SOUNDBITES
Nick Lumley ( 80-87 ) KC attended a service at York Minster in October held to mark the opening of the legal year . As did Chief Constable of West Yorkshire and fellow OP , John Robins ( 77-87 ). They were in the same year together at school and were delighted to bump into each other again after all these years .
In August 2024 , Richard Sutton ( 81-88 ) participated in the gruelling 100 Miles Berlin race , an event held in memory of the victims of the former border separating West and East Germany . The course traces the historical border strip encircling western Berlin . This marked Richard ’ s longest run to date , beginning at 6.00am and concluding after 19 hours and 2 minutes . Impressively , he finished 27th out of 600 participants , earning him a spot in the prestigious Spartathlon Ultra Race . Reflecting on his experience , Richard remarked , “ I felt surprisingly good at the end . Although my legs were very tired and I had difficulty climbing the stairs to the train platform afterwards , I felt as though I could run and run . It was a real runner ’ s high !”
Tony Wray ( 75-81 ) relocated to Australia and completed his schooling in Perth , before settling in Sydney . He now calls the beautiful coastline of New South Wales home and works as a self-employed financial adviser , assisting clients nationwide . During his free time , he enjoys spending time on the golf course . Tony is eager to reconnect with contemporaries who are also based in Australia and is looking forward to his future trip to Pocklington , which he hopes will be in 2026 .
1990 - 1999
Simon Bradbury ( 84-94 ) completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Glasgow , before moving to Lyon in 1999 to teach English . Since 2006 , he has been employed by Cambridge University Press in France , where his initial focus was on business development in North Africa . He remains in Lyon , working to promote English Learning and Assessment for Morocco , Algeria , Libya and Tunisia .
Francine Brown ( 90-97 ) worked in hospitality after leaving school , primarily in club , events and function management . However , in 2019 , when the concept of Escape Rooms was becoming a new trend , Francine took the bold step to establish her own business – Beverley Breakout Escape Rooms . Despite facing the challenges posed by the covid pandemic , her business has thrived and has received recognition for her award-winning rooms and is now looking to expand the business .
Marcus Hoggarth ( 84-92 ) spent 10 years working in London after graduating from university before returning to Yorkshire . He is the Managing Director of Cranswick plc , a leading food producer .
Oliver Moore ( 88-99 ), after leaving school , spent six years combining work and travel as a tennis coach . He spent a year in Australia , six months in Corsica and completed three years of seasonal work at La Manga Club in Spain whilst pursuing his studies at the University of Wales Institute , Cardiff . He secured a graduate position with Enterprise Rent-A-Car , where he has remained for the past 20 years . Over the years , Olly has taken on various other roles , including creating an Entertainment Division that caters to the travel needs of the Film and TV industry . His current role entails looking after Travel Management Companies who cater for the travel needs of business travellers .
Robert Milne ( 88-95 ) has been named the new Master of Dulwich College , taking up his new appointment in September 2025 . Robert is currently the headmaster of Emanuel School , where he assumed his first headship . He previously held the position of deputy head at King ’ s College School Wimbledon , served as head of English at Magdalen College School , Oxford and was head of house at Kind Edward ’ s School , Birmingham .
Ben Smith ( 94-99 ) studied land management ( Real Estate ) at the University of Reading , followed by a GAP year which he spent travelling . In 2006 , he started working in London as a qualified Chartered Surveyor .
Edwin Smith ( 94-99 ) assisted in the development of a computer gaming publishing company , which successfully brought Triple A games to diverse platforms such as MacOS and Mobile . He contributed to helping the company win a BAFTA and Apple Design Award
Steve Towse ( 90-94 ) graduated from the University of Liverpool and then ventured into the fields of IT and audio-visual distribution . Throughout his career , he has collaborated with leading IT brands and has had the opportunity to travel extensively around the globe . Presently , he holds the position of Senior Director at TD Synnex , specialising in delivering IT products and business process services .
James Watson-O ’ Neil ( 89-94 ) embarked on a brief acting career , participating in television shows such as Dream Team on Sky One and Band of Brothers directed by Steven Spielberg . Although he predominantly worked in theatre , he also took on the role of director for various productions at the Edinburgh Festival and in London ’ s fringe scene during the late 1990s . However , James ’ career path took a different direction in 2001 when he transitioned into the charity sector , starting with positions at NSPCC , followed by Scope . Since 2016 , James has been serving as the Chief Executive of Sign Health , a deaf health charity . He was awarded an OBE for services to deaf people in Her Majesty the Queen ’ s New Year ’ s honours in 2022 . Currently James ’ professional focus is on leadership along with promoting equity , diversity and inclusion .
2000 - 2009
Paige Armitage ( 99-02 ) completed a nursing degree in 2008 and went on to specialise in intensive care nursing . In 2021 , she was appointed as a Senior Clinical Advisor for Yorkshire Ambulance Service where she is presently employed .
Anya van den Berg ( née Lamb , 99-03 ) studied at Loughborough University and graduated with a BSc ( Hons ) in Ergonomics in 2007 . Anya has since then enjoyed 16 years ’ working in the data and technology space within the financial sector in London and was recently promoted to Global Head of Sales at Deutsche Börse . She dedicates her time to being a mentor to other junior women in the financial industry through the “ Women in Banking and Finance ” ( WIBF ) programme . She was recognised for the Rising Star award at the ‘ European Women in Finance ’ awards in 2022 and was named ‘ Exchange Professional of the Year ’, at the Women in Technology and Data Awards in March . She has also published several articles and has been featured for Markets Media , Best Execution and The TRADE magazines .
Amy Connor ( 97-04 ) completed a degree in Criminology and Social Policy and began her career in the education and social care sector , supporting vulnerable and challenging children . However , after experiencing her own health challenges , Amy was prompted to reevaluate her priorities and chose to opt for a healthier lifestyle and happiness rather than pursuing a conventional career path . She has since established her own dog walking business alongside educating herself with a specific focus on women ’ s holistic health . Amy says she is determined to change the negative narratives that often surround women ’ s health and wellbeing , with a primary emphasis on helping women affected by endometriosis .
Caroline Dale ( 92-02 ) started a new position as Chief Internal Auditor at Leeds Building Society in November 2023 . Caroline has held several management positions with the firm since she moved there from KPMG in 2015 and has now joined the Executive Committee at LBS as part of her new role .
Alexandra Dariescu ( 02-03 ), the concert pianist , performed with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra in November 2023 at Manchester ’ s Bridgewater Hall as part of the concert named ‘ The Spirit of Life ’. She unveiled the UK premiere of ‘ Shades of Unbroken Dreams ’, a piece exclusively commissioned by the BBC and composed by James Lee III . The piece was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Martin Luther King ’ s iconic ‘ I have a dream ’ speech . In May 2024 , Alexandra toured the US , where she gave three performances of Greig Piano Concerto with the Houston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gabien Gabel . Alexandra was also the guest speaker at Pocklington School ’ s Prizegiving ceremony in July 2024 .
Iain Gladstone ( 92-03 ) started a new position in January 2024 as Partner at KPMG UK leading HR Functional Transformation activities across the Infrastructure , Government and Healthcare sector .
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