The magazine for LGS, LGHS and GSAL alumni issue 06 | autumn 2018 Ben and Debbie David Pickering Wosskow A life dedicated Brother and sister to dance share a platform at Speech Day Frank Bolton Heroism comes to light after 70 years Suzy Petty England hockey player takes on Commonwealth and World It’s party time School celebrates 10th birthday 19 Reunions OGs and OLs get together 4 Ben and Debbie This year for the first time, an ‘old boy’ and an ‘old girl’ will share the stage at Speech Day in celebration of 10 years since The Grammar School at Leeds 20 became co-educational Alumni making headlines Catch up with 6 13 alumni news David Pickering Frank Bolton Sharing his love of dance The remarkable story of through education and Frank Bolton’s wartime outreach programmes bravery earns David an MBE for service to the arts and education 10 Memories of Mr Fry 24 Welcome to Memento Pupils, parents, Old Girls’ As I write, the school is gearing up hub. Finally, we have embarked upon campus, so that all of our children colleagues and friends Club news pay tribute to a much- 14 for another academic year, but we the expansion of our pupil IT devices, can be educated on the same site. loved teacher are also mid-way through our 10th doubling the number of iPads in We plan to realise this in 2020 and 10th birthday birthday celebration year – and there Rose Court and Junior School and are working diligently towards this 25 has been much to celebrate! preparing the roll out of 121 laptops next goal. The celebrations so far: for all students in Senior School. 12 in words and pictures Events This summer, our students have However, this November, we will 8 Toby Castle Your guide to what’s on enjoyed tremendous GCSE Seeing what a modern GSAL be celebrating again, with the Suzy Petty and A-level results, with some education provides, we have also shortlisted alumni for our Leeds Behind the scenes at the unprecedented performances in enjoyed some lovely birthday events Luminaries’ awards, surely an Hitting new heights with BBC where no two days 26 terms of value added achievement, and, particularly, been humbled by appropriate way to recognise the England hockey squad are the same Fond farewells particularly pleasing in a year when, the generosity of donors who have achievements of some ‘old boys as the media coverage highlighted, given so charitably to our bursary and girls’ who have gone on to the public exam system has been appeal to create 10 new places for make such a difference in their very tough: we are proud of every children to attend GSAL and benefit area of expertise. We plan to share The Grammar School at Leeds one of them! This summer has also from its wonderful opportunities. We their stories with current pupils Alwoodley Gates seen the addition of a new 3G pitch are truly grateful. this term, to inspire and to reassure Harrogate Road at Alwoodley as we continue to Of course, we are now working on them that, with a GSAL education Leeds LS17 8GS enhance our sports’ facilities, as well the plans and ambitions for the next and the character traits it can 0113 229 1552 as Junior School refurbishments and ten years, starting with the move develop, anything you set your Editor: the development of a new careers’ of Rose Court to the Alwoodley mind to is possible! 18 Alison Knight 100 years Design: Sue Woodroofe, Principal A look back at how The Union Advertising it all began Agency (Leeds) 02 03 Ben offers holiday alternatives with Love Home Swap Ben and Debbie Ask Ben Wosskow to describe Love business day-to-day. The following Home Swap and he’ll tell you it’s like year they raised venture funding to ‘online dating for homes’ . an apt help scale up the business, selling it to description for a simple idea which Wyndham Destinations in 2017. share a platform – and their is transforming how people take The premise is simple - members of holidays. the international home-swapping experiences – at Speech Day The inspiration for the business came website have the choice of thousands from sister Debbie at a time when Ben of homes and destinations at their was at a crossroads in his career. He fi ngertips. They post details of their had been working in the marketing homes, browse other people’s homes, This year, for the fi rst time, an ‘old boy’ and ‘old girl’ will share the department of the Financial Times contact their perfect match and following a French and German arrange a swap. Properties are high- stage at Speech Day in celebration of 10 years since The Grammar degree at Oxford. It had been fun for end and range from a beach front villa School at Leeds became co-educational. a few years but he now had a place in Thailand to Manhattan penthouses, to complete an MBA – until Debbie French chateaux and Tuscan retreats. convinced him to join her in setting up Now managing director of the Brother and sister entrepreneurs Ben Love Home Swap together instead. company, Ben is enthusiastic about and Debbie Wosskow will take to the Ben said: “I wasn’t massively into the the future. platform to address students and idea of studying again and the chance He said: “We have exciting their parents at Leeds Town Hall on to be part of a start-up business was Tuesday 20 November. plans ahead as more and more really exciting especially in a sector holidaymakers look for alternatives to - the sharing economy - that was Returning as alumni has triggered traditional hotel travel options. Being starting to get very interesting with memories of their own school days part of a big international travel group brands like Airbnb coming along.” at Leeds Grammar School and like Wyndham Destinations also offers Leeds Girls’ High School, recalling Love Home Swap launched in 2011 opportunities as we work with their inspirational teachers and signifi cant with Ben as chief commercial offi cer, teams, everywhere from Singapore lessons learned. working closely with Debbie and the to Mexico City, to continue to grow different parts of the team to run the internationally.” Debbie (OG92), who studied philosophy and theology at New College, Oxford, said: “Miss Wall for history and Miss Rich for English were favourites, as was Dr West for biology - somehow with the Debbie opens fi rst female-only knowledge of modern ethics to help me prep for my Oxford general private members club paper. I also learned the importance of being the best you can be and This year Debbie Wosskow opened professional lives which have been that girls and women can achieve the fi rst female-only private members available to men for centuries through whatever they put their minds to.” club in the UK to provide working their gentleman’s clubs and old-boy women with an oasis where they can networks. Ben (OL96) agrees that he was ‘create’, ‘collaborate’ and ‘thrive’ – and The fi ve-storey Georgian townhouse lucky to have brilliant teachers who ultimately – boost their careers. played their part in his choices on features meeting rooms, a restaurant leaving school. The London-based AllBright and a cocktail bar as well as a library, opened its doors in Bloomsbury on beauty bar and fi tness area. “Mr Milner, Mrs Harris and Mr International Women’s Day in March Members have joined from all walks Moynihan probably had the biggest and is already attracting female of life and sectors, from art to science infl uence on me studies-wise. Their entrepreneurs, executives, creatives, and CEOs to entrepreneurs, and there huge passion for their subject was and consultants from a wide range of is currently a waiting list. High profi le the main reason I went on to study industries. members include actors Naomie modern languages at university. The idea behind the club is to offer professional women space where they Harris, Tara Fitzgerald and Ruth I also took away with me the Wilson; Mobo awards founder Kanya importance of hard work and the can work, hold meetings and socialise while also enjoying the benefi ts King; businesswoman Martha Lane value of taking an interest in a wide Fox and global health campaigner range of activities, from sport to of a programme of events, talks, exhibitions, debates and networking. Sarah Brown. drama and young enterprise to music, as well as the need to have Debbie and her business partner Anna Debbie said: “Since we opened The AllBright, the club has become a good people around you. My friends Jones, the former CEO of Hearst Mecca for amazing women to meet, from school are still my very closest Magazines UK, took their inspiration from the Bloomsbury-based author connect and build their networks. friends, 22 years on.” Virginia Woolf who wrote in 1929: “A The feedback we have had from woman must have money and a room our members and the demand from of her own.” women across London has led us to The club, they say, offers women the develop our second site to open early support and camaraderie in their in 2019.” Taran Wilkhu Photography © 04 05 Throughout his 23-year career David limits, which was very disappointing has been dedicated to sharing his as I always loved sport – athletics in love of dance through education particular.” and outreach programmes, working with people of all ages, abilities and However to help with his dance training Let’s dance: disabilities. he was given special permission to use the school gym and weights, which And this year he was recognised for were only usually available to the sixth his work as a dancer and teacher form, and was also allowed time away at the Royal Ballet when he was from school for extra-curricular training awarded an MBE for services to or performances.