The
PRESIDENT ’ S VIEW
WELCOME
Dear OPs , Welcome to this year ’ s edition of the OP Magazine .
This is my first contribution to the magazine as your President and as I reflect on what has been a very strange year for all of us , whilst there are things which have been difficult , there are positives which have come out of the Covid situation and as the vaccination roll-out continues , we look ahead to the resumption of more ‘ normal ’ times with all the hope which that brings .
Towards the end of the Summer Term , I was fortunate to have a tour of school to update myself on the changes which have taken place since my last visit . Having never seen the new Art and Design Centre I was very impressed . Pocklington School really does provide so many opportunities for each individual pupil whether it be in sport , drama , music , art and design or the more traditional academic subjects , there is something for everyone .
During the tour , I asked my two young escorts , how the restrictions had affected their time at school and was expecting them to express disappointment at the things which they had missed out on . However , although they felt they had missed some of the additional responsibilities and privileges ‘ normally ’ enjoyed in the Sixth Form particularly the Upper Sixth , they were extremely positive about school life and the changes which have been implemented to comply with current restrictions , taking it all in their stride and looking forward with enthusiasm to what the future holds . I feel it appropriate at this point to recognise the incredibly hard work of the teaching staff and all those who have supported the pupils during this unprecedented time ; credit must go to them for the fact that these young people are leaving as happy , confident individuals , ready to face new challenges .
As the Upper Sixth move out into the world , we welcome them into the OP Association and continue to work together with the school to strengthen the support available to our younger OPs through the ‘ Pocklington School Foundation Careers and Business Network ’. A number of these joint events held on Zoom during the past year have been very successful and it has enabled people from as far away as New York to join us !
I would encourage you all to get involved in assisting with careers support through mentoring , help with applications , or offering work experience for example . Please get in touch with Rachel , any contribution would be very welcome .
Having been unable to hold any social events since March 2020 , we are making provisional plans for this year ’ s events in the hope that we can soon begin to resume these activities . We did manage a scaled down summer OPs to celebrate the unveiling of the new electronic cricket scoreboard in memory of Malcolm Milne , a gift from the OP Association which will benefit pupils for generations to come .
My thanks go to all member of the OPA Committee
and we are grateful to Rachel for keeping the OP Association moving forward . OP Presidents come and go but she has provided a constant support for over 13 years and having had the privilege of working with her , I have witnessed her complete dedication to all things OP . She is ably assisted by Leanne .
Best wishes to all of you and I hope we can be together again at events very soon .
Joan Gough ( née Sawyer , 75-77 ) President , Old Pocklingtonian Association
OPA COMMITTEE
OP ELECTED
President : Joan Gough ( née Sawyer , 75-77 ) Vice President : Charlie Lambert ( 01-08 ) Treasurer : Eszti Pontone ( née Gyarmati , 95-97 ) Matthew Atkinson ( 85-93 ) Sarah Gough ( 96-07 ) Steven Kyffin ( 70-77 ) Michael McKinstry ( 00-11 ) Richard Skowronek ( 99-10 ) Simon Spence ( 74-81 ) Co-opted : Tom Nash ( 68-77 ) Co-opted : Andrew Wilson ( 89-99 )
SCHOOL APPOINTED
Toby Seth ( Headmaster ) Rachel Dare ( OP Liaison Officer , OPA Secretary ) Phil Donaldson ( Teaching staff ) Lucy Hornby ( Teaching staff and OP 02-04 )
EX OFFICIO
Trevor Loten ( 70-80 , immediate Past President )
AGM 2021
ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Annual General Meeting of the Old Pocklingtonian Association will take place on Thursday 11 November 2021 , 7.00pm to 8.00pm in the Gruggen Room at Pocklington School and via Zoom .
During the meeting , the committee will be elected for the forthcoming year . All OPs are welcome to attend the AGM and / or stand for election . Please make your intentions known in advance of the meeting if possible by contacting Rachel in the OP Office . Nominations for election to the committee should be sent to Rachel as soon as possible .
The agenda is as follows :
• Apologies
• Minutes of last AGM
• President ’ s Report
• Secretary ’ s Report
• Treasurer ’ s Report and approval of accounts
• Nomination and election of committee
• AOB
( A copy of the OP annual accounts is available upon request ).
COVER STORY
Singer-songwriter Ollie Wride ( 96-07 ) features on this year ’ s front cover and you can read his story on pages 6 – 7 .
Printed on paper from responsible sources .
CBP009738