing set of flags for the CCF as well as supporting the Senior Leavers’ proms. We would love to welcome Freemen’s alumni to our key upcoming events: • Freemen’s Great Easter Egg Hunt Friday 22nd March 2024, 4pm • Freemen’s 2024 Annual Ball Saturday 15th June • Freemen’s 2024 Summer Fair Saturday 29th June, 11am – 4pm • Freemen’s 2024 Fireworks Night Thursday 7th November, 6.30pm to 7.45pm.

Get Involved and Make a Difference If you’d like to give back and volunteer a little bit of your time to support FSA activities, we would love to hear from you. You don’t have to be a committee member to contribute. We’re looking for new creative and sustainable ideas to evolve our social events and activities in the future, so if you have fresh ideas and/or experience in Events Management, Marketing, Sustainability or Fundraising, we would love to hear from you. Please get in touch – there are lots of opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference. Contact: freemensfsa@outlook.com Registered Charity no: 1151182

Gary Head Boy 1992 “I was able to separate home and school life and I had so much fun in school and that helped me get through that time, because home wasn’t too great.” Gary’s home life was in turmoil, but a bursary helped him stay at Freemen’s. You can make a difference to a another child’s future, like Gary, with a regular donation to The Freemen’s Bursary Fund. £10, £25 or £50 a month Watch Gary’s video at www.freemens.org/supportus The Freemen’s Bursary Fund is a registered charity, registration number 284769

Freemen’s Calling AUTUMN 2023 | ISSUE 8 Editor: Jason Harrison-Miles Email: development@freemens.org Telephone: 01372 822444 www.freemens.org I