News

Old Scholar at Henley Boat Races

My name is Esther Momcilovic, and I was a pupil at Heckmondwike Grammar School from 2000-2007. I am studying for a Masters in the History and Philosophy of Science at Clare College, Cambridge University.

I have been selected to cox one of the three boats which Cambridge University Women's Boat Club fields against Oxford in the Henley Boat Races (http://www.henleyboatraces.com/).

We are running a campaign called 'Sponsor-a-Seat', wherein each athlete must raise £500 to fund the costs of putting on these races. Our boat club does not benefit from the lucrative sponsorship generated by the men's boat race, and as such we frequently struggle to finance ourselves.

Please find below a link to poster and flyer about our 'Sponsor-a-Seat' campaign. We are keen to generate as much publicity as possible, so any help is greatly appreciated.

Poster

Flyer

Reunion for those entering HGS in 1953 and leaving between 1958 and 1960

This will take place at Cleckheaton and District Golf Club on 10^th July 2010 starting at 7.30 pm. There will be a buffet supper and bar.

The cost will be £10 per head. Partners are very welcome.

Please indicate as soon as possible whether or not you plan to attend.

Cheques to be made payable to Derek Paley and sent to

Mr. D. Paley

Landsdown

69 Manor Drive

Cottingley

Bingley

BD16 1PN

For further information ring

Paddy Redhead (Pollard) 01484 316946

or Pat Clark ( Schofield) 01535 643792

or Derek Paley 01274567562

News from...Owen Cole Pupil 1950

Owen has had a book published and can be obtained from bookshops or Amazon - it is called 'Story of a Multi-faith Journey' by Cole Sahib. It is an autobiography. Owen was head boy and captain of football and cricket at the school in 1950-51. His dad was the minister of upper chapel.

News from...Pat Clark (Schofield) Pupil 1953 - 60

Just to let you know that a former pupil Richard Barr who was in school from 1953 to 1960/1 is currently over from New Zealand walking from John O Groats to Land's End in aid of Leukemia Research. Richard himself suffers from a form of the disease. He is now as far as North Yorkshire and keeps a blog on www.cancerwalker.com which you might like to look at. Some of us hope to join him for part of the walk as it goes over this way - 8 former pupils are taking him out for a meal on Wednesday. Perhaps some people may remember him and wish to donate on line which is after all the object of the exercise!

We are hoping to organise a reunion for our year group next year when it will be 50 years since we left HGS - our last one was in 1992 when we were all 50!

Request from Ruth Ellison

Are there any pupils from 1976-1983 who may remember Ruth Ellison and would like to get in touch via this website? Search for me in the contact Old Scholars section.

News from Tony TaylorA Bookazine went on sale August 12^th 2009 called "Children On the Home Front". A feature on page 110 is an account of firewatching at HGS and is my recollection, dictated to the editor, of my family in the war. I thought you might be interested in this bit of the schools history. The bookazine will be on sale in larger supermarkets and major bookshops or through "Yours" magazine. It costs £4.99. The Editor is my daughter and she is the editor of the monthly magazine "Birdwatching", another publication of Bauer.

Michael Hollin was at the school from 1995-2002. He stayed on at the sixth form to do his A-Levels of English Language, History and Economics. He has written a thriller novel and recently had it published! It is available to buy on Amazon here

Book Synopsis - When Superintendent Jack Brecon is called to Belmarsh Prison to investigate the suicide of a high-profile inmate, all he can get out of the deceased's cell mate is that 'justice has taken place'. James Loxbridge is a youthful and ambitious trainee solicitor. His first case involves prominent politician Raymond Arthur Finchley. He receives anonymous emails, containing poems and riddles that when deciphered predict further suicides at Belmarsh. Furthermore there is a reference to Finchley, who has mysteriously gone AWOL. Loxbridge and Brecon join forces to solve the riddles in the hope of preventing the suicides, sent by Czech pharmacologist Radka Rosicka; a woman with unusual computer skills and a potent fear of her employers. What is Aequitol? What is Operation 86? The answers lead Loxbridge et al to a shocking truth and the first great secret of the twenty-first century, which, if revealed, will plunge the world into irreparable chaos.

Well done Michael and good luck!

September 2008 - Waterhouse Prize Fund endowment

Alfred Waterhouse, former pupil at HGS in the 1920s kindly endowed the gift of £25,000 to the school prize fund to enable the continuation of the Waterhouse History Prize. The school were amazed to received such a gift from a past pupil and have sent thanks to the Solicitors who are acting on behalf of Mr Waterhouse's estate.

July 2008 - DRAMA Studio all set for completion

Governors, staff and students were delighted to hear that the school has received a donation which will allow the work on the drama theatre to be completed over the summer holiday. The donor, a former pupil who now works in Financial Services, had visited the school website and read of the work of the Centenary Appeal. The £50,000 gift will allow the installation of theatre seating, lights, staging and sound equipment. Head of Music and Performing Arts, Mr Hunter commented “This is excellent news; drama and performance is so strong at the school and now we will have the facilities to match the talents of our pupils and staff.”

If you would like to submit any news items, please e-mail jwhitelaw@heckgrammar.co.uk