Old Princethorpians

Click on the attachment below to download the latest In the News posters featuring some of the Foundation's most recent media coverage.

A huge thank you to Ms Emma Litterick for all her hard work generating coverage for the Foundation. 

In The News

There are a number of job vacancies on the Princethorpe website including:

• Deputy Head (Pastoral)
• Development Manager
• Teacher of French and Spanish
• Learning Support Teacher
• Teacher of Chemistry and Biology
• IT Engineer
• Summer Exam Invigilators
• and Summer Estates Assistants

Click here for more details.

Eleven year old Princethorpe College Art Scholar, Mary Lomas, is modestly contemplative of her first prize in the Independent Schools’ Association’s National Art Competition. Sitting in the College’s Art Studio where her grandparents were once teachers, she critically picks over her prize winning silk screen painting complaining that she could have made it so much better had she had more time. Her delicate ink work depicts two gorgeously coloured small birds resting on a summer branch; clearly the judges disagreed with Mary’s own views and considered her textile entry to be the pick of the crop.

At the top end of the College, experienced former A-level Student Matt Farr won the Key Stage 5 sketchbook category. His hard edged collection of drawings and work in progress used the title, ’Flaws, Perfection, Ideals or Compromises’ and reflected an influence of artists such as Egon Schiele and Marc Quinn. Praised for his brave technique and intensive research, Matt headed up the list of other Sixth Form prize winners including Paul Ruskin who came 2nd in the Key Stage 5 Drawing category and Samira Hassan who was Highly Commended for her KS5 Painting.

Princethorpe College Head of Art, Mr Paul Hubball, applauded the winners, ’It was refreshing to see a first place in the textiles category; Mary’s work is terrific. She has an eye for detail and the patience to execute a thoughtful composition. Our Key Stage 5 winners were each worthy recipients. With years of hard work behind them, they have produced some of the finest art in the College’s history.’

Princethorpe's environmental Green Team have taken a leaf out of the BBC's Countryfile book and launched the first ever Princethorpe Countryside Photography Calendar for 2016.

Priced at just £5 the limited edition high quality calendar is still available if you contact Old Princethorpians.

Featuring stunning photography taken by Princethorpe pupils from Year 8 to Sixth Form, the calendar includes the College's term dates and key events such as the PTA Summer Fete and Christmas Fair and Open Events, it also includes Golden Jubilee events as the College enters the 2016-17 celebratory year.

Comments Geography teacher and Green Team mentor Stewart Dear, "The calendar is a true celebration of our fantastic surroundings and a reminder of just how lucky we are to have our historic school embedded in such beautiful countryside."

In Father Alan Whelan’s opening prayer at Princethorpe's Prize Giving Ceremony in November he cited Binyon’s ‘For the Fallen’ and it was this theme of remembrance that tolled throughout the evening’s proceedings as we welcomed back former students, applauded the achievements of present pupils and cast our gaze towards the College’s forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebrations.

Headmaster, Mr Ed Hester’s address, highlighted the quality of academic, sporting, pastoral and charity based events of the former academic year; each bearing testament to the dedication and hard work of the College’s teaching staff. He praised the resilience of Princethorpe students whose efforts to pursue personal success in so many areas of school life had clearly paid off. As always, his advice was to make the most of every opportunity that a Princethorpe College education affords. This enduring wish was one picked up on by guest speaker, The Rt Hon Mark Pawsey MP. As a former Princethorpe parent, Mr Pawsey remarked on the continuing growth and reputation that the College maintains in the local and wider community. Anecdotally, he stressed the lasting importance of friendships made during school days, commenting that these relationships would be most likely the ones to endure life’s changes. As a professional whose present political career was not one that he initially embarked on, Mr Pawsey was able to give salient advice to listening students about the vitality of flexibility when considering future employment.

The Order of Proceedings was beautifully punctuated by the College Orchestra, Jazz Band and Year 7 Chorus. Upper Sixth vocal soloist, Matt MacLellan, certainly made his mark as a budding ‘Elbow’ front man; his pitch perfect rendition of ‘One Day Like This’ received huge applause. Year 8, Charlotte Fitzpatrick’s mature rendition of ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ showed us that this is a voice to watch out for in the future. Plus a special feature of the night was a performance by ‘The Lost Boys’, the Year 11 boy band who won the right to perform following their success at the College’s Talent Show. Lead singer, Charlie Blackwood, looked, as always, as if the Butterworth Hall stage was his home from home.

And then there was the presentation of Form Prizes, Examination Certificates and Prizes. Watching the stream of young people shaking Mr Pawsey’s hand was redolent of the front cover painting of this year’s Prize Giving Ceremony Programme. Painted by award winning former Upper Sixth artist, Matt Farr, the image entitled Control (Vulnerability) shows the fine line between these two extreme human conditions. Some students took to the Butterworth Hall stage with alacrity, others emanated self-consciousness, some made us laugh, some brought a tear to our eye as we listened to Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Margaret Robinson’s, poetic citations. The poignancy of the occasion was perhaps best shown at the disclosure of the final award; The Princethorpe Shield. With this prize comes an understanding that the beneficiary embodies the spirit and ethos of the College. It was a popular decision for there to be two recipients in 2015. Former Head Girl, Maddie Wigmore-Sykes, and former Head Boy, Simon Fisher, were cheered on stage as they magnanimously gripped the trophy and beamed into the audience.

As the College hymn was sung to mark the close of proceedings, a party atmosphere swept across the hall with friends, teachers and families visibly delighted to be reunited. In Binyon’s final words, ‘the stars that are starry…shall be bright…they remain.’ And so it was that another Prize Giving Ceremony came to its end, fittingly, to the sounds of echoing laughter.

To view the gallery please click here to go to the Princethorpe website.

Click on the attachment below to see the Prize Giving Programme.

J2317-Prize Giving Booklet 2015 Final.pdf

Lester Gibson from the Princethorpe Estates Department, who is a life-long cricket enthusiast, was presented with a pewter tankard by Warwickshire Cricket League in recognition of his outstanding service as a cricket umpire in the county.

Lester has served throughout Warwickshire for over three decades and has very happy memories of time spent on the wicket. He recalls one Nuneaton-Exhall match in which the wicket keeper was excitedly jumping up and down shouting "How's that?" in the direction of the umpire. Lester coolly responded with “Not out”, much to the laughter of the gathered crowd!

Proudly displaying the tankard to his Princethorpe work colleagues Lester said “I used to be enthusiastic about football as well, but now somehow I feel I’ve grown up!”

After sixteen years of working at Princethorpe College Lester retired at Christmas.  His cheery manner is missed by colleagues and pupils alike and we wish him all the very best for a happy and healthy retirement.

Staff and pupils at Crackley Hall, Princethorpe's Junior School and Nursery in Kenilworth, are getting very excited at the prospect of being able to take ownership of the new Gables building after February half term.  Earlier this term they got a sneak preview of what is in store for them when tours were arranged of the £2m east end project, which will give the school a 240-seat multi-purpose hall, two classrooms, four specialist music teaching rooms and a large tutorial room.

Some thought it a bit like venturing into Narnia, as the cupboard obscuring the door to the building was moved to one side and visitors took a step into the unknown! Those on the tour were amazed by the size and beauty of the new hall which incorporates stained glass and a ceiling boss depicting the paschal lamb, which were formerly in place in the building demolished earlier in the year.

Junior 4 used the opportunity to have a look at all the electrical installation as they have been studying electricity in their science lessons. They were intelligent enough to point out that all the lights are wired in parallel so that if one light goes out - unlike Christmas tree lights - they don’t all go out!

Staff were also surprised by how generous the circulation areas are, both inside and outside the extension. Areas outside will provide cover for wet play and those inside can be utilised as break-out areas for extra teaching. Trendgrey of Southam, the main contractor, is already making good the external areas in preparation for slabbing and planting.

Head, Robert Duigan, comments: “I think that it is fair to say that the building is substantially complete, with the main hall and circulation areas being plastered and some rooms already being decorated. The scaffolding is now down and it is possible to get a real idea of how magnificent the finished building will look. Inside, floor and wall tiles are going on and engineers have nearly completed the lighting and heating.”

There will now be a final push to get the building finished, so the building can be occupied in time for next half term. A grand opening is scheduled for Thursday 17 March, when Mass will be celebrated in the hall by The Right Reverend William Kenney, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham.

The new car park and playing area is already complete giving more space for games and extra parking during busy pick-up and drop off times during the day.

The outstanding contemporary design is the brainchild of Tony Pugh of local architects AT Architects in Leamington Spa. The scheme will provide the school with a much needed 240-seat multi-purpose hall, two classrooms, four specialist music teaching rooms and a large tutorial room. The hall will be fitted with sports equipment, a demountable stage and full lighting and sound facilities. Additionally, a large adjacent kitchen will have multiple cookers and hobs so that it can be used for children’s cookery activities, as well as refreshments for events. Accessible from the main circulation areas are toilets, lockers, additional IT distribution and an electronic display screen. The building uses the latest LED lighting and photovoltaic technology to contribute to its energy efficiency and to reduce the school’s carbon footprint.

So why The Gables? Until 2001, the second building at Crackley which was used for the senior school of St Joseph’s School was the house originally occupied by Sir Bernard Docker, the local automotive industrialist who was chairman of The Daimler Company. The house was called The Gables. The headmaster added: “The wing is very near to the site of the Docker’s house and we decided that by naming the new building after the old, gives us a strong link with our heritage and the local economy.”

Thanks to everyone for their support whilst the campus at Crackley is being improved.

The Old Princethorpians have been approached by a television production company, Wall to Wall Media, to share information with the membership about a new programme they are making.  Wall to Wall Media make award-winning programmes such as Who Do You Think You Are (BBC One), Long Lost Family (ITV) and we are also well-known for living history formats such as Turn Back Time: The High Street (BBC One), Time Crashers (C4) and the recent BBC Two hit series Back In Time For Dinner.

The company has been commissioned by the BBC to produce a big new living history series on 19th century Victorian tenement communities. The programme will meticulously recreate a tenement environment and inhabit it with people who will live, work and survive 19th century conditions. Filming will take place this Spring and they are looking for families (children 10+), siblings and retired couples to take part.

By fully experiencing inner-city Victorian life, participants will have a unique opportunity to understand the challenges our forebears confronted and discover the jobs they had, the food they ate, the clothes they wore and how they socialised.

It will be a unique opportunity to experience our ancestors’ lives and a brilliant challenge for those looking for something different in 2016.

Full details can be found at http://www.walltowall.co.uk/casting/the-victorian-east-end-bbc_975.aspx

If any OPs get involved do let us know, we'd love to tune in and see how it goes!

A bumper number of candidates sat the College's entrance examinations on Saturday 16 January.

Comments, Alex Darkes, Assistant Head - Marketing and Operations, "We played host to some 250 prospective pupils across four year groups.  What's particularly lovely is the fact that we are seeing more and more OPs returning with their children to sit the exams. Feedback from parents and candidates alike has been very favourable indeed, which bodes very well for next September's intake."

"The marking machine swung into action, even before candidates had left the building and the Admissions Panel sat the following week to decide on the 130 or so boys and girls who will be joining us in September 2016 - our Golden Jubilee year."

Parents and children were notified of the results on Wednesday 3 February and have until Monday 7 March to accept their place.

Those interested in a place at the College in September 2017 can download our flyer below which includes key open events and admissions dates, like the forthcoming Open Evening on Wednesday 8 June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

PC Flyer - Jan 2016.pdf

The College's Careers Fair 2016 is shaping up nicely thanks in large part to the support of the Old Princethorpian network.

The event which is scheduled for Saturday 12 March is looking to be even bigger and better than the the last two events in 2012 and 2014. Princethorpe parent, Mrs Alexandra Fraser of media company 7Wonder, has kindly agreed to be the keynote speaker and a host of careers and professions will be represented.

Comments organiser Melanie Butler, "Once again we have had a great response from the Old Princethorpians, who alongside our parents form the backbone of the event. We have some speakers from 2012 and 2014 who have kindly agreed to speak again, such as OP Marc Marot, who works in the music industry and manages the career of among others Jessie J and of course OP Chairman, Peter Rollason who will be talking on High Street Law.

"We're also delighted to have a number of new OPs involved such as Felicity Hannah (nee King-Evans) who will speak on Journalism and Joel Gleghorn an OP who works in the City."

This year there will also be a wider range of universities exhibiting including Loughborough and Sydney, plus a number of Gap Year companies to give ideas and advice.

Headmaster, Ed Hester comments, "We are really indebted to all the OPs who have volunteered their time and energy to making the Careers Fair a success for our current Year 10 to Sixth Form pupils and their parents."

If you would like to help with future Careers Fairs please email melaniebutler@princethorpe.co.uk.

In addition work experience is a big part of our Careers programme, for Year 11 after their GCSE examinations, and for Sixth Form as well. If anyone feels that they can offer work experience to any of our students, or have contacts in the Princethorpe catchment area, then we would be very pleased to hear from you! Please email miketaylor@princethorpe.co.uk.

The Princethorpe Foundation has recently advertised for an experienced fund-raising professional to establish a new development function for the Foundation.

Reporting to the Assistant Head (Development), Alex Darkes, the person's overall responsibility will be to lead and manage a long-term development programme which will result in on going philanthropic income to support primarily bursaries, so that more children can benefit from a Princethorpe education.

Comments Alex Darkes, "We are looking for someone whose personal values are totally in tune with the strong Christian ethos of the Foundation.  This person would work with me and Loretta Curtis, the Development Assistant to develop and deliver the strategy and manage key relationships."

The closing date for applications is Monday 22 February and more information about the role can be found on the Princethorpe website.

The Headmaster, Ed Hester, announced last weekend that Sue Millest, the College's much loved Pastoral Deputy Head, will be retiring at the end of this academic year so that she can spend more time with her family.

In his communication to parents and pupils Mr Hester said, "Sue has given nine years outstanding service to the College, leading the pastoral care team in supporting pupils, parents and staff. On behalf of the whole Princethorpe community I would like to thank her now for all her tremendous work and also on a personal level for all the support and friendship she has given me and my family."

He continued, "There will, I’m sure, be many opportunities next term for us to show our sincere appreciation to Sue for her dedication, professionalism and unstinting service.

We are already engaged in the process of finding a new Deputy who will be able to build upon the strong pastoral foundations which have been the cornerstone of the College throughout its existence. We will be interviewing shortly after Half Term and expect to be able to announce Sue’s successor before Easter."

The vacancy is advertised on the Princethorpe website.

Princethorpe's first lay Headmaster, John Shinkwin (1998- 2009), who went on to become the General Secretary of the Catholic Independent Schools Conference (CISC) is to retire from the role this September.

He will be succeeded by Raymond Friel who has been Headmaster at St Gregory’s Catholic College in Bath since 2004. Raymond has written a number of successful publications including "How to Survive Working in a Catholic School: A Guide for Teachers and Support Staff" with Sr Judith Russi, "How to Survive in Leadership in a Catholic School" and "The Revolution of Tenderness: Being a Catholic in Today’s Church".

John and his wife Maggie celebrated the news in October that their son Kevin has been appointed as a Conservative Peer to the House of Lords in recognition of his work in the voluntary sector.

We wish John and Maggie all the best for a happy retirement.

Plans for the College's Golden Jubilee celebrations are moving apace, with the focus now firmly on the flagship event 'Princefest', a fun-packed weekend of sport, music, food and friendship designed to kick-start the Jubilee year.

Comments, Headmaster, Ed Hester, "We would urge all Old Princethorpians and Friends of the College to keep these dates free.  As well as the hugely popular OPs Sports events, on the Saturday we will have a line up of music to suit all tastes, including a mystery headline act, which will be revealed in due course!

The playground will be transformed into a funfair with rides, stalls and amusements, there'll be a wonderful selection of food from around the globe for visitors to enjoy and the evening will be rounded off with a grand firework display!"

Families will be able to camp on the Saturday night and on the Sunday, there will be a celebratory Mass in the Chapel, followed by lunch and tours of the school.

The sports fixtures will be extended so we have the capacity for more OPs to take part in the Hockey and Netball. As well as the John Shinkwin Trophy Rugby, which sees the College First XV playing the leavers of 2016 and 15, we will also be hosting the OPs vs Kenilworth Babas Alex Wallis Memorial Match later on the same afternoon.  Those interested in playing should contact Director of Sport, Neil McCollin.

We are in the process of finalising music acts, food stalls and shopping stalls if any OPs are interested in getting involved, performing or having a stall, please email goldenjubilee@princethorpe.co.uk.

More detailed information, including ticket prices, will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

As many of you know, Alex Darkes and I are currently working on a book to mark this very special year. It will display photographs from every decade and we would very much like to include your memories of the place, be they about sporting fixtures, plays, lessons, boarding or even the school food!

If you are happy to share your experiences, we would be grateful if you could send us a couple of short paragraphs about your time at the school, together with a recent photograph of yourself. Due to the limited amount of space available, we cannot guarantee that every contribution will be included and some may have to be edited to make them fit. We will do our best to incorporate as many as we can.

Please send your contributions to us by the beginning of May. Your ‘pen portraits’ will add some real colour to the book and present a lasting record of ‘real life’ at Princethorpe.

Nick Baker - Archivist nickbaker@princethorpe.co.uk

House of Commons Tour and Dinner - Saturday 21 May 2016

Tickets have now been allocated for this sell-out event and successful applicants notified.  There will be a good selection of OPs from across the generations present alongside current longstanding and former staff and current parents.

Those attending will receive a communication in March as to the menu for the evening and a guest list. Official invitations will be issued in May, with instructions as to the security arrangements and necessary ID to bring.

Old Princethorpians Sports  Day (part of Princefest Weekend) - Saturday 3 September - 12.00pm to 6.00pm

All is set for the 6th annual Old Princethorpians' Sports Day (and 8th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 3 September.  This year the OPs Sports Day forms a central part of the College’s Golden Jubilee Princefest celebrations over the weekend of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016.

In addition to the established John Shinkwin Trophy Rugby Match between the current first XV and last year's first XV, the day includes Boys' Hockey and Girls' Hockey and Netball, with current teams and past pupils vying once again for the honour of claiming the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield.

Points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the shield being awarded to the victors on the Princefest main stage at 6.30pm.

This year’s events will see the College take on two OPs teams (one recent, one older leavers) in the Girls Hockey, Boys Hockey and Netball in a series of triangular matches, the traditional John Shinkwin Trophy Rugby Match between the current first XV and last year’s first XV, plus taking place on the Sports Day for the first time this year, the Alex Wallis Memorial Match between the Old Princethorpians and the Kenilworth Babas.

Format of day:

12.00pm to 1.00pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Girls vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.15pm to 2.15pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Boys vs OPs XI (x 2)

2.15pm to 3.15pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII (x 2)

3.15pm to 4.30pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2016 and 2015)

4.45pm to 6.00pm Rugby - Alex Wallis Memorial - OPs vs Kenilworth Babas

6.30pm - After Match Awards on the Princefest Main Stage

We are keen to get as many OPs from across the generations participating. If you are interested in playing in any of the sports please contact Neil McCollin, Director of Sport as soon as possible.

Another match for your diary and which the OPs would appreciate your support at is as follows:

AROPS National Ladies Hockey Tournament - Sunday 11 September - at King Henry VIII School, Coventry - 10.30am to 4.30pm.

The OPs team will defending their title in this National Tournament.

Princefest Weekend - Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016

Princefest - a fun-packed weekend of sport, music, food, friendship and fireworks, will kick start the Jubilee year on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September. 

On the Saturday we will have the OP Sports Day, a stage with music throughout the day and into the evening with a mystery headline act, food and shopping stalls plus funfair rides (dodgems, big wheel, waltzer) and fireworks at the end!  There will also be family camping on site. Sunday will be a more relaxed affair with a celebratory Mass, Brunch, tours of schools, talks on the College's history and time for old friends to catch up.

Golden Jubilee Ball - Saturday 1 July 2017

The Golden Jubilee Ball will take place in a beautiful marquee in the College grounds, this will be a black tie event, with a drinks reception and delicious three course meal, followed by music and dancing.

If you are interested in any of these events please email goldenjubilee@princethorpe.co.uk.

Saturday 24 September 2016 - 12.00pm to 4.00pm

As part of the College's Golden Jubilee Celebrations plans are afoot for a special reunion for the past pupils of St Mary's Priory.

The last reunion took place in 2014 and was well received by a good number of the old girls. The next event will follow a similar format of a leisurely lunch followed by an informal tour of the College.

The Headmaster will be extending invitations to all those we are in contact with, if you know of anyone who would like to attend please email their details to oldprincethorpians@princethorpe.co.uk or call 01926 634284.

Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016

A fun-packed weekend of sport, music, food and friendship to take place in the College grounds, celebrating the College's Golden Jubilee.

More detailed information about the weekend can be found in our News section. Ticket information will be available shortly.

Saturday 3 September - 12.00pm to 6.00pm

All is set for the 6th annual Old Princethorpians' Sports Day (and 8th John Shinkwin Trophy Match) on Saturday 3 September.  This year the OPs Sports Day forms a central part of the College’s Golden Jubilee Princefest celebrations over the weekend of Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016.

In addition to the established John Shinkwin Trophy Rugby Match between the current first XV and last year's first XV, the day includes Boys' Hockey and Girls' Hockey and Netball, with current teams and past pupils vying once again for the honour of claiming the Alex Wallis Memorial Shield.

Points will be accumulated throughout the day, with the shield being awarded to the victors on the Princefest main stage at 6.30pm.

This year’s events will see the College take on two OPs teams (one recent, one older leavers) in the Girls Hockey, Boys Hockey and Netball in a series of triangular matches, the traditional John Shinkwin Trophy Rugby Match between the current first XV and last year’s first XV, plus taking place on the Sports Day for the first time this year, the Alex Wallis Memorial Match between the Old Princethorpians and the Kenilworth Babas.

Format of day:

12.00pm to 1.00pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Girls vs OPs XI (x 2)

1.15pm to 2.15pm Hockey Princethorpe College 1st XI Boys vs OPs XI (x 2)

2.15pm to 3.15pm Netball Princethorpe College 1st VII Girls vs OPs VII (x 2)

3.15pm to 4.30pm Rugby - John Shinkwin Trophy - Princethorpe College 1st XV Boys vs OPs XV (leavers of 2016 and 2015)

4.45pm to 6.00pm Rugby - Alex Wallis Memorial - OPs vs Kenilworth Babas

6.30pm - After Match Awards on the Princefest Main Stage

We are keen to get as many OPs from across the generations participating. If you are interested in playing in any of the sports please contact Neil McCollin, Director of Sport as soon as possible.

Another match for your diary and which the OPs would appreciate your support at is as follows:

AROPS National Ladies Hockey Tournament - Sunday 11 September - at King Henry VIII School, Coventry - 10.30am to 4.30pm.

The OPs team will defending their title in this National Tournament.

Legends Hockey Camps will be returning to Princethorpe this summer.  There will be 3 camps running on:

Camp 1 - Tuesday 26 July 2016 - Friday 29 July 2016

Camp 2 - Tuesday 2 August 2016 - Friday 5 August 2016

Camp 3 - Tuesday 9 August 2016 - Friday 12 August 2016

Please click here for details.

One of the highlights of the School Calendar is the Annual Motoring Festival, now in its twentieth year.

The Twenty First Motoring Festival is open to anyone keen to bring any sort of classic, vintage, veteran or interesting vehicle along for the afternoon. There will be rally plaques for all pre-booked vehicles and awards for self-judged competitions.

The Festival is preceded by an informal morning road run of about 30 miles through the Warwickshire countryside. Vehicles taking part in the run need to arrive at Princethorpe for 11.00am. There is no charge for classic vehicles entering the festival or taking part in the road run.

Barbecued food is available for a nominal charge on return to Princethorpe at lunchtime, or feel free to bring a picnic.

The Summer Fête takes place in the Orchard between 2.00pm and 4.30pm, unless the weather is inclement when we will retire indoors.  There will be lots of entertainment both for children and adults alike including a large inflatable slide, BBQ, refreshments, bar, pupils’ stalls, over 30 external stalls, a raffle and many, many more exciting things for all the family to enjoy.

Further details on the Motoring Festival from Alex Darkes on 01926 634207 or email alexdarkes@princethorpe.co.uk.

Wednesday 8 June - 6.30pm to 8.30pm

Princethorpe College's annual Summer Open Evening will take place on Wednesday 8 June from 6.30pm to 8.30pm.

This is an informal opportunity to look around the school and to meet members of staff and pupils. There will be activities in each department for children to participate in, and the Headmaster will also address visitors in the Chapel during the evening. Light refreshments will be available.

We will also be offering taster days in the summer term for current Year 5 students (children born between 1 September 2005 and 31 August 2006), who are interested in admission to the College in September 2017.

These days will involve a number of classroom sessions, a tour of the school, lunch and other activities. The days will run from 9.30am to 3.00pm.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To book your child's place telephone the Registrars on 01926 634262 or email helenmorgan@princethorpe.co.uk.

30 March - 1 April - Netball 

Activate Sport will be returning to Princethorpe at Easter to run their popular netball camp.  For more details on Activate Sport and camps please click here to go to their website.

Please click here to see poster.

Saturday 12 March - 10.30am to 12.30pm

Crackley Hall and Little Crackers, Princethorpe's junior school and nursery in Kenilworth, is opening its doors for a Spring Open Morning on Saturday 12 March from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

This is a great chance to look around the school and nursery including the new Gables building and to chat to staff and pupils. Junior 5 and 6 pupils will act as tour guides and there will be music and sport activities on display. Light refreshments will be available.

Registrations are now being taken for Nursery, Reception, Junior 1 ,2, 3 and 4 for September 2016 admissions, limited places are available Years 5 and 6. The nursery is open 48 weeks a year and is carefully structured for two-year olds, three-year olds and pre-school.

Please email Mrs Angela Barnard, Admissions Secretary or call her on 01926 514410 for more information on this event and the admissions process.

All are welcome to look round the school, and to meet staff and pupils. No need to book.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk.

Thursday 10 March 2016 - 7.30pm

The Arts Society next lecture, given by former Deputy Head, Margaret-Louise O'Keeffe, is scheduled for Thursday 10 March.  It will commence at 7.30pm and take place in the Sixth Form Lecture Theatre.  The lecture will then be followed by wine and light refreshments in the Atrium.

Rome in the 17th century was an exciting and stimulating place as the revered city was transformed by an ambitious programme funded primarily by Popes, cardinals and nobles. Brilliant artists like the Carracci, Caravaggio, Reni, Domenichino and the troubled architect, Borromini, vied for commissions.  Towering above everyone was the multi-talented genius, Bernini, of whom diarist John Evelyn wrote in 1644:  Bernini...gave a public opera wherein he painted the scenes, cut the statues, invented the engines, composed the music, writ the comedy, and built the theatre.

Dynamic movement, drama, theatricality, bold colour, technical virtuosity and innovative architecture are the hallmarks of Roman Baroque. Prepare to be dazzled.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door; but advance notice helps catering, please. Princethorpe and Crackley Hall pupils free of charge.  Please click here for bookings.

Friday 4 March 2016 - 6.30pm onwards

The first OP event of 2016 will be the Spring Pub Meet on Friday 4 March from 6.30pm at The Royal Pug, Regent Street, Leamington, CV32 4NX.

We will be meeting in the upstairs function room which has its own bar and a light buffet will be available. This is a new venue for us in a popular location, so we have high hopes for a good evening.

All OPs and Friends of Princethorpe are welcome!

The OPs Events Calendar is confirmed for the forthcoming academic year.

We have tweaked the programme slightly with some new venues being introduced. The Royal Pug in Leamington's Regent Street will be the venue for our local pub meet in March and our London meet will take place in June at The Old Tea Warehouse in the City, a venue that comes highly recommended by other alumni associations. 

The very popular Summer Supper Meeting at the College in June will be aimed this year particularly at the leavers of 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006 (Year 11 leavers from those cohorts are most welcome too).  We are looking for champions from those years to spread the word, so please get in touch if you are happy to do so.

And the undoubted jewel in the crown of the year will be our first Golden Jubilee event, a tour and dinner, which will take place at the House of Commons on Saturday 21 May 2016, a sell-out event.

The dates for the next major Golden Jubilee event, the 'Princefest' weekend including the OPs Sports Day are confirmed as Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 September 2016.  See separate listing.

All OPs, past parents and staff are welcome to participate in any or all of the events.

Click here to download the calendar or visit the Old Princethorpians section at www.princethorpe.co.uk for more information on Old Princethorpians.

Age:  25

What are you doing now?

I live in Coventry, and I work for a startup in the food delivery sector called Deliveroo. In my spare time I also play drums for Boudika, aka Emily Wilson who is another Princethorpe alumni.

When were you at Princethorpe - years from and to?

I joined for Sixth Form in 2006, and was there until end of Upper Sixth in 2008

What was the school like in your day?

My Year Group was the first to be a part of the new Sixth Form Centre which was/is a fantastic facility. I remember being told numerous times that there was a strict “no football” rule inside - which I imagine still (unfortunately!) stands today - and I also remember how bright and welcoming the building was.

How did Princethorpe affect the person you are today?

Princethorpe gave me a great grounding in becoming an adult. It taught me how to make new friends and allowed me to pursue my interests in a positive way.

What advice would you give to your teenage self?

Work hard, never be complacent, and never say no to an opportunity - be it a job or a night out.

Who or what has been the greatest influence on your life?

At the risk of sounding like a cliché, I have a great family and a really tight group of friends, and I’d also say that the Princethorpe experience acted as a great influence on me.

What keeps you awake at night?

There is nothing that really keeps me awake at night - apart from the odd binge-watch on Netflix!

What has been your proudest moment/greatest achievement so far?

Graduating with a 2:1 from university was a great achievement, but I have also been really thrilled to land the jobs that have formed my career path since leaving university.

What’s your biggest indulgence?

Biggest indulgence is definitely that I eat restaurant food 'far' too much!

If you had to have one last meal, what would it be?

Very hard to narrow down but a great fillet steak would suit me.

What is your favourite TV Show and why?

The Office & The Thick of It are probably the standouts - I like comedies that are quite dry and sarcastic, which reflects my sense of humour!

If you could be anywhere right now, where would it be and who would be with you?

I’ve never been one to wish my life away, but having said that Australia isn’t bad at this time of year..! I am lucky to be working for a company I like, influencing my hometown, and I'm able to enjoy loads of good times with friends and family outside of this.

Lasting memories of Princethorpe

Princethorpe was a really close knit, welcoming school that allowed me to find my path in my life. I made some great friends and enjoyed some really great times which I will always remember.

Are you in touch with any other Old Princethorpians, if so whom? 

Our year group was really close - to this day, there are approx 20+ of us that will see each other regularly. Some of us still play sport together - even back at Princethorpe on Monday nights - and we always enjoy a laugh and a drink whenever we can arrange a party.

Is there anyone you would like to track down?

With technology nowadays there haven’t really been many friends that I have fallen out of contact with. However, I’d hope that the teachers who taught me are doing well, and that the foreign exchange/part time staff who helped our year are enjoying life wherever they are in the world. Thanks!

OP Paul Smith (1975-82) contacted us back in early November to let us know that his good friend and fellow Old Princethorpian, Adrian (Ade) McBride had very sadly passed away a few weeks before aged just 51.

Paul remembers...

We both left the College in 1982 and attended Oxford Poly (as it was then) keeping in touch as the years passed. Adrian’s two brothers also went to the College and his elder sister Dominica also taught at Princethorpe for a while.

I went to his funeral last week which was well attended  - although we both went to Princethorpe a long time ago, I am sure some ex pupils and staff will remember him fondly. We both studied A-level and O-level Economics with the recently retired Peter Griffin who may recall us but I guess alot of pupils will have passed through his classes since we left.

His funeral also highlighted his love for poetry which I know was heavily influenced by our English teacher Barbara Carpenter who taught us both at O-level.

We thank Paul for getting in touch and our thoughts and prayers go out to Adrian's partner, his children, family and friends.

Huge congratulations to Fiona Lane and her partner David Smith on the birth of little Freddie Smith-Lane.

Fiona left Princethorpe in 2000 at the end of Year 11. And from there she went into the family business, they have a bait farm and a fishing tackle and country clothing shop in Coventry, W.H.Lane & Son, which she now runs with her two brothers who also went to Princethorpe. David and Tom Lane.

Fiona got engaged to David Smith earlier this year and Freddie Smith-Lane was born on Friday 5 Feburary 2016, weighing in at 7.15lb at Warwick Hospital.

We wish them all the very best with the joys of parenthood!

James Goodfellow OP, who died tragically in a motor accident on 1 December 2015, aged 30, is remembered warmly by Princethorpians for his friendliness, kindness and fairness.

James was someone who contributed much to the musical life of the school under the guidance of Sue Francis. He was easy-going, good-humoured and able to get on with everyone. He had grown accustomed to being surrounded by school life as his father was employed by Rugby School, where James had worked during school holidays.

On leaving school, James had a growing love of agriculture and the countryside and ultimately established his own company, The Wild Oven, based in Stratford-upon-Avon which catered for weddings and outdoor events. James could turn his hand to anything, including cutting a hole in the side of his immaculate Land Rover Defender to accommodate an oven which was used to cook delicious food, all sourced from British farms.

James’s entrepreneurial skills won him the respect of many and he was always wonderfully supported by his parents and a wide circle of friends to whom we extend our deepest sympathy. James was Goodfellow by name and good fellow by nature.

Many congratulations to OP James Ferris who got married to fiancee Simone Costello on 23 May 2015.

James is Assistant Head at Princethorpe's Junior School, Crackley Hall and Simone is a Clothing Supply Chain Analyst for Sainsbury's Supermarkets.

We wish them both every happiness in the future!

Congratulations to OP Cressida Woodcock who is getting married to her fiancee Joshua Swales in the Cotswolds on Saturday 1 July 2017.

The happy couple became engaged in Monaco in September 2015.

Joshua works in recruitment in Birmingham and Cressida is a Contract Consultant for Manpower in Lutterworth. The couple live in Rugby (where Cressida is from) but Josh originally harks from Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire.

We wish them both all the happiness in the world!

OP Matt Parsons has been working at the College since 2012, here he recounts how love blossomed for him and fiancee Kate at Princethorpe.

Kate Boothroyd arrived at Princethorpe College as a new Spanish teacher in September 2012 and I started the summer before as a Design Technology teacher. We got to know each other later in the summer term as we both went on the Year 7 French trip. From then on we became closer friends and as time passed we became inseparable. She became my best friend and we realised soon after that we had feelings for each other, so we decided to date.

Things moved fast. We spent the summer touring round France in my camper van and realised that we wanted to spend our lives together. On her birthday on October 8th and after only seven months of dating I asked her to marry me. To my delight she said yes and we are getting married on 21st October 2016.

Princethorpe has given me so much. Not only a fantastic education, a wonderful job, superb friends and endless opportunities, it has given me the person that I've been looking for all my life. My soul mate, best friend and love of my life.

A huge congratulations to Cat Welch (nee Silcock) and her husband Julian on the safe arrival of their third son, Francis Alexander Benjamin Welch.

Francis, or Frankie as he is known, was born in a pool in the living room at home on 14 October, while his brothers (Fred, aged six years and Felix, aged three) slept upstairs. He weighed in at 8lbs 2oz.

Frankie was baptised on 15 November. Cat's brother Donald (1991-1993 Princethorpe) is godfather to all three boys.

We wish the whole family all the very best.

Back in October the OPs were set another archive challenge by James Hubbard to track down a poem he wrote about the school in 1985/86 for Mr Weir who lived at the end of the school drive.

James remembered that it started, "In the rolling English countryside its proud red tower stands.." and that it was in the college magazine.

Archivist Nick Baker duly rose to the challenge and managed to find James' poem and email it over to him.. Here it is below, as relevant today as it was back then!

PRINCETHORPE

In the rolling English countryside

Its proud red tower stands

a tranquil seat of learning

for boys from many lands.

Young voices ring, within its walls

There stands a corridor

Adorned with cups and trophies

Won by boys from Austin, Benet, Fisher, More.

From the playing fields away to the west

Under the winter sun

Comes the heartening cry “Just one more try”

And then the match is won.

Run the race, play the game

And heed your teacher’s call

A healthy body, an active mind

And Christ reigns over all,

JAMES HUBBARD

Spanish OP Jaime Arriole and his wife Paula came to Princethorpe in December on a flying visit.  Jaime was at Princethorpe from 1988 - 1990.

He takes up the story....

My parents wanted us to improve our level of English so they thought about sending us to a boarding school in England for one or two years. My eldest sister studied in the mid-eighties in Thornton College (Milton Keynes) and my parents asked the Headmistress at that time, Sister Genevieve Deveraux, for a good school for boys and she highly recommended Princethorpe. 

When I think of those days I remember many and very good times, most of all usually ending with an angry teacher or Father Sweeney ...!!

I remember one day in particular that a few of the Spanish students decided to show some bullfighting with some cows. A few English boys also tried but we thought we were more “professional” just because we were Spanish, ha ha ha. Eventually the shepherd saw us and he and his dog chased us to the school. When we crossed the door (I think it was the West door, next to the French classes), we ran inside and pushed the door so hard that it slammed leaving one of us outside, trapped between the building and the shepherd with his dog!!! We had to write a letter of apology and promise him that there would be no more bullfighting! ha, ha, ha.

The thing is that weekends were very long and we could think of any kind of entertainment, such as exploring the passages all around the school (pity that none took us to the girls’ bedrooms ...).

After graduating in Law and doing a Masters in Madrid, I worked in an international company in different parts of Spain and South America. Nowadays, I work in our family business which is dedicated to art and specifically with antique books.

With my family we travel a lot, we love it! Any time we have some spare days, we travel all around the world to get to know different places and cultures.

I loved going back to the College. It was something I wanted to do long ago but never found the time. Two months ago, my sisters and brothers made my wife Paula and me a present: it was a journey organised to visit Princethorpe and its surroundings. My sister organised it with Melanie Butler. Thank you Melanie!

I remembered everything bigger. The entrance tower is high, but I remembered it huge, with its two great trees in front. Also the corridors I remembered to be very long ... Everything looks much bigger when you are smaller!!

I missed the lockers in the corridors, the toilets at the end... and it was a pity that it is no longer a boarding school.

But overall, the school retains the same spirit as 28 years ago ... !!!

Archivist Nick Baker and former St Mary’s Priory pupil Biddy Allen (née Baines) look over one of the college farm ledgers from 1892, which was passed on via Biddy’s late father, Lewis Baines, who ran the home farm at Princethorpe for the Benedictine nuns, providing the monastery with meat and vegetables. Lew continued to take charge of the farm for the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart and was still looking after the grounds of the school well into his nineties. Lew always referred to Princethorpe as his “little bit of heaven on earth”.

The ledger forms part of a collection of memorabilia amassed by Biddy and her late parents. Her mother, Joan, who came to the village from Handsworth in Birmingham as a land girl in the war, had assiduously kept scrap books which Biddy has kindly passed on to the archive, along with many other pieces which fit into the Princethorpe jig-saw puzzle.

Biddy and Roy Allen lived in nearby Marton for 40 years before moving to Rugby near to where their son lives. Biddy is still active in Marton helping to look after the collection at the village museum and was one of the last pupils to attend the Priory which closed in 1966 as a girls’ boarding school for about seventy pupils.

The next St Mary’s Priory reunion will take place as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations on Saturday 24 September 2016 at Princethorpe. All past pupils are most welcome to attend the event which will include a tour of school and celebratory lunch.

Nick Baker and Old Princethorpian, Alex Darkes, are co-authoring a souvenir book to be published next August as part of the College’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.  For more information or to register your interest in the book please email Melanie Butler.

The Old Princethorpians were pleased to hear from Nick Eadon who attended the school from 1966 to 1970 and was a weekly boarder. 

We passed his details onto fellow pupil Sean Kerrigan whom he remembered well.

Nick left the College and went into the Merchant Navy, we found an article from a 1972 edition of the College magazine including news of his travelling the world.

Nick now lives in Upton-upon-Severn and runs a fostering agency called Foundation Fostering.

Mary E Wheildon OP -  St Mary’s Priory 1956 -61 - travelled to Antarctica on the Shackleton Centenary Expedition from 18th November – 12th December 2014

I was privileged to travel with Ice Tracks Expeditions + Friends of Scott Polar Research Institute on their Shackleton Centenary Voyage to the Falklands, South Georgia & Antarctica with Lecturers including the late Henry Worsley, 11 descendants of Ernest Shackleton’s men & 80 other passengers who were all so keen to fulfil their dreams, aspirations & see a world so beautiful & historic.

Some of the passengers had worked in the Antarctic, for some the knowledge & love of the Heroic age is a hobby, for the descendants it was stepping into the memories of their grandparent’s tales on the lap as children. Others found deeper knowledge from all the stories shared by the lecturers, the friends & purely being in the historic locations.

We enjoyed two days on the Falkland Islands enjoying amazing wildlife, glorious countryside, wonderful bays & a marvellous insight into life in the capital Stanley both present & historic.

While at sea life was a mixture of lectures, life on deck spotting albatross, prions, petrels, storm-petrels, fulmars & of course looking out for whales when not eating, drinking or socialising. When all that was done – maybe relaxing in the hot tub or even the sauna!

I am so in love with South Georgia, for me it is the number one island in the world – Bhutan number one country after six visits! The beauty, the wildlife and the drama both climatic and historic are unsurpassed. Landing at King Haaken Bay was an honour, here with the descendants of Shackleton & his brave men who movingly read from the diaries while the penguins, seals and birds went about their daily routine.

The joy when we saw the endemic & critical South Georgia Pipit & the Wilson’s Storm Petrel as well as the South Georgia Pintail who at last are increasing after the eradication of the rats from the island which had been brought in & multiplied catastrophically with the whalers. These are all now happily on the increase after tremendous fundraising to spread the bait – not an easy or cheap challenge taking helicopters, pilots & staff so far from civilization. The herd of reindeer that was also introduced by the whalers has also been culled as they were eating the endemic plants relied upon by the endemic fauna – we enjoyed the last of the venison aboard!

The Centenary service we held at the tiny Norwegian church at Grytviken was solemn, moving & again a privilege to attend. Descendants of Shackleton, Wordie, Orde-Lees, McCarthy, Kerr, Spencer Smith, Ferrar spoke with Rear Admiral Nick Lambert (former Captain of the Endurance & Chairman of SPRI) taking the service. Henry Worsley, who is the only man to have sledge-hauled both the North Pole & South Pole also spoke, he was our Historian in residence.

From the church we walked to Shackleton’s grave beside his right hand man’s grave Frank Wild & raised a glass to ‘The Boss’. With the wildlife, a tour of the remains of the whaling & the museums visited, it was time to head towards the South Shetland Islands & onwards to Cape Wild on Elephant Island. We were all ready to land at Elephant Island but  as ever, the weather got the better, we could but look with pure amazement how & where Shackleton & those brave men landed & survived for oh so long.

There were more landings where we enjoyed the company of so much wildlife. The characters of the various penguin species, both young & mature, the birdlife simply amazing & the flora – well: tough!

Our camaraderie continued to strengthen the further into the trip we travelled, listening & learning from the stories, experiences & travels of those we joined over breakfast, lunch & dinner; over a cup of tea, a smoothie or a beer in the morning; over a cup of tea & biscuit or that early glass of wine or whisky (or vodka) in the afternoon. Social life was at its best, more stories and songs & of course history.

But excitement gathered momentum landing after landing as we sailed the South Scotia Sea towards the Antarctic; we sighted more whales, enjoyed fabulous sunsets; icebergs became a more frequent photographic challenge and always the chance of a good picture of the seabirds.

We had with us some penguin researchers who were counting & studying each of the colonies we came to; from these young men we learned how modern technology allows them to count from satellite surveillance besides noting that a healthy colony will leave pink snow rather than an unhealthy colony green, produced from bile meaning that they were hungry – sometimes caused by over fishing of their krill. Recently unknown colonies have been discovered by this method.

Arriving down at the Antarctic shelf we were blessed with unbelievable sights, weather & wildlife. The waters were home to a few whales but many more penguin colonies, seals & icebergs, brash and other incredible ice forms.

We were able to climb high to gain better views, some enjoying sliding back down benefiting from the wet weather gear provided by the ship. These had kept us dry through thick & thin, but their jackets had to be left at the bottom of the slope as the temperature reached an amazing 22c.

We experienced our final zodiac cruise amongst icebergs, some resembled birds, animals & even the Sydney Opera house joined by spouting whales, cormorants & a leopard seal.

Again conditions prevented us when attempting to sail through the Gerlache Straights but the pleasures of a surprise ‘Drake Lake’ rather than the more challenging Drake Shake returning to ‘Cape Horn’ were much appreciated! It was beyond belief that I was able to stand out on deck with my evening glass of wine in hand taking the sun on that historically challenging point.

Our trip aboard the Vavalov, having finally sailed up the Beagle Channel had ended but our group had jelled like no other. We had learned so much from our incredible lecturers, we had been saturated in each other’s stories of ancestors, friends, experiences & travel. We were full of anticipation for future trips no more importantly than that of our great Polar Historian Henry Worsley. He was to attempt to cross the South Pole unaided on Shackleton’s planned route for the Endeavour Fund.

I met him again at a lunch party in September just as he was going into his training. Although held up for three weeks in Punte Arenas waiting for the weather to better, he finally started on this amazing challenge.

We have all been listening into his daily recordings; some days full of enthusiasm & joy, others drained after a day of pure uphill slog. Sadly just 30 miles from his goal after almost 1000 miles he was taken off the ice with what he felt was exhaustion - sadly this proved to be peritonitis, being ‘spent’ his body just closed down. What a tragedy – the loss of such a warm, enthusiastic, competent and kind man; he leads the modern Heroic Age.

I have been privileged.   

MW - 8 February 2016                        

Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa - February 10 - 20 at 7.30 pm (excluding Sunday)

Princethorpe LAMDA teacher, Mary MacDonald, leads the company as Juno in Juno and the Paycock, playing at the Loft Theatre later this month. The play also features two of Princethorpe's young actors, Head Boy, Josh Popham and Old Princethorpian, Ed Statham, both making their debut at Leamington's Loft Theatre.

Hilarity and tragedy go hand in hand in Sean O’Casey’s masterpiece of Irish drama – featuring a trademark mix of comic double acts, consequences of war and rich and vibrant characters. Sudden news of an inheritance provokes dreams of escape from poverty for the Boyle family but, even before their rowdy celebrations are done, reality reasserts itself. A play to have you crying and laughing almost at the same time, with comedy and tragedy rubbing shoulders like Captain Boyle and Joxer leaning against a Dublin bar, pints of porter in hand. 

Director, Gus MacDonald, is delighted with the way the play is shaping up: "I've been lucky to gather an absolutely super company in what is one of the most highly-regarded plays of the 20th century. It truly is a classic. Josh and Ed have been brilliant - hard working, reliable and with a fine talent for both comedy and waving guns around in a threatening manner! It's going to be a great evening's entertainment."

Please go along and support our Princethorpe actors.  For more information and booking details look on-line at www.loft-theatre.co.uk.

A little bird has approached Old Princethorpians to wish OP Kate Critchley a big 'Happy Birthday' for Friday 19 February.

We were told that a lady never gives her age away but it is a BIG birthday!

We hope she has a lovely day!

Kate is pictured with husband Peter at last year's Summer Supper.

You may well recognise a family likeness when first spotting Crackley Hall's Reception Class' new Teaching Assistant, Antony. The clue’s in the surname - Kefalas. Little brother to Miss Rod Kefalas, Antony has joined the team in Early Years to work primarily with the youngest Crackley Hall pupils. “I’m really loving it”, he announces, “primary school work was something I had never considered until I did a two week work experience placement here last summer. It’s brilliant”.

Coming from an ICT background, the Old Princethorpian seems totally at home in Reception’s brightly coloured large classroom. Antony goes on to say, “I’d never been to Crackley before last summer but had obviously heard good things about it from my sister, Rod. It’s sort of strange us both working here but we’re so busy that to be honest we hardly ever see each other!”

Antony will also be putting his sporting acumen to good use by assisting with Key Stage 2 Games as well as some ICT support across the curriculum. And what does big sister make of Antony’s recent arrival? “It’s amazing to see how brilliant he is with the smaller pupils.” Confesses Miss Kefalas, “I think he will be excellent and you never know, he may end up staying as long as I have!”

Good luck, Antony, and welcome to the Crackley Hall family.

Talented singer Lucy Stanton is resorting to 'rocket fuel' to launch her singing career. She takes up the story...

Rocket Fuel is a fan-funding support project that helps aspiring artists raise money to reach their 'goals'. I heard about it from a scout who emailed me after the TeenStar competition Grand Finals in Birmingham. Currently, I have completed my first goal which was to write and record an original song which I will be 'releasing' on my Rocket Fuel page on the 12th February. https://rocketfuelhq.com/lucy-stanton

I am currently working towards my second goal, which is to write and record an EP (Extended Play) which will include two more original songs that will be recorded. I set up my Rocket Fuel page to encourage people to buy/donate/subscribe, and so far have managed to raise nearly £600. It is now an ongoing process to raise as much as I can for these up coming tracks, and I will be adding things like gig tickets for people to come and hear me sing.

To support Lucy's rocket fuel fund visit https://rocketfuelhq.com/lucy-stanton.

We're hoping that Lucy will be in the musical line-up for Princefest on Saturday 3 September, so more people will get to enjoy her vocal talents then!