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OLD RATCLIFFIAN NEWS 41

Nia, who was five years old in October charity (the children’s branch of Guy’s looking forward to the challenge ahead
this year. Although it’s very challenging & St Thomas’ Hospital) at the Oval Test and getting to grips with working life.”
to take a little one along, it’s usually great Match, and I help every week at the local
fun. It’s incredible to think that her little homeless lunch club. I never realised how Jessica Walker (13): “I left Ratcliffe back in
flight book has been stamped with over busy being retired was! My wife gave me 2013, having been there since the age of
160,000 miles of air travel ever since a T-shirt that reads: ‘The trouble with 3 and frequently having taken advantage
she was born. I also sit on quite a few being retired is that you don’t get a of the School’s drama opportunities. I
national anaesthesia committees, which day off!’” have just finished my first year at the
makes my job very varied. My proudest Drama Centre London. I am taking a
achievement recently was the publication one-woman show up to the Edinburgh
of an international textbook of obstetric Fringe this year, which I wrote and will be
anaesthesia. It took over two years of performing throughout August.”
work, but was very satisfying to complete.
It’s even available for sale on Amazon! Joe Langfield (84): “In September,
Finally, it was amazing coming back to Richard Rigby (84), Andrew Black (84),
Ratcliffe after over fifteen years with Robert Skelly (84) and I cycled 214 miles
Natasha Finlay-Stevenson (née Finlay- from Glasgow to Inverness. Prior to
Broadbelt) (93), whom I met as another leaving Glasgow, we had the chance to
parent in Nia’s nursery school in North catch up with Richard Hartley (84) for an
London. After almost a year of knowing Ian Potts (62) & his wife on their Golden evening meal. This was the third year in a
each other, we found out that we had Wedding Anniversary row that the four of us had managed to
both been to Ratcliffe, although at meet up for a week’s cycling in Scotland,
different times! We decided to come back Theresa Shepherd-Kancsar (née Shepherd) and although this was probably the most
(02) lives near Potsdam in Germany
together, bringing our families to show beautiful route that we had ridden out of
them what a wonderful place it was. After with her husband, Sebastian, and their the three trips, it was also, at times, the
two-year-old son, John. She is a Sales
my recent visit, I feel invigorated, and I am most demanding, with some steep hill
now determined to take a more active role Executive with Abbott Diagnostics, climbs. The route took us from Glasgow,
responsible for the eastern part of
in the Ratcliffian Association, especially in through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs
their London-based social activities.” Germany, and she sells laboratory National Park, over the Drumochter Pass
equipment projects, mainly to medical (which, at 460 metres, is the highest
laboratories. Theresa enjoys water sports, point on the National Cycle Network in
such as kite surfing and wakeboarding, Scotland), and on to Inverness. Whilst
and she still has her motorbike.
the days were spent working hard on the
bikes, the evenings were, as always, spent
catching up and talking about old times
at Ratcliffe. As a cancer survivor myself,
I was especially proud that we were able
to use the ride to raise £700 for ‘Teens
:) Unite Fighting Cancer’ - this is a great
charity that is dedicated to helping young
people deal with the impact that cancer
Roshan Fernando (79) & Natasha Finlay-
Stevenson (née Finlay-Broadbelt) (93) has on their lives. As always, we left each
visiting Ratcliffe with their daughters Theresa Shepherd-Kancsar (née Shepherd) other planning what to do next year.”
(02) on the beach with her son, John
Ian Potts (62): “On September 3rd 2016, James Perfect (12): “I can’t describe
my wife and I celebrated our Golden
Wedding Anniversary. Chris Sutton (62) how quickly time has passed since I left
Ratcliffe. I recently graduated from
is the only contemporary that I’m still in
touch with, and he came to the event; the University of Birmingham with a
First Class Honours degree in Business
unfortunately, I was not able to get
in contact with my best man, Malcolm Management, and I am shortly due to
begin my career, having spent the summer
Shellard (62). I am still working as a
consultant to the CFO of YMCA London traveling to various places across Europe. I
was fortunate enough to be offered a role
South West (which is about to expand and Joe Langfield (84) & fellow ORs in Glasgow
take in the London Northeastern YMCA). working for Nestlé, following a successful
placement year spent with the company
I am also quite actively involved with Abigail Key (née Cubitt-Smith) (02):
various charities. I am a Room Steward whilst at university. Having accepted “After leaving Ratcliffe in 2002, I went on
their offer, I am due to start my new role
at our local National Trust property, to train as a primary school teacher at the
Osterley House, and give weekly talks on in September as a Customer-Based Co- University of Gloucester. I am currently
ordinator. The role necessitates managing
the history of the property; 500 years in teaching part-time and continue to ride
15 minutes - I’ve still not quite managed Nestlé’s stock across its various divisions and compete on horses from home.”
for Morrisons nationwide - I’ll actually
it! I also collect for Surrey Cricket Club’s
be based in Morrisons’ Head Office. I’m
Register online at www.ratcliffianassociation.co.uk