In this issue - Truro School

NOVEMBER 2013
Former member of staff, Andy
Mulligan, now an award winning
author, returned to School to hold
workshops for the current pupils.
His latest book, TRASH, is
currently being made into a film.
In this issue:
Andy Mulligan (former staff) returns to Truro School
Rory Christopher (CO14) captains Welsh U18 Exiles rugby team
News from Max Levene – Part 1 of 2
Simon Latarche’s Facebook page
Email from John Rhys-Davies, (H.J. Davies as he was then) Head Boy from the Class of '62
Christian May (CO04) spotted on BBC Newsnight programme
Easter Saturday Smickett v Schinter rugby and mixed hockey matches
Four sleeve sponsors required - £150 a sleeve
Sir Ben Ainslie (CO95) opens new Sports Centre at School
Patrick Moon (CO71) has had three books published
Phillip Trevennen’s (CO72) Cornwall Calendar
Burrell Theatre event
Bereavements
Future events
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the lecture, Andy made himself available for
book signing.
FP News
Andy Mulligan returns to Truro
School
On Tuesday 8 October, celebrated author Andy
Mulligan spent the day at Truro School, not
only sharing his stories but also helping the
students to write their own.
A former teacher at Truro School, Andy went
on to find fame as a writer
of teenage fiction – little
did staff and students
realise they were
providing the source
material for the characters
that colour the pages of
his Ribblestrop trilogy.
Andy has won numerous
awards and accolades for
his writing, including
being nominated for the Roald Dahl Funny
Prize for the second Ribblestrop and winning
the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for the
third. His novel Trash, hailed by the Times as
“outstanding,” was shortlisted for the 2012
Carnegie Medal and is now being made into a
film. With Richard Curtis as the screenwriter
and Stephen Daldry the director, production
began this month in Rio. Andy flew back from
the set earlier this week to tell us how it felt to
meet the children who are bringing his
characters to life.
Andy was very generous with his time and
gave an inspirational creative writing workshop
to aspiring authors, both young and old, in the
Dodd Library. He later spoke to a large
audience in the Burrell Theatre about the art of
writing fiction and the process that has seen his
words interpreted on screen. Over drinks after
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The following is an extract from a Guardian
interview.
‘The survival of the children in this novel is
crucial to Mulligan. "I've got no interest in
children's books that don't offer hope. I
suppose I'm firmly wedded to the idea of
redemption: that whatever you've done,
whatever situation you are in, there is a
possibility of finding
a way out of it."
Mulligan's own
journey has taken
him from a childhood
in south London to
Manila via a brief
career as a theatre
director. He emerged
from university in the
80s "thinking I would be running the RSC by
the age of 25 and the world was waiting for me.
I soon discovered that actually the world was
very happy doing its thing," he says with a wry
smile. Out of work, with Thatcher's cuts hitting
the small touring theatre companies where he
might have begun to fulfill his directing
dreams, he decided to take a break from it all
by visiting a friend in Calcutta who was trying
to repair an orphanage there. It was to change
the path of his life. "I had experiences in
Calcutta that made me realise, I don't think I
can go back to the UK and continue trying to
beg money to put on a silly play," he says.
Instead he turned to teaching and found his
métier. "I discovered that you could have such
fun in a classroom and every encounter with a
class could be hugely enjoyable, though I
imagine that any teacher reading this will want
to shoot me," he says, drily. From a private
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school in Cornwall, the "luck of the TES" took
him to Manila four years ago, a place he now
considers home.
That early visit to Calcutta would also provide
the germ of Trash when he encountered a street
child who would, years later, provide the
inspiration for Raphael. Mulligan was struck
by the "natural charm and grace" of the boy,
whose entire family, including his bronchitic
father, lived with another family in a damp
garage without water and electricity. The boy
had clear, strictly financial goals to move
somewhere dry, afford medication for his
father and get
together a dowry
so that his sister
could marry. "I
was the tourist
he had 'netted'
and hoped was
his passport to a
different world,"
says Mulligan.
He helped him
then and has
stayed in regular
touch over the
years,
supporting the
family through various changes.’
The full version of the intriguing interview can
be found on the Guardian site by clicking here
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Rory Christopher (CO14) captains
Welsh U18 Exiles
Rory captained the Welsh U18 Exiles against
the Irish U18 Exiles for their recent match in
London.
Unfortunately the Welsh lost 28- 27 but, I’m
reliably informed, should have won the game
apart from the referee sin-binning 3 welsh
players with 10 minutes to go allowing the
Irish to score 2 converted tries. Apparently this
is the closest the Welsh have come to winning
in 10 years.
Rory left Truro School after GCSEs and is
currently in the Upper Sixth at Bryanston
School in Dorset and captaining their 1st XV.
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New from Max Levene – Part 1 of 2
A lot has happened since leaving Truro in
2011. After leaving I began my gap year, one
that will never be forgotten.
Great Ethiopian Run
Five months of the gap year I spent in Ethiopia
where my parents have a home and are
currently building an eco-lodge (more about
that later). Whilst in Ethiopia I did many
memorable things however one of the
highlights had to be wheeling the Great
Ethiopian Run, a 10km run with 32,000 other
participants aided by some E-motion wheels
(power assisted wheels that enable me to get
around, making up for my lack of working
triceps muscles, whilst still getting some
exercise). The run is the largest mass
participation event in Africa and my wheels
were funded by the Max Levene Trust that was
set up by Truro School and was so generously
given to by many people around the world. The
run was fantastic with everyone running in a
sea of red and purple shirts (that year’s
uniform), singing traditional songs and even
dancing along the route. The uphills were a
slog but I think they were a few surprised faces
as people were jumping out of my way on the
downhills; I completed the run in under two
hours.
Three day drive
The other big highlight was driving from Addis
Ababa (Ethiopia) to Nairobi (Kenya). This was
a three day drive (10 hours a day) through
scenery that varied from the lush green valleys
of Ethiopia to the arid deserts of northern
Kenya and the vast flower farms of Nanyuki
along unmade roads. One of the most
interesting bits was northern Kenya where the
women all wore their traditional clothing but
not merely as a show for tourist, as there are no
tourists that far north. The biggest surprise also
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came whilst in the north, in the middle of the
desert we met a car facing in the opposite
direction (one of only three we saw all day); it
was parked with a woman looking into the
bonnet so we stopped to check that she was ok.
Amazingly once stopped we realised she was
also travelling with a British man in a
wheelchair who also had a spinal injury (he
actually looked rather grumpy that he wasn’t
the only one on this remote route). As it was,
they were only topping up water, but I wonder
what the odds were of that chance encounter.
Lalibela
Another trip was to the ancient churches of
Lalibela. On this trip I became the first
wheelchair user to visit all 11 churches. This
was along tight passageways up and down cliff
faces and through dark tunnels. Aided by my
brother, dad, some very helpful Ethiopians they
managed to carry me all the way using a
hammock type contraption so that I could see
everything. It was interesting day, if not rather
frightening at times, that ended with the
Ethiopian television meeting me at the last
church, to film what had been done.
France
After returning from Ethiopia I was invited to
visit Lourdes in France, with a group who took
people linked with the military and who had
disabilities, on pilgrimage. At first I was
reluctant to go but after much persuasion by the
family, who thought I had nothing else to do
that week anyway, I decided to go. It turned out
to be a brilliant week with some really
interesting people. The whole place has a
buzzing atmosphere that whether one is
religious or not is quite fascinating to
experience. One of the most amazing things is
going from the loud crowds of the square into
the completely silent grotto where people are
worshipping; the complete contrast in
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atmospheres is quite astounding. Also during
the trip we visited the Pyrenees and relaxed in
the sunny climate that had not been enjoyed
that summer in England.
Business Economics Degree
In the September 2012 I started a Business
Economics degree at the University of East
Anglia in Norwich. I am staying in the halls of
residence for the three years of the course in a
flat with 10 other students and my carer, who
has the room next to me. The government has
helped out by supplying me with a note taker
and a mentor whose job it is to help me
organise extra arrangements for exams etc. It
has been a year in which I got a lot of my
independence back after my accident, and have
lived a very student lifestyle. Lots of
socialising was done, with many a night out
and a bit of studying was thrown in every so
often. Going to university was partly made
possible by building an accessible room at my
grandparent’s house in Cambridgeshire. Their
workroom was transformed into a bedroom and
wet-room, that also has its own shower chair,
hoist and spinal mattress. This was jointfunded by the School Trust and Rugby Football
Union Injured Player Foundation (RFUIPF).
The room has given me a staging post as well
as an escape if uni becomes too much, and it
also allows me to visit my grandparents
without them having to clear their dining room
furniture into the attic and hire equipment. The
main benefit is I no longer have to shower with
a watering can in the garden (weather
permitting) or on a cement mixing tray in the
kitchen, as I could not get upstairs to their
bathroom!
Simon Latarche’s Facebook page
Simon continues to compose and release his
music. If you could ‘Like’ his Facebook page
he would be eternally grateful.
www.facebook.com/simonlatarchepiano
His website is a mine of information and lists
the stories behind the songs from his latest
album, Cornish Prelude Book 2. Not a very
original title to follow Cornish Prelude 1 but
the music is fantastic. The songs range from
Love in the afternoon
This prelude was inspired by a warm Autumn
afternoon walk along Carne beach on the
Roseland peninsula with my wife Jocelyn.
Paul (Tenor) Sarah (Flute) Simon (Piano) Steve
(Bass) Terry (Drums) Tristan (Percussion)
to
Maisie Hates Squirrels
Written to document our pet dog’s fixation
with squirrels everywhere, this piece is also a
celebration of the excellent work started by
Molly Wyatt and continued by the National
Animal Welfare Trust based in Hayle.
Paul (Alto) Sarah (Tenor) Robin (Trmpt)
Gareth (Trmbn) Simon (Elec Piano) Steve
(Bass) Terry (Drums)
More news in Part 2 next month.
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John Rhys-Davies, (H.J. Davies as he
was then) Head Boy from the Class of
'62 has emailed me.
' I was very sorry to learn of
the death of David
Scantlebury; I remember
coming into the 6th form
Common Room and seeing
him standing alone in the
middle of the room, holding a
piece of paper, tears rolling down his cheeks. I
assumed that he had received bad news from
home. "What's the matter, Scantlebury?" I
asked. He showed me the paper. On it was
what I took to be some sort of differential
equation.
"It's so bloody beautiful!"
A bright man, who showed me in that moment
that intellectual passion finds beauty in areas
that I could never comprehend, and I envied
him.
My heartfelt condolences to his family.'
(H.J.Davies and Tufty (Thurstan) Hoskin
(CO63) were two of 106 founder students at
the then new University of East Anglia in
1963. Davies, obliged by Equity rules to
change his name to John Rhys-Davies went on
to RADA and then into rep,
television, and film. When at the
RSC in the mid '70's he shared a
house with Nigel Terry (CO64),
who had played Casio when John
played Othello in the '62 School
Play. He is ashamed to admit that
his high tackle on the late David
Penhaligon M.P. (CO62) in a house-match
broke David's collarbone.
Davies is best known as the Egyptian digger
Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Indiana
Jones and the Last Crusade, and, in the Lord of
the Rings trilogy, the Dwarf Gimli. He is coproducing and filming in Malta next month.
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He was recently awarded an honorary D.Litt by
UEA. He and Tufty met up at the 50th
Anniversary Reunion of UEA last month.
Providing his acting and producing
commitments allow, John has agreed to be our
guest speaker at the Annual Dinner next
September.
Christian May (CO04) spotted on
BBC Newsnight programme
Christian is the Head of Media Relations at The
Institute of Directors and was spotted talking
about HS2 on Newsnight on Tues 29 October.
He was also at the London Networking
Reunion earlier in October.
Christian May (CO04) and Rob Bruce (CO74)
at the TSFPA London Networking Reunion
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Easter Saturday Smickett v Schinter
rugby and mixed hockey matches
Teams of former pupils will again be playing
against each other for Smickett (Smith and
Wickett) and Schinter (School and Vinter) in
the annual matches. The TSFPA Committee
have decided that as Good Friday is the most
important date in the Methodist calendar and
because of our founding and on-going
Methodist beliefs, the matches will have to be
played on Easter Saturday, kick-off 3pm. The
matches will be followed by the usual barbecue
and refreshments. Bring the family.
We will have brand new shirts for both
matches so if you would like to play please let
Steve Floyd know by emailing him the
following information using
[email protected]
Your sport (Rugby, Mixed hockey or both)
Your name
Your Class Of (year you did or would have
left the Upper Sixth)
Which position/s you play
We still need sponsors for the four sleeves.
If you or your company would like a logo
on a sleeve for £150 please let Steve Floyd
know [email protected]
Teams shown are from a few years
ago
Rugby players
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Mixed Hockey players
Sir Ben Ainslie (CO95) opens new
Sports Centre at School
Ben opened the new Sir Ben Ainslie Sports
Centre last month. After spending the morning
answering questions from the School’s top
sporting pupils the whole school attended the
official opening in the new Sports Centre.
he was strongly advised by several friends not
to take it on. He then emphasised that, as far as
he was concerned, that was never an option.
Ever the competitor, it was a challenge.
Thus started the comeback where Oracle Team
USA won 8 races in a row to retain the
America’s Cup, international sport’s oldest
trophy.
Ben’s answers to various short questions went
down well with those assembled.
Weymouth or Restronguet ? Restronguet
Pastie or fish and chips ?
Pastie
Sir Ben or Ben ?
Definitely Ben
During his ‘speech’ Ben said that when he was
offered the opportunity to be the tactician for
the Oracle Team USA boat when they were
8 – 1 down with the winner being the first to 9,
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In a previous interview Ben had admitted to
thinking about his friend Andrew Simpson,
who died in the same San Francisco harbour in
May during a training session, as he crossed
the line for victory in the final race.
"I had Andrew in my mind a lot, certainly
when I crossed the line," said Ainslie. "He
would have loved it. It was a very special
moment.”
"I looked up to the stars after it all settled down
at the end and thought of Bart.
"It was emotional. It has been a hard few
months with his death and all that followed. He
has been in my mind."
Also during his speech Ben had picked out Tim
Tall, for a special mention, from the seated
masses.
Headmaster Andrew Gordon-Brown and Ben
Anybody who saw Ben’s last race in the 2012
Olympics to win the Gold Medal will know
how he relishes a challenge.
Also in that previous interview Ben had made
the following comments, the last of which
anybody would do well to bear in mind.
"It's been one of the most amazing comebacks
ever and to be a part of that is a huge
privilege."
"We had a mountain to climb. We knew we
had to sort ourselves out.
"We got the momentum going and we started
believing in ourselves and when you do that
you can become quite strong."
Ben now wants to win the America’s Cup with
a British team. I’m sure we all wish him good
luck with that.
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Patrick Moon (CO71) has had three
books published
Arrazat’s Aubergines,
Patrick’s second book, is
a great stand-alone read
for any Francophile, food
lover or armchair chef,
deploying a colourful cast
of entertaining characters
and a rich vein of humour
to deliver a wealth of
fascinating information.
For fans of its
predecessor, Virgile’s
Vineyard, it also
continues the story of many favourite figures,
including Virgile himself.
What else is there for
a boy like me?
PATRICK MOON was born in Cornwall in
1953. He studied History and French at Oxford
University and went on to qualify as a solicitor.
Aged 44, he resigned his partnership at a large
London practice because he felt that there
ought to be time in life to achieve more than
one thing.
Patrick went on to write books, produce
paintings, and make wine and grow olive trees
at his ever-demanding property in France.
Virgile’s Vineyard - ‘A crash course in winemaking and a hilarious
introduction to French
hospitality... The story is
in turns funny, moving
and instructional,
with a wisdom that rises
from every chapter and
glassful. A delightful
journey of calamity and
discovery.’
Good Book Guide
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Patrick Moon takes
on two daunting
challenges - not just
the transformation of
his own life, but also
that of a poor
Rajasthani desert
boy.
Patrick Moon writes with flair
Daily Mail
www.patrickmoon.co.uk
www.troubador.co.uk
Paperbacks
Ebooks
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Price: £9.99
Price: £5.99
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NOVEMBER 2013
Phillip Trevennen’s (CO72)
Cornwall Calendar
I have a 2014 calendar which I have
produced in conjunction with Truro
Cathedral. The previous calendars
have all been a great success and this
joint venture raises money for the
cathedral and is fronted by an
exhibition in the cathedral featuring
large framed prints of the 12 images
in the calendar. For 2014 the calendar
features seasonal scenes that highlight
the beauty of the Cornish land and
seascapes. They include images from harbours,
beaches, St. Michael's Mount, Mevagissey,
Sennen Cove, St. Germans and Truro
Cathedral.
Frames, mounted images, cards and calendars
are available from the cathedral shop.
If anyone would like a calendar and are unable
to get to the exhibition they can be purchased
on my website: www.trevennen.com
www.truroschool.com
Here is a direct link:
http://www.trevennen.com/salesarea/calendar.p
hp?pg=1
There are also cards, framed and mounted
prints available on my website in the 'Gallery
and Shop' and 'Christmas cards and Gifts',
areas of my website should anyone be
interested!
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NOVEMBER 2013
Burrell Theatre
HOPEFUL MONSTERS
THEATRE COMPANY are touring
FROM THE GROUND written by
Lawrence Gordon Clark, and LOST
HEARTS adapted by Lawrence from the
original M.R. JAMES novel.
An afficianado of eerie tales, Lawrence
directed the series, A GHOST STORY FOR
CHRISTMAS in the seventies for the BBC,
and has since then
produced and
directed many
further ghost stories
for television
including the series
CHILLERS.
Saturday 23rd November 7.30 pm
Tickets - Adult £9, Concs £7, Under 16's
£5
Click HERE for tickets
These terrifying
tales delve deep into
the psyche,
exploring the
horrors that
humans have the
capacity to achieve
in the pursuit of
knowledge, love and
power.
Writer, Lawrence
Gordon Clark, uses
horror and humour
to tell these stories,
and Lucy Gordon Clark, the director,
guarantees fear and fun ‘a’ plenty.
This is HOPEFUL MONSTERS’ first foray
into Cornwall, the county in which the
writer lives and the director grew up.
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NOVEMBER 2013
Bereavements
Future events
Dr. Geraint (Gary or Tiger) Hughes
(Class of ‘71) has died suddenly at the age of
Last Four Year’s Leavers’ Christmas
Reunion (Classes of ’10 to ’13)
60.
Friday 20 December 2013
From 7:30 until 9:30pm
School Dining Hall
Refreshments provided
Please let the TSFPA Coordinator, Steve
Floyd, know if you may be coming to the Last
Four Years’ Leavers Christmas Reunion
[email protected]
Easter Saturday Rugby and Mixed
Hockey
3pm start at School followed by a barbecue
Please let Steve Floyd know if you would like
to play.
Contact details:
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Esse Quam Videri
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