The Salopian no. 166 - Winter 2020-21

SCHOOL NEWS
19
Nicola Bradburne
Staff 2008-2020
Arriving in 2008 from Idsall as Head of Girls’ Games before any girls had
joined Shrewsbury School, Nicola’s brief - to build up and establish girls’
games as Shrewsbury evolved to into a fully co-educational school - was
as large as it was successful. She took girls’ games from zero to where
it is today, with Shrewsbury enjoying a national reputation in Fives,
Hunt, Rowing, Cricket, Lacrosse and increasingly in netball and hockey.
Nicola’s pastoral strengths, in her dealings with both girls and boys,
were legendary, the latter much in evidence in Severn Hill, where she
tutored, briefly as Assistant to the Housemaster, throughout her 12 years
at Shrewsbury, during which time she also had to battle serious illness
while raising her family. Nicola has moved to become a Housemistress at
Ashville College, Harrogate, where husband Dom is Director of Sport.
Martin Kirk
Staff 2010-2020
Andy Briggs writes:
Martin joined Shrewsbury in 2010 as Head of Physics, having previously
taught at Thomas Telford School, his move coinciding with that of his
beloved football team ‘The Toon’ to the Premier League after winning the
Championship early in the year.
During the ten years he was at Shrewsbury he moved forward the success
and strength of the Physics Department. Cheerful, friendly, reliable,
hard-working, resourceful and patient, these were just some of his many
qualities that helped him lead his dynamic department.
He was a much valued tutor, first of all in Ingram’s under Mike Wright,
and for the past few years in Emma Darwin Hall. He was a central pillar
of the Rovers’ Thursday Afternoon activity where he could indulge his
great passion for hill walking.
The Shropshire hills and his garden now beckon. Martin is also looking
forward to spending more time with his second love – after Vicky of
course – the Lake District, hopefully also catching an occasional game at
St James’ Park.
Lesley Drew
Staff 2011-2020
Helen Brown writes:
My father once told me that every institution needs a
conscience: someone who has no interest in politics
or personal advancement and is prepared to hold the
institution that they work for to a higher standard. For
the last eight years, Shrewsbury’s conscience has been
Lesley Drew. As an inspirational English teacher, a caring
and deeply committed tutor and as teacher-in-charge of
Charities, Lesley’s integrity and kindness were at the heart
of the Shrewsbury common room.
She arrived at Shrewsbury after a distinguished teaching
career that had taken her from Shropshire to the plains of
Africa and back again. Lesley’s connection with Malawi
was one of her greatest legacies to Shrewsbury, forging a
link between the school and the charity, Medic Malawi,
that allowed many generations of Salopians to experience
life-changing visits to one of the world’s poorest countries.
She also acted as liaison between Shrewsbury and The
Shewsy, our youth club in Everton, regularly leading
residential trips for both Shrewsbury students and Shewsy
members. Under Lesley’s aegis, fundraising at Shrewsbury
reached impressive heights, with hundreds of thousands of
pounds making its way to a variety of worthy causes.
As a teacher, Lesley was endlessly patient; she loved
teaching bottom sets and was particularly devoted to the
SEN students in her care. Her dogged determination that
every student could – and would – enjoy literature was an
enormous gift to the many students who passed through
her classroom. I was personally enormously grateful for
her contributions to the Drama faculty, where she worked
for many years. Lesley has retired to Sussex, where she
looks forward to gardening, amateur dramatics and being a
grandmother.