From Rydal Penrhos Society members
Andrew Cashmore (RS 1979-84)
I am now of Fellow of Advance HE - I am a lecturer with the University of Plymouth as an Adult Nurse Lecturer.
I’ve been in nursing for around 25 years, and it is a real privilege to be teaching students.
Chris Jelfs (RPS 2006-10) reports:
“I will be getting married to my fiancée Sioned Walker on July 31st next year - our original date was going to be August 8th this year but due to the lockdown measures we had to postpone, here's hoping that the second attempt will be more successful!”
Heather (Bolt) Edwards (PC 1952-61), following closely in the footsteps of Timothy West and Prunella Scales “Great Canal Journeys” decided to take an adventure in her seventies and cruise in her narrow boat (Skara Brae) all the way from Cheshire to Bath via London. It took 4 months, and this image shows one of possibly the most memorable, if not challenging parts of the route. Accessing the Thames at Limehouse Basin through an enormous commercial lock, having had to purchase a two-way radio on instruction of the Harbour Master. “(He also wanted us to acquire an anchor, just in case but managed without!)” the wind factor was too high initially and they had to wait two days for it to calm down before sailing under Tower Bridge and alongside the London Eye. What an adventure!
Brian Kay’s (RS 1953-63) autobiographical book “Music, My Life” full of memories and anecdotes has just been published and hot off the press school has received a copy. And goodness what fascinating reading this will make.
He says his school days at Rydal - 1953-63 are well covered and might make memorable reading for others who were in school at the time.
Brian says he is “a lucky man who has spent his entire working life in a rewarding and successful career as musician and broadcaster.”
The book's blurb says it “throws a hugely entertaining light on a life entirely devoted to the joy of music and music-making”.
Brian started as the founder bass with the internationally renowned vocal group, The King’s Singers, and then joined the BBC as a presenter.
He moved back to the concert hall, conducting choral and orchestral concerts worldwide, including the annual 4000-voice Really Big Chorus Messiah from Scratch in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Interestingly, he has been the lowest frog on a Paul McCartney single and a member of the backing group for Pink Floyd!!
This would just make the best Christmas present for alumni and music lovers alike and is being published by Umbria Press.
