THE OLD DENSTONIAN CHRONICLE VOLUME 55 2019 Denstone College, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, ST14 5HN Tel: 01889 590484 Fax: 01889 591295 e-mail: Richard Lewis [email protected] THE O.D. CHRONICLE 1 Andy Heath (Selwyn 1980-1985) Andy came to Denstone and Selwyn House in Michaelmas Term 1980 from Leek High School. The initial transition from local comprehensive to Denstone’s more demanding curriculum and the challenge of building friendships within the established networks from Smallwood Manor was quickly negotiated and Andy thoroughly enjoyed his time at College. Blessed with little co-ordination and a glacial turn of speed, sport was always a challenge although he was an enthusiastic front row forward for the reserve XV’s. Board honours were unlikely unless 1st XI scorers should ever receive recognition, whilst his athletic highlight was managing to finish 6th in the U16 Paarlauf, a selection mischievously foisted on him by a Housemaster exasperated by recurring misdemeanours. Academically stronger, he went on to study languages and Classics at A Level with strong encouragement from Sam Trounson, David Dexter and Ken Ryder, and in his final year was House Captain. Leaving Denstone in 1985, he read Ancient History and Latin at Swansea before training as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in Nottingham, qualifying in 1991. With no great desire to remain in practice, he moved into industry in the early 1990s, initially with Vision Express. The sense of curiosity and adventure gained at Denstone led him to take on a wide range of international roles, helping to set up new ventures in Argentina, the Baltics, Hungary, Poland and the Philippines, before leaving in the late ‘90s to build a new optical business in Moscow. Returning to the UK before the millennium, a change of direction to financial services led to senior roles within Capital One, including three years in Johannesburg before moving to the North West as Finance Director for a small PLC. These days he splits his time between running his own property business and a new start-up, recycling low density plastic polymer film. A keen Stoke City supporter and season ticket holder, over the years he has endured many disappointments in the company of fellow OD’s Andy Swales (L 79-85) and James Tew (P 79-84). When time allows, Andy is an enthusiastic golfer and member of the OD Golf Society and, since 2013, has been Honorary Treasurer of the OD Club, having permitted himself to be talked into it at the 19th hole by past president and his close contemporary at College, Tim Venner. THE O.D. CHRONICLE 2 Dear OId Denstonians, It almost goes without saying that it is a great honour to be asked to take up the office for this coming year. I first came to the College nearly 40 years ago, feeling very much the outsider, but soon learned that the key to enjoying my time there was to throw myself into the daily maelstrom of events and activities and to build strong friendships with the very diverse people that surrounded me. Denstone fostered in me an abiding curiosity to experience new adventures whilst providing me with the support of enduring friendships to anchor those experiences. Since leaving Denstone my involvement with the Club was, like most of us, confined to receiving the annual edition of the Chronicle, but a few years ago I was asked to take a more active role within the Club as Treasurer. Since then, I’ve been lucky to meet OD’s of many generations as well as both former and current members of staff, allowing me to see both Coll and my relationship to it in a fresh light. The Club, like many other Alumni societies and traditional membership groups, continues to face challenges in maintaining an active membership. I would encourage everyone to keep in touch with events and reunions through the Association webpages or simply to see what others are doing on the informal Facebook page. If you have any ideas that you feel the Club can support, please don’t be afraid to ask for our help. The volume of activity on Facebook in particular is testimony to the continued desire of Old Denstonians of all generations to keep in touch with the wider group and offers a much more immediate and interactive medium than, though should be seen in addition to, the annual Chronicle publication. I would like to thank the administrators, Marty Wildman, Jock Coats and Jack Charles for their work on the page. Social media does provide us all with enhanced opportunities to keep in touch, yet they do not compare to the enjoyment of meeting friends in real life, be that at the annual Test Match with Jon Ward and Phil Deere, toasting Tim Venner’s wedding with Jonnie Hackett, and Adrian Morris amongst others or catching up with contemporaries after 30 years as I’ve been lucky enough to do in the last 12 months. I am looking forward to THE O.D. CHRONICLE 3 meeting as many more of you as I can at the Manchester and South West OD Club Dinners in February and May respectively. I’d like to thank Tom Kemp and Tony Norris for their kind hospitality at the London OD Club Dinner in October. We were fortunate to have Miles Norris, our new Headmaster, join us and share with us his vision for the College. Denstone has seen remarkable success and transformation in recent years yet there appears to be no resting on laurels. On behalf of the Club I wish Miles and his team every success in his new role. I would also thank him for his keen interest in the OD Club and in maintaining a strong relationship between College, Association and Club. At the recent Executive Committee Meeting, we discussed a number of initiatives, including working jointly to preserve the large volume of archive material we hold, as well as plans for commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the College’s founding in a few years time. Most excitingly, though, it was agreed to ask the Club’s members to use up to £10,000 of our financial reserves each year to provide Bursary funds to support the College in transforming the lives of students from less advantaged backgrounds. In this way we can use some of our significant resources not just for the benefit of past members of College but future generations. I would ask you all to support the proposed resolution at the forthcoming AGM. Finally I would like to thank the Officers of the Club and Trustees for all of their hard work during the year and their continued support through 2019. Best wishes Andy Roger Trotman was appointed President for 2017-18, with Alan Fox and Andy Heath being appointed Joint Vice Presidents. All ODs who have been involved with the Club during the last year will wish to thank Roger for his valuable input into the club and for his work as a Trustee. Andy Heath took over the Presidency at the AGM in May and Alan Fox will succeed him at the 2019 AGM. 2018 has been a very important year for Coll and the OD Club because we have said goodbye to David Derbyshire as Headmaster for the last 20 years. A presentation was made to him at the SW OD Club Dinner which he attended and at which he spoke of his attachment to Coll over many years. Old Denstonians will remember David for ‘rescuing’ our school from near oblivion and for this we will always thank him. His successor, Miles Norris, who has been Deputy Head for many years, has been appointed Headmaster and under his leadership we will continue to feel proud to be ex-pupils of Denstone College. THE O.D. CHRONICLE 4 The OD Club has indicated to Miles that they wish to help the College to provide facilities for pupils who have special requirements and the Club will make an annual donation to his projects. The Regional Clubs have diminished with the closure of the Manchester Club in February 2019. This does mean that there are only two regional Clubs which still function: London and the SW Club. The Committee is considering the creation of new clubs which recognise the changing demographics of the current pupils and the technology which enables all pupils to maintain contact with their friends which makes physical clubs less important than in previous years. The Council, Executive and OD Committees have met regularly and they continue to guide the Club under their Chairman, Dr Chris Walker. All ODs are eligible to stand for any Committee and anyone interested in doing so should contact the Secretary on the email shown below. The Club would benefit greatly from ODs, both male and female, who have been at Coll over the last few years, as this has been a time of considerable change for the better and therefore ODs experiences during this time will be much appreciated. The Trustees have maintained our financial situation in good health. All leavers are invited to complete a mini questionnaire which details their life at Coll and this information is held on the Association database under the scrutiny of Judy Teather, to be used to promote the OD Club and to inform ODs of events and reunions being held at Coll. It may also be used by ODs wishing to contact other ODs: any such request has to be made by email or in writing to the Association to comply with GDPR rules. Any information which ODs wish to give regarding themselves or friends who have passed away during the year may be sent to me for either forwarding to the next Chronicle or for updating the Association database.