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Alumni Officer, Susannah Schofield, Alleyn's School, Townley Road, London, SE22 8SU.
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FORMER SADDLERS’ SCHOLAR AMONG RECIPIENTS OF £4.5M ARTS ENTREPRENEURS’ GRANT Felix Barrett (Tulley’s, 1989-96), artistic director of Punchdrunk Theatre Company, is among the six recipients of a new £4.5 million grant scheme for arts entrepreneurs. Set up by grant-making body the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, the Breakthrough Fund aims to invest in individuals at ‘early, visionary and probably most risky stage’ of an idea. In its inaugural year, six practitioners from five companies have been awarded funds of between £190,000 and £300,000. Punchdrunk has received £300,000 to mark a point of ‘change and growth’ for the company. Recipients of the grants were nominated by a panel of 14 arts experts, including Welsh National Opera chairman Geraint Talfan Davies, Manchester International Festival director Alex Poots and Random Dance artistic director Wayne McGregor. For further information about Punchdrunk, see www.punchdrunk.org.uk Date posted: 10 July 2008 • Full story

NEWS

JACK PENATE WORKING WITH FATBOY SLIM ON SECOND ALBUM Jack Penate (Spurgeon’s, left 2003) is working with Fatboy Slim on his forthcoming second album. The pair have completed five or six tracks for the follow-up to Penate's 2007 album 'Matinee', and claim they're getting along like father and son. Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, explained: ‘He's a fantastic musician and I've really enjoyed working with him.’ The producer also said that the two share common musical influences, saying: ‘All our favourite records are the same. We were doing a tune and I said I wanted to achieve the same atmosphere as “The Only Living Boy In New York” by Simon And Garfunkel. Jack was like, “Oh, that's one of my favourite songs”. ‘So, we share the same influences and hence came up with the same music.’ Catch Jack performing at Lovebox Weekender on Sunday 20 July at Hackney's Victoria Park, London E8. Date posted: 10 July 2008 • Full story ALUMNI AT THE ALMEIDA 25 September - 15 November 2008 Samuel West (Roper's, 1977-84) directs the Club's Deputy President, Nancy Carroll (Brading's, 1985-92), in a revival of Harley Granville Barker's ‘Waste’, which runs at the Almeida from 25 September-15 November 2008. Sam has previously directed Nancy in ‘The Lady's Not for Burning’ for Chichester Festival Theatre. Date posted: 27 June 2008 • Full story   ALUMNUS WELCOMES MEASURES ANNOUNCED BY LORD DARZI’S REVIEW OF NHS The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) welcomed the measures to improve access to modern medicines announced by Lord Darzi in his report into the NHS. Director General of the ABPI, Dr Richard Barker, a former pupil of Alleyn’s School, said: ‘Collectively, the measures announced today by Lord Darzi represent the basis for a huge leap forward in driving the use of best available treatment, including the uptake of NICE guidance, across the NHS. ‘The task is now to deliver on the promise, so that people across the UK have full and fair access to innovative, life-extending medicines, demonstrated to be clinically-effective and cost-effective.' Date posted: 02 July 2008 • Full story FORMER SCHOOL CAPTAIN AND ALLEYN'S GOVERNOR IDENTIFIES BETTER DRUG AFTER HIP REPLACEMENT Professor Ajay Kakkar (Roper's, 1977-82) has just published the results of a study into the efficacy of certain drugs after hip replacement surgery. The study found that patients who had complete hip replacement surgery, or total hiparthroplasty (THA), had better success at preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) if they used extended duration rivaroxaban instead of short-term enoxaparin plus placebo. VTE is a potentially fatal blood clot, and its risk of occurrence is greater after THA. The results of the full study by Professor Kakkar (Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and the Thrombosis Research Institute, London, UK) and colleagues are published in 'The Lancet'. Professor Kakkar is also the Deputy Chair of Governors at Alleyn's School. Date posted: 26 June 2008 • Full story   FOUNDER'S DAY 28 June 2008 Founder’s Day is held to commemorate when James I granted Letters Patent to the School’s Founder, Edward Alleyn, on 21 June 1619. Speech Day was held at St Barnabas' Church in the morning and this year the David Fournel Trophy for Outstanding Sporting Achievement was presented for the first time. The trophy is given in memory of David Fournel (Spurgeon's, 1953-57), holder of the school long jump record for over 30 years and who was the most naturally gifted all-round athlete of his generation. Mr Fournel's widow presented the trophy to School Vice-President, Jacob Brubert. In the afternoon, the Edward Alleyn Club hosted the Pimm’s Tent and it was heaving with alumni as well as staff, parents and visitors. Two informal reunions took place in the tent – the Pensioners’ Party, a gathering for those who reach state retirement age this year, and a reunion for those who left Alleyn’s in 1968. The photo shows from left to right: David Hankin (Club President), John Dunley (Chair of the Club's Executive Committee) , and Angela Horne (Governor). More photos from the day taken by Terry Brownbill can be viewed in the gallery - see bottom right of home page. Date posted: 01 July 2008 • Full story DAILY MIRROR PARENT GROUP WINS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD The Daily Mirror's parent company, Trinity Mirror, has won a top award for cutting carbon emissions – by a massive eighteen per cent. It is only one of 12 firms to get the Carbon Trust Standard which is launched today [24 June 2008]. Paul Vickers (Tyson’s, 1971-78), Secretary and Group Legal Director, Trinity Mirror plc, said: ‘We are delighted to have achieved the Carbon Trust Standard and without the support and genuine engagement of our staff, we wouldn’t have made such impressive progress. As a business this demonstrates to staff, customers and readers that we are serious not just about the challenges facing our industry but how we as a business might impact on the world.’ The award is for companies which have shown genuine commitment to slashing their carbon footprint to help fight climate change. Trinity Mirror is one of the UK's largest newspaper publishers, with 9,000 employees in 150 centres. Date posted: 24 June 2008 • Full story