Paul Orchard-Lisle (Edge Grove 1946-52)
Lock down at my home at Ashridge was a pleasure and I used part of the time to throw out masses of old clothing and filing. Less satisfactory is the current ban on travelling to my home in South Africa where I normally spend the UK winter. Although I consider myself retired, I am busy with a few part time jobs - one as a director of The National Golf Centre at Woodhall Spa and another as an adviser to a large Country Estate in Devon. I can vouch for the fact that being old is not great.
Paul Nelson (Edge Grove 1950-54)
I am very much alive and well and still enjoying golf two or three times a week. I lost my wife nine years ago but have recently remarried to Jill. My three sons also went to Edge Grove - Charles aged 54, James aged 52 and William aged 43. They are all well and thriving. I see them often and we have enjoyable and competitive golf together. I also have six Grandchildren! I have not been back to Edge Grove since William left but I attended old boys day whilst they were there and played in the old boys cricket team for 15 consecutive years!
Howard Jennings (Edge Grove 1956-63)
Some of you might recognise this old cottage on the corner of Roundbush, which was once the home of Polly Harding who'd lived there all her life, until she died in 1973. In her prime, she used to give piano lessons in her front room and amongst her pupils were occasionally boys from Edge Grove. She was known as a bit of a tyrant who'd chastise her students with a ruler across their knuckles, should they dare make any mistakes... As a Radlett boy, I'd often pass it on the 311 bus which, in those days, drove very close by; looking down from the top of the double-decker, I'd often wonder who lived in such a dilapidated, old cottage, as it was then. I never imagined that one day, I'd live in it myself for nearly half a century, often hearing the cries from Edge Grove's playing fields just across the road!
Mervyn Orchard-Lisle (Edge Grove 1955-59) - cousin to Paul and Justin
Mervyn now lives in Exmoor but sent us this interesting memory from his days at Edge Grove - "I seem to remember in my day at Edge Grove, there was a diary written every week by one of the sixth formers. It was mostly boring and mundane stuff like Bloggs having scored 52 not out in the 2nd XI’s match against Lockers Park, but there may be some amusing extracts which might be fascinating to read. I don’t know whether this practice still exists."
Nigel Miller (Edge Grove 1958-63)
Having worked in EC3 for 44 years of which 32 years were with JLT and its forebears I retired from Miller LLP at the age of 63 having held many different roles within the Marine Insurance broking industry both in the production role of new business and for many years in a management role leading various marine teams within the business.
Currently I am a non executive director of two Marine businesses but at the age of 70 not looking to add any more!!
I have three children and two step children together with 4 grandchildren and three step grandchildren. My son Michael was also ex Edge Grove (1990-1995) and is now a very successful senior project manager at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth building superyachts.
Having now retired from 12 years of racing my old Brabham in the European and UK series of Historic racing I am now taking life a bit easier and spending more time with family. However my wife Jenny and I still escape for some sailing and in the winter I get a pink ticket and pack in some shooting locally near Much Hadham.
I keep in close contact with Edward Allen who is the same year group and together we try to stay as fit as possible given that bits tend to fall off at our age.
2020 has not been an easy year for anyone but I remain confident that we will all get through this and come out the other side. Perhaps people forget that Spanish flu killed 50 million worldwide just after the 1st World War, certainly more than were killed in combat or otherwise during the Great War!
Robert Stern (Edge Grove 1960-67)
I think that my time at Edge Grove did actually prepare me for the “outside world".
Tim Chapman (Edge Grove 1978-82)
I remain minister of Christ Church South Cambs. The church family has held together well during Covid times and services are now a hybrid of in person and Zoom attendees. Chloe is 1st year at Norwich Uni of the Arts doing fine art, Olly is 1st year at Nottingham doing business management, and Toby is doing his GCSEs.
Gary Briggs (Edge Grove 1987-93)
Now lives in the US and was recently featured in the Wall Street Journal
Emily Goodwin (Edge Grove 2001-2007)
I remember my days at Edge Grove fondly and really did have the best experience of my schooling life there! When I joined my year group it was the third to have girls so there really weren't many of us at all - we didn't even have lessons with boys!
After Edge Grove I went onto Haileybury then went to University of Leeds to study Ancient History. I have now been at Conde Nast for nearly 5 years working as the Health & Beauty Manager of Tatler & Vanity Fair magazines. I am sure you are aware of the Tatler School Guide (which we feature Edge Grove in) and I work very closely on this!
I am still close friends with a few of the girls from my year group (Hannah Newman, Polly Ellis, Georgina Burke and Patsy O'Shea).
Chandan Jusrat (Edge Grove 2005-2007)
My name is Chandan Jusrat, 27 years of age, I was born on the beautiful island of Mauritius. Many years back my parents brought my sister and I to the UK for a better education and future. Luckily I had the chance to study at Edge Grove as a boarder and then moved to Mill Hill Boarding School. I truly believe that both schools have had a major positive impact on my life and helped me a lot while travelling to other countries for further studies and business meetings, most importantly made me the person I am today. I joined the family business about 6 years ago as a salesperson and slowly worked my way up and today I can proudly say I am the Head of International Business and Marketing for Cashmere Polo Club. I love my work for various reasons, but the main reason would be the pleasure of travelling around the world. I am currently in the UK and working on taking Cashmere Polo Club to the next level as Mauritius is very small and limited in resources.
Robyn Nagioff (Edge Grove 2005-2009)
I left Edge Grove in 2009 at 11 and went on to study at Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls until 18. After that I studied at the University of Nottingham for a BA in Politics and International Relations and am now in my final semester of an MA in International Relations at the New York University.
Elizabeth Ovia (Edge Grove 2004-2012)
I wanted to find a way to earn whilst at home, so I ventured into something new during lockdown. I became an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. This business mainly focuses on skincare, but offers advice on make-up as well! It is something really out of my comfort zone as I knew nothing about skincare before I started this business! I have had to teach myself, but it has been a good learning experience. I also hold online classes, which is sometimes terrifying! Anyone who went to school with me may remember that I was shy and quiet. However, my confidence is constantly increasing because of my business. I don’t have any pictures, however, I do have an instagram account (@lizzieeemkuk), which you’re welcome to follow! I’m also in the process of setting up a Facebook page! Running this business has been quite hard so far; I’ve faced rejection and no-shows to classes but I won’t stop trying! I’m faithful that my business will eventually take off.
Junno Shimada (Edge Grove 2007-2011)
After finishing at Harrow, Junno is now in his third year studying medicine at UCLAN.
Toanosuke Shimada (Edge Grove 2007-2012)
Tora is now a second year student of dental school in Tokyo. He enjoys driving a Porsche every weekend. Tora returned to Japan after finishing Rugby School.
Harry Wilcox (Edge Grove 2007-13)
Living in France, in Le Puy en Velay, as an English Language teacher. This is the third year of his four-year French and History of Art degree course at the University of Birmingham.
Kavir Mehta (Edge Grove 2008 -2015)
Kavir was recently successful in becoming an Arkwright Scholar. He’s now started his lower sixth year at Merchant Taylors.
An Arkwright Engineering Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship of its type in the UK to inspire and nurture school-aged children to be the county’s future leaders of the Engineering profession.
Abbas & Ali Asaria (2017 and 2020 leavers)
Ali and Abbas Asaria started cycling over lockdown. They were planning to do a charity ride with our community’s cycle club to raise money for water wells in parts of Africa that have no access to clean drinking water. After a few delays Abbas and his dad did the ride a few weeks ago, Ali was not well and couldn’t go but just completed his ride last Sunday with his dad. They all ride 54 miles to Windsor from Stanmore and back. We’ve heard that this year was very competitive as fewer companies were sponsoring the scheme, and the school said he’d done exceptionally well to be successful. He’ll be looking for summer/holiday placements if any alumni have engineering firms. There is no awards ceremony this year, but the school will be presenting the award to him when circumstances allow.
Jafer Chohan (Edge Grove 2011-2015)
Taking a year out to be a personal Trainer and hopefully going on a cricket tour in the new year, then deferring to go to Loughborough to do International relations.
Alice Foster-Brown (EG 2016-2017)
Alice’s grandfather and great uncle also attended Edge Grove. As Alice is only 10 she hasn’t had a baby or headed off to university as yet. However she came second in the collage category for an art competition and has been offered an unconditional place to St Swithuns senior school in Winchester. She is thriving and happy.
Ruth Irwin
I was in the first cohort of 12 girls back in 1999/2000. After Edge Grove I went on to Watford Grammar School for Girls, which I left in 2010 with A Levels in English, History and Music. I then studied English and History at Queen Mary, UoL, where I graduated with a 2.1 in 2014. After that I did an MA in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, UoL. I am a published poet. Although I love writing, the Masters made me realise that I am too sociable to do it full time - I need human contact! Also, I have a strong desire to make a difference, so I decided to apply for Teach First. I got a place, and from 2015-18, I taught English in a secondary school in Bethnal Green, East London. This was a formative experience for me, in all sorts of ways. Since 2018, I have split my time between teaching and writing. I teach English 3 days per week at Lady Margaret School in Fulham. It's all girls, which is pretty delightful, though I do miss teaching boys too. My current writing project is a story for children aged 6-10, which I am working on with an illustrator and an agent.
Ricky Zeiderman (Edge Grove 1998-2004)
Ricky and his wife Danielle have just given birth to their second child Ollie. He hopes that both Alfie and Ollie will one day come to Edge Grove. Ramesh Swaminathan (Edge Grove 1995-2001)
My wife, Louise, and I recently welcomed a little boy into the world! Arlo Hugh Swaminathan was born on 21st September 2020 and weighed a rather large 9lb10z (4.36kg)!
James Hyland - James is at Plymouth university studying Geography and Ocean Science. We (his parents) have to thank Miss Kenny for starting his love of Geography which ever since has always been his favourite subject!
Gabriella Holland - After getting teacher predicted grades (A* in A-level maths, further maths, physics and chemistry) I have just started at Selwyn College, Cambridge. I am studying Natural Sciences.
Kian Kazerouni - Kian is at the University of Sussex studying Economics and Business Management.
Ben Stein - Ben is at Nottingham Trent studying Law.
Bronte Sherbourne - Bronte is at Oxford studying Law.
Josh De Caires - Josh is at Leeds University.
Amber Jupp and - Amber is currently studying at Exeter University.
Annabelle Edgely - Annabelle is also studying at Exeter University.
Henry Tripp - Henry is studying at Oxford Brookes. Max Arlen - I am currently on a Gap year after being successful in gaining a place to read Medicine at the University of Nottingham. This year, I hope to serve my local regiment in the army reserve. I am a keen rower, and hope to do this for the university, as well as play ruby for the medics team, and hopefully also represent the Officer Training Corps’ Team for Athletics. In Lower 6th, I was selected as 1 of 100 Sandhurst Scholars nationally, granting me a place at the academy after uni. Over the year, I also hope to restore my 1975 MGB Roadster, which has become a hobby of mine.
A Letter from Sophia Arnaldi (2014 Leaver)
Myself along with a group of ten local teenagers (aged 13-19) have written and recorded a charity song during lockdown. The song is called STRONG and the group is called generationZ. The aim of the song was to focus on the struggles young people have faced during this pandemic. This great project is to help raise money and awareness for mental health charities such as youngminds.uk and Griefencounter.
The song was released in September and has already appeared on channel 5, Sky News and The Telegraph. We are hoping with enough exposure to appear on the radio very soon! The song is currently in the itunes charts; however, it needs to be continually shared and downloaded in order to raise enough money and awareness for these important and current charities to help young lives. Here are the full set of links. Obviously iTunes is where we are making a HUGE dent so if you want to push this further iTunes is the way, as it will raise the most money… Apple Music/ iTunes YouTube Spotify Google Play Amazon Music Thank you for your support.
Sofia Arnaldi
Ryan Wilkins Charity Bike Ride
Edge Grove Old Boy Ryan Wilkins and his team from Merchant Taylors’ School Lower Sixth Form participated in the Long Ducker Charity Bike Ride and raised almost £1,000 (including Gift Aid) for charity.
On Sunday 6th September, Ryan and his friends, Henry Wareing & Harry Bridgewater took part in a 40 mile Long Ducker Charity Bike Ride organised by the Harrow School. Together with Ryan’s father, Sean Wilkins and his friend, Hamz Iqbal, they rode on hilly roads from Harrow right through to Chalfont St Peter, Latimer and back. The weather was beautiful so although it was a challenging ride, all participants had a great time. The Long Ducker Charity Bike Ride in total raised almost £14,000. And as I write to you, the amount is still rising. All the money raised will be given to trusted organisations to make the biggest possible impact. The main recipient for this fundraiser is Young Harrow Foundation (YHF): half of the money collected will be granted to YHF to support charities helping disadvantaged young people particularly affected by the Covid-19 crisis. YHF is brilliantly placed to target the money raised to where it is most needed, whether by supporting those in food poverty or young people particularly affected by the effects of social isolation. A quarter will go to The Harrow Club, who work with some of the most marginalised young people in West London, providing opportunities for them to maximise their life chances and enhance their personal development. The final quarter will be given to Shaftesbury Enterprise partners (such as Harrow Carers and Firm Foundation), who positively impacts organisations best placed to provide vital support to the community during the current crisis. Here is their fundraising page for your reference... https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=MTSBoysandTeam&isTeam=true
