OV of the Week

OV and actor Oliver Brooks’s (S 96-01) love for theatre started at a young age. A particularly memorable event during his time at School was his Drama Exchange trip to Worcester, Massachusetts.

While at King’s, Oliver played rugby for the School, balancing the sport with his studies. History was a favourite subject of Oliver’s, along with learning about architecture. Having Worcester Cathedral so close and an integral part of school life was an honour Oliver confesses he did not appreciate enough during his time at King’s.

To follow his dreams, Oliver chose Performing Arts, Theatre Studies, Stage Design and Fashion & Textiles for A Level, before joining the then Birmingham School of Acting – currently known as the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. There he achieved a First in his BA Hons in Acting.

Oliver’s career launched at The Swan Theatre, Worcester where he performed for many years, during the times when they had a wonderful rep company. He also performed in many pantomimes with Shakespeare at The Commandery.

Moving to London, Oliver played Edna Turnblad in Hairspray The Musical for Royal Caribbean Productions; he was also the first understudy and played Miss Trunchbull in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s West End production of Matilda The Musical. He had great fun playing the revealing Scotsman in a JACKPOTJOY commercial, working alongside the legendary, and greatly missed, Dame Barbara Windsor.

During Lockdown, Oliver teamed up with fellow OV Ben Humphrey (Cr 93-04) to set up a series of live, online cabaret nights to bring the talent of the West End and Broadway into people’s living rooms. The proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to The Theatre Artists Fund to support all of those within the theatre industry who had been so badly affected by the pandemic.

Following the COVID restrictions being lifted for the Arts, in January 2022, Oliver joined the world premiere cast of But I’m A Cheerleader to critical acclaim – a beautiful queer musical based on the original movie (of the same title). It was produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor Mills at The Turbine Theatre, a lovely new off West End venue next to Battersea Power Station in London.

In May this year (2022) Oliver finished the run of But I’m A Cheerleader and went straight into rehearsals for Heathers the Musical Movie, a filmed version of the stage show. It was very exciting opportunity and he worked with the original writers, Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, as well as being directed by Hollywood Director Andy Fickman.

Oliver is now currently performing in the West End stage production of Heathers at The Other Palace.

Oliver’s ties with King’s remain strong, having made many close friends for life while at School.

It was studying Business Studies at King’s for A Level that gave OV Toby Lamb (W 99-06) his interest in how companies work and the foundations for his career.

At School, Toby was a Monitor who was incredibly active in the School community. A participant in the Young Enterprise Scheme, a member of the Himalayan Club and completing his Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Toby favoured teamwork and problem solving. These experiences at King’s similarly helped guide Toby’s career choices.

After leaving King’s, Toby studied Business Economics at Exeter University. From there, he launched his career in banking and strategy with Santander in London. While with Santander, Toby moved to the USA to live in Boston for a couple of years, which was another great experience.

In 2015, Toby returned to London to join HSBC’s Internal Consulting Team. He has been with HSBC ever since and is currently focusing on the bank’s strategy for small business banking

Toby’s connections with King’s remain strong and he is still in regular contact with a close group of OV friends, meeting up for football games, holidays, and everything in between. In his spare time, Toby is a keen runner, choosing routes along the Thames and into the Chilterns, and he will be running the London Marathon this year in aid of the Shine Charity.

Phil Mackie (Cl 73-84) followed in the footsteps of his father, Alec Mackie (Cl 47-56) when he arrived at King’s, and a further generation of Mackies have also been King’s pupils, with his three daughters also attending the School.

Phil is the BBC’s Midlands correspondent; he has worked for the corporation since 1992 when he was a trainee reporter. In 1998 he was appointed as Radio 5Live’s West of England reporter, moving to the West Midlands in 2004. In 2009 he added network TV duties and since 2018 has been the network’s correspondent covering the whole of the Midlands.

During his career, Phil has reported from more than 20 different countries, including being in Kabul 2001, covering the Tsunami in Sri Lanka in 2004, the elections in Iraq in 2005, the Arab Spring in Egypt in 2011, and in refugee camps in Jordan and Lebanon.

Whilst at King’s, Phil was selected for the School at Hockey and Cricket, playing for the 1st XI, as well as the undefeated Under 14s of 1980. He also performed in Edward Kemp’s play The Iron & the Oak in Sixth Form. Phil’s A-levels were English, History and Economics. Following King’s, Phil studied History at University of Kent, after which he traveled for a year and then, on his return to the UK, began his journalistic journey, initially at BBC Hereford & Worcester.

In terms of advice to any budding journalists, Phil says, “Be enthusiastic, be nice to people, don’t say no to anything at the beginning, always say yes, and be willing to learn and to try things out.”

Phil manages to balance his demanding BBC career with a 43-year stint playing for Worcester’s Old Vigornians Cricket Club (OVCC), as a right-arm seamer, middle order batsman, and also often as captain. He is the current Chair of the OVCC and is looking forward to organising the Club’s 75th anniversary in Spring 2023.

Humanitarian and OV Dr David Bryer (Cr 54-58, H 58-62, and King’s St Alban’s) found his time at King’s to be instrumental in guiding the direction his career would take.

A Senior King’s Scholar studying Greek, Latin and History for A Levels, David was also Head of House in his final year at school, as well as the Company Sergeant Major of the CCF. In the little spare time he had, David enjoyed rowing and cross-country running.

Worcester College, Oxford was where David pursued his interest in Middle Eastern Studies, graduating in Arabic, Turkish and Middle Eastern history. There followed a PGCE at Manchester University, after which David returned to Oxford to complete a DPhil on the Druze, a Middle Eastern religious group.

Through the 1960s and early 70s, David’s career encompassed teaching, working for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and he was also an assistant keeper at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford for a period.

In 1975, David joined Oxfam, working in a variety of jobs, starting as the representative in Lebanon soon after the Civil War commenced. Staying with Oxfam, David was subsequently Africa Director (1981-4), Overseas Programme Director (1984-1991) and progressed to be UK Director (1992-2001).

David later moved to Geneva (2001 -2003), where he was a Senior Advisor at the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, working on conflict resolution. In 2003, he was appointed to the impressive position as Chair of Oxfam International.

David has been on the Board of a number of voluntary organisations including Save the Children, WWF, Oxfam America and VSO. Additionally, David has been Chair of Home-Start International and a member of the Court of Oxford Brookes University. We also cannot forget to note that David was a member of a number of UN panels and committees, including the Secretary General’s High Level Panel on financing for development.

In 1996, David was awarded a CMG (Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George) in the New Years Honours List for his work. David is also a member of the King’s School Barnabas Group, having returned to School in 2009 to speak with, and inspire, King’s pupils.

Not one to settle into retirement, David is now Lay Canon and Member of Chapter of Worcester Cathedral, and also on the Cathedral’s finance committee.

David credits his King’s housemaster, Richard Knight, for building the confidence of a then ‘shy kid’ and opening up ideas that indirectly led him to his lifelong interest in the Middle East, Islam and the Druze. His love for music also stems from his time at King’s, where his study-buddy, the late John Langdon (H 52-61), along with time spent with the late Hon OV Peter Barnett, and in the Cathedral, combined to inspire David.

Georgia Mackie (W 08-15) followed in the footsteps of her father, Philip Mackie (Cl 73-84) and grandfather, Alec Mackie (Cl 47-56) when she arrived at King’s. Georgia threw herself into life at King’s, getting involved with both the Music department through singing and clarinet lessons and by representing King’s on the sports fields in hockey, netball and rounders. At A level, Georgia studied Maths, Biology and Latin and, on leaving King’s, she had a gap year and then headed up to Newcastle University, where she studied Classics.

Georgia’s first job took her to London, where she worked for two years as a sole Parliamentary Assistant working directly for an MP, in the House of Commons; this meant working through a general election, Brexit and the pandemic. She was responsible for managing all correspondence, handling constituent casework, communicating with high level Government officials and Ministers and she was actively involved with international organisations with a particular focus on girls’ education.

Georgia has more recently moved into Business Consultancy, where she is an associate consultant. Here she has begun to carve out a career focussed on sustainability, having worked with the RSPCA to help them reduce their environmental impact and shape their sustainability vision, and more recently with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, researching energy efficiency calculations.

Georgia’s time at King’s prepared her for life after school by providing a solid foundation to her learning, giving her the confidence to hold her own in unfamiliar situations.

OV Dr Harrison Gallantree-Smith (Cr 03-05) transferred to King’s for the Sixth Form and joined both his sister Poppy Gallantree-Smith (03-05) and his father, Chris Gallantree-Smith (Hon OV), or Mr G-S as he was affectionately known.

Harrison was a very active member of the Sixth Form, involved in numerous activities including the Choir, Archives, Young Enterprise, Squash and Music, but still made time for his A Levels of History, Chemistry and Biology. His one regret remains not representing the School at Cricket.

It was during his time at King’s that Harrison realised his passion was in Chemistry, especially learning about new compounds and materials and how they improve people’s lives, with thanks to Dr Mark Poole (Hon OV) for his support and encouragement. This led Harrison to read Chemistry at University College London (UCL), where he soon recognised that his talents were in making and synthesizing new chemicals.

After gaining his MSc in Organic Chemistry at UCL, fuelled with a desire for travelling, Harrison took a research position in Canada as an industrial synthesis chemist, which was a great learning experience. However, having realised that he needed to progress his career further, Harrison then applied for a PhD in organic synthesis at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). With his love of the outdoors and the lure of a more relaxed way of living, Norway was the perfect choice for him.

Harrison’s PhD focussed on the synthesis of complex molecules from nature and fatty acids from fish, which culminated with a publication in a top scientific journal. During his PhD, though, Harrison became interested in the field of renewable and sustainable raw materials, especially after seeing first-hand the damage climate change has done to Norway.

As such, after successfully completing his PhD, Harrison shifted away from organic synthesis and took up a new position as an industrial researcher at a bio-refinery in Norway. This position allows him to find eco-friendly alternatives for oil-based chemicals. Along with lab-work and working with industrial partners, Harrison has also managed to write and film digital content for his company to convey these eco-friendly alternatives to a wider audience.

Outside of work, Harrison is a keen guitarist, squash player and golfer, and would like to pick up tennis. Being in Norway for over ten years now, he has picked up the skiing and ice-skating bug and will often go off into the forest or mountains to enjoy the snow. Harrison is also semi-fluent in Norwegian or “Norsk” as they call it there.

As we start both a new year and a new term when the work for GCSEs and A Levels has seriously ramped up with mock exams, where better to focus our attention than on an OV in education?

OV Rachael Speirs (née Draper, Co 90-92) is currently Deputy Head Pastoral at Solihull School and part of the Senior Leadership Team, a role she has held since 2020. This includes the pastoral care for c. 1,100 pupils aged 11-18 and line-managing the Assistant Head in charge of Safeguarding and Pupil Welfare, as well as the school’s Anti-Discrimination Lead, who leads on DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). This is in addition to managing the Heads of Section for the Lower School, Middle School and Sixth Form, presenting assemblies on contemporary issues and running the Whole School Council.

Rachael’s inspiration for education can be pinpointed to her time at King’s, where she studied English Literature, Music and Religious Studies for A Level. Her teachers, Peter Diamond (Hon OV), Stephan Le Marchand (Hon OV), and Richard Davis (Hon OV) taught with such passion that Rachael has tried to emulate in her career as a teacher.

Studies aside, Rachael represented the School both on the sports field, in the Hockey Team, and also on the stage, playing Blousey Brown in the School production of ‘Bugsy Malone’ which remains a highlight of her Sixth Form life.

Indeed, Rachael’s passion for Drama and Music has remained with her and she still plays her flugel horn and sings in the Chapel Choir at her current school. Musical connections with King’s did not end when Rachael left, as she returned for the School’s 450th Anniversary celebrations at the Albert Hall, playing the oboe, when she also met the Queen.

Following on from King’s, Rachael moved to Nottingham to study a BA in English and Sociology at Nottingham Trent University. This was shortly followed by her PGCE at Keele University, thereby igniting her career in education.

Rachael began her working life as a teacher at Tudor Grange, Solihull, where she taught English. Her passion for teaching saw her quickly promoted to Second in Department; her commitment to the pupils naturally led Rachael down the pastoral route and she was duly appointed Head of Year.

Moving to Saint Martin’s School in Solihull, Rachael continued to teach English but was recognised for her dedication to education and progressed through the ranks: from Assistant Head with responsibility for Sixth Form, then Acting Deputy Head, Deputy Head to Acting Head.

Saint Martin’s then merged with Solihull School in September 2020, when Rachael was appointed Deputy Head Pastoral. In this position, Rachael feels it is important as a female leader to be a role model and to pass on some of her experience over the last 25 years in the profession, so she is also a mentor to aspiring female leaders.

Rachael continues to keep very connected with King’s, not least by being married to another OV, Matthew Speirs (H 86-91), but also through School reunions and social media. She remains close to many of the friends made at King’s.

Rachael’s time at King’s taught her to grasp opportunities with both hands, work hard and be ambitious – all traits she has tried to follow in adult life.

Andrea Palk MBE (E 88-90) joined King’s in the Sixth Form, having previously been at St Mary’s Convent, Worcester. While taking her A levels of Biology, Chemistry and Geography, Andrea was also a very active member of the School, involved in both the Cross Country and Rowing squads.

Her love of rowing continued at Exeter University, where she read Geography and Biology. It is also where she became involved with the Exeter University Officer Training Corps, through which she took a Territorial Commission at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. This experience inspired a career in the military, specifically the Royal Air Force.

Andrea took some time after University to travel around India and then joined the RAF as a Training and Personnel Officer. She served for a total of 16 years, leaving with the rank of Wing Commander. Tours included Senior Personnel and Welfare Officer in Afghanistan, supporting British Forces, training of new recruits joining the RAF, Personal Staff Officer to an Air Rank Officer and post-graduate training at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham.

In 2003, Andrea was made a Member of the British Empire for her work helping to organise the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. She also represented the RAF in cross-country, triathlon, tennis and bobsleigh and travelled extensively.

After retiring from Regular RAF Service, Andrea developed a portfolio of adjudication jobs. She now sits as an independent panel member assessing applications to purchase properties affected by the construction of the High Speed 2 train line and the Heathrow runway expansion project. She is also the military specialist on appeal tribunal hearings for the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme for service personnel injured through Military Service. After re-joining the RAF as a Reserve Officer, Andrea took on a role as the Deciding Officer for Service Complaints, dealing with a wide range of issues from harassment and bullying to pay and conditions. This is in addition to her role as a Trustee at Wycliffe College on both the Welfare Committee and the Council of Trustees.

Andrea is married with two children and lives in Gloucestershire. She still competes in triathlons and enjoys walking her dog.

At King’s, Andy Wright (Cr 92-03) was an active member of the School community. He enjoyed Himalayan Club treks as well as playing rugby and cricket, and being a member of the CCF. In his final year, Andy was made a Monitor, while he studied Maths, Physics and Economics for A Level.

On leaving King’s Andrew went to Imperial College London from where he graduated with an MEng in Aeronautical Engineering.

Andy Joined the Army in 2008 and deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2011, where he was in charge of delivery of close air and fire support for a group of 120 soldiers. He has since progressed through a number of roles and served on exercise across the world, from Canada to Australia.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Andy furthered his education at Cranfield University with a postgraduate diploma in Battlespace Technology alongside a Chartered Project Management qualification.

Last year Andy returned to Afghanistan, this time to Kabul, where he was director of a team that was training, advising and assisting Afghan Special Security Forces in the capital and surrounding areas.

2021 finds Andy seconded to the Cabinet Office, where he is a Planning Team Lead in the Civil Contingencies Secretariat; his focus is on developing and assuring winter resilience plans across government departments with a particular focus on protests, borders and transport.

Andy recently returned to King’s to address the School at the 2021 Remembrance Day Service.