Page 37 - The Old Ratcliffian 2015 Magazine

OLD RATCLIFFIAN NEWS
OLD RATCLIFFIAN NEWS
Nicole Parry (00): “I am currently getting
back into work after having my first child,
Antonia. I previously worked as Richard
Branson’s chef on Necker Island for two
years, and I also ran a restaurant in Kent
called Frankie’s, which served beautiful,
seasonal food. I am currently starting my
own catering business with my sister and
trying to get a new, unique baby food line
off the ground, inspired by my daughter.”
Nicole Parry (00)
David Lester (10): “After leaving
Ratcliffe, I continued my education,
gaining many higher qualifications in
the automotive industry. This then led
me into employment as an Automotive
Trainer with EMTEC Colleges Ltd in
Nottingham, who work on behalf of Aston
Martin, Ferrari, Hyundai and KIA Motors.
During this time, I met my now fiancée,
Leah, and we have just bought our first
house together in Leicester. We are now
planning our wedding for the summer of
2016.”
Adrian Fidler (98): “Currently, I’m fifty
miles off the shore of West Africa, near
Mauritania. I’ve been sailing this year
around the Isle of Wight with Ginny
O’Keeffe’s (née Gamble) (98) husband,
Mike O’Keeffe, Rob Hull (97), Andrew
Espinasse (98), Sam Bird (98) and
Roberto De Rienzo (00). I am getting
married on January 30th and expecting
a baby on November 20th, so it’s all go!”
L to R: Adrian Fidler (98), Andrew Espinasse
(98), Rob Hull (97) & Sam Bird (98)
37
Diana Ashley (86): “I recently watched
the new aerial video of Ratcliffe. I was
lucky enough to see the College from
the skies in a Chipmunk aircraft in 1986.
Being in the Combined Cadet Force
(CCF), I was asked what I wanted to do for
my last flight before leaving. I said that I
would love to fly over the School, and this
was duly granted. I remember waving to
fellow pupils as we circled around! I was
glad to be the first girl to join the CCF and
I loved it; I had to put up a bit of a fight to
get us girls accepted, though! As part of
the CCF, I was also lucky enough to go on
a ten-day gliding course at RAF Henlow.
It was in a Venture, which is a powered
glider. By the end of the course, I flew solo;
this meant that I had learnt to fly before
learning to drive, and all my parents had
to pay was 71 pence a day for food. The
CCF is such a great organisation and I was
proud to be a part of it.”
Adrian Smith (03): “In May 2015, James
Jelley (03), Nick Jelley (01) and I
completed a John O’Groats to Land’s
End bike ride, which raised over £2,500
for the Bone Cancer Research Trust in
just nine days. In September 2015, I also
competed in a charity bodybuilding show.
My brother, Karl Smith (97), has recently
had a second child - a daughter called
Evie.”
Pit stop for the cycling boys, Nick Jelley (01), Corinne Northover (08)
Adrian Smith (03) & James Jelley (03)
Catherine Campbell (née Burns) (96):
“Don and I cleverly decided to move house
into a complete wreck when I was seven
months pregnant. So, when the builders
moved in, we moved back to stay with my
parents in Leicester. We thought it would
Register online at www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk
be for eight weeks, but Mum and Dad had
to put up with us for five months in the
end! In the middle, we had a daughter,
Cara. She’s a sunny smiler, and Paddy
loves his little sister.”
Georgia Thompson (03): “I’ve just moved
to London after living in Sydney for three
and a half years, sneaking in a little trip to
Europe, Japan and the Philippines on the
way home. My brother, Oliver (01), has
recently set up his own business, TDB Real
Estate. He lives in Leicestershire with his
wife, Franny, and his lovely baby, Poppy.
Harriet (05) also lives in London and
works for Knight Frank in Wimbledon.”
Corinne Northover (08): “Having spent
eight years at Ratcliffe, I went on to
study at the University of Leicester,
reading Business and Finance. After
graduating with a 2:1 degree, I moved
to London to pursue a career within
buying. I am currently buying menswear
for BHS, where I have been for the past
five months. Prior to that, I bought
womenswear for River Island. I’m now
looking forward to upcoming trips to
Shanghai and Mauritius.”
Ian Law (76): “I was made redundant in
January 2015, having worked in envelope
manufacturing and printing for some
thirty years; now that my wife, June, has
taken early retirement, I have decided
to do the same! Although retiring at 57
seems too early to stop working, I have
been very busy, both in and around the
house, catching up with long-overdue
jobs and general maintenance. I still play
hockey regularly for Leigh Hockey Club,
and have already enjoyed several fabulous
holidays this year. In July 2016, it will be
forty years since I left Ratcliffe, and I plan