Old Princethorpians

Since the last edition of The Old Princethorpian in October, we've had a bumper number of OPs from across the decades either adding or updating their details on the database.

To check them out go to the OPs part of the website and register or logon if you have already registered.

http://www.princethorpe.co.uk/old-princethorpians

Matthew Cheshire - 1979 to 1985

Ivan Barry - 1981 to 1988

Meg O'Gorman - 2007 - 2012

John Walsh - 1967 to 1974

Tony O'Mara - 1967 to 1972

Adrian Roberts - 1989 to 1994

Martin Gallagher - 1981 to 1986

Rodger Gibbs - 1984 to 1989

Peter Wright - 1971 to 1976

David Gibson - 1988 to 1993

Peter Cox - 1979 to 1983

Christopher Santamarina - 1982 - 1987

Colin Taylor - 1979 to 1983

Welcome to them all!

My Story
I am an old Princethorpian that attended Princethorpe College (between 1986 and 1993) back in the good old days when the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart ruled the roost, when it was an all-boys school with boarders that needed exeats to go to Leamington Spa on a weekend. Those days are long gone now - actually over half a life time ago! When I attended, I saw school as a mechanism for getting the best grades I could. With maturity, I now realise I was given a fantastic opportunity by my parents that would shape my own principles and future aspirations. I guess my parents were putting an opportunity in front of me and waiting for me to take it!

I work for a small start-up, biotechnology company that is working on very exciting therapies that really improve vision. This year I am running the London Marathon for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to help raise awareness for the blind and the visually impaired. I would like to make a small contribution to this cause and would appreciate any donations - no amount is too small!

Some Key Facts From The World Health Organisation (WHO)
Did you know the WHO estimates that there are 285 million people worldwide who are visually impaired and 39 million people who are blind. Yet, 80% of all visual impairment can be prevented or even cured!  So ...

How To Make A Donation
Please visit my Just Giving site - please see 

https://www.justgiving.com/christ-wright/ 

Congratulations to OP Jordan King who will graduate to the Formula 1-supporting GP2 Series this year, after agreeing terms to compete for multiple race and title-winning outfit Racing Engineering during the next phase of his burgeoning single-seater career.
 
King steps up to the grand prix feeder series from a successful sophomore FIA Formula 3 European Championship campaign, in which he wound up an excellent seventh overall amongst no fewer than 30 supremely high-calibre contenders, tallying seven podium finishes along the way.
 
The talented young Warwickshire ace subsequently found himself facing a choice between GP2 and Formula Renault 3.5 for 2015, and it was a standout performance at the end-of-season Abu Dhabi GP2 test that cemented his decision.
 
Over the course of 150 laps around the Yas Marina Circuit, King turned heads the entire length of the pit-lane by demonstrating scintillating raw speed, lapping consistently inside the top six in the 26-strong field and ending two of the sessions ensconced in second place on the timing screens. In so doing, he outpaced a whole host of infinitely more experienced rivals – some backed by F1 powerhouses Ferrari, Red Bull and Lotus.
 
Off the back of that scene-stealing effort, the 20-year-old FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy member became a hot property indeed, and was in discussions with a handful of GP2 teams before signing for Racing Engineering.
 
The Spanish squad’s calibre in the fiercely-contested category speaks for itself, with two drivers’ crowns to its credit – in 2008 and 2013 – and a top four championship finish in the teams’ table for the last seven years straight.
 
Racing Engineering’s illustrious alumni include Justin Wilson, Franck Montagny and Lucas Di Grassi – all of whom went on to compete at the pinnacle of international motorsport in Formula 1 – and a certain Sebastian Vettel. Little wonder King is confident he is in safe hands.
 
“We talked to a few different teams, and it was a tough decision to make,” reflected the British Racing Drivers’ Club (BRDC) SuperStar, MSA Team UK protégé and former McLaren AUTOSPORT BRDC Award finalist and British F3 Champion. “There were a lot of factors to take into consideration and I did a lot of research and thinking before reaching a conclusion.
 
“As a rookie entering a new championship, it’s very important to go with an established and experienced team – and Racing Engineering ticks all the boxes. They have a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise and all the necessary resources at their disposal, and they understand how to get the best out of young drivers – which is just what I need at such a crucial stage of my career.
 
“They clearly have exceptional credentials and a winning pedigree. It’s an ultra-professional team whose sole focus is on GP2, whereas a lot of other teams compete in several different championships – and in my view, this single-minded approach can only be beneficial.
 
“Of course, the standard in GP2 is so high that all the teams on the grid do a fantastic job, but Racing Engineering has been a consistently strong force every year and I’m confident they will give me a good car weekend-in, weekend-out. When I visited the team’s workshop in Spain, I was very encouraged and reassured by what I discovered. They showed me some of the systems they have there, and it’s really a very impressive set-up. Everything looks to be in-place to attain results.
 
“GP2 definitely feels like the natural next step in my career. I came out of the test in Abu Dhabi with my head held high; the car really seemed to suit me and I clicked with it pretty much straightaway. I’ve learned and achieved everything I could have in the lower formulae and have developed as a driver along the way. Both physically and mentally, I feel very well-prepared for the challenges to come.
 
“It’s too early to set any expectations just yet – there’s plenty of hard work ahead and I’m well aware that I have a lot to take on-board – but we know what the goal is and I’m really excited about it all. I can’t wait to get going!”
 
“We are delighted that Jordan will be joining us in 2015,” echoed Racing Engineering President Alfonso de Orléans Borbon. “We have been following his career path for some time now, and what really convinced us was his professional approach to racing, both on and off the track. I have rarely seen a driver so determined and hard-working to make his dream to get to F1 come true.
 
“2015 will be Jordan’s rookie season in GP2, and though there are many things to learn before the first race in Bahrain, we have high hopes he will advance rapidly. We are sure it will be a pleasure to work with such a professional, mature and dedicated driver.”

Singer/songwriter Emily Wilson or eG as she is known, who left Princethorpe in 2008, is preparing for a busy summer in which she'll perform with her band at both Glastonbury and The Secret Garden Party.

After a series of successful gigs in 2014, eG has been offered a regular slot at London's Troubadour.

Her debut single, This Is My Life, proved to be a great success and her latest track, Wrong Way, is to be released soon. She's definitely one to watch on the music scene this year!

You can find out more by visiting Emily's Facebook page www.facebook.com/eGMusicOfficial

Congratulations to OP Guy Ratcliffe, who left in 2011, he has just learnt that he's been successful in the rigorous selection process for the Royal Millitary Academy Sandhurst.

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey is where all officers in the British Army are trained to take on the responsibilities of leading the soldiers under their command.

Guy comments, "The course at Sandhurst is 47 weeks long and "aims to turn young men and women into British army officers capable of leading individuals on operations", basically lots of running, lots of being wet, tired and cold, lots of ironing and lots of lectures."

As the final part of the selection process Guy attended a four-day assessment centre, which tested all aspects of a candidate's personal attributes - fitness, intellegence and written communication. As well as the ability to lead and work as part of a team through various obstacle based command tasks and leaderless tasks.

"As you might imagine with any four day job interview it was a very tense week, I cannot explain my relief upon finishing the closing race on the last day, but I can tell you it definitely worth the anxious sweat on opening the letter the next day. The next step for me now is a PCCBC (Pre-commissioning course briefing course) later this month and then the beginning of my commissioning course on Monday 4 May."

Being an army officer is something that's appealed to me from a very young age and as I got older that desire never really went away. Since uni I've been focusing on passing the selection board, but have also been working for Mr Friswell on his farm. Upon leaving Sandhurst and completing the course you are awarded with the Queen's Commission. I'm trying to go in as open-minded as possible but would at the moment like to be an infantry officer, possibly with the Mercian Regiment who were my sponsors through the selection process."

We wish Guy all the very best with his training!

Old Princethorpian and former A-level Theatre Studies student, Rob Mitchell who left in Summer 2011, made his big screen debut at the end of 2014.

Rob earned himself a role in Kajaki: The True Story, a British war movie which tells the story of a remarkable day in the Afghanistan Campaign.  The film had a Leicester Square premiere and was released in all VUE cinemas nationwide at the end of November.

Rob picks up the story, "It was my first job out of drama school, so I was over the moon. My character "Faz", a young sub-machine gunner was on his first tour of Afghanistan.

We had a boot camp with the army the week before we flew out to film. I quickly learned it's all about looking after your mate next to you in the field of battle, you would do anything for him. As a cast we all bonded amazingly well from that week. It was a pretty overwhelming experience, especially in 50 degree heat in Jordan for six weeks, I highly recommend suncream.

At points I had to pinch myself as my fellow cast were unbelievable but at the same time I was there to tell the story of these courageous, brave soldiers who found themselves trapped in a minefield with seemingly no way out.

The film is not really about war at all, it's about friendship (a lot of banter) more than anything and keeping your mates heads up in the most horrific of circumstances. Quite incredible when you remind yourself this was all true.

It was an honour to be a part of Kajaki and I'm very proud to hopefully have helped produce an on screen legacy for all our soldiers who fought in Afghanistan, wounded, or who made the ultimate sacrifice."

We wish Rob well for future film roles!

Jordan Griffith who left Princethorpe last summer has been accepted onto the Young Engineer for Britain Mentoring Scheme with his A-level Product Design Project, the Power House.

Jordan, who is currently reading Product Design at Cardiff University, has been assigned an engineering mentor who is assisting him with the further commercial development of his project. If Jordan is successful on the scheme he will go on to represent the UK at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair to be held in Pittsburgh, USA in May 2015.

In the meantime he will also be competing in the National Finals of the YEB with his project in March 2015.

Jordan recently took time out of his studies to talk to Princethorpe's current Sixth Form design students about his degree course, we wish him well!

I have been a professional artist for about 14 years and have recently had two big breaks.

The Autry Masters exhibition is one of them...

http://theautry.org/masters-of-the-american-west/masters-of-the-american-west

The other is being invited into the Couer d'alene art auction....

http://www.cdaartauction.com/

These are good platforms which I hope will help put me on the world stage in art. 

I went to Princethorpe in the second grade in 1982 and left before the Sixth Form. Art lessons at school were with Mr and Mrs Skiffington and were always a fun time for me... Favourite lesson.

I've exhibited around the country for years at country fairs like the CLA game fair. I mainly painted wildlife and have collectors here in the UK.

Two years ago I was contacted by a gallery owner on Facebook after posting a photograph of my paintings onto a wildlife art group. That gallery owner, Joanne Watson Fine Art, deals in high end art and discussed the potential for her to represent me in the USA. She introduced me to Scott Usher of The Greenwich Workshop who now publish my work in print. 

http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/bye/letmeout.asp

Having initially started over there with wildlife paintings, I have just completed two cowboy paintings which seem to have made some important people sit up and take notice.

Click on the gallery attached to see some of John's wildlife work and the latest cowboy paintings. For more information visit www.johnbye.com

The College's Administration Team has welcomed Jennifer Vaughan as part-time Receptionist and Secretary. 

Not completely new to Princethorpe, Jenny is a past pupil who sat her A-levels at the College in 2002 before going on to obtain a degree in Creative Studies in English at Bath Spa University.

Jenny has worked in Coventry libraries since leaving university and now lives in Kenilworth with her husband and two sons.  A keen runner and cyclist “which I try to fit into my spare time when not ferrying the boys to their own sports clubs!”, Jenny is due to run the Warwick half marathon in March.

Of her return to Princethorpe, Jenny says, "It is a little strange to be sitting on the other side of the desk but it was also a lot like coming home!"

We wish Jenny well with her new role and hope she will get involved with upcoming OP initiatives.