Ratcliffian 2016 (LOWRES)

EXHIBITION DAY
EXHIBITION DAY
Exhibition Day this year fell on the Feast of Saints Peter
and Paul, 29 June. Mass was celebrated in the morning,
with the Prizegiving and Addresses in the afternoon.
Our guests were the
Chairman of Governors
Mr Louis Massarella and
his wife, Michelle, and Old
Ratcliffian Dr Tim Wilson.
Mr Lloyd, Headmaster,
delivered a heartfelt
message concerning hard
work and perspective in our
pursuits, and Mr Massarella
spoke of the School’s
accomplishments and plans Year 13 students Jack Archer and Rosie
for development. Dr Tim Jones deliver an emotional performance.
Wilson reminisced with great
humour about his time at the School, and provided some
lovely anecdotes from his careers in the worlds of art, theatre
and education. His message of involvement and joyfulness
was well received.
Our School recognises the involvement
and diligence of students in the variety
of Subject, Studies and Extra-Curricular
Prizes available.
Year 11 Drama students
entertain the school – from
left Natasha Walsh, Lara
Addison, Ganesh Thapa
and Sophie Dring.
Alongside the
academic, prizes
are awarded for
excellence and
leadership in Sports,
Music, Drama, CCF,
Duke of Edinburgh,
Chaplaincy and
Service to the School.
A great feature of this day is always the display of talent
through music and drama on stage, and the visual arts
placed on display. Performances ranged from the hilarious
to the harrowing, and exhibited again the great range of
talent and generosity of involvement among our students.
Mr P Michel
The Official Party – Guests Dr Timothy Wilson and Mr &
Mrs Massarella are greeted by Mr & Mrs Lloyd, and Head
Girl, Ololade Mosaku and Head Boy, Declan McAuley.
WHAT IS THE RATCLIFFIAN
ASSOCIATION
One of the things that can be taken as a given in life is
that we all always remember our school days. We are
forever part of our school community. Our memories
are of course a mixture of the good and the bad, the
happy, the sad and the successful, all of which makes
up our school career! The names of our teachers stay
with us, as do the names of our school friends.
Once you join Ratcliffe and work hard, play hard and
look after each other, you are part of our School forever.
Henceforth, when you fly the nest, the Ratcliffian Association,
which was established in 1865, enrolls you as a lifetime
member of the School’s alumni; as an “Old Ratcliffian” you
will receive invitations to Association and School events,
updates on current news, events at the School and updates
from former students all over the world.
The Association Office (based on the corridor above
the Headmaster’s Office) is kept busy, ensuring that all
archive material on Ratcliffe life is preserved, sharing news
and re-connecting with Old Ratcliffians through its website,
e-mail, mailings and, of course, social media channels –
culminating in the Old Ratcliffian Magazine, which is a much
coveted publication on the Christmas reading list for many
Old Ratcliffians.
For those of you reading this, as recent leavers, or indeed in
your final year at Ratcliffe, you will be joining a 5,000 plus
community of former students, now living and working in
more than 70 countries across the globe, including Hong
Kong, the USA and Australia*. Having walked the same
corridors, eaten in the same Refectory, and played out on the
same fields, you are already connected with them through
your time and memories at Ratcliffe. As a former student
myself, I can honestly say that there are so many warm
and welcoming Old Ratcliffians who are happy to engage,
network and support young ORs like you – helping to guide
you as you take your next steps in life. We wish you a very
warm welcome into the Association.
Mrs A Slack
Executive Manager of the Ratcliffian Association
TEAM CHANGES IN THE
RATCLIFFIAN ASSOCIATION OFFICE
Leaving us:
Mrs Jackie Bennett
On Wednesday 20 th January,
the Ratcliffian Association
and the School finally bade
farewell to Mrs Jackie Bennett,
the Association Secretary,
after 9 years of exceptional
commitment and loyal work.
Guests attended a Cocktail Party
in the Old Library hosted by the
Headmaster, Mr Gareth Lloyd,
to mark the occasion. Jackie was joined by 50 friends, staff,
past Presidents and Old Ratcliffians. Jackie has done some
tremendous things for Ratcliffe over many years and we were
all sad to see her go.
Gareth read an e-mail which had been sent in during that day
from ex-Secretary of the Association and Old Ratcliffian, David
Thistlethwaite (’50). David had worked with Jackie on the 150 th
Anniversary Appeal for the all-weather hockey pitch in the
1990s. He was full of praise for Jackie and with his previous
experience as Secretary of the Association and knowledge of the
job, this commendation meant a great deal to her.
Richard Gamble (’65), former Chairman of Governors,
proposed a toast thanking Jackie for her huge efforts for
the Association over the years and regaled everyone with
amusing stories of her escapades.
Jackie responded with a moving speech, thanking everyone for
all the support which she had received and how much she was
going to miss everyone at Ratcliffe, including teachers, parents,
students and her many Old Ratcliffian friends. She said that
much had been said in the speeches about the past but it was
important now to concentrate on the future. The future is the
young ORs and she is sure that her successor, Alex Slack (’03)
will continue to develop the links with past and future ORs.
RATCLIFFIAN ASSOCIATION
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* The map above shows where our ORs live around the globe
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