Celebrating the School's Methodist foundation
On Friday 10 and Saturday 11 September Rydal Penrhos celebrated its Methodist foundation at Founders' Weekend.
Thomas Osborn, who founded Rydal School (as Rydal Mount School) in 1885, and Frederick Payne, the key benefactor to Penrhos College, were commemorated in a service in St John's Methodist Church on Friday morning. In the service, Reverend Rob Beamish, the Chaplain, spoke about the tripod of past, present, and future in upholding the School's values. Head Girl Shruthi Ganapthi read from 7 Matthew, 'a wise man who built his house on the rock' and Head Boy Arthur Hind from an account of the history of the school.
Pupils arrive at St John's
In the afternoon pupils, staff, and parents gathered together in the Memorial Hall for Speech Day. Prizes were presented by Jo Marston, who also delivered an insightful and personal speech. Outoing Heads of School Richard Wolfendale and Anna Parry-Williams spoke on the importance of embracing every moment, and Gwyn Davies gave a emotive rendition of the third movement of Klengel's Cello Concertino in C.
Saturday saw Old Boys and Girls compete with current pupils for the Mather Trophy in boys' hockey and the Natalie Kate Moss trophies in girls' hockey and netball. The School was delighted by the number of alumni who joined us for these fixtures, either to play or to cheer the players on. Results were as follows:
The Natalie Kate Moss trophies were donated by the family of Natalie Kate Moss, a Rydal Penrhos pupil between 1996 and 2003. Natalie tragically died at the age of 26 of a brain hemorrhage and in her memory her family set up the Natalie Kate Moss (NKM) Trust, which partners with the University of Manchester, where Natalie studied, to fund groundbreaking research into the prevention and treatment of brain hemorrhages, as well as supporting those who suffer brain injuries through their studies.
Old Girls vs School Netball
Please do consider making a donation to the Natalie Kate Moss Trust. You can donate here.
Playing for Natalie's trophy was a particularly special moment for the Old Girls who had played netball with Natalie when she was a pupil. The President of the Rydal Penrhos Society, Guy Watson, presented the trophies.
Players and supporters then ate lunch together in the Dining Room. There was a display from the archives, as well as a special display of photos. Visitors were invaluable in identifying some faces.
Girls' Hockey – School team
Boys' Hockey
Zac Bromley and Nick Fiorita for the Rydal Dragons
Members of the Rydal Penrhos Society had met prior to the dinner for the Society's Annual General Meeting. Topics discussed included the Community Choir, which is restarting in November, the Rydal Penrhos Golf Society, and the Donald Hughes Trust.
Attendees then moved to the Ferguson Centre, which had been beautifully decorated by an events team headed by the School's new Commercial Manager, Maria McLean.
A particular highlight at the dinner was the presence of most of the cohort who left Rydal Penrhos last year, in 2020, and who had missed out on end-of-year fesitivites like the Sixth Form Ball. •
Brona Richardson, Grace Jordan, and Zahra Shamsi
Sean Robinson, Lloyd Parry-Williams, and Tom Lawton
Graham and Janice Knowles with Anne Watson
Arthur Hind and Shruthi Ganapathi
