News from former pupils
Dr Mark Baker, who left the school in 2003, formed the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust aged 13 as a Rydal School pupil, and he finally managed to acquire the Grade I Listed site earlier this summer following a lengthy 22-year campaign.
In recognition of his outstanding commitment to saving the structure, Dr Baker has been recognised with a Points of Light Award from Prime Minister Theresa May.
The award recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.
In a letter to Dr Baker, Mrs May wrote: “From launching the Gwrych Castle Preservation Trust at just 13 years old, to finally receiving the keys to the castle this year, your remarkable determination and years of campaigning have saved an important part of local history.
"I wish you all the very best with the restoration works which will preserve the castle for generations to come."
Dr Baker said it was "a great honour and rather humbling" to be chosen for the award, and he recently revealed a £15 million, 25-year project to completely transform the castle for the pupil to enjoy and will eventually offer holiday accommodation.
Gwrych Castle was built by Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh from the early 1810s and completed by 1822. It was a stately home for more than 100 years with its own stables, brewery, dairy, bakery and ice house.
Efan Jones, who left the school in 2016, is a talented scrum-half that was part of the hugely successful Academy programme, which is run in partnership with the Gogs and the Welsh Rugby Union.
He won the battle for the number nine shirt following the departure of Alex Schwartz to Cornish Pirates, and the former Welsh U18 international crossed the white wash for a sensational score to round off an incredible performance to kick off the campaign in style.
Jones was nominated for the Principality Premiership try of the week for his efforts, and after a flurry of votes, he managed to come away with the overall prize.
This is the latest in a long line of successes for the youngster, who is set to play a starring role for Mark Jones’ men this season after a frustrating time with injuries in recent years, and Jones was on the scoresheet again for RGC in their dramatic 34-26 victory at Swansea to extend their perfect start to the top flight campaign.
Mr Boyd, said: “It is fantastic to see Efan hitting the ground running this season with RGC, and a big season awaits him thanks to the added responsibility he has been given which is thoroughly deserved."
Gwen Parry-Jones, who attended Penrhos College, paid a special visit to the school on Monday, September 24 to film a portion of a television feature being produced by BBC Wales.
She was recently appointed as the director of nuclear operations by Horizon Nuclear Power, who are developers at the £12bn site on Anglesey.
During her visit, Ms Parry-Jones took a walk through the corridors and viewed some old pictures of herself at Penrhos, before visiting the Biology department to speak with a number of Sixth Form pupils.
Duncan Kenwirthy donated a significant amount to the pupil-led campaign to renovate the Ferguson Centre, and in recognition of his generosity the new study area has been renamed The Kenworthy Room.
Mr Kenworthy, said: “I’m sorry not to be there with you for the opening of the Ferguson Centre and the Kenworthy Room, but my new film The Children Act has just had its premiere in New York and opens tonight (Friday).
“How do you launch a study room? Smashing a bottle of champagne on the door is a bit impractical and would probably send the wrong message, so I hope that idea has been dropped.
“Perhaps somebody will cut a ribbon or draw a curtain? Or maybe you’ll just open the door and declare it - incontrovertibly - open. That could be just the thing.
“I hope the Kenworthy Room is a really great place for Rydalians to study. And that lots of fabulous thoughts are thought here - poems read, facts learned, dreams dreamt, schemes hatched, theories arrived at, equations resolved, arguments constructed, maybe even screenplays written – outside school hours, of course.
“In other words I hope that that it’s the perfect place to prepare for your amazing lives to come.”
Hannah, Catherine and Elinor Davies will travel to South Wales on Sunday, October 7 to test their endurance at the Cardiff Half Marathon, and they are collecting donations ahead of the event which will be donated to Cancer Research UK.
The trio, who will be joined on ‘Team Davies’ by father Gareth, will be running in memory of grandfather Raymond Lewis, who died of lung cancer earlier this year.
A post on their JustGiving page, said: “Like most families across the country, we have recently been affected by cancer and we have seen, first-hand the terrible damage cancer has, not only on those suffering the disease, but those around them.
“Our granddad, Tadcu or Raymonde as he was known in our house, was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year and died a month later.
“Whilst, fortunately, he was spared months of painful treatment, unlike many other cancer sufferers, the care he received during his short illness was fantastic and in raising money for Cancer Research UK, we hope to help eradicate the disease.
“As our training gets underway and underlying injuries and excuses begin to emerge, so too do our fundraising efforts."
Anyone wishing to donate can do so by visiting Team Davies’ JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hannah-davies78.
Tom Williams, who left the school in 2014, made his Pro 14 Debut for Ospreys and started in their resounding 46-14 home success over Cheetahs last weekend.
Williams is another successful product of the Rydal Penrhos Rugby Academy, which is run in partnership with Principality Premiership side RGC and the Welsh Rugby Union.
The talented back recently received a contract extension from the region after deciding to focus more on his development as a club player following a hugely successful stint with the Welsh Rugby 7s side in recent years.
Two tries from Justin Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones each guided the Ospreys to a second Pro14 win in Swansea.
Following a narrow win over Edinburgh, the seven-try Ospreys stormed to a bonus point victory.
Other tries from Scott Otten, George North and Alex Jeffries sealed the win.
Mr Boyd, said: “Tom has worked incredibly hard to make it to the level he is at right now, and he can be enormously proud of his achievements especially considering he is just working his way back into the squad after a very eventful World 7s Cup with Wales.