Page 44 - The Old Ratcliffian 2015 Magazine

44 OLD RATCLIFFIAN NEWS
Samantha Piecha (02): “The last year has
been full of lots of exciting things. The
best, by far, was my boyfriend, James
Quemby, deciding that he could put
up with me for the rest of his life and
proposing earlier this year. We will be
having a winter wedding next November
in Derbyshire, and so far, there is no
‘bridezilla’ in sight! As well as my left hand Peter Fraser (71) achieved his ‘Bucket
looking a bit different these days, I have
also embarked on a new career. After just
over a year of training in Neuro-Linguistic
Programming (NLP), Life Coaching,
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and
Hypnotherapy, in March, I was offered a
position as a practitioner at The Optimum
Health Clinic. We specialise in working
with people suffering from ME; after
battling the illness for just over seven
years, and thanks to the clinic’s expertise
coming out of the other side, it is most
rewarding to now be helping others on
their own recovery journey.”
Samantha Piecha (02) & her fiancé, James
Sophie Yell (10): “Since graduating from
university with a First Class Honours
degree in Sport and Social Science, I have
been travelling for a year around Australia
and New Zealand with my boyfriend, Gus
Kelly (10). We are now living in gorgeous
Auckland in New Zealand, and I have
recently secured a job with a major sports
event company, with an office overlooking
the beach!”
Gus Kelly (10) & Sophie Yell (10)
Katie Lumb (03): “After I finished my
A Levels, I then started my dream job
as a member of cabin crew, initially for
Ryanair for five months, then Emirates
Register online at www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk
Airlines for six and a half years, based in
Dubai. I spent those years travelling the
world, experiencing different cultures
and sampling different cuisines! I am now
working as a receptionist at Ragdale Hall
Health Hydro and Thermal Spa, where I
have been for the last two years.”
List’ ambition to travel to the rainforests
of Madagascar with his eldest daughter,
Holly, in search of the smallest and
largest chameleons in the world. After
thirty-eight years in the electronics and
aerospace industry, Peter retired in April,
and he and his wife, Leslie, have moved to
Great Linford in Milton Keynes to be near
Holly, who is having their first grandchild
in December.
Peter Fraser (71) in the rainforest
Stefan Gackowski (12): “After leaving
Ratcliffe, I was lucky enough to be accepted Andrew Benjamin (64): “I left Ratcliffe in
into the prestigious East 15 Acting
School, and have recently graduated with
a First Class Honours degree. However, it
wasn’t about the grades - it was about
learning self-discipline, using your body
as your tool for acting, and growing so
much as a human, being surrounded from
8.30am until at least 6.00pm every day
by people as devoted as you in this field.
On my course, we studied a lot about
world theatre, and I am now trained in
many styles and techniques that I had
never heard of before I started, including
Balinese dance drama, kecak, puppetry,
gamelan and tai chi, to name a few. I now
reside permanently in Lewisham, London;
I have an acting agent and am auditioning
for television, film and theatre roles. I’m
also continuing with my singing, having
signed a recording deal with a central
London-based record company; working
with a producer, I have co-written two
singles which will have been released
on iTunes and in other formats by the
time you read this, so check them out!
I perform and release music under the
name Stefan Taylor. Living in London as
a self-employed performer is hard, but
hopefully, it will ultimately be rewarding.”
L to R: Stephen Moorhouse (68), Vance Hall
(68), Mark Leslie (68), William Fenton (69),
Patrick Donaldson (72) & Richard Tweed (69).
Stephen Moorhouse (68): “The reunion
of the ‘A Team’ gathered pace with a
meet up at the London drinks party in the
summer. Skilfully marshalled by Richard
Tweed (69), those members attending
ensured excellent photographic posing.
Further attendances planned include
substantial presence at the forthcoming
London Dinner in February 2016. Richard
added, ‘I reconnected with Stephen and
Mark Leslie (68) last February at the OR
London Dinner. We were together up to
O Levels, which I fluffed badly, so I had to
repeat the year, hence I finished in 1969,
alongside William Fenton (69). Vance Hall
(68), Patrick Donaldson (72) and I were at
Soni, so we have met up at Soni reunions
many times in recent years.’”
the mid-1960s due to the ill health of my
father, who died shortly afterwards. I had
a great time there and enjoyed playing
sports. I have lived in Maryland, USA for
thirty-five years, and I am now retired
with two children and two identical twin
seven year old granddaughters. I came
across this photo of my colleagues and I
(front left, below) when clearing out our
house in Maryland to move to Florida.
I remember the faces, but struggle to
remember the names, and I would enjoy
hearing how my fellow tennis players and
other friends are. Life has been good to
me and I still treasure my time at Grace
Dieu and Ratcliffe.”
Andrew Benjamin (64), front left, with
his teammates