PERSONALIA
within Japanese digital games. The PhD is funded
by the University of Manchester’s President’s
Doctoral Scholar award.
Will Blackburn (06-17) did his flying training
at Stapleford Flight Centre in January to gain his
commercial pilot licence. He is pursuing a career as
an airline pilot.
Sam Bunce (09-16) graduated from Keele
University with a degree in Physiotherapy. He
has secured a rotational job at the Haywood
Hospital in Stoke on Trent as a junior
physiotherapist. This hospital is a major centre for
neuro-rehabilitation as well as community care.
Sam is a keen rugby player and continued to play
at Keele whilst he was a student. He has now joined
Sandbach RUFC where OP Rob Webber (94-04)
is head coach.
thought and hard work has gone into making our
steaks the best they can possibly be and we are over
the moon to have received this award!”
Tom Loten (06-17) made his first team debut for
Yorkshire County Cricket Club in a one-day cup
game against Durham at Headingley in May. For
Tom, a middle-order batsman and seam bowler,
this call-up comes after demonstrating a consistent
level of performance over several months. Tom was
presented with Academy Player of the Year 2018
last October, after completing an outstanding debut
season and was named the Academy Captain for
the 2019 season.
Benjamin Chandler (00-10) performed at York
Theatre Royal, alongside Matthew Kelly and David
Yelland last September, in a national tour of Alan
Bennett’s play, The Habit of Art. Benjamin graduated
from RADA in 2015. It was during his time at RADA
that Benjamin first worked with The Habit of Art
director Philip Franks on a final-year production
of Howard Barker’s The Castle. He had a great
time doing it even though he had a small part. He
recalls Philip’s ability as a director to create a great
atmosphere to work under, so he was happy to be
reunited with him again for The Habit of Art.
Abi Dee (04-11) opened Aura, a new women’s
fashion and lifestyle boutique in Ladygate, Beverley
in November 2018. Brands include Dante 6, Mos
Mosh, Rue de Femme, Ichi and Mercules and in
selecting them she has tried to appeal to all age
demographics. Sign up on the Aura website for
more information www.aurastore.co.uk. Aura is
also on social media via Instagram and Facebook @
aurabeverley.
Henry Laverack (03-10) Director of the
Pocklington Branch of A Laverack & Son Ltd, high
quality butchers and bakers, was delighted to collect
a prestigious gold award for their 72 day dry aged
sirloin steak at the Great British Butchers Show
in Harrogate in April 2019. Henry said: “We are
very pleased in getting the recognition for what is
a fantastic steak. We hand select all our primal cuts
to then mature in our dry ageing cabinet. A lot of
Rocio Mondaca (04-11) did some shadowing
with OP barrister, Andrew Wilson (89-99) when
she was in the sixth form followed by a degree in
Law at Manchester University. She decided not to
pursue law in the end and instead did a Master’s
degree in International Relations at the University
of Bologna. She is now doing a traineeship at the
European Commission in DG Agriculture and
Rural Development within their World Trade
Organisation unit.
Sean Perryman (10-14) grew his hair for two
years before having it all cut off and donating it to
the Little Princess Trust, a charity which provides real
hair wigs, free of charge to children and young adults
that have lost hair through cancer treatment and
other illnesses. He also set up a Just Giving page to
raise money for the charity whilst he was growing his
hair and raised over £500.00.
Alfie Potts-Harmer (03-14) is a multimedia
sports journalist who writes and creates YouTube
videos about football. He began his writing career
by founding his own website, “A Halftime Report”,
focussing on quirky and historical tales from the
world of football. In 2015, Alfie was named as the
best young football blogger in the world by a panel
of esteemed print and broadcast journalists. He now
runs a football-based YouTube channel called HITC
Sevens. His first book about former England football
legend Neil Franklin entitled The Untold Story of Neil
Franklin was published by Red Door Publishing in
August.
Cerys Rees (15-17) played in a 13-harp ensemble
at The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
(RWCMD) on 7 December 2018 as part of a
special concert attended by college patron His Royal
Highness The Prince of Wales, in celebration of his
70th birthday. Cerys, a music student at RWCMD,
and her fellow harpists, also played a special piece,
Medli by Jeffrey Howard, for the Prince’s arrival. They
played the piece with Anne Denholm, the Royal
Harpist who played on the Royal Harp. The event
was filmed and featured on BBC Wales Today on
BBC One as well as Heno on the Welsh channel
S4C. Afterwards, Cerys got the opportunity to meet
Prince Charles who spoke to her and all her fellow
harpists.
Fran Rickatson (99-10) achieved a distinction
in her Veterinary Science degree from Liverpool
University in July 2018 to add to her first in
Bioveterinary Sciences from the Royal Veterinary
College in July 2013. She is now working at Wicstun
Vets at Market Weighton after taking a few months
off to go travelling in South America and New
Zealand.
Hugh Stubbins (00-11), up and coming actor,
played the role of Nick Carraway in the UK’s longest
running immersive show, The Great Gatsby when it
returned to York for a special Christmas season and
New Year’s Eve Show in December 2018.
Florence Taylor (04-15) graduated from Leeds
College of Music with a Bachelor of Arts 2:1 with
Honours in Music (Classical with Voice) in July 2019.
She was also awarded Sports Colours from the
University of Leeds for her contribution to sport
and in particular her dedication to Leeds University
Union Polo Club. She was Vice President during her
final year and has played for the university’s 1st team
at numerous tournaments and events.
Zanna Van Dijk (99-10), the fitness blogger and
UK Adidas Global Ambassador has launched her
own brand of ethical swimwear Stay Wild Swimwear.
Designed and made in the UK, the sustainable
swimwear is crafted from recycled ocean plastic, a
cause close to her heart. In May, she was runner up
as the Cosmopolitan UK overall influencer of the
year!
Archie Williams (08-13) graduated from the
Royal Agricultural University in 2018 and started a
job as a graduate commodities trader for American
company Archer Daniels Midland. His work is based
in London but he spends a lot of time travelling.
Lewis Wilson (14-16), rugby player, has transferred
from Yorkshire Carnegie to Rotherham Titans for
the forthcoming season. He has also played for
Pocklington, Wharfedale and Hull Ionians.
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