SCHOOL NEWS // DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
OLD POCKLINGTONIANS REUNITED IN SUPPORT OF NEW CAMPAIGN
Two former pupils paid a special visit to Pocklington School in the Summer Term , to meet the outgoing head boy and head girl and show their support for the school ’ s new Shape the Future Campaign .
Tom Nash ( 68-77 ) and Howard Holmes ( 67-77 ) were in the same class from the age of eight , and the visit was the first time they had met since they left the school . Tom , who is past President of the OPA , has been appointed as an ambassador for the new Campaign , and Howard has designed the Campaign ’ s distinctive promotional materials at his design agency , The Beyond .
Pocklington School ’ s head boy , Kobby Fofie ( 10-21 ), and head girl , Grace Beckett ( 12-21 ), welcomed them to the library and archive room , where they were able to look through old photographs and a range of memorabilia from their school years . They reflected on the life skills and opportunities they had been given at the School and were interested to hear from Kobby and Grace about what it is like to be a pupil here now . from attending Pocklington School , and I am keen to support the Shape the Future Campaign to help raise funds , so that more young people can experience the life changing opportunity attending Pocklington School provides .”
Howard commented : “ Being invited to design the promotional materials for the Shape the Future Campaign has been a fantastic experience and has given me the chance to not only have a trip down memory lane , but also to reflect on the impact Pocklington School has had on my life .
I was given such a rich well of experiences and opportunities to draw from , and we had an exceptionally high level of camaraderie and collaboration , which I still see evident in the pupils at the School today . I learned to develop communication skills which have served me so well throughout my life , and I am delighted to be involved in this Campaign which will enable more young people to benefit from the education and experiences Pocklington School offers .”
Tom said : “ I was very fortunate to attend Pocklington School , and have many fond memories of my time there . We were given the freedom and encouragement to develop our own interests and benefited from fantastic teaching and experiences . I was only able to attend because of the funds provided by the ‘ direct grant scheme ’, which was later abolished .
Nowadays the only financial assistance available to pupils is through bursaries . I know how both I and my children benefitted
JOHN DOLMAN SOCIETY
POCKLINGTON SCHOOL
JOHN DOLMAN SOCIETY UPDATE
At Pocklington School we are deeply grateful to our benefactors and donors who have , over many years , supported the school . From those who helped us celebrate our quincentenary in 2014 , to those who gave so generously to enable us to build the Art and Design Technology Centre and those who have given gifts to help pupils excel both in and out of the classroom . Their support has been extraordinary .
To officially recognise this generosity , in 2019 we created the John Dolman Society , exclusively for donors and benefactors to the school . Brian Fenwick-Smith ( 43-54 ) kindly agreed to become President of the John Dolman Society and later that same year we welcomed members to our Commemoration of Benefactors service , and to morning coffee with the Headmaster beforehand .
Whilst we have been unable to organise any events for the John Dolman Society since then , we have been keeping in touch with members to invite them to our virtual events and they have all a received a copy of our JDS Annual Review . Plans are now being made for future events , which will start with the next Commemoration of Benefactors service on Friday 18th February 2022 .
If you would like more information about the John Dolman Society , please call on 01759 322626 .
THE POCKLINGTONIAN 13