February 2016

Dear <<First Name>>

Our first newsletter of 2016 - sorry we missed January.

We want to start by highlighting that the date of the golf tournament has changed - please see the piece below.

We have has a number of requests for OTA scarves. If you think this might be of interest please could you drop me a line at the link below. This isn't asking for a commitment but we'd like to gauge (roughly) how many to order. However we do still stock ties, badges and books. e-mail us if you want any of these and we will send you details.

It's never too early to mention reunions and Founder's Day. This year we will revamp the timetable a little so that this makes it easier for visitors to the school to enjoy all the events. Talking of which, the rugby game was a great success and brought together OTs, parents, and students for the first time in a number of years. This year, it is intended to re-introduce netball.

Next Committee Meeting is scheduled for May so please send us any thoughts.

Best wishes.
The Editor
email here please with your news.

Memories of Ben Kenwood

I was very sad to hear of the death of Ben Kerwood. I feel I owe him a tremendous amount as my history teacher and initially as house master when I first came to LWGS as it then was in 1967. History was always and remains my favourite subject and he was instrumental in encouraging me to do well. I would certainly not have got to Oxford without him. He helped me hugely in other ways too, not least giving me a lift to Oxford Rail station at the end of term when buses failed so I could go home to my family. On one occasion we stopped at Iffley to look at the Norman church door, nearly missing the train in the process! But that was the kind of man he was and I will always remember his kindness to me.
Roy Hathaway
1967-1974

David Tomlinson's note triggered memories of a school versus OTs cricket match. I think I was batting with his brother James when I hit what I thought was an excellent on-drive ,only for it to be fielded by their father whose finger it broke! Geoff Goodall was understandably less pleased by the shot than I was and I remember wondering whether to go and check the state of Mr Tomlinson's finger! Discretion-and probably fear-suggested otherwise! Anyway ,enough rambling and thank you once again for an excellent Founder's Day. Tony Ireson.

OT News

Mark Ansell reported that the reunion he organised last Founder's Day went off a treat.

Felix Hayes, was recently staring as Mr Rochester in a stunning production of Jane Eyre at the National Theatre, London.

Congratulations to alumni Louis Supple, who recently won The Guardian Student Photographer of the Year 2015. Louis currently attends Falmouth University.

Jon More is a giant of electronic dance music and was recently talking of his memories from 1972 when he was still at LWS and went to see David Bowie at Oxford Town Hall. Jon's production genius has spiced up tracks by everyone from Blondie, Eurythmics and INXS, to The Fall, Eric B & Rakim, and even James Brown, and he has enjoyed chart success with the likes of Yazz and Lisa Stansfield. The Ninja Tune supremo, who set up Coldcut with another OT Matt Black in 1986, has had a lifelong love of adventurous music, going back to his time as a teenage rock fan in Oxfordshire. In the 70s, Jon would routinely catch a bus, hitch hike, or walk from his home in Thame to Oxford to catch gigs by cutting-edge acts – including, in 1972, a legendary show by one David Bowie.

Some may remember Dr Bob Lowrie, who briefly taught Chemistry at the school in the late 1960s. He has been singing in various choirs around Oxford for many years and recently, survived his travails following a broken hip in December, which slowed him down a bit. But just before that he had sung in St Peter’s in the Vatican and made a CD of his solos from the ‘70s through the ‘90s. It’s available from St Gile's Church, Oxford, the proceeds going to the Academy of St Giles’ Church Choir.

Helen Carey's Lavender Road series. The fourth book, London Calling, is being published on 25th Feb!

Alexandra Buckle who was at school in the 1990s is an artist previously based near Buckingham and now living in Oxfordshire. "I'm inspired by countryside walks and excited by light, shadow and colour. I enjoy capturing my favourite scenery as hand printed ‘reduction’ linocuts. My most remarkable success to date is having my lino prints selected for the 2011 and 2012 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. In 2014 and 2015 I had two prints exhibited in the Society of Women Artists exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London.I teach lino private printing classes and workshops at my home studio in Bicester."

Helen Calcraft founded Lucky Generals in 2013 - a creative company for people on a mission and working with clients such as Paddy Power, Amazon, Unilever, Hostelworld and Twitter.

Deborah Davis is Client & CRM Manager at Omni ISG a software company based in Oxford.

Jake Gomme is an account manager at Global Water Water Intelligence, provides market intelligence, news and analysis on the international water industry.

John Watts who was once signed by Arsenal FC has spent many years in recruitment and is now Managing Director at EliTech Recruitment Limited.

Ashley Molyneux is European Ecommerce Manager at Epson Europe B.V.

Mike Burrows is a Governor at Great Yarmouth College. Since retiring from practice in 2008 I have held a number of non-executive appointments in a range of public service and private sector organisation. Throughout my career I have been interested in organisations that have ambition to excel with their staff and with their customers and who get involved in interesting things.

Another chartered accountant is Malcolm Benham with over 25 years experience in providing Auditing, Accountancy, Taxation and Business Advisory Services to a wide range of businesses. He works for the Fish Partnership in High Wycombe.

Carol MacKay is Principal Emergency Planning Officer Officer at Oxfordshire County Council Emergency Planning and is currently studying for an MSc in Crisis & Disaster Management at Portsmouth University.

A number of OTs are local councillors: for example Paul Gleeson in Boston, Lincolnshire while Ian White represents the communities of Aston Rowant, Chinnor, Henton, Kingston Blount, Sydenham, Towersey and all residents within the Ward. He is a member of the General Licencing and Licencing Acts Committees, Scrutiny Committee, Joint Scrutiny Committee (substitute), Planning Committee (substitute) and represents the Council on the Thames Valley Police And Crime Commissioner's Panel.

Terry Fulkes is pleased to be supporting Bournemouth FC.

GOLF 2016 - A change of date

Hi OT golfers,

I have felt obliged to re-schedule our date from 17th June to Friday 27th May at Studley Wood.
Reasons are several, namely
a) OT Neil Pettit is Captain at Studley Wood this year & his Captains Day is the following day. This will preclude some of us playing. similarly
b) Euros in France are in full swing. It's England v Wales day before with number of OT's going to Lille.
c) Royal Ascot week. 3 more known to be attending the races.
so all in all to try & maximise numbers I decided upon the change.
That caused a number of problems as Studley is so popular with societies & Charities, also some OT's are away on golf tour.
27th May is the Friday before Whitsun Bank Holiday so not ideal, but I trust it will not stop you playing. No date is convenient for everyone!
If you have already booked holiday for June date, then I hope you can change it. Otherwise my apologies.
I will come out with full details & cost in next couple of weeks time.
Best wishes,
Barry
Also contact us if you want to join the golf this year and wish to be updated.

Reunions.

Why not organise a reunion to co-incide with Founders Day on 5 November. The advtanges are:
- free coffee in the morning
- school tours
- lunch is provided (but costs £12 per head)
- use of the school hall during the day
- music from current students
- tea in the afternoon
- possible use of outdoor sports facilites

School News

A school expedition to Borneo in 2017 is being organised with Outlook Expeditions, the leading independent provider of youth expeditions.

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