The relationship between the School and Old Cranleighans has been further strengthened by the launch of a new project which will see two interns working at Cranleigh to support a mixt
ure of OC and School projects.
The project, which is co-funded by the OC Society, employs two OCs in the year after they leave Cranleigh. The first pair – Rosie Smith (South, 2010) and Will Graham-Rack (Loveday, 2010) – were selected from more than a dozen applications following a competitive process. They started work on October 1. The posts, which will provide them with a paid job for a year, will undertake a range of work which includes developing new initiatives and supporting Old Cranleighan clubs. One of the most important roles will be to ensure that the contact details we have for all OCs is accurate and to find out what OCs want from their membership. Thus it will form the basis of new OC development plan which is aimed at making the OC Society more relevant for the modern Old Cranleighan.
It is intended the project will be ongoing and will provide leavers with the opportunity to do some meaningful paid work during their gap year while offering flexibility to do some travelling. The interns will be helped by Andy Houston (Cubitt, 2001) who will report directly to the OCS Excom.
“The intern programme is an exciting initiative and is an example of how the OC Society and School continue to find ways in which to strengthen their relationship,” Houston said. “I am looking forward to being part of the team in my dual role as Director of Rugby and Assistant Projects Director. In my capacity as Projects leader, we are hoping to develop partnerships involving the community, OCs and school parents. Over the next 12 months, a number of sporting academies will be set up with the intention of drawing a large number of children to Cranleigh from all walks of life to benefit from our outstanding facilities and coaching. The Steve Batchelor (Olympic Gold medal winning OC) hockey academy has been instrumental in the schools recent successes highlighted by winning the National Boarding Schools’ Cup. We hope to emulate this in other sports and in the first instance will look to develop rugby and cricket. Following the success of these academies, we hope to expand into other activities such as music and outdoor education.”
“In my post as OC intern I’m looking forward to getting some valuable work experience in different areas and improving connections between the OCs and the school,” Rosie Smith said. Will Graham-rack added: “As an OC intern, I hope to assist in developing the Society into one that best reflects what members want from it, from those that have just left to those of an older generation. Through contacting its members and working with its various clubs, I hope we will be able to build on currently strong foundations to offer the best possible experience.”