ClocktowerR G S ALUMNI Keeping alumni in touch with and each other Winter/Spring 2015 Issue 7 A king Golden reborn boy Bringing Diving faces from star Jack the past triumphs at to life the Games

Most Back desirable from the schools brink RGS in How losing it the North’s all made Sean top five a winner

PLUS We report on boarding life today as RGS offers more places and CBI leader opens new classroom block 1 R G S ALUMNI A letter from Athe letter head girlfrom and the headboy girl and boy Where are they now? Have you ever wondered what happened to those old friends you lost touch with? Paul Heap finds out what some former RGS students are up to now Dear former students, Dr Paul Hullah, pictured right and in WE hope you enjoy reading the newspaper clipping, below left (left RGS in latest edition of Clocktower, 1981) which is full of stories and news Insatiable cravings for books and betterment about our school, not just from instilled and installed deep in my vernal the past and present but also nomadic heart by unsurpassable RGS looking to the future. mentor- teachers, I entered Edinburgh University in 1981 to achieve an MA (first As head boy and girl, we are class with honours) in English language constantly finding out more and literature and, subsequently, a PhD about RGS and the diversity (‘The Poetry of Christina Rossetti’), partly of opportunities offered to funding/interrupting my studies with students here. work as a musician and journalist. Active, notorious, and impecunious awhile on the UK Discovering what pupils from to us about careers and give underground music and arts scene (labelled previous years go on to do us advice, invaluable. We are a ‘silver-tongued devil’ by Sounds, and my after leaving RGS can often be extremely grateful to those who band, Teenage Dog Orgy, hailed as ‘legendary’ particularly inspirational. An help with interview practice and by the NME), I fled to Japan in 1992 and have engineer who is now technical offer work experience too. taught English literature at universities there director of the team, for the last 22 years. I am currently tenured Tim Casson, pictured left and the forensic anthropologist who We hope you enjoyed your time Associate Professor of British Poetry and above (left RGS in 2001) recreated the face of Richard at RGS as much as we do now Culture at Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, and I trained atThe BRIT School and Bird III and a former entrepreneur and would love you to come co-founder of Liberlit, an organization for College before completing an MA who is building his own eco- back to talk to us about what ‘discussion and defence of the role of literary in contemporary dance at London friendly home are among the you have done since you left texts in the English curriculum’ worldwide. Contemporary Dance School. Since many remarkable past pupils school. I am sure we would then I’ve had a wide-ranging career, I have published, presented, and performed featured in this issue. benefit from your experience. performing with dance companies such internationally in literary studies, EFL, and Please keep in touch. as Jasmin Vardimon Company, featuring Staff at RGS work hard to multimedia poetics, and have published in various music videos, commercials, prepare us for life after school With best wishes, 14 textbooks for English learners in Japan, the movie ‘World War Z’, and covering but we also find the help we most featuring ‘literary’ texts at their core: the role of Puck in Opera North’s get from former students, Lauren Langham and Nick recent textbooks include Britain Today: Old production of Benjamin Britten’s A who return to school to talk Edwards Certainties, New Contradictions (Cengage, Judith Allen, pictured left (left RGS in 1996) I set up Farming For All — which provides activities for 2011) and Rock UK: A Sociocultural History people at risk of social or educational exclusion so that they can regain confidence and self-esteem — in 2009 Midsummer Night’s Dream. of British Popular Music (Cengage, 2013). after working in a range of outdoor, farm and countryside based jobs and realising how much the outdoors My first award-winning collection of poetry, really helps people therapeutically. As well as performing, I work And Here’s What You Could Have Won, was extensively in dance education, leading published in Britain in 1997 by Dionysia Press; After school, I initially took on a range of jobs and travelled for two years around the world, then returned projects across the country. I am my sixth collection Scenes (a book-and-vinyl currently the course leader for The and worked for Battersea Dogs Home as a re-homer, becoming a park ranger and rare breeds farmer before album collaboration with Edinburgh musician/ National Youth Dance Company and artist Martin Metcalfe) was published in Au- taking a teaching qualification and going on to set up FFA in order to create a place of safety, calm, learning ‘JV2’,the Jasmin Vardimon professional gust 2014 by Word Power. and development where the environment and animals are used to benefit individuals’ needs. It has gone from development certificate course. a bedroom business to its new format and we have just launched Sweet Tree Farming For All which is a joint In 2013 I received the Asia Pacific Brand venture in which we will be starting to work in London as well as Hertfordshire and are also building our own I also choreograph for the stage, Laureate International Personality Award, an Care Farm in Mill Hill. www.farmingforall.org.uk honour endorsed by the 4th Prime Minister of television and opera, and am currently Malaysia as well as the country’s 13th King. an Associate Artist at Pavilion Dance The award citation stated that I was selected Nick Chester, pictured left and top left in the South West. In 2013, I founded my for ‘paramount contribution to the cultivation De Grey line up photo, right, (left RGS in 1987) company Casson & Friends, with of literature [that has] exceptionally a view to creating contemporary restored the appreciation of poetry... [and] I graduated from Cambridge in 1991 and joined dance performance with a focus on contribution to the literary education of Research to work on vehicle simulation collaboration. One of my projects, ‘The ATELIER exclusivestudents RGS in Asia.’ I amalumni currently working 10% on discount offer projects. When Simtek launched its own F1 team Dance WE Made’ has also set a new a critical study of the poetry of Christina in 1994 I was fortunate to travel with the team, Dr Paul Hullah (second right, above) helped win RGS’s first computer in 1980. world record! Rossetti to be published in Britain in 2015. working for Simtek Grand Prix analysing data at the He was a member of the team from the sixth form economics group that track in addition to vehicle simulation. triumphed in an inter-schools competition, The Yorkshire Post ICL Business I am blessed and very content. So many good You can find out more at Game, in 1980 “It was RGS’s very first computer, although we all left the www.cassonandfriends.com, and on my things in my life, and in me, I owe to RGS. I joined Arrows in 1995 to move into suspension school before it arrived,” says Dr Hullah. The winning team, above, from own website www.timcasson.co.uk [email protected] is where my cage design and in 1997 I took on the position of left: John Shinn, Trevor Hall, Richard Brown, Paul Green, Paul Hullah and can be rattled. (If I don’t owe you money, performance engineer for and Pedro Stephen Clegg. please do so.) Diniz before becoming race engineer for and in 1998 and 1999 respectively. It was a great period at as the team The start of the 2000 season heralded the beginning CONTACT US secured both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ World of my Enstone career, joining Benetton as test Championships in the 2005 & 2006 seasons under the [email protected] engineer to , and COVER STORY F1 banner. . Professor Caroline Wilkinson, who left RGS in 1984, Editor: Ruth Savage By 2010 I became head of performance systems, The following year I graduated to the role of went on to become an internationally renowned overseeing the team’s vehicle performance group, Deputy editor: Nicola Woolfenden performance engineer for Fisichella before adopting expert in craniofacial identification. Currently control systems and dyno operations. In 2011 I took on the same position alongside between Careers editor: Ian Pringle the new role of engineering director before becoming Director of Liverpool School of Art and Design, she 2002 – 2004; helping the Italian to his first and only technical director of the Lotus F1 team at Enstone in Alumni news editor: Paul Heap used to enjoy playing for the school hockey team Grand Prix win at the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix. May 2013. and is pictured second left in the back row of this Design: Ruth Savage picture. Read her story on pages 10-12. In 2005 I took on a new posting as head of vehicle Artworker: Suzanne Ryan. performance group; encompassing suspension, *Read Nick’s career story in the next brakes and simulation. edition of Clocktower 2 3 R G S ALUMNI

genuine British sports star. That will inevibly and Grant Nel thanks to a wonderfully consistent present challenges, but with his happy-go-lucky series of dives. Banishing persona and laidback attitude, the teenager appears more than capable of handling them. “I went to bed the night before and all I could think about was nailing those dives,” said the Olympic “I love having a higher profile and being in Laugher. “We laid them down pretty well. the limelight a bit,” said Laugher, who has Everything that happened in the 3m just gave successfully banished me a really good feeling the memories of a that I could go out there nightmare disappointing London and do everything I could Olympics thanks to to get another gold. That the strength of his In the two years was all I wanted really.” If you missed the diving on performances at the Glasgow Games. The joy when their final TV, read Scott Wilson’s since the London score was confirmed was report from the Games on the “It’s a great thing, clear to see, and the and it’s fantastic Olympics, pair’s close friendship is magnificent performance that when people show an clearly a key part of their won Jack his first gold medal, appreciation for what professional relationship you’re doing. in the pool. It says much and showed the world he’s Laugher has that they had to fight “I take a lot from that. not to break into giggles one to watch It’s great when people developed into one of as they received their are appreciative of the medals. 30 July 2014 work you’re putting in and the performances the leading “We say a lot to each you’re producing. It’s other whenever we’re FOR the vast majority of British great having the support competing,” said competitors, the London Olympics that we do, and diving Laugher. “We just try to divers in the world’ were the stuff of dreams. For Ripon in this country is just get each other laughing growing and growing because that calms us diver , however, the and growing. down. It can range from 2012 Games were an unmitigated Winner: everything from corny nightmare. Competing in the London Jack “You can tell by the crowds that we’re attracting jokes to movie references – it’s basically just Aquatic Centre as an inexperienced to events now, people know about diving and are two mates messing about.” Laugher 17- year-old, Laugher freely taking an interest in it. Having all that behind you, it just should spur you on to do really That is as maybe, but that ‘messing about’ means admits he froze on the biggest of well.” Laugher has returned to with stages. One of his dives in the 3m three Commonwealth medals in his possession. springboard qualifying round went so Laugher certainly seems to have drawn inspiration spectacularly wrong it earned a score from the level of crowd support at Edinburgh’s “The Commonwealth Games have been an of zero, and he was left slapping the Royal Commonwealth Pool at the Games, and absolute dream for me,” he said. “I was hoping after missing out on another potential gold medal to do well, and I thought if I could come away water in frustration as his hopes of when he made a crucial error in his penultimate with three medals, it would be a dream come glory collapsed around him. All of dive in the individual programme, it says much true. which makes tonight’s triumph at about the strength of his character that he went the Commonwealth Games all the on to perform so strongly alongside his close “For two of them to be gold and the other one Golden boy more rewarding and uplifting. In the friend and house mate Chris Mears. silver is absolutely fantastic. And to get the last Jack Laugher, who left RGS last year, won two gold and one silver medal at the one alongside my best mate is just the best thing two years since London, Laugher has The pair finished fifth in the World Series this ever.” developed into one of the leading Commonwealth Games. Leading North-East sports journalist Scott Wilson was there season, a level of performance that entitled them divers in the world, with this month’s to start as strong favourites against the best of third place in the Shanghai World the Commonwealth. They still had to complete Cup confirming his ability to take on the job though, and eventually finished almost *Scott Wilson is chief sports writer on the best Chinese performers at their sk most people to name a British he claimed the 1m springboard crown, then 30 points clear of Australians Matthew Mitcham The Northern Echo own game. But the questions about diver, and if they don’t say added the synchronised 3m springboard title. Ashley Young, it’s a safe In between, he claimed silver in the 3m his ability to handle the pressure of a individual competition. bet the vast majority of major Games remained. Not anymore. Arespondents will plump for Tom Laugher didn’t just beat the best With his boyish looks and carefully gelled the Commonwealth has to offer in Daley. Young, photogenic and hair that would not look out of place in an Olympic bronze medallist One Direction, Laugher is attracting a the 1m springboard competition at at the age of just 18, Daley growing audience that stretches way Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth has transcended his sport to beyond those who would normally be Pool tonight – he demolished them, become a bona fide British interested in diving. claiming victory by a mammoth 45 celebrity, with all the various points, a margin that is just about His Twitter account has more than opportunities and pitfalls that 71,000 followers, he increasingly finds unheard of in elite-level diving. entails. himself stopped when he walks the streets Laugher’s performance in the of Leeds after a training session at the city’s preliminary round had marked him He has spearheaded his own TV shows, Splash John Charles Pool, and there has even been an out as a strong favourite in the final, and Tom Daley Goes Global, advertised a range internet campaign in which more than 1,000 but he trailed his team-mate, Chris of products and companies from British Gas to respondents demanded to know what music he Mears, after the opening two dives. Nestle, and found his private life thrust into the growing spotlight afforded to a sport that listens to when he clamps his state-of-the-art the public arena. Increasingly, it has become increasingly sees British competitors challenging headphones to his ears after every dive. For the His third effort, which earned a string impossible to tell where Tom Daley the diver ends the traditional powerhouse of China. Laugher’s record, it’s “chilled out house”. of high marks, changed that, and with and Tom Daley the showbusiness star begins. recent hat-trick of medals — two golds and a Mears dropping away in the second If not quite yet a household name, these silver — at the Commonwealth Games makes half of the final, Laugher had opened All of which acts as both incentive and warning him not only the most successful diver at this Commonwealth Games will surely come to be to Jack Laugher as he increasingly finds himself particular Games, but also one of the biggest recognised as the point at which Laugher stopped outperforming Daley on the diving board and British winners in the event’s history. First, being just another diver and evolved into a Continued on page 21 challenging his team-mate’s monopolisation of

4 5 R G S ALUMNI The Good Schools Sunday Old Rips Guide has named Ripon Grammar Times lists to the School one of the RGS as top most desired schools rescue in the country. Ruth state school WHEN RGS’s talented under 18s Savage reports rugby team reached the final of in the North the prestigious Yorkshire Cup, there was just one problem. SCHOOLS in Yorkshire dominate The Sunday Times guide to the north of Their team strip was faded, ipon Grammar School is one England’s best secondary schools, worn and frayed at the edges. of the 35 most desired state but it is Ripon Grammar School that Staff and students alike were full schools in the country and takes the top state school spot. of pride as the boys prepared one of the top five most The only state school presence in to battle for the sought-after Rpopular in the North, according to trophy, the first time in living the Good Schools Guide. the paper’s Parent Power North memory that the school has Top 20 comes from three North got through to the final, which Experts from GSG, one of Britain’s Yorkshire grammar schools, with RGS famously won in 1894. most respected independent guides, RGS in the top spot, Girls’ And, following an appeal by Can you help which publishes detailed reviews High School two places behind Mike Garvey, head of boys’ PE, of 1,200 schools every year, have and Ermysted’s Grammar School a the Old Rips alumni association our students? highlighted those schools with strong further four places after that, in stepped in at short notice to buy academic performance which receive 20th position. Reporter Julie Henry a brand new £828 team strip, Please contact Bob Walker on the highest number of hits on the describes Ripon Grammar School ensuring our players looked their 07757 393504 or guide’s website. as having first class facilities: “And best when they ran out to meet [email protected] every child is expected to pursue at the challenge. if you can provide work Ripon Grammar School is one of the least one extra-curricular interest. placements. most high-achieving schools, which a Most students gain places at top large number of parents are clearly universities, including Oxford and Contact the RGS careers keen to get their children into, said Cambridge,” she adds. department on spokeswoman Janette Wallis. In the school’s latest ‘outstanding’ [email protected] Ofsted report, she says, students or 01765 602647 if you can help In the guide, RGS is described as: are described as ‘well-rounded in any other way, including “An unashamedly academic school, and confident’ and ‘outstanding with practice interviews, exemplifying much of the traditional ambassadors for the school.’ lunchtime presentations or RGS is a ‘highly workplace visits. English grammar school tradition, although certainly not an exam factory. £80,000 prize A fond farewell “It is a school that gives the desirable school THOUSANDS of past pupils impression of being happy with itself will remember being taught and its aims, sitting comfortably in Only five schools from the Midlands says the school strives to serve the by three of our longest its community – clearly wanted by and the North made it onto the GSG local community with a high quality serving members of staff who, the people of Ripon.’ list. The others are: Adams Grammar, education, in order to increase the In action: the RGS 1st XV Poignant tribute between them, gave almost Shropshire, Altrincham Girls’ life chances of ordinary boys and 70 years of their working lives Grammar, Cheshire, Fulford, York and girls, added: “I am delighted to The kit arrived just in time The guide emphasises that RGS’s to RGS before retiring in 2014. Tudor Grange, West Midlands. receive due recognition from such a for the game in Wakefield exam results are ‘consistently very Deputy head Mr McGrann respected guide which understands and, although the team didn’t good’, with many pupils going on to joined the school in 1994. Mrs Elizabeth Coatman, who heads up parental perception of schools. It is manage to come home with the to our WWI heroes top universities. Wise, former head of sixth the GSG’s state school advice service also testament to the excellent work cup, the boys did put in a high form, spent 22 years at the said: “I am delighted to extend undertaken by staff and students at quality performance against old The school is also ‘near the top LD boys and masters of Ripon Report by Sarah French school. Head of geography and of the tree nationally’ for adding awareness of the many excellent RGS.” adversaries Ermysted’s Grammar Grammar School who gave upper school, Mr Illingworth, value, it says. The GSG, which also state schools beyond London and the Talented: Stephen Laws School, of Skipton, and there their lives in the First World South-East, such as Ripon Grammar *See website for further details: O played by the boys and masters who joined RGS in 1989. “They will offers individual consultancy advice were some impressive individual War have been remembered with the all be missed very much,” said to parents, adds that the school is School.“And it’s in a beautiful part of www.ripongrammar.co.uk FORMER student Stephen Laws, who displays of skill and strength. unveiling of a centenary plaque. served and lost their lives in the headmaster Martin Pearman. Yorkshire’s only state the country too.” left RGS in 2013 and is now reading Coached by Alex Margerison and First World War. We will never forget and ‘much cheaper than independent RGS students excel in the arts engineering at Imperial College, Keith Miller, the talented team Nearly 300 former pupils and teachers them,” she said. alternatives.’ Headmaster Martin Pearman, who and sciences, below and left London, has been awarded the included James McDaniel, an from Ripon Grammar School served prestigious Kingsbury scholarship, A total of 49 wooden crosses were England U17 scrum half, centres their country in the war but 49 worth £20,000 a year for four years, planted next to the memorial stone, Tom Newby and Harry Lamb, who did not come home. In 1922, the recognising his outstanding potential in memory of those killed. Student have played for Yorkshire and Old Riponians—RGS’s past pupils’ and talent for engineering. Shannon Millar, whose father is in the skipper James Woolfenden, who association —purchased a field for Best in Yorkshire forces, recited Wilfred Owen’s poem has played for North Yorkshire. the school in memory of those who Stephen, who worked for the The Send Off. Martha Barber, 18, OUR students’ latest examination results place them top in Yorkshire. RGS is the top gave their lives in the 1914-18 war, agrochemical company Syngenta of Thirsk, played The Last Post and performing school at A level in North Yorkshire for the second year running, and the the boundary of which they marked through the Year in Industry Nicola Woolfenden, president Patrick Lindley carried the standard top state school in the whole of Yorkshire. More than 75 per cent of our 2014 A Level by installing a commemorative stone. scheme, says: “I would like to thank of the Old Rips, said: “We were on behalf of HMS Heroes, a national grades were A*/B. This placed RGS In this centenary year of the war, the RGS staff, particularly those who very pleased to be able to peer support initiative for children of 72nd in the Daily Telegraph national current Old Riponian alumni society taught me through sixth form. I offer our support to the team service families. To coincide with the league tables. At GCSE, 67.8 per cent decided to add a second plaque to the would not be in the position I am now and we congratulate the boys ceremony, the school library hosted an of grades were A*/A, with a third of stone with the words ‘Past Riponians without the help of the school.” on reaching the final of such remembered’. Former pupil Claire exhibition based on research Old Rips all results graded A*. Ranked on A/A* an impressive competition.” Green, whose father, brother, nephew, secretary Derek Crookes and retired per- centage, RGS was the highest Tatler praise Headmaster Martin Pearman said and uncle – who was killed in the teacher Greta Hills carried out into all performing school in North Yorkshire the school was very grateful to Second World War – also attended those former pupils and masters who at GCSE. RGS is the top school in the RGS gets a mention in the glossy the Old Rips for stepping in at Ripon Grammar School, unveiled the died in the First World War. country for progress between GCSE society magazine’s round-up of the such short notice. bronze plaque, made by her family’s and A Level and in the top 20% of best state schools in the UK: “We hear company HA Green and Sons: “We * Battle for survival: read our latest schools for progress up to GCSE. terrific things about Ripon Grammar, There’s always next year... gratefully acknowledge the part letter from the Front on P22-23. an outstanding state grammar,” says author Alice Rose. 6 7 R G S ALUMNI JOB MARKET ‘T echnology has changed so We seek out those companies much in the 20 years since I left RGS. Back then, we didn’t have any access which have connections with Ripon to computers, they were just starting ‘Where Grammar School and wish to to be introduced. At university we had advertise directly to our alumni: to go to the library and grab a copy of the book we needed for an assignment before they all went, and now kids just go to the internet on their smart phones to find all they need. have all the My husband Dave and I started Bronco, a digital marketing company, in 2003. He The Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) is a was into computers and very techy and it UK- based technology innovation centre. It uses was his desire to learn new technologies applied knowledge in science and engineering, that led us down this path. This was the combined with state of the art facilities, to enable beginning of our route in SEO (Search Engine its clients to develop, prove, prototype and Optimisation) and the demand for the bright RGS Favourite teacher: Dr Petchey service grew. As Dave was one of the first scale up the next generation of products and into the industry, his reputation grew and processes. Becky Naylor, left. The Bronco offices in Ripon, that’s how we got to where we are today. above From the early years of growing the business It works closely with industry, from multi-nationals we have travelled the world, attended huge to high-tech start-ups, investors, government conferences, have friends across the globe agencies and leading researchers to stimulate and have met the founders of Google. and manage market-led innovation. students We started the company when the time was right to go it alone. It’s a massive challenge CPI is constantly looking to appoint bright, when you give up paid employment, talented individuals to join its team and all especially when you have two young kids. positions offer competitive salaries plus attractive The main aim for the company in the first My RGS memories benefits packages. Recent posts include year was to have enough in the bank to pay Principal Technologist, Business Development the big quarterly bills. As we are an internet I WAS Becky Cooper back then and, having grown Assistant and In House Lawyer. service provider we have always hosted gone?’ up in Wakefield, joined RGS in September 1988, websites from our offices in Ripon. In the starting in the third year. When I go back to the early days our biggest overhead was paying Please check the CPI website for information on school for parents’ evenings or school events with the electricity and the cost of the internet current positions. my own children I always think it’s strange that it pipe, to keep the company switched on. Past pupil and digital marketing company boss Becky Naylor tells really hasn’t changed, it even smells the same. The company is based at Wilton in Redcar Now we work with global clients and local and has sites in Darlington and NETPark - the companies, including many brands that Rebecca Chamberlain that Ripon is suffering from a ‘massive My future career hadn’t even been invented when North East Technology Park in Sedgefield, don’t have a high street presence but I was at school and I was heading down the path County Durham - where world class science and are more well-known online, the likes of talent drain’ and urges former RGS students to come back home of being a teacher. History was always a passion CitiBank, WeBuyAnyCar, MeccaBingo, Coast of mine. I always remember history lessons with technology companies and individuals come Dr Petchey as being strangely entertaining with together . Fashion, 888.com, Schuh, Virgin, Sixt and MyVoucherCodes. We work across many Our main competitors are based in Leeds, is being taught at university about web We have always had strong links with his enthusiastic style of teaching. He certainly competitive industry sectors and have Manchester and London so we are often out design or SEO is often out of date before Ripon, and started Ripon Internet, which knew how to get into character. My history career In 2011, CPI was named as one of the clients based in the UK, USA, South Africa, of reach to many skilled individuals. the course has finished. Out of our 16 full is a free business directory and tourist ended, though, when, due to issues at home, I government’s elite network of Catapult Centres. Dubai and Tel Aviv. time staff, half are local, and I’m the only information website, in 2006. Before did really badly in my A levels, pretty much failed The High Value Manufacturing Catapult (HVMC) Ripon does have a massive talent drain, and one who went to RGS. One member of Discover Ripon, which is one of our clients history, and lost my place at Sheffield University is the catalyst for the future growth and success But one thing we struggle with is finding it can be seen in the workforce. We have the team relocated from Devon five years and Ripon’s official website, we designed to study it. I can’t even remember what my A of manufacturing in the UK and CPI is one of staff. We don’t have a problem keeping a great pool of talent that RGS attracts ago and our newest recruit has relocated and built Visit Ripon and the site’s main level results were now, but I strongly believe that only seven centres in the country to have been staff as many have and then students head from Newcastle. Another commutes from purpose is to promote Ripon to visitors. everything happens for a reason. Through clearing, I got onto a university course— administrative awarded such status. been with us for to university. Sadly there Bradford every day. Ideally Ripon needs We are always trying to put more back up to ten years, isn’t a great appeal to to work on keeping hold of talent and into the city and provide the skills to help management at the University of Humberside— which is brilliant. Brain drain return to Ripon to live encouraging students to return, but it’s hard other people out. that set me up to run a company and manage a Dr Tom Taylor is one of the directors at CPI and But because of our and work as graduates. when there isn’t a massive job market and team, which is how I got here today. I’m sure my he also sits on the Board of Governors here at location we don’t We are big supporters and house prices are out of reach. We never set out to be the biggest, and results when I left the school didn’t do the league Ripon Grammar School. have a large pool Only half of graduates sponsors of Ripon Rugby many of our competitors who started out tables much good that year, but success can always of talented people from the and Club and see the same So what is the future for Bronco? The main at the same time are five or ten times our come out of failure. Please visit www.uk-cpi.com for further to choose from. We Ripon district return to the issues there with RGS core of our business comes from making size. But we have always kept a tight hold information. wanted to build a students who play junior clients’ websites rank in Google, and of our growth to maintain the environment I got a 2:1 and returned to Ripon in 1996 to join company that we area to build their careers rugby leaving at 18, which attracting more website traffic. Google that we have created for our staff and the purchasing department at Express Terminals in would want to work affects the senior Ripon (now Express Group), moving up the ladder CPI Head Office, Wilton Centre, Wilton, is constantly changing so we are always to stay close to the day to day running of for and staff benefits Office of National Statistics, 2014 rugby teams. Many evolving. The focus is on making everything things. We always strive to be the best. to become purchasing manager. In 2003, Dave and Redcar, include everything students end up staying responsive so that new websites work on all I started Bronco and I left my job to help run the TS10 4RF from having great in their university town, devices, from desktop computer, to tablet, In the future, you never know, we could company in 2005. Along the way I have had two T: +44 (0)1642 455 340 offices, including a finding work and settling to mobile phone. have the kids at the helm. boys while carrying on with a full time career. F: +44 (0)1642 447 298 well-stocked kitchen with drinks, biscuits down, and it’s only later in life people end Miles was born in 2000, and Ethan in 2002. Both and fruit, to providing private health up coming back. We made a side step a few years ago and are now at RGS. One of our driving factors for If you have any connections with Ripon care, fuel subsidies, free eye tests, home added PR into our remit of services as Bronco, Phoenix Business Centre, the business and our future was Ethan becoming Grammar School and have a post or any job broadband, car valeting, parties and meals We do not have any barriers when it comes Google started to become much more Ripon, HG4 1NS critically ill with meningitis and recovering back out. There are lots of people who want to to qualifications. To us, it’s more about opportunities you wish to advertise here for about brands. This has evolved into our own W: www.bronco.co.uk in 2005, which made us realise that you only get work for us because of our reputation in having an understanding of the industry digital media marketing team. T: 01765 608530 one chance at this, so make the most of it while FREE, please contact us on the industry but location is often an issue. and passion for the internet, since what E: [email protected] you can. [email protected]

8 9 R G S ALUMNI

The woman behind the famous image of Richard III, created from remains found under a car park, has been bringing faces of the dead to life for 20 years. She tells Ruth Savage how she does it

hen the reconstructed face of Richard III was first unveiled, after being painstakingly built by adding precisely calculated layers of muscle and ski