Page 19 - The Old Ratcliffian 2011

The Old Ratcliffan 2011 | Old Ratcliffan news there, my father attended Mass there, My last visit to Ratcliffe was when Afghanistan, a couple of detachments I boarded there, I occasionally took Mark’s father roped Mark and me in to Morocco and Jordan and numerous my family there, and my eldest New to play in an Old Boys’ hockey match, trips around Europe and to Cyprus. Zealand grandson was baptised by Fr which must have been all of fifteen I love my job and my friends. I still Dennis Hare (46) there!” years ago, when I was able to run come home to Leicester to visit family, without the use of a zimmer! Hockey so if anyone ever fancies a drink or Bill Tierney (63) wrote: “I’m still alive has now fallen foul of age and the far two, get in touch - I’d love to hear and now building a house in Cape more genteel sport of golf is played by from you.” Breton, Nova Scotia. Going to live a group of ageing geriatrics at Spalding with the bears and the moose!” Kelvin Chan (94): “After I left Golf Club most Sunday mornings. Ratcliffe, I went to Bath University to Freddie Bainbridge (08): “Having Mark, Pat and I are meeting up again study Chemistry and graduated in graduated from Loughborough around Christmas, but since the 1997. I am now living in Hong Kong, University with a degree in Sport and date was mentioned midway through and am married to Vicci Lau. Our Exercise Science, I have secured a place to read Medicine at Dundee yet another bottle of fine, expensive son, Gavin, was born in 2008 and our London red wine, I have no idea when daughter, Nicole, was born in 2010. University.” it is, so will rely on the two sensible I have been working as Derivatives Jim West (77): “A few months ago, souls to remind me nearer the time!” Trader at Goldman Sachs since 2009. via Facebook, Pat O’Brien (78) and Prior to that, I worked at Morgan I made contact again after a period Stanley for eight years and Societé of at least nineteen years. Because Générale for three years.” both of us had been in contact with Chris Daly (76) wrote: “I left Ratcliffe Mark Thistlethwaite (78) over that in 1976. My father is Tony Daly (47), period, we decided to try and arrange my brother is Steve Daly (74) and a meet up in London for lunch. The my cousins are the Brucciani and long and short of it was that, in May, Della-Porta families. I have two Rules restaurant saw the backs of sons, Joshua (18) and Angus (16) three quite inebriated Old Ratcliffians, Antonio Gravilli (87) & José Manuel and we all share a passion for racing aged fifty-plus, who certainly put the Barrosso, President of the European hovercraft. I am the current Chairman world to rights! I can only thank our Commission of the Hovercraft Club of Great Britain rail system that the train terminated and MD of High Cross Hovercraft Ltd at Kings Lynn because I could have Antonio Gravili (87): “Even the most at Sharnford in Leicestershire. We easily ended up hours from South interesting job in the world has a brought two training Hovercraft to the Lincolnshire! ‘sell by’ date. So, after six years as the speechwriter of European Long Wood in April to help Amalia Commission President José Manuel raise funds.” Barroso - an incredible (and exhausting!) privilege that allowed me to meet movers and shakers from around the world - I’ve finally moved on to fresh challenges. In March this year, I became an official spokesman of the Commission, working for the Slovak Vice-President, Maros Sefcovic. Not exactly the calmer job I promised Mark Thistlethwaite (78), Jim West (77) & myself after the intense atmosphere Pat O’Brien (78) of the President’s Cabinet. But as a Oliver Brierley (05) (third from the right) Pat and Mark left Ratcliffe in, I think, former journalist, it’s nice to mix with 1978, but I left a year earlier (in Lower hacks and hackettes again!” Oliver Brierley (05): “I am currently Sixth) after realising that I could go to living in Leeds and working as a Agricultural College without A Levels salesman for people suffering with and thus save my father a year’s food allergies. I’m in control of fees! I went into farm management contracts with companies such as in Cambridgeshire for a few years De Vere Hotels, 3663, the NHS, the and then went home to farm with my National Trust and universities all over brother when my father died. We sold the country. I also play for our local the farm in 2000 and I have since pub’s Sunday League football team. I worked for an onion seed breeding also DJ at a couple of clubs in Leeds, company in South Lincolnshire which as well as some guest spots around gives me the opportunity to travel the country, and I have recently around mainland Europe. I have been Chris Maisey (01) taken up acting at the Carriageworks married to Sally for twenty-five years Theatre in Leeds City Centre.” and we have two girls. The oldest, who Chris Maisey (01) wrote: “I am in the is Mark’s goddaughter, is studying RAF and have worked as an avionic John Ward (00): “It’s been twelve German at Chester University, while engineer on Chinook helicopters for months since I left the UK and it my youngest is at Spalding High six years now down at RAF Odiham doesn’t feel that long at all! Time School having just entered her in Hampshire. During my time, I flies when you’re having fun! Since I GCSE year. have achieved eight tours of duty in arrived, I have been working at NAB as Register online at www.ratcliffanassociation.co.uk 19