for a career in the entertainment industry. He told us: ‘The story follows two Brits on the eve of their deportation from the US – a situation I may find myself in a few months’ time. One convinces the other that if they pulled off a daring bank heist, they could pay away all their issues. But when the ill-planned bank heist inevitably goes terribly wrong, resentments in their lifelong friendship are revealed. ‘The bank heist gimmick is a way to showcase male mental health stigma and criticise male friendships. The idea is that if we can lead the audience to believe they are watching a film they would ‘want’ to see (a UK vs. US bank heist), we can then sneak in messaging that audiences ‘need’ to see (the ‘Let’s Get Men Talking’ aspect, similar to the emphasis the College places on ‘Movem- ber’). It’s a topic that is important to me and I am trying to get it in front of as many people as pos- sible through this project.’ In the 2022 OE magazine, Mark told us how his time at the College played a major part in his successful acceptance to study at USC. His application film, A Lonely Rhythm , was partly shot on College grounds and he was grateful for the support the College gave him in realising his film-making projects. C Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy (Gonville 1958–62), who lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, told us: ‘My partner Jeremy and I, together since 1985, had our- selves blessed under the terms of the Vatican declaration Fiducia Supplicans on 23 January 2024.’
between the Emmott Founda- tion and the Blue Sky Bursaries Appeal. The Emmott Foundation makes grants to enable pupils to remain at their school when their parents or guardians are no longer able to meet their planned financial commitments for educa - tion as a result of a sudden or unexpected family crisis such as death, accident, severe illness, divorce, desertion or loss of employment. Josh benefited from such a grant which enabled him to attend the College. He said that it was something ‘that changed the trajectory of my life forever, for which I am eternally grateful.’ Josh attended Foundation Day in 2024 (see page 33) and he is also pictured in the Foundation report on page 11. D
school was completed in 2015 and its sister primary school, Bluebells, followed shortly after. Bluebells now has 150 children and eight members of staff. The company is on a mission to get people to buy less and buy better, and to consider what a product represents in terms of its
Jax Comyn (Batcup)
social and environmental price. Jax has visited the
Clare Cosslett (Nugent 1973–75) edited a collection of interviews with leading members of the legal profession, Lawyers at Work , which was published in 2012. A copy has been purchased and placed in the OE Collection in the College’s Learning Resources Centre. Tim Cross (Pennell 1973–78) – see the entry for Tim McHenry in this section. Josh Curryer (Reeves 2014–16) took part in the India Rickshaw Run in December, along with three College friends, Matthew Rust (Reeves 2014–16), Freddie Henderson (Reeves 2011–16), and Gearoid O’Callaghan (Reeves 2014–16). Driving two tuk-tuks from Chennai to Trivan- drum over the course of 10 days, the group aimed to raise £1 for every kilometre they travelled. With no set route, no back-up and no way of knowing if they were going to make it, Josh said: ‘It was a true adventure and very special to do it with some of the College lads’. They suc- cessfully raised £2,500 and Josh’s employer, Moore Kingston Smith, matched the amount with a fur- ther £2,500. The money was split College to spread the work about Bushbells and to sell its colourful kikoy clothing. The school supported the charity in 2023 and raised over £5000 which contributed amongst other things to the building of a new office block, and a much-needed latrine pit. Emma Garrett, Development Director, said ‘We are keen to continue our association with Jax and her wonderful schools in Kenya. I have been to visit them and they really are extraordinary places full of joy, love and laughter – this MBE is very well-deserved indeed and we as a community are extremely proud of Jax and all she has achieved’.
Jax Comyn (Batcup) (Nugent 1979–81) was
Oliver Close (Reeves 1995– 2000) – see the photo in Martin Trott’s entry in this section. Robyn Cooke (Eyre) (Nugent 2003–05), who now teaches biology at the College, spent her schooldays rowing and thor- oughly enjoyed this opportunity which was new to her. Following on from this, Robyn learnt to sail in her late teens, although she always wished she had had the opportunity to do so earlier. From there she moved across and focused on windsurfing, sub - sequently becoming an instructor and spending several years teach- ing windsurfing abroad. In recent years Robyn has learnt to wing foil and has enjoyed many weeks SUP (Stand Up Paddle) surfing in Cornwall. She takes every oppor- tunity available to her to get out on the water both in her own free time and when accompany- ing College pupils to Buzz Active. Robyn says, ‘I have found par- ticipating in watersports to be of huge benefit to both my physical and mental health. It is the perfect antidote during times of stress and anxiety, and I am passionate about expanding water sports at the College.’ awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours in June 2024 for services to education in Kenya. Jax is the co-founder, with her mother Ann, of Bushbells, a clothing com- pany which aims to support the community where the garments are made: Watamu, Kenya. The social enterprise gives secure, ongoing employ- ment to a team of four tailors, and provides the necessary revenue for the building of schools and to support various educational projects and a breakfast club. Bushbells
John Daniels with College librarian Phil Martin John Daniels (School House, 1959–63) visited St Andrew’s and the College in October, when John Thornley gave him a tour of the school and introduced him to Head of Modern Languages Amy Millar, and Librarian Phil Martin. John told us: ‘Playing Hamlet at Eastbourne College in 1963 was a formative experience but I didn’t want to be an actor. I became a foreign language student, studying French and Social Sciences at Neucha- tel University in Switzerland. The view from my room of the changing moods of the lake with the snow-capped Alps in the far distance, a reminder of the distance I had travelled. Existing within a different culture and language marked me. As a middle school language teacher and later, head teacher, I was deter- mined to make language learning a practical activity, developing communicative competence, eg a ‘secret agent’ training programme entirely in French in the Lake District. The development of a theory of ‘vocabulary dormancy’ suggested some vocabulary
Ben Clark (Craig 2019–24) took part in the London to Brighton cycle event on 15 September 2024 to raise money for his local air ambulance charity (Kent, Surrey and Sussex), and received donations totalling £700, with a further £167 in Gift Aid. Ben is now studying medicine at Keele University.
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