Left: Canon Brendan Hoban, Chair of Governors, Bishop Brian, Mr Paul Heitzman, Headteacher, and Mr Michael Clarke, Diocesan Director of Education

Summer 2008

newsletter A Specialist College for the ArtsA Specialist College for the ArtsA Specialist College for the ArtsA Specialist College for the Arts

ST MARY ’S CATHOL IC COLLEGE

A blessing for A blessing for St Benedict’sSt Benedict’s

W E have been using its bright, new corridors and

classrooms for nearly a full school year, but now St Benedict’s Hall has been officially opened and blessed. The Rt Rev Bishop Brian Noble, Bishop of Shrewsbury, joined us for a celebration evening of prayer, drama and dance before cutting the ribbon and blessing the new building which has done so much to transform our school lives. In his address, Bishop Brian spoke of the good brought into the world by St Benedict and reminded us that true education is a lifelong process which should ‘begin in wonder, continue in humility and end in gratitude.’

Jenny sails in the Jenny sails in the

Tall Ships’ RaceTall Ships’ Race

newsletter

S HIP ahoy! St Mary’s Sixth Former Jenny Pollock has been selected from thousands to join the crew of the leading vessel, the Stavros S. Niarchos, one of 70 ships leaving Liverpool in the Parade of Sail inaugurating the 2008 Tall Ships’ Race. The chance to be a deck hand during the first leg of the race to Norway is a great honour, and only the fittest and most able applicants have made it to the final few.

Bishop Brian cuts the ribbon to declare St Benedict’s Hall open

Read more about Jenny’s other exploits on page 7

Page 2

I T’S now or never in the world of business, as the head of any successful enterprise would agree, and these young entrepreneurs have proved it. Calling their new company Now or Never, St Mary’s Business students have carried off two major prizes in the Wirral Young Enterprise Competition. They sold hundreds of DVDs and bottles of drinking water at school events, making profits of more than £600 from a minimal outlay...an outcome that would impress even Sir Alan Sugar, the star of BBC 1’s The Apprentice. The students won the ’Most Innovative Product’ award and were judged to be the most environmentally friendly in the ‘Green Company’ category. Now or Never’s best selling products included DVDs of our recent production of Bugsy Malone and the Nativity Play at St George’s Primary School. Under the guidance of Head of Business Studies Mr Mike Chew, they competed with Birkenhead School, West Kirby Grammar School, Wirral Grammar School and Calday Grange Grammar School

The The business business of winningof winning

Trail blazersTrail blazers

BELOW: Wirral’s Mayor, Councillor Phil Gilchrist presents the two awards to Now or Never’s Managing Director James Murray and the company’s Board of Directors at the awards ceremony in Wallasey Town Hall. Pictured are (left to right) Liam Parsons (Company Secretary), Josh Moynes (Marketing), Daniel Connolly (Sales), James Walmsley (Operations), Callum Kelly (Human Resources) and Simon Murphy (Finance)

N OW or Never are still blazing an environmental trail with their school blazer recycling business. They are busy reconditioning a number of donated blazers for sale...but they are eager to receive more! If you have a blazer lurking at the back of a wardrobe somewhere that you grew out of long ago, please hand it in to the school office and your name will go into a draw to win an iPod!

TWO Year 11 students will make it their business to get a taste of one of the country’s top universities. Barrie Nelson and Connor Usher are to take part in a Business Challenge Summer School at Cambridge University where they will get the chance to hear speakers from top City firms. During the five-day residential course they will also take part in hands-on team challenges developed by legal and financial experts.

Page 3

I T’S 25 years since Ben Roberts walked through the corridors of St Mary’s, and much has changed. But

one thing brought all the memories flooding back...the smell and feel of the PE corridor! It’s one memory that will almost certainly be shared by many past students...and even by those still here! ‘I can remember standing in a line waiting to go into the sports hall for my exams and feeling terrified! It smells and feels exactly the same’ said the 43-year-old chartered surveyor, who now lives in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Mr Roberts was visiting family in Wallasey during term time and took the rare opportunity to call on us. His old school friend,

M i s s M or g an ( o f M at h s department fame!) showed him round the buildings, old and new, and Ben was amazed to see how much we have grown. He chatted with two of his teachers along the way...Mr Duffy and Mr O’Loughlin. During Ben’s time at St Mary’s (1978 ~ 1983) Mr Peter Hughes was head teacher with Mr Trevor Lightbown as deputy head. Ben’s two older brothers Simon and

James also attended the school. There was a romantic end to Ben’s school days at St Mary’s. He married fellow pupil Karen Murphy, whose family then lived in Pensby. Karen is now a Maths teacher at a secondary school in Tring, Herts. She and Ben have three children, Nancy, 12, Erika, 10 and Timothy, 7. Ben, who graduated in Estates Management at South Bank University, London, is looking forward to the launch of St Mary’s Old School Ties, a Friends Reunited-style website dedicated to St Mary’s students past and present. ‘A lot of my friends are already on Friends Reunited, so this would be a really good way to keep in touch and find out what’s happening at the school. I think it will be very popular’.

School friendsSchool friends

reunitedreunited

Look out for the Look out for the launch of a very launch of a very special web address!special web address! B E AMONG THE FIRST to know when St Mary’s Old School

Ties goes live into cyberspace!! It will be THE place for students past and present to share their special memories of St Mary’s long history and to find out about reunions and other events. We also hope to build a gallery of photographs and other memorabilia for all to share! You can register your interest now by

emailing your name to:

eweb@stmaryscollege.wirral.sch.uk

Coming soon Coming soon

to a computer to a computer

near you!near you!

Ben gets a warm welcome from Miss Morgan

When the website is launched, there will be email alerts from Friends Reunited and a link on St Mary’s school website, so watch these cyberspaces!

Our website dedicated to Our website dedicated to

St Mary’s students St Mary’s students

past and presentpast and present

‘Great way ‘Great way

to keep in to keep in

touch’touch’

Page 4

A S weddings go, it was a class act. The bride wore white, the groom behaved impeccably and the priest led the solemn vows. But rest assured...it was an act! Students in Miss Faulkner’s RE class had spent two weeks organising the whole event, from invitations to reception, toasts and speeches, as part of their GCSE Religious Studies Unit on Marriage and Family Life. Every member of the class had a role to play, from bridesmaids to ushers, and along the way they looked at important issues affecting modern marriages and how to prepare for the most important day of a young couple’s life. The ‘ceremony’ itself took place in the School Chapel. “We all had a lot of fun learning some important things about love and marriage. It really helped to focus our ideas’ said Miss Faulkner.

Planting Planting

ideas...ideas...

Fighting for real fashion Fighting for real fashion

victimsvictims S T MARY’S Sixth Form students are putting the Fair Trade message across using an original

and provocative drama for their AS Performance Studies course. They have called their drama Labour Behind the Label to

focus on the world’s real fashion victims ~ young girls and women who are forced to work in sweat shops in developing countries for starvation wages. Their slogan is Let’s Clean Up Fashion. Primark and others beware!

I T took vision and a lot of hard work...but these Sixth Formers got digging months ago and planted more than 100 daffodil bulbs in the small garden near the Dining Room. We have all enjoyed the late spring display. Creating an attractive environment in which children can learn is an important part of their A Level Child Care studies.

Marriage of true mindsMarriage of true minds

This ‘marriage’ ceremony had the ring of truth

Charlotte Nolan, Steph Groves and Chloe Hayes enjoy sunshine and daffodils

Page 5

‘O LD boy’ Philip Smith has been named in the Queen’s Summer Honours List. He will receive the MBE for services to Science Education in a special ceremony at Buckingham

Palace later this year. As Dr Dr Dr Dr Phil Smith, he runs the Teacher Scientist Network which aims to inspire ideas for Science lessons. He calls it his ‘dream

job’, and has spent the last 10 years developing his experience of classroom Science. Part of his role is to encourage practising scientists to work alongside teachers devising ways to make school Science more real. During his time at St Mary’s, Phil did well at A Level Biology and Chemistry but, in his own words, had ‘struggled’ to even pass Physics O Level (roughly equivalent to today’s GCSEs). He particularly remembers Mr Malcolm Charles (still here teaching Chemistry!) as an ‘inspirational’ teacher. Phil, whose family still lives in Wallasey, left St Mary’s Sixth Form in 1987 to study Agricultural Biology at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University, and became a plant pathologist, researching fungal diseases in food crops. He completed his PhD and now aged 39, he lives in Hockering, Norfolk, with his wife, Bev, and two-year-old twins, Cora and Conor. In September there will be a chance for St Mary’s students to work alongside Phil. He will be running student workshops when the BA Science Festival, Europe’s biggest, comes to Liverpool University.

MBE for MBE for former former studentstudent

Meet Meet

PC PC

SteveSteve

P OLICE Constable Steve Gilligan is the new friendly face of Merseyside Police in St Mary’s College, following the transfer of PC Denis Evans to other duties. PC Gilligan, who is based at Moreton Police Station, is available to help with any concerns that students or parents might have, and if you wish to contact him, please ring 0151 709 6010. Alternatively, please ask at the school office or ring school on 0151 639 7531.

Phil, aged 14, in familiar uniform

Confirmation Confirmation

receivedreceived

Former St Mary’s student Dr Phil Smith, MBE

B ALLOONS symbolising the gifts of Pentecost are released by some of the 76 young people who were confirmed this

term during a special Mass at St Mary’s by the Rt Rev Bishop Brian Noble, Bishop of Shrewsbury.

THE BRITISH AWARDS SYSTEM, THE BRITISH AWARDS SYSTEM, THE BRITISH AWARDS SYSTEM, THE BRITISH AWARDS SYSTEM, which includes the creation of which includes the creation of which includes the creation of which includes the creation of knighthoods, OBEs (Officers of the knighthoods, OBEs (Officers of the knighthoods, OBEs (Officers of the knighthoods, OBEs (Officers of the Order of the British Empire) and Order of the British Empire) and Order of the British Empire) and Order of the British Empire) and MBEs (Members of the Order of the MBEs (Members of the Order of the MBEs (Members of the Order of the MBEs (Members of the Order of the British Empire), is famously discreet. British Empire), is famously discreet. British Empire), is famously discreet. British Empire), is famously discreet. Phil Phil Phil Phil may never know who nominated may never know who nominated may never know who nominated may never know who nominated him for the prestigious award, usually him for the prestigious award, usually him for the prestigious award, usually him for the prestigious award, usually bestowed personally by the Queen. bestowed personally by the Queen. bestowed personally by the Queen. bestowed personally by the Queen. Past recipients of the MBE include Past recipients of the MBE include Past recipients of the MBE include Past recipients of the MBE include Jamie Oliver and, from Merseyside, Jamie Oliver and, from Merseyside, Jamie Oliver and, from Merseyside, Jamie Oliver and, from Merseyside, Paul O’Grady and Beatles Paul Paul O’Grady and Beatles Paul Paul O’Grady and Beatles Paul Paul O’Grady and Beatles Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George McCartney, John Lennon, George McCartney, John Lennon, George McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Harrison and Ringo Starr. Harrison and Ringo Starr. Harrison and Ringo Starr.

Page 6

W HEN Mrs Nettleton’s best friend died of breast cancer last year, she decided she must do something in her memory and to help fight the disease. So, being someone not to do things by halves, she decided to brave altitude sickness and freezing temperatures to trek to the roof of the world...and see for herself the Lost City of the Incas in Peru. In doing so, she has raised £5,000 for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Charity. Biology teacher Mrs Sandra Nettleton is originally from East Anglia, one of the flattest parts of the UK, so she’d hardly ever been up a hill before, let alone a mountain! She joined 18 other women as part of a five-day ‘charity challenge’ for the national magazine, Prima, sponsored by friends and colleagues. Here she tells us a little aboutHere she tells us a little aboutHere she tells us a little aboutHere she tells us a little about what she faced.what she faced.what she faced.what she faced.

The summit of achievement. Mrs Nettleton above the 500-year-old ruins of Machu Picchu, the Lost City of the Incas in the Peruvian Andes. It is one of the seven new wonders of the world.

Mrs N’s Mrs N’s trek to trek to lost citylost city

Science teacher Science teacher

raises £5,000 for raises £5,000 for

cancer charitycancer charity

‘Dinner ‘Dinner

was roast was roast

guinea pig’guinea pig’

‘WHY not start with the Andes’, I thought. The bigger the challenge, the bigger the excitement and achievement. My friends helped me train ~ I’m now very familiar with Moel Famau in Wales! In the Andes, though, altitude sickness struck and the nights were freezing. No wonder the ancient Inca people worshipped the sun! Our mountain trekking started at 8am. It was like the Lake District with llamas! It was fascinating to meet the people of the rural communities and to look inside their mud and straw homes. We even shared their dinners...potatoes and roast guinea pig! We got up at 5am to see the sunrise at Machu Picchu. It was worth it. Such a wonderful and fabulous sight I will remember forever.’

Silver trail, but not Silver trail, but not at a snail’s pace!at a snail’s pace!

F IVE of our students have set a new school record for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition...by several hours! And since they set off in the wrong direction to start with, it was even more of an extraordinary achievement for walkers Danny Bruce, Stephen Pollard, Callum Rutherford and Harry Johnston. A total of 45 determined students set out for the Yorkshire Dales with a punishing schedule of 20km a day to complete, including a climb up to Ingleborough, one of the three highest peaks in the Dales.

Some of the Silver D of E hopefuls on the Peak District trail.

Meeting the locals before dining on regional delicacies...including roast guinea pig!

Page 7

Y EAR 13 student Jenny Pollock knows exactly what she wants to do with her future...she wants to join the rescue services! And it’s not just a wild dream. She’s well on her way to having just the right CV to achieve her aims. Volunteer fire fighter Jenny has already has first hand experience of crawling through

real fires with breathing equipment and has been trained in techniques for freeing road crash victims. She’s also a qualified first aider with the St John Ambulance Brigade. Jenny, aged 17, was first taken by the idea of rescuing people four years ago when she came to the aid of a young girl who fell and hit her head in a swimming pool. Jenny used her first aid training to good effect by following the established protocols of keeping the neck and back straight and still to prevent spinal injuries.

Praise from Praise from

High SheriffHigh Sheriff

It’s Jenny It’s Jenny to the rescueto the rescue

Left: Jenny

receives her award certificate from the High

Sheriff of Merseyside,

Professor Philip Love.

W IRRAL students who have given

outstanding service to the community were honoured by the High Sheriff of Merseyside at a special ceremony in Wallasey Town Hall. St Mary’s Sixth Former Jenny and the other students from across Wirral are pictured with the High Sheriff, Professor Philip Love, the Mayor and Mayoress of Wirral, Councillor and Mrs Phil Gilchrist, Wirral’s Chief Executive Steve Maddox, Wirral’s Fire & Rescue Service manager Paul Gibson and Terry Hall of the Council’s Youth and Play Service. The ceremony was organised by Wirral Anti-Social Behaviour Team to recognise the special achievements of Jenny and other Wirral students under the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme.

♦ As mentioned on As mentioned on As mentioned on As mentioned on page 1, Jenny is to be a page 1, Jenny is to be a page 1, Jenny is to be a page 1, Jenny is to be a crew member aboard the crew member aboard the crew member aboard the crew member aboard the leading vessel in the Tall leading vessel in the Tall leading vessel in the Tall leading vessel in the Tall Ships’ Race on its first leg Ships’ Race on its first leg Ships’ Race on its first leg Ships’ Race on its first leg from Liverpool to Maloy in from Liverpool to Maloy in from Liverpool to Maloy in from Liverpool to Maloy in Norway.Norway.Norway.Norway.

Jenny (far right,

middle row) feels the heat with other would-be

firefighters

G AP year student Shaun Coyle has entertained us with his adventures in South America. He’s trekked to the Lost City of the Incas, cut his way through the Peruvian rainforest to catch and eat piranha and even camped by a volcano. But now he’s nearly ready to return to his home in Moreton. Shaun, aged 19, has spent the year teaching English to the children of poor communities in Santiago, Chile. In Latin America, all white foreigners are referred to as ‘gringos’, so as a gringo teacher who arrived with only a few words of Spanish, he has had a unique insight into their world. Guitarist Shaun now speaks fluently, but has shared more than just language...he has taught the students songs and games, and introduced them to our culture. The former St Mary’s sixth former, who has a place to study Philosophy and Hispanic Studies at Sheffield University, says Chile is a country of great contrasts. The national wealth comes from copper mines in the Atacama desert but, because of the political system, the people are either very rich or very poor, with little in-between. Children of poor families have few opportunities to escape through education and travel.

Shaun writes: ‘I guess the children in my school have never thought about the outside world because it has never occurred to them that they would ever really step outside of their barrio (village). We play games, we joke around, we listen to music, we just talk about other countries and other cultures. Now the kids are interested, enthusiastic and, most importantly, learning a lot more. It’s a feeling of achievement that I’ve never really had before. It’s almost impossible to walk from one room to another in between lessons without the younger ones jumping on your back, pulling on your arms and screaming Tio Shaun! (Uncle Shaun!) I’m really going to miss them.

‘The boys are obviously interested in football, and they all follow the Premier League and the European Champions’ League. For the girls, they are just more interested in what English boys look like (they all have black hair and brown eyes over here!). But we talk about the things they can do if they speak English, like university and jobs, and all the opportunities working abroad can offer. The Chilean education system was recently assessed as the sixth worst in the world, so it’s hard to believe that it’s also one of the most prosperous countries in South America.’ Shaun is planning to spend one more month in South America...touring in Argentina with his older brother, Neil, who is an English teacher in Seville, Spain. ‘We’re going to Argentina because now it’s winter here, Patagonia is at its best, all covered in snow with immense mountains. And the Patagonians have an amazing accent to their Spanish. I was originally going to study Philosophy and History at university, but I’ve changed the History for Hispanic Studies, just because I’ve fallen in love with this world!’

‘Chilean boys ‘Chilean boys

all follow the all follow the

Premier Premier

League...’League...’

Homeward Homeward boundbound

Shaun Coyle (right) will soon be on his way home

SIXTH FORM LEAVER Shaun Coyle

has been taking a gap year teaching English in Chile

with voluntary organisation ProjectChile. Here he shares

his impressions and experiences...

RED HOTRED HOT

CHILECHILE

After treks in the Andes and adventures in the Peruvian After treks in the Andes and adventures in the Peruvian

rainforest, now Shaun’s year as a ‘gringo’ is nearly over...rainforest, now Shaun’s year as a ‘gringo’ is nearly over...

Shaun’s

Shaun has been teaching English to these and other Chilean students

‘I’ve fallen ‘I’ve fallen

in love with in love with

this world!’this world!’

Shaun

Page 8

I T was the week of St Mary’s BIG READ, and staff and students alike just couldn’t break the habit. Here are a few candid camera moments snapped when staff weren’t looking...

Bookworms Bookworms

United!United!

Caught Caught reading!reading!

Just got to

finish this chapte

r...

Just got to

finish this chapte

r...

Got to

see w

hat

Got to

see w

hat

happens next...

happens next...

Mr Jones flexes some intellectual muscles

A comic interlude for Mr Heitzman

Mr Heffernan finds a literary buddy

Mr Stumpf gets to a good bit...

Who’s the secret Mod reader...? (It’s a well known teacher!!)

Miss Girven loiters with intent to read...or should that be without tent?

What are our adult dance class reading...The Thirty Nine Steps?

Office Manager Mrs Marsden is OK with reading at work

Canteen manager Mr John Medway swots up on menus

Page 9

Ssh! We’re

Ssh! We’re

concentrating

concentrating

A little refresher for Nurse Campbell

Page 10

T HE Artistic life of Wallasey has been transformed since Laura Yates joined St Mary’s! Dance graduate Laura has launched event after event to encourage all our hidden talents. Her adult dance classes have been a particular hit but there have been dramatic interludes too... Laura, who has organised Community Arts for the Liverpool Empire Theatre, said: ‘It’s great fun, and people who never normally do this kind of thing have been really enthusiastic about dancing, singing and even trying out their acting talent!’ Even though she’s being kept busy at St Mary’s, Laura is also studying for an MA at LIPA (Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts).

Laura’s classes have included: ADULT DANCE, each Monday and Tuesday evening, ADULT DRAMA, Wednesday evenings, a PERFORMING ARTS WEEKEND FOR ADULTS last month AND COMING SOON...

...with Arts in ...with Arts in the Communitythe Community

Stepping Stepping out...out...

Community Arts Co-ordinator Laura Yates (centre) with Sixth Form helpers Hayley Stewart and Danielle Moore.

Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day! Learn a new dance routine each day!

Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring Dance workshops exploring

50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles50s, 60s, 70s & 80s styles

No experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience requiredNo experience required

Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm Ages 7~11 10am ~ 1pm

Ages 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pmAges 11~15 2.30 ~ 5.30pm

Dance Through The Decades!Dance Through The Decades!

FIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYSFIVE DAYS

July 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 toJuly 28 to

Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008Aug 1 2008

£35£35£35£35£35£35£35£35 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531 Ring Laura Yates on 639 7531

to secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a placeto secure a place

S T Mary’s hosted a special celebration of Mersey Arts to mark Liverpool’s status as European Capital of Culture. The All Along The River ‘fusion of music, words, images and movement’ brought together the efforts of St Alban’s, St George’s, Somerville, New Brighton, Egremont and Mount Primary Schools, Wallasey, as well as The Oldershaw School, St Mary’s and the Wallasey Choir. The three-day multimedia extravaganza was organised by local writer-composer Bev Clark of Hand in Hand Theatre Productions, with help from Laura Yates (see above) and Wirral Youth Theatre. The project is part of Wirral’s Culture For All initiative and has been funded by Awards for All (Lottery), Wirral Children’s Services, Mersey Waterfront’s Pride in Our Promenades and supported by Merseytravel, Liverpool Museums, The Aspire Trust, Extended Schools for New Brighton and Seacombe and Radio Merseyside.

All Along All Along The River The River FestivalFestival

A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in A unique celebration of the River Mersey in

conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions conjunction with Hand in Hand Theatre Productions

and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College and Wallasey schools, hosted by St Mary’s College

Picture by Bob Warwick, Wallasey Amateur Photographic Society

Page 11

L IGHTS, camera, action...! Year 10

Drama students spent two days filming on the Hollyoaks set in Liverpool as extras in a new film. There was a lot of waiting around to bring a 30 second scene to the big screen, but it was great fun spotting the stars of the Channel 4 soap...

T wo St Mary’s boys have speaking parts in the film, The Be All And End

All, starring Liverpool actress Liza Tarbuck, (above, inset) which opens in cinemas next year. Stephen Jones and Alan Williams were filmed in a playground scene (above, top right). And if you look closely at the finished movie, you might glimpse Miss McCallion’s brightly coloured socks and Mrs Cogley’s martial art moves as well as the other familiar faces on this page...

ExtraExtra time!time!

All set for filming...All set for filming...

Picking up every whisper with a boom microphone Left: Mrs Cogley and Miss McCallion outside the famous portal

Oops, spot the uniform difference!

Tony of Hollyoaks (aka Nick Pickard) meets Year 10 girls and Miss McCallion

Hollyoaks’ Newt (NIco Mirallegro) and Jack Osborne (Jimmy McKenna)

Ssh! (Very difficult when you’re having a brilliant time)

Below: During filming with The Be All and End All star Connor McIntyre (third from right)

Page 12

W E just had to mark the occasion! Four years as an Arts College, and another four to come, thanks to our recent successful bid to renew our specialist status. Here’s how we celebrated in style...

Years!Years! 44

Celebrating Celebrating our Specialist our Specialist Arts Status Arts Status

Danny beats 6,000 to LIPADanny beats 6,000 to LIPA SIXTH form leaver Danny Bradford (right and circled above right) has won a place to study Dance at the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts, better known as Sir Paul McCartney’s Fame School. More than 6,000 applicants worldwide competed for just 22 places.

Members of our Year 7 after-school Dance Club do the Time Warp

Dramatic moments (see also below) for Key Stage 4 and 5 Drama students

Farewell performance for some of the stunning dancers of the St Mary’s Boys’ Dance Company, who go their separate ways this term

St Joseph’s Wallasey, Dance Company

Page 13

Members of our Adult Dance Class show off their skills

Below: We say farewell this term to four much valued members of our Arts team... Mrs Hopwood (Art), Ms Madeley (Music) , Miss Luscombe (Dance) and Miss Heraghty (Drama).

Young performers from St Joseph’s, Wallasey, who have joined our Community Arts project

Left: Muscles and balance required for this dance... Right: We condensed four years of productions into 20 minutes... Blood Brothers, Grease, Dracula Spectacula and Bugsy Malone

Below: More strings to their bows..St Mary’s String Ensemble

Page 14

A LL the right moves took St Mary’s Boys’ Dance Company to the Gladstone Theatre in Port

Sunlight for the Wirral-wide Spotlight on Youth event. They performed alongside young talent from many other Wirral schools and following the success of this event, took their routines to Upton Hall School Dance Festival, Weatherhead High School, St John Plessington High School and a summer fair at St Alban’s Primary School, Liscard.

Such moving Such moving performancesperformances

Sixth formers bid Sixth formers bid ‘farewell’ to Mrs P‘farewell’ to Mrs P

I T’S going to be a family affair for Gill, Rob and Sixth Form leaver Becky Perry this summer when they join the

Christian mission of our former Teaching Assistant Alison Pidugu in India. Both Gill and Rob are well known faces in St Mary’s ~ Gill, who now teaches at Birkenhead Sixth Form College, is a former member of the RE Department and Rob is an exams invigilator. Becky has already flown out to begin three months of voluntary work with Alison and her husband Francis, who run projects near Goa to help the poorest of India’s poor, the Untouchable Dalit people. The family are officers of the Birkenhead Salvation Army Corps.

IInnddiiaann ssuummmmeerr

S IXTH formers gave a standing ovation at the Annual Leavers’

Ball to Mrs Nichola Porter, who is retiring as Head of Sixth Form. Mrs P (pictured far left) will not be gone entirely from our school lives, however, since she will return part time to assist in the Sixth Form when Mrs Linda Jones takes over in September.

STUDENTS and staff dined then danced the night away at the Holiday Inn, Liverpool!

Page 15

T HE last thing Miss Anne Morgan wanted to be was a Maths teacher. But after a

long and winding student road, that’s exactly where she ended up. ‘My favourite subjects were actually English, Chemistry, Biology, French and PE!’ she said. ’And my first choice was teaching primary children, which I did for 10 years, but I always wanted to go back to St Mary’s because it’s such a fantastic place to be.’ Miss Morgan taught Year 6 pupils at St Joseph’s, Wallasey, and then spent two years at Oldershaw teaching Maths before coming back to her old haunts. Miss Morgan’s first day at St Mary’s: ‘I was overwhelmed. I remember sitting in the Theatre and feeling that all my confidence had been swept away. And standing in the playground wishing I was back in my old school.’ What she remembers most: ‘The really happy times I had in the Sixth Form and in my O Level year. But in those days there was no Leavers’ Ball or Induction Day.

Students today get far more support than we did then. But I loved being taught Maths by Mrs Mills, and my form teacher, Mrs Eaves, was really lovely and got me out of trouble lots of times.’ And those red shoes? ‘I don’t know what I was thinking of! I did get told off. I wore legwarmers, too, but it was the 80s, and people were into Flashdance. Actually, St Mary’s is much stricter now about uniform, which is a very good thing!’

‘I was in the RAF, and I built ‘I was in the RAF, and I built

a bank in Londona bank in London’’

Miss Morgan looking demure in an ‘adapted’ school uniform in 1982. But would she have got away with the RED shoes today?

M ATHS teacher Mrs Christine Veitch’s career got off to a flying start...quite literally! She was an officer in the RAF

long before she added classroom skills to her CV. Not only was the former St Mary’s student a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, but as a civil engineer after leaving university, she was responsible for the building of the NatWest bank at The Angel, Islington, London more than 20 years

ago. Mrs Veitch was stationed in Belfast with the RAF, where her daughter Jessica, also a former St Mary’s student, was born. Mrs Veitch’s first day at St Mary’s: ‘People probably wouldn’t believe it, but I was shy! I started at the old building in Manor Road, where there were fireplaces in the classrooms and a really dangerous fire escape we used to play on.’ What she remembers most: ‘It was exciting coming up to the clean, new school, even though it wasn’t finished. The corridors were just wall-to-wall lockers, then. My favourite subject was actually Biology, not Maths! And I particularly remember the stodgy school dinners: gristly meat with rice pudding and jam for afters!’

Teachers who wore Teachers who wore St Mary’s uniform too!St Mary’s uniform too!

The last thing I wanted The last thing I wanted

to do was teach Maths...to do was teach Maths...

Then a student, now a teacher... but Miss Morgan still has her dark, curly hair. But no red shoes!

Page 16

The The art of art of sciencescience Battle lines drawn Battle lines drawn

between biological between biological

‘heroes and villains’‘heroes and villains’

T HE lines of biological battle have been drawn by Year 8 artists. But they had to draw on their scientific knowledge to get the artistic detail just right... In a cross-curricular project between St Mary’s Science and Art departments, the students have been considering the behaviour of ‘superhero’ white blood cells and ’good’ bacteria compared to the ‘villains’ of the micro-world, viruses and ‘bad’ bacteria, which cause illnesses like infections and food poisoning. They have been busy producing high quality artwork like the ones pictured above in Mrs McWatt’s Art class, while learning how the cosmic battle against disease and decay is won and lost in Mrs Kilbane’s Biology classes. See opposite for more cross-curricular Art and Science.

Wir lieben Wir lieben

Rhineland!Rhineland! W UNDERBAR! Our Year 8 German students had a wonderful time on this year’s trip to the Rhineland. They took a cruise on the River Rhine, rode on a chairlift to the top of one of the Hunsruck mountains, went bowling in Koblenz and sampled the rollercoaster life at the Phantasialand theme park in Westphalia. The trip was organised by Miss Saskia Spreeman.

T HESE young scientists have turned over many new leaves just recently. The two Year 8 students are working hard to perfect an award-winning recipe for making their own sheets of paper! Some of their secret ingredients include rose petals, perfume, and food colouring. Vanessa Nokes and Charlotte Sale have been working towards the Bronze Crest Award from the British Association for the Advancement of Science through St Mary’s twice-weekly Science Club. They use a liquidiser to recycle tissue and paper and then pass the resulting pulp through a mesh made of wire and a layer of...ladies’ tights! They intend to make greetings cards for sale.

Paper chase Paper chase

for young scientistsfor young scientists

A SPECIAL ‘Award for John - as he was known to all - was always willing to help and support everyone in the school, and his skill and expertise meant he could turn his hands to almost anything. Everyone who had the privilege of working alongside John will have a special memory of him. Miss Vanessa Morris, DT teacher and assistant head of Year 8 said: ‘John’s sense of humour was warm and dry and it would keep us going through the good and the bad. We did at times think of John as a father figure because of his experience and wisdom. He often made sense of situations and is greatly missed by all in Design Technology.’ John, 64, and a former DT teacher, had been due to retire in September after being at St Mary’s for nine years. He leaves a widow, Elaine, children and grandchildren.

Page 17

T HE zoo animals must think it’s fascinating. Human beings behind bars and fences! Lots of them. So many different kinds, with so many different faces, coats and markings. Displaying some very unusual individual and group behaviours, and eating all manner of unusual, multi-coloured food. Funny thing is, they disappear as quickly as they appear, all at once, like there’s something only they can see and hear...and just where do they go when it’s dark? For a joint project between Science and Art, Year 7 students spent a day considering the habitats and habits of the animals at Chester Zoo and focused on some very interesting ideas. The project was initiated by Mrs Kilbane and Mrs Chester-Comacho for Science and Mrs Hopwood for Art.

The human view...The human view...

Year 7s spend a day behind barsYear 7s spend a day behind bars

Captivity. What’s Captivity. What’s that, then, exactly?that, then, exactly?

‘W HAT do you usually see in Chester Zoo? Well, we expected to see all kinds of cute animals, reptiles, bats and snakes. ‘But last month, they all saw us. We were there for the zoo project in Biology and Art. Well, the first sight we saw were the elephants, but they were all inside their home. ‘We walked away and the first proper animals were the rhinos. They looked really brutal. The horns could rip anyone apart limb by limb. ‘We saw some emus. They looked massive and a bit ugly! We walked towards the bats and went in. Apparently the bats weren’t scary but some of us were terrified. The tigers were big and looked fierce. We wouldn’t like to cross a tiger. ‘Then we saw spiders and felt snake skin and an elephant’s tusk. The snake skin was really soft one way and rough another. We came out and on the way back we saw the elephants. Wow. ‘They were really nice. So, so cute. In fact, we’d never seen anything cuter. When we got back, everyone ate their lunch and then it was time to go home. This was a great day!’

Ryan Lewis, Ryan Lewis, Ryan Lewis, Ryan Lewis, Cormac O’Carroll, Luke WhiteCormac O’Carroll, Luke WhiteCormac O’Carroll, Luke WhiteCormac O’Carroll, Luke White

I n the Science part of our project, we have been learning about different types of habitats, animals and ways they have adapted to where they live. We are also making a PowerPoint slide show about animals and their habitats in the zoo and in the wild. The animal’s diet, their favourite food, and their animal family are all factors to think about.

This wonderful photograph of a marmoset having a close encounter with human beings in Chester Zoo was taken by Mr Steve Cotgrave, Teaching Assistant

Matthew CarneyMatthew CarneyMatthew CarneyMatthew Carney

THE ANIMAL VIEW

‘Very interesting,

these humans! They

live below ground and

pop up every so often

in plastic bubbles...’

Page 18

Model Model pupilspupils

Maths: minus Maths: minus a few facesa few faces

C ERTAIN lessons have been very creative and animated, lately! And it could all be down to the model behaviour expected of St Mary’s students. A group of Year 10s have produced a series of short animation films as part of a special exhibition in the World Museum, Liverpool, celebrating the abolition of slavery and the continuing struggle against racial prejudice. The exhibition, entitled ’In Our Hands: Student Takeover’ was a week-long event in April open to the general public. Animation experts came to work with some of Mrs Braid’s students over two weeks and they made their own sets with Wallace & Gromit-style clay models, then filmed their original ‘dramas’. St Mary’s is one of seven secondary schools making up National Museums Liverpool’s Key Stage 4 Plus Learning Network.

Year 10 students get animated

T he odds on FIVE teachers leaving one department in the same term are possibly incalculable, but our Maths Department will be minus exactly that number next term. From left to right, Mr Mercer is leaving us after two years for Oldershaw School to be Maths KS3 Co-ordinator; Mrs Saul is to be Head of Maths at West Kirby Grammar School for Girls after 11 years here; Miss Morgan is to be Maths Intervention Co-ordinator at St John Plessington High School after four years; Mrs Veitch will be Assistant Headteacher at Savio Catholic High, Bootle, after 11 years; and Mr Mortimer leaves us after seven years to be Key Stage 4 Co-ordinator at Sacred Heart Catholic College, Crosby.

QED: The answer is Minus Five! Head of Maths Mr Steve Peters says goodbye to members of his department.

S T MARY’S Year 8 mathematicians proved they were up to the challenge...the UK Mathematics Trust Junior Maths Challenge. Jan Taylor counted on his skills to scoop the Gold Award, while Silver Awards went to Matthew Davies, Ciaran Gregory, Dominic Harold, Stuart Dunlop, Sam McArd, Connar Leeming, Dylan Brannagan, Lily Dootson, Ian Astill, Hayden Long, Stephen Williams, John Bargh, Shaun Tierney, Connor Sait and Michael Nolan. Another 37 students received Bronze Awards.

To sum up, it’s success multipliedTo sum up, it’s success multiplied

Page 19

S IXTH former James Murray regularly speaks

up for Wirral’s youth as an elected member of the Youth Parliament. And recently he was a guest speaker at a 10-year strategy conference in London supported by the National Youth Agency. As a member of Wirral’s Grand Panel for nearly two years, James (right) has had a say in the allocation of £750,000 for youth projects, including the provision of equipment to youth clubs and an exchange visit to Hong Kong later this year.

I T was also the day Mr Laurence Tottle had a strip torn off him...a wax strip, that is, attached to some of his leg hairs! It was very painful, but our Bosco Centre’s brave Learning Mentor tried his best not to cry out. At least it was for charity! Mr Tottle was persuaded (against his better judgement) to undergo the procedure for our annual Lenten fundraising day. Wielding the wax strips, and making him into even more of a smoothie than usual was Lana Griffiths (pictured above with Mr Tottle), beauty therapy teacher from WirralTech. Eager sponsors donated more than £150 to witness the brutal spectacle.

Ouch! Mr T’s Ouch! Mr T’s hairy timehairy time

I T was the day a St Mary’s RE teacher decided against the straight and narrow! Miss Millar (pictured left) volunteered to change her sleek and normally straight long hair for a tumble of flattering curls as her contribution to our Lenten fundraising activities. Year 11’s Rochelle Berry provided the expertise. Rochelle, aged 16, has been studying Beauty Therapy at WirralTech, the Birkenhead training provider, in addition to her usual subjects at St Mary’s. Other fundraising projects throughout the school included cake sales, sponsored walks and car washing, a treasure hunt and even old-fashioned games on the gra! Altogether, more than £1,000 was raised for various charities.

How would you How would you like your hair like your hair today, Miss?today, Miss?

James makes James makes

his mark for his mark for

Wirral’s youthWirral’s youth

Page 20

What parents told us...What parents told us... WE ASKED: What has helped your child settle into St Mary’s?

‘The help and support of Julie Hudson and Graham McCue certainly helped Ben to settle into St Mary’s. Also, the Welcome Day gave an appreciation

of the size of the school and the challenge ahead.’

‘The Induction Days are a very good idea, giving both parent and child a chance to have a good look around.’

‘Simply, the school is very well run. Thomas is very happy.’

‘A great form teacher. The friendliness and dedication of staff. The good atmosphere of St Mary’s.’

‘The friendliness and kindness of pupils.’

‘St Mary’s eased my son into high school so he felt comfortable.’

These pictures were taken at our recent Year 5 Development Day.

Fun & learning Fun & learning

We’re moving on up!We’re moving on up!

Page 21

A St Mary’s Sixth Former is facing the Ultimate sporting challenge. Wirral’s own whizz-kid Tom

Martin-Hall is training to represent Great Britain in the 2008 Ultimate Frisbee World Championships in Vancouver, Canada. Tom, aged 17, has been playing for two years and travels all over the country to play at international level. He trains three times a week with his club, Catch Those, which meets in Birkenhead Park, under the keen eye of coach Liam Kelly. He was talent-spotted to join the 21-strong GB Juniors, who are all aged under 20. Ultimate, for the uninitiated, is the second fastest pace field sport in the world (the first is lacrosse). The game is played seven-a-side with rules similar to basketball. Players in possession cannot run, but accurate aiming of the Frisbee is what counts, along with speed and athleticism. The sport has a world following in 70 countries, from Australia to Zimbabwe. ‘It’s becoming more popular all the time’ said Tom, ’but we are always looking for new players. It’s a really great sport’. Keen guitarist Tom, who came to St Mary’s last year from Wirral Grammar School, is studying AS levels in Music Technology, Sociology, French and English Literature.

Ultimate Ultimate Ultimate Ultimate beginners can test their skills by joining the sessions in Birkenhead Park each Wednesday 5beginners can test their skills by joining the sessions in Birkenhead Park each Wednesday 5beginners can test their skills by joining the sessions in Birkenhead Park each Wednesday 5beginners can test their skills by joining the sessions in Birkenhead Park each Wednesday 5 ~ ~ ~ ~ 7pm.7pm.7pm.7pm.

Flying Flying Frisbees!Frisbees!

Tom’s Tom’s off to off to CanadaCanada

From baking From baking

tins and UFOs tins and UFOs

to world sportto world sport

J OSEPH FRISBIE’S family bakery in Connecticut, USA, unwittingly spawned a world craze when the lids of his cookie and pie tins became favourite missiles on the campuses of Yale and Harvard Universities. The students would shout FRISBIE! as they threw them to warn the intended catchers (because tin lids would hurt!) Then, in 1948, a former World War II American pilot, Fred Morrison, spotted a resemblance to the descriptions of ‘Unidentified Flying Objects’ that were gripping the nation and saw a business opportunity...he designed plastic versions called Flyin’ Saucers which soon appeared on California beaches. A few years later, a toy company went into mass production, spelling the original name incorrectly and, more than 100 million Frisbees later, the rest, they say, is history...

Ultimate achievement: Tom (above and below in action) will represent Great Britain in Vancouver, Canada.

A RT & TEXTILE GCSE and A Level students showed off just a few of their latest impressive creations at a

special event in English Martyrs’ Church. Style

Style

Style

Style

Style

Style

Style

Style

Page 22

G OLF might not be the sport you would choose if you had vision problems, but Year 7’s Connor Warwick has not let that put him off...and he has even won a trophy in a Wirral golf tournament.

Connor, aged 12, took a course of golf lessons organised by Wirral Vision Support Service at the Moreton Hills Golf Centre. He joined students from St Anselm’s College, West Kirby Grammar School for Girls, Pensby High School for Boys and Bidston Avenue Primary School. Connor won third place in the tournament. Vision Support Service teacher Mr Steve Beevers comes into school regularly to support Connor and other students who have sight problems. He said: ‘Players with low vision can enjoy golf, especially if they have sighted guides or caddies working with them. The English Blind Golf Association hosts six tournaments throughout the year. All players are registered blind and use sighted guides to enable them to play to a very high standard. The most important outcome of the event is to encourage the youngsters to take up and continue to play sport. However, it was a real competition.’ The event was funded through an ‘Awards For All’ grant and organised through the Wirral Disability Sports Forum, supported by Clare Mount School Specialist Sports College. The golf students are to watch the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale this month,

where they can use their Low V i s i o n A i d s (telescopes and binoculars) where many fully sighted spectators are also using binoculars.

Connor’s Connor’s golfing golfing skillsskills

Team work pays offTeam work pays off

T HREE St Mary’s students played in a national schools five-a-side tournament...against great odds. They are all partially

sighted! Elin Goddard, Jack Jones and Connor Warwick went to Birmingham for the British Blind Sport’s National Schools Five-a-Side Football Tournament. Other teams taking part were Arsenal FC Under 14s, Cheshire VIP FC, Hampshire VIP FC, Swansea City VIP FC and Yorkshire VIP FC. The Wirral team, including students from St Mary’s, Woodchurch High School and West Kirby Residential School, thoroughly enjoyed the day and won one, drew two and lost two games. The tournament was the culmination of a series of coaching sessions provided by Tranmere Rovers in the Community. Wirral Vision Support Service hopes to arrange a similar programme next season. Anyone interested in taking part can contact Vision Support teacher Mr Steve Beevers on 637 6105.

Wirral’s keen five-a-siders pose for a team photograph at the Birmingham tournament.

Putting on the style...Connor hones his skills on the green and (above) using specially adapted computer programmes for students with vision problems

Page 23

What a (sport) relief!What a (sport) relief!

Paddling their Paddling their

own canoesown canoes

STUDENTS got up to all kinds of zany activities to raise £200 for Sport Relief! Some travelled for a mile on their hands, on three legs, skipping or throwing a ball, among many other events. Congratulations to Connor Lowndes (7JCM) who beat Tranmere Ladies’ footballer Rachael Rigby at ‘keep-ups’!

YEAR 7 and 8 competed in the Wirral Schools Athletics tournament. Special mentions for runners

Rachel Davison and Jessica Howell. Rachael Roberts came first in the 200m sprint. Year 7 team came first in the relay.

(Ben Skipper seemed to take part in every event!)

42 girls from Years 7 to 10 took part in the Wirral Schools Rounders Tournament. Practice sessions

are three times a week.

NETBALL will be high profile next term with the brand new St Mary’s Netball League...all thanks to

a grant of £10,000 from the Awards For All Programme.

SPORTS ROUNDUPSPORTS ROUNDUP

MESSING about on the Marine Lake in West Kirby were Year 9 and 10 students who took part in Wirral’s Paddlefest. Everybody got wet, but everyone had a fantastic time learning how to paddle a variety of canoes, kayaks and bell boats. The annual event was organised by Mr Ray Hamlett, St Mary’s Sports Co-ordinator as part of National School Sports Week. YEAR 7 netballers (pictured below) went to Pontin’s, Prestatyn, for a weekend tournament.

Page 24

Daniel is champion gymnastDaniel is champion gymnast D ANIEL Foulkes is twice Great Britain champion in his chosen gymnastics discipline...Tumbling. The 15-year-old from Leasowe has trained for the sport since he was ten with West Kirby Gymnastics Club and has competed at a national level for the past three years. He has won the Gold Medal twice, at Levels 2 and 3. Like Hanna (see above) he has also just completed his GCSEs. Tumbling is an acrobatic discipline practised on a 25 metre dynamic track. The gymnasts must perform eight consecutive elements without interruption or change of rhythm. Only their feet and hands are allowed to touch the track. It is not yet an Olympic sport, but it is one of the events at the World Games. Daniel, pictured left, intends to return to St Mary’s Sixth Form in September, and hopes to take A Levels in PE, Chemistry, Maths and Biology. After taking a break from training while he revised for his exams, he expects to compete again later this year. His ambition, however, is not to be a professional gymnast, but a doctor.

Medals for Hanna!Medals for Hanna! European Silver European Silver

and Bronze for and Bronze for

trampoline startrampoline star

T HEY call it ‘the kamikaze sport’ because of the skill and danger it involves...but Hanna Moses has literally taken all of that in her stride.

And she’s so good at her precision sport of Double Mini Trampolining that she recently represented Great Britain in two major European championships and won Individual Silver and Silver and Bronze team medals. Hanna, who has just finished her GCSE exams in Year 11, has astounded coaches and selectors with her ability in the recent Flanders Cup in

Belgium and the European Cup held in Odense, Denmark. Now the 16-year-old from Wallasey has been nominated by British Gymnastics for SportsAid funding, and retail giant Asda have selected her for direct support from their store in Liscard. Part of Hanna’s role as a SportsAid ambassador will be to work with Asda

as a role model to younger children and to promote gymnastics in local schools. She’s very much looking forward to the next stage in her career. Previous sportsmen and women to receive the SportsAid funding include Kelly Holmes, Linford Christie and Jonathan Edwards among many others. Said Hanna: ‘It’s really exciting. I just love trampolining, it’s a real test of concentration and skill’. Many gym coaches are nervous of double mini trampolining because of the possible injuries, but DMT gymnasts train intensively to perfect their timing and balance. 2008 has been a different story for Hanna, who last year fought back after suffering a broken ankle sustained, not as a result of her sport, but during a family day out at the Crocky Trail in Chester!

Hanna in mid-flight performing an amazing aerial feat: the double straight - two rotations of the body at full stretch

Hanna (second from left) shows off her European Bronze team medal

‘Ambassador for sport’