BURSAR’S BULLETIN Issue 15
Michaelmas Term 2021
Welcome to the start of Michaelmas Term 2021 and the start of the College’s 175th anniversary year. This is truly a historic time for Radley. The College now has 760 boys—more than at any time in its history. This is the fruition of considerable toil following Council’s decision in 2016 to build a new Social and to expand Chapel. It is wonderful to be starting this year with L Social full, and the newly extended Chapel open. That there is constant demand for places at Radley is a result of the hard work and dedication of all, in making Radley such a remarkable and desirable place to learn. The Admissions team is of course the powerhouse for the ongoing marketing of the College, and for expanding and widening our entry. But we all have a role as ambassadors for the College and can be proud that what we offer is in such strong demand. Of course, we return to Radley 18 months into the Covid pandemic, at a time when Covid has become endemic in our society. You will have your own stories of how Covid has impacted you and your families, and will bring, and continue to bring, many Covid experiences into the workplace. Through this, one thing that I believe is of paramount importance is community and how we support each other and help each other. With that in mind, and as we hope times of lockdown are now behind us, my main message is one of connection—the importance of connecting with each other, spending time with each other and playing our role in taking Radley forward and helping friends and colleagues on the way. I hope you enjoy this Bulletin. There is no shortage of news within, and I hope something for everyone to help keep you connected. Have a great term—there is a lot to look forward to.
After two years of painstaking building work and five years of meticulous planning, the first services have now been held in the newly extended Chapel. At the end of August the 2020 leavers returned to Radley and were the first to experience the new Chapel in all its glory; closely followed by the 2021 Shells who attended their Welcome Service with their parents—a wonderful way to welcome them to the Radley Community as they begin their five years here. With its ability to house the whole school once again, Chapel is ready to take back its place at the centre of Radley College life.
Radley Staff Go the Extra Mile!
Many of you will have eaten the food that Chef Kevin Richardson prepares, as he has been a chef at the College for over 30 years! You may also have seen him cycling to work each day. This summer, Kevin extended the usual distance of his commute to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause, local charity Style Acre, which provides assisted living and around-the-clock support for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Kevin and Style Acre were very grateful for the support of the Radley Community whose generous contributions helped to raise over £800 and spur Kevin on in his 50-mile cycle ride as part of Bike Oxford in July. Radley College residents eagerly supported phase one of the newly formed Oxfordshire Afghan Aid (OAA) project. Overseen by Councillor Sally Povolotsky, residents played their part by donating hundreds of useful items to support refugees arriving at Brize Norton as a result of the Afghanistan crisis. More news on phase two of project soon… Eliza Gearing will be running the London Marathon in October to raise money for the Spring Centre, a Gloucester-based charity that provides services to help children and young adults with disabilities and special needs. They also provide important respite care to families. This has become all the more important over the last 18 months, as many of the people supported by the Spring Centre have become increasingly isolated. It is easy to underestimate how much energy and time it takes to care for those who have need of constant assistance, and the charity provides invaluable support. Unfortunately, they are in desperate need of funding to continue this essential work. If you feel able to donate to this cause please visit Eliza’s fundraising page:
Alex Ward has done it again! Having completed last year’s Toughest Mudder virtually, this year he travelled to Lincolnshire to take part in the event along with 650 other runners.
Europe’s Toughest Mudder is not for the faint hearted—a 12 hour extreme obstacle course, starting at 8pm with participants tackling the five mile course through the night until 8am. Just to keep things interesting, obstacles like the ‘mud mile’, ‘electroshock therapy’ and ‘the gauntlet’ keep them busy intermitently along the course. Alex did amazingly to come 47th in his age category.
Alex will also be taking on the Oxford Half Marathon in October. His efforts are in aid of SSNAP, a wonderful local charity based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, supporting sick newborn babies and their parents. To donate, please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ alex-ward20
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/ ElizaGearing
To keep up to date with charity news from across the Radley community, follow @RadleyCharities on Twitter, take a look at the recent Charities Report and let Ruth Tufnell, Master in Charge of Charities, know if you are planning any fundraising activities!
The new 2021/22 academic year marks the start of the celebrations for Radley’s 175th anniversary, designed to bring the Radley community together. We will be including staff in as many activities as possible, and would love to hear of any other ideas you may have about how to commemorate this special year: ideas@radley.org.uk COMMEMORATING THE PAST Covered Passage will be refurbished and will include displays of material from Radley’s archives. 1847 Day: The actual birthday of the College will be marked by a special day of celebrations.
The College will host a football match between Radley and Exeter College, recreating Oxford University FC’s first official fixture in 1872.
Celebrating the present Warden’s Music for the whole community will be held at Cadogan Hall in London. Gaudy 175 in July 2022 will be a super-sized end of year celebration! The Chapel extension will be officially opened with the dedication of the new organ.
looking forward to the future 175 new trees will be planted across the site. Radley will outline our ongoing approach to sustainability as well as continuing to strengthen our Partnerships programme.
Our beautiful anniversary book celebrates 175 years of Radley. Order your copy via the publishers, Profile Editions.
A ‘175 Lecture Series’ will be launched, open to all, examining the past and exploring concepts in the future.
Adam King: Volunteering at The Open 2021 I am fortunate to be a member of The British and International Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) who recommend experienced members to assist with the greenkeeping at the world famous British Open Golf Championships. I applied and was extremely honoured to be selected for the 2020 Open to be held at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, Kent. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 this was cancelled until July 2021. Weeks of online preparations culminated in a training day at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where I met with the other 50 volunteers and discovered I would (probably due to maturity!) be a Team Leader for the week, responsible for driving the team to and from the golf course and ensuring staff had completed daily Covid testing. Upon our arrival at Sandwich, all the Team Leaders were instructed by the Course Manager and Head of Agronomy on how to correctly rake the Championship bunkers. Volunteers were assigned a different match to support from beginning to end. Every day was a very early start, we were up and out of Canterbury en route for Sandwich at 6am! My first match saw me supporting Ernie Els, Gary Woodland and amateur, Cole Hammer. This was my first nervous time within the ropes. Cole’s parents were escorting their son and we chatted together and exchanged polite conversation. The golf being played was of a very high standard and was most enjoyable to watch.
The golfers are also fortunate to have a scorer at every match. I went all the way to Sandwich to be paired with an Old Radleian, Will Bailey. He was experienced and soon calmed my nerves. The golfers and their supporting team were so focused and professional it was a privilege to support them within the ropes. Day One was 18 holes of golf over five hours in the sunshine and gentle breeze. This continued for a further three days with the weather forecast set fair. The golf continued from dawn until dusk, long walks, chatting with the crowd between shots, and friendly banter with the golfers and their support teams. Much learnt and enjoyed. Day Three was my golfing highlight and the most challenging day of the tournament due to being allocated Brooks Koepka and Mackenzie Hughes, who were both on the leader board. This meant we were followed by the American NBC camera crews which added to the stress of the match. Finishing on Day Four saw me out with Justin Thomas and Max Homa, who appeared to be enjoying the challenge of making their way up the leader board, sadly this proved futile as neither of them managed what they set out to accomplish. However, it was a privilege to watch the elite golfers manage their routine and see their extreme concentration over 18 holes. All in all a great experience making friends and learning along the way.
live music returns! It promises to be an exciting musical year at Radley College. After the challenges of the last few months, we are thrilled to bring back a vibrant programme of concerts, workshops and other events. In October, we will launch the Radley College Visiting Recital Series, with some outstanding professional performers visiting the College. All members of the College Community (and indeed the wider world!) are very welcome to join us for these recitals—look out for the brochure which will be published soon. We will be working closely with partner schools across the local area for a series of events, starting with a hugely exciting ‘Music Flood’ week in September that will see music happening every day in every school in Abingdon. This will culminate in two events: a concert with the Blues and Roots Ensemble (Charles Mingus jazz, below left) in Silk Hall at 8pm on Thursday 23 September, and then an open air celebration in Abingdon Market Square featuring performers from schools across the local area at 2pm on Friday 24 September. The College Choral Society will be returning, and we look forward to the spring and the Chapel Music Festival to mark the end of the Chapel project and arrival of the new organ. You are warmly invited to join us at all musical events, most of which are free and unticketed. We would love to see you. Do get in touch with the music department if you would like to find out more, or would like to join in. @RadleyMusic
college visitors policy
Sam Gladstone, Head of Music
As the new academic year begins, and after all the changes associated with Covid, the Visitors Policy ‘Access to College Premises’ has been updated and published. Please take a moment to read the policy which contains information on how to pre-register visitors to the campus using the Sign-In App which we will be relaunching shortly. More information will be shared soon via the Staff Noticeboard.
The map shows the public footpaths through the campus. Please be vigilant and politely challenge any member of the public who has strayed from these paths or alert a member of the Lodge or Security team.
STAFF NEWS
Welcome to Mike Ginger, Head Gardener; Polly Johnson, Senior Admissions Manager; Rebecca Kitchin, Estates Surveyor and Ben Weston-Conway, Communications Consultant. Below, left to right.
Congratulations to Les Newell (right), on his new appointment as Head of Sports Centre and Commercial Enterprises. In addition to continuing their responsibilities for the Sports Centre, Les and the Sports Centre team will take on the wider brief of responsibility for the College’s third-party lettings business.
Congratulations to Sean Ramsden (left) as he takes up the post of Head of Academic Support.
Welcome to new PHMs Abbie Brand (E Social) and Emma Lovell (D Social). Left to right.
Congratulations to Tom Norton as he moves to F Social as Tutor, and to new residential Sub-Tutors, Adam Jolly (C Social), Fergus Taylor (L Social) and Luke Wilson (B Social). Above, left to right.
A WARM WELCOME TO: Rebecca Barham, VMT (Piano)
Katie Lodge, VMT (Trumpet)
Reuben Barresi, Apprentice Groundsman
Jenny Mainwaring, Registered Nurse
Alex Boyd, Gardener
Sally Matthews, Graduate Assistant (Physics)
Anna Buckingham, Leisure Assistant
Sam Mitchell, VMT (Piano)
Romy Catmull, Graduate Assistant (History)
Molly Moran, Graduate Musician
Clémentine Ceuppens, Language Assistant (French)
Samantha Parsons, Registered Nurse
Kathryn Croxson, Wardrobe Assistant
Kerri Perrett, Sports Centre Duty Manager
Joe Evans-Murray, Graduate S&C Coach
Olivia Purslow, Teacher of French & Spanish
Steve Fredericks, Sports Centre Cleaner / Caretaker
James Quinn, Leisure Assistant
Tom Greensmith, Graduate S&C Coach
Kaia Sherry, Cook Fellow 2021/22
Izzy Hind, Leisure Assistant
Eoin Simpkins, Graduate Assistant (Maths)
Tereza Horacek, Graduate Assistant (Art & Design)
Chloé Soubiran, Language Assistant (French)
Dennis Horrocks, Reception Porter (Weekend)
Donald Southey, Painter & Decorator
Jaymie Johnson, Sports Centre Duty Manager
Natalie Street, Leisure Assistant
Jenny Lemke-Jeremy, Teacher of German
Will Swain, Teacher of History
Chris Lloyd, Teacher of Design & Technology
Connor Thune, Cook Fellow (Designer in Residence)
Marie Lloyd, VMT (Clarinet)
Grace Wood, Leisure Assistant Annette Zschau, Language Assistant (German)
Congratulations to Alex Bibby, Teacher of Economics; Erin Buckingham, Senior Leisure Assistant; Mili Carter, Interim Head of Spanish; Tom Deasy, Head of History; John Footman, Executive Head Chef; Harry Gillett, Senior Leisure Assistant and Effie Hiram, Teacher of Geography, on their recent promotions.
Clockwise from top left: Iris Mae Gladstone, born 11 August 2021; Barnaby Grice, born 07 May 2021, Joshua Luke Hills, born 25 July 2021, Ada Nash, born January 2021, Dixon Oakley-Rowland, born 17 December 2020, Clemmie Perkins, born 29 June 2021 and Edgar Woodling, born 26 June 2021.
radley babies
Welcome to the new intake of Radley babies!
RADLEY Memories After a combined 59 years at Radley, Helen Smith and Debbie Blackmore retire this term. They look back at what’s changed since they arrived ...
HELEN SMITH I joined Radley in late September 1997 as Housekeeping Manager, and my first job was to prepare for the opening of Queen’s Court which took place that November, not bad after just eight weeks to see the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh! This was followed by the opening of the new Athletics track by Olympian Roger Black. The College continued to develop over the years; Modern Languages was extended, Socials upgraded, the Round Pavilion and New Theatre built. Sports Centre was refurbished and joined by new buildings and facilities: the Real Tennis Court, Strength and Conditioning Centre and the Rowing Tank. Three new Socials were opened, as well as Clock Tower Court. The Catering, Housekeeping and Laundry Departments were all refurbished and as we speak work is continuing on Chapel and Shop. With all this progress the Housekeeping Team also developed, with the Caretakers, Cleaning and Laundry teams all growing to provide a fantastic level of service to the College. This is a team that I am so happy and proud of, their continuing hard work and support to me has been outstanding and I thank them all for this, without them nothing would happen. I have also very much enjoyed developing the Commercial Lets over the years. My first summer as Housekeeping and Lettings Operation Manager in 1998 we had just one group, Frances King, who now trades as Discovery Summer. Over the years we gained more business, usually welcoming five residential groups over the Easter period and seven each Summer; not to mention the various day hires. I have learnt so much over the years; from the complex training synchronised swimmers undertake, to the dedication of many musical groups. I have loved seeing the look on children’s faces when they arrive at Radley from inner city areas and watching them gasp at the sight of our fantastic grounds. It is very much teamwork and I thank all my various management teams and administrative support, I could not have managed without you!
DEBBIE BLACKMORE Who would have thought that when I arrived at Radley in December 1986, I would still be here nearly 35 years later? I always say I would have got less for murder! When I arrived, the College had 550 students and all income and expenses were written by hand into beautiful leather-bound ledgers. How things have changed! We now have 760 boys, and everything is done on the computer. My first position was as the Accounts Assistant, and I worked in an office which is now the Bursary post room. The College was much smaller, with only seven Socials. Over the years I have done every job in the Accounts Department, before becoming Accounts Manager in 1993. In my 35 years I have known three Bursars: Mickey Jones, Richard Beauchamp and Andrew Ashton, and four Wardens: Dennis Silk, Angus McPhail, Richard Morgan and John Moule. When I arrived, I was living at home with my parents in Abingdon. In 1989 I married John and we have stayed in the area. We had a daughter, Hannah, and acquired two dogs along the way. I have been very fortunate to work with some lovely people over my last 35 years, none so more than my current team of Jackie, Amanda, Diane, Nicolette, and Kelly. The laughs that we have I will so miss. Radley College is such a beautiful place and it will remain in my memories for years to come.
community partnerships programme
A new academic year, a new normal, perhaps, but one thing that is certain is our volunteering and service within our local community. Generations of Radleians have shown our commitment to community service and it is already a well-developed aspect of our partnership work. During lockdown, boys and staff continued to provide online support for local organisations and with restrictions now relaxed the opportunity to visit our partners is once again possible. Over one hundred boys moving into the Vth form have volunteered to be part of the community partnership programme and they will be supported by over 30 dons and members of the Radley community. Each boy will give an hour and a half of his time every Wednesday afternoon for the next two terms. Those of you with a mathematical mind will be able to calculate the time given by each boy and in turn the sum of the hours volunteered. It is an extraordinary endeavour and one that brings genuine benefit to local schools and organisations within our immediate locale, as well as to the boys involved. Over the next two terms music concerts will resume within local care homes, Maths and English support will be given at local primary schools in Radley, Kennington and Abingdon, and boys will once again work on Peach Croft Farm and tend to the gardens of churches in Littlemore and Radley.
One new development is our links with local charities and if you pop into Abingdon town you might be served by a Radleian in a Barnado’s or British Heart Foundation charity shop. Further afield, our young sport leaders will support two primary schools in Blackbird Leys, helping to develop an enriched extra-curricular programme, while others are working in partnership with Oxfordshire Youth providing opportunities for young people in Oxfordshire. Closer to home we aim to support Headway Oxford, with an ambition of building a sensory garden at their centre in Kennington. It has also been lovely to build relationships with new organisations who have a connection to Radley. We are delighted to be able to support Kennington Pre-School, managed by Vickie Ward, whose husband Alex has been a great help in bringing our two schools together. The friendships and skills developed through these partnerships are lifelong for our students, and we hope that they will develop a sense of pride through their involvement and be advocates for the organisations they work alongside. There is no doubt that we are stronger together and the community partnership programme remains a beacon of what is possible when we work in collaboration. John Sparks, Director of Partnerships @RadleyLinks
Estates Update CHAPEL TIME CAPSULE During the summer, the main contractors for the Chapel project, Oxford-based Beard, placed a 2021 time capsule at the apex of the new East Arch. The chosen location is directly above the original home of the Chapel’s foundation stone, which was removed and will be re-set within the Chapel. A time capsule which was buried in 1893 was discovered during the building works. The new capsule contains documents relating to the extension as well as, fittingly, a facemask!
A FIFTY FOUR PIECE PUZZLE The sedilia, a name which means ‘a group of stone seats for clergy in the south wall of a church, usually three in number, often canopied and decorated’ was built into Radley’s new Chapel between 1893 and 1895 in the Gothic style, and was part of the structural wall of the original building. It is made of limestone and brick; the stone is intricately carved with oak leaves and acorns with small birds hidden in the foliage. If you look closely throughout the chapel, you will see similar birds in the pew carvings and stained-glass windows as part of the architect’s style. The Chapel extension plans required the complete removal of the sedilia to allow for demolition through the East end gable wall and creation of the new octagonal sanctuary. The sedilia was removed in 2019 in 54 individual parts and stored securely for the duration of the works. The three top stones weigh over 1 tonne each! Following completion of the extension this summer 2021, it has now been partially reinstalled in the new sanctuary of the Chapel, with the on-site stonemason carefully making sure each piece of the puzzle went back in the correct order. Works will continue in Leave Away to lift in the top three stones and finish the reinstatement.
SHOP DEVELOPMENTS Work began at the end of the summer term to reconfigure Shop, with alterations to the kitchen and catering area recently complete and the new phase to alter the shell of the building starting in early September. Once the new footprint is ready, the fit-out will begin, to bring a bright, fresh and modern feel to the building with natural materials taking inspiration from elsewhere around the campus. The new Shop will encompass an open plan dining area for Socials to eat meals on rotation as an alternative to Hall, as well as a separate meeting room / events dining room. Shop is due to re-open in 2022. While Shop remains out of action, mobile units will be placed around the site selling a reduced range of food and stationery. Now that the College is fully cashless, funds must be loaded onto your EPOS account before you can use it around campus. This can be done at the tills in Coffee Shop, and a new mobile app will be available in due course for reviewing transaction history and loading funds onto your EPOS card. Purchases can still be made using a debit or credit card but please be aware that there is a £5 minimum charge.
One of Summertown’s most famous residents once wrote “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings. ‘Footfall’ is an exhibition of sculpture by students of Radley College in the Turrill Sculpture Garden, behind Summertown Library, north Oxford which illustrates the potential significance of taking that first step and the impression each can leave. Over 140 clay feet, cast by last year’s Shells, snake around the peaceful sculpture gardens, owned by Oxfordshire County Council, in a twisting path of exploration. There is also a display of mixed outdoor sculptures by both Old Radleians and current students. The exhibition is open from 25 September to 13 November 2021. Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9.30 - 17.00. Sat 9.30 - 16.00. Closed on Wednesdays and Sundays. Summertown Library, South Parade, Oxford OX2 7JN.
follow us! Keep up to date with photos and stories from around the campus by following the Staff Noticeboard SharePoint site and the Radley College accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
turrillsculpturegarden.org.uk
a radley send-off for the class of 2020 For the boys whose time at Radley ended during the lockdown of summer 2020, the College was pleased to be able to welcome them and their parents back for a special Leavers’ Event.
Short speeches from Fred Dreyer, Senior Prefect in 2020, and the Warden reflected on their time at Radley and the bonds of friendship that have been forged here that the (now) ORs will take out into the wider world.
There was an excellent turnout of 90 boys and over 200 parents, plus a large cohort from the Radley community, who braved the finest August drizzle to attend.
The whole event was one of great warmth, and all present were very appreciative of this opportunity to meet up once again, and for the boys (and parents) to get the Radley send off their time here deserved. We wish them all the very best.
The Leavers’ Chapel service, which was the first to be held in the newly extended Chapel, saw boys and parents all in good voice, and the Radley champagne and excellent BBQ that followed were well earned!
Many thanks to the Development, Housekeeping and Catering Teams for all their hard work behind the scenes to make the day such a success.
fitness on campus We are delighted to be able to launch a host of new activities at the Sports Centre and to announce a few exciting changes.
Our extremely popular Monday Circuits class returns to its original format from 06 September and Bodyburn will continue to run every Wednesday evening.
Our Members’ swim on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings will be changing to 6:30am to 8:00am from 06 September, giving you an extra 30 minutes of swim time. Hopefully, this will allow more of you to go swimming before the start of your work day.
Please ensure that you continue booking sessions via the bookings page or via email. If you are struggling to book, please feel free to ask a member of staff for help or we will be happy to book any sessions for you.
I am also happy to announce that we have a new class and activities timetable (below) for September 2021. This includes three new FIT class times and a new Dance FIT class. This new class will be run by Caitlin beginning on 16 September. Dance Fit is an aerobic workout, that includes many forms of dance. The class will vary in intensity and ability, dependent upon individual’s skill. Each movement can be simplified or enhanced accordingly. It’s a fun way to incorporate cardio into your workout routine!
@RadleySportsCen
Staff members can join the Leisure Club and benefit from all of our classes and activities for just £50 for a whole year. If you wish to join, please just come to the Sports Centre and we can sign you up. If you do not wish to become a member, you can still benefit from all ‘family’ swim sessions. These are shown in the calendar as ‘suitable for children’. If you wish to swim at any of these sessions with your children, please book by emailing sportscentre@radley.org.uk with details of how many places you wish to book.
@Radley.SportsCentre
Emily Noel-D’Avila, Leisure Club and Activities Manager
@RadleyCSportsCentre
September’s Wessex Airscapes exhibition at The Sewell Centre Gallery is an exciting collaboration between aerial photographer Hedley Thorne and landscape painter Anna Dillon. The idea for this exhibition arose from their mutual interest in exploring the local landscapes of Oxfordshire and Berkshire on foot and from the air. For many years Anna Dillon has been painting this magical landscape, and a chance encounter, via social media, with Hedley Thorne’s drone photography of the Berkshire Downs provided a birds’ eye perspective on countryside that was familiar to her from walking the land. Anna initially used an aerial photograph by Hedley as a reference for a painting of the iconic Wittenham Clumps. Through that collaboration evolved a working relationship that has resulted in this exhibition.
Up on the Berkshire Downs there are many hidden gems, such as ancient ditches, Roman earthworks, burial mounds and medieval field systems, alongside dramatic natural chalk landscape features like the dynamic and rippling shapes and lines left by solifluction which is related to freeze-thaw activity from the periglacial period. In certain lights and seasons, Hedley’s drone work can identify these ‘hidden jewels’ in the chalk hills—earthworks, ditches, field systems—and give us all a fresh appreciation of our breathtakingly beautiful country. The paintings in this exhibition have used Hedley’s photographs as a reference and were created between 2020 and 2021 during the Covid pandemic. Anna Dillon and Hedley Thorne feel very fortunate to live in this beautiful part of England and hope that this exhibition will encourage people to venture out and explore these locations in all their seasonal splendour. The exhibition is accompanied by drone film footage and audio files by both artists, and is open daily until Friday 24 September 2021. @RadleyGallery
The next Operational Staff Meeting will take place on
FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER 2021 Invitations and more information to follow