Leeds Luminaries Awards 2018
Congratulations to the winners of our Leeds Luminaries Awards. The awards were presented at a gala dinner on Saturday 17 November 2018 at The Grammar School at Leeds attended by nominees, their families and friends, alumni, governors, staff and students. Our special guest was Barry Cryer (OL53) who entertained us all as he reminisced about his school days at Leeds Grammar School. The evening was hosted by former BBC news anchor and governor of the school, Jacqui Harper.
Winners
STEM & Medicine: Zoe Hudson
Business & Enterprise: Graeme Lee
Arts & Humanities: Lady Solti
Charity & Community: Barry Brindley
Sport: Lucy Harris
Rising Star: Shaan & Haaris Ahmed
Lifetime Achievement: Baroness Neville-Jones
Our nominees
Zoe Hudson (OG84)
Zoë Hudson PhD, MCSP, Grad Dip Phys, PG Cert is a polar explorer and leading sports physiotherapist. She was part of the first all-women’s expedition to reach the North Pole in 1997 and the first British women’s expedition to reach the South Pole in 2000.
Zoë worked in international sport for 10 years, including with national squads in rugby, swimming, basketball and volleyball. Major competitions include Paralympics, Commonwealth Games, World University Games, Swimming World Cup, Women’s Rugby World Cup, Para-Swimming World Championships. She was an advisor to the London 2012 Olympic bid.
At Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Zoë developed and led the Sports and Exercise Medicine masters program for doctors and other medical professionals. Under her editorship, Physical Therapy in Sport has grown into an international peer reviewed journal of academic research.
Honours include Fellow of University of East London, Pride of Britain Awards, Women of the Year, Guinness Book of Records.
Dr Sam Cohen (OL05)
Dr Samuel Cohen is a Research Fellow in Biophysical Chemistry at St. John’s College and the Centre for Misfolding Diseases in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, from where he holds PhD, MSci, MA and BA degrees.
His scientific research focuses on neurodegenerative disorders. He is co-author of more than 20 scientific papers, book chapters and patents and was lead author on a widely-reported study in which researchers made a major breakthrough towards finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr Cohen is co-founder of Wren Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on drug discovery and development for protein misfolding diseases, including major neurological and rare disorders. He delivers lectures on the fight to find a cure for Alzheimer’s and continues to raise awareness of the disease.
Graeme Lee (OL83)
Graeme is a successful businessman, specialising in the challenging, yet rewarding, field of providing innovative, quality care to the elderly and those living with dementia. He is the founder and CEO of Springfield Healthcare Group, providing care homes and associated care services across the North of England.
Graeme has pioneered the unique ‘Care Village’ concept – a ‘game changing’ model in the sector that offers a full range of care from day care, residential, dementia and nursing, combined with private independent living apartments. He has successfully launched this model in three state of the art facilities to date, most recently at the fully refurbished Terry’s Chocolate HQ in York. This award winning scheme in a listed building has realised Graeme’s vision of how care in the community should look (https://chocolate-works.co.uk). Graeme continues to develop his business and will be opening another 4 facilities over the next 3 years across the North including sites in Ilkley and Harrogate.
Graeme has demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurial skills, growing his company from its origins in the family home to employing 1300 members of the team. He has achieved this success in a sector of our society that presents our own and future generations with one of our hardest challenges; how do we look after our ageing population with dignity as we all live longer?
Kathryn Cearns OBE (OG82)
Following university, Kathryn embarked on a wide-ranging technical career in financial reporting and corporate governance. She worked full-time in the private sector until 2014, but now focuses on public sector and public interest organisations.
Kathryn is currently a member of the External Audit Committee of the International Monetary Fund; a non-executive director of the UK Supreme Court and Companies House; and an independent member of the Audit & Risk Committee of both the Press Recognition Panel and Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd. For six years until 2016 she served as the Independent Chairman of the Financial Reporting Advisory Board to HM Treasury, which is responsible for advising the government on public sector reporting. Kathryn is also a trustee of Royal British Legion Industries.
Throughout her career, Kathryn has demonstrated a fierce independence of mind, combined with skill, knowledge and judgement, to tackle complex issues and persuade others to do the right thing.
Debbie Wosskow OBE (OG92)
Debbie Wosskow OBE is recognised as one of the most prominent serial entrepreneurs in the UK, known for successfully launching and scaling businesses in the areas of digital disruption, the sharing economy and female empowerment. Thanks to her knowledge, track record and authority in those areas, Debbie holds a number of prominent leadership positions across associated sectors and is regularly interviewed on those subjects in the media, on TV and on radio. She was the Founder and CEO of Love Home Swap, sold to Wyndham Destination Networks for $53m in July 2017.
As co-founder and chairperson of AllBright, Debbie aims to close the gender-based funding gap that currently prevents many women from launching and succeeding with their business ideas.
Debbie was the Founding Chairman of Sharing Economy UK (SEUK) and sits on the Mayor of London’s Business Advisory Board. Debbie is a Trustee of the Hampstead Theatre.
Gareth Dunn (GSAL09)
Diagnosed with a terminal illness at the age of just 26, talented sportsman, Gareth vowed to raise £100,000 for Cancer Research.
Initially diagnosed with a synovial sarcoma in his foot, just after securing his place to train as an army officer at Sandhurst, Gareth had to have his right leg amputated below the knee. Yet after having a prosthetic running blade fitted he was soon training with the cycling, canoeing and athletics squads of the GB Paralympic teams.
Gareth designed and wrote a hilarious blog, set up a Just Giving page and has taken part and planned events too numerous to mention. To date – February 2018 – and within just ten months, he has already raised over £61,000. For further information or to donate please visit his Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chemotionally-unstable
Kate Newton MBE (OG91)
Oxford graduate, Kate has dedicated her career to the benefit of those living in unimaginable circumstances due to war, civil unrest and natural disaster.
Having previously worked for the UN World Food Programme, she is currently employed by the Department for International Development (DFID), travelling to locations afflicted by earthquakes, floods or conflict, to understand and ensure that funding contributions from the UK government are used wisely to help those in need.
In 2017 she was awarded an MBE for her services to humanitarian aid and emergency relief.
Barry Brindley (LGHS/GSAL)
Over the last 30 years, former teacher, Barry, has raised over £426,000 to help create a sustainable future for some of Africa’s poorest people through his charity, the Zikomo trust.
The Malawi project came into being when Barry started teaching at Leeds Girls’ High School in 1988, having just returned from 14 years in Africa. In addition to the funds raised for schools and community services in Malawi, over 300 tonnes of relief goods have been shipped out. To date 447 pupils and 57 staff have visited as part of the biennial tour to Malawi, providing practical help to schools and community projects. Barry was joint winner in the lifetime achievement category at the Independent School Awards 2013 in recognition of his fundraising work.
For further information or to donate please visit the trust’s Just Giving page https://www.justgiving.com/zikomotrust
Lucy Harris (GSAL14)
Lucy is an international netball player and made her debut for England senior A team in the 2017 series against Malawi gaining her first 2 caps.
Lucy was also in GSAL’s most successful netball team, who were crowned national champions in 2012. She is currently studying at Birmingham University and is contracted to 2017 Superleague winners, Wasps Netball.
Yona Knight Wisdom (GSAL11)
Yona is a Leeds-born Jamaican diver and the first male from any Caribbean nation to compete in diving at the Olympic Games.
He first represented Jamaica in 2012 at the Junior World Championships in Adelaide. Yona went on to compete at the World Aquatic Championships in Barcelona in 2013, the 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2016 FINA Diving World Cup, finishing second in the 3m springboard and qualifying for the Olympics in Rio.
He was named Leeds Beckett University Sportsman of the Year 2016. He is sponsored by Jamaican born British entrepreneur Levi Roots, the Reggae Reggae Sauce king.
Gordon Benson (GSAL12)
Gordon is an international triathlete who has a number of successes at both junior, U23 and senior level. He represented Team GB at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
He was voted British male elite junior triathlete 2011 and 2012 and won Britain’s first ever gold medal at the inaugural 2015 European Games in Baku. The following month he was part of the bronze medal-winning team, at the Hamburg ITU triathlon mixed relay world championships.
He is a current Red Bull athlete and is a member of the UK sport lottery funded world-class performance squad.
Lady Valerie Solti (OG55)
Lady Solti went from being one of the BBC’s first television presenters to a patron for multiple arts causes and has dedicated her life to music. Married to Sir Georg Solti, one of the world’s greatest conductors, Lady Solti has committed herself to countless musical causes throughout her husband’s life and after this death. She and her daughters set up the Solti Foundation which supports musicians from all over the world. She is also a patron of the World Peace Orchestra.
Richard Price (OL50)
Richard Price has over 40 years experience in films and television and plays a prominent role in cinematic history having financed the original development the script of The King’s Speech which went on to become one of the most successful films of UK cinematic history.
Richard has been behind the financing of stage plays and scripts that have gone on to be worldwide hits, including Mamma Mia! Richard started his career with Bayer where he started and edited the GP newspaper, Pulse, before joining Granada TV as their overseas director.
Richard is former treasurer and chairman of BAFTA and was Vice Chairman and Chairman of HFT, a major national charity for adults with learning disabilities and is now an HFT patron. He and his wife Joan are patrons of The London Chamber Orchestra. Richard has twice run for Parliament and was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Television Society in 1984 and the MBE for services to television in 2000.
James Brining (OL86)
James Brining read English at Cambridge University where his love of theatre developed. After a successful career as a theatre director in Scotland he returned home to take on the role of director of West Yorkshire Playhouse with a clear vision to strengthen its connection to the city and the region in meaningful ways. This proved very successful and the Playhouse is regarded today as one of the most important regional theatres in the country.
James aims to develop a culture of creativity and excellence. That means making work which will stand up against work you’d see anywhere, His productions of the Proclaimers’ musical Sunshine on Leith and Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd won TMA Best Musical awards.
Olly Cracknell (GSAL12)
Olly is a hugely talented rugby union player, representing his team, Ospreys (based in Swansea) and the full Wales Six Nations team in 2017.
After a long and very successful school and junior club career, Olly was spotted by talent coaches during the GSAL 2012 rugby tour to South Africa, and was offered a 12-month contact with the Border Bulldogs Academy in East London. Olly excelled against some of the strongest U20 players, and upon his return to the UK, was signed by the Welsh Club RGC. He was subsequently selected into the Wales U20 squad in the 2014 Six Nations Competition, and signed with Ospreys Rugby Club at the same time. He was selected into the full Wales Six Nations squad in 2016 and has just achieved his 50th cap with the Ospreys.
Luke Johnson (GSAL10)
Luke started playing tennis at the age of 5 and has pursued both a successful academic and sporting career, recently graduating from Clemson University in America. During his time at Clemson, he captained the tennis team in one of the top conferences (leagues) in the US.
Following his return to the UK, Luke was selected to represent GB in the World Student Games in Taipei in 2017 winning a Silver Medal in the Mens Doubles. After turning professional, Luke has been working hard, through International Tennis Federation (ITF) competitions around the world to improve his World and GB rankings, and has won several titles. His GB rankings are currently Singles, 21, Doubles, 11, and his world rankings are 878 in singles and 355 in doubles. Still in his early 20’s, Luke is hoping to play at Wimbledon this summer, and become a regular player in the grand slams.
Shaan & Haaris Ahmed (GSAL09/11)
Brothers Shaan and Haaris Ahmed recently founded a new, innovative fintech company, UOWN, an internet-based crowdfunding platform which allows investors to buy a share of a house from as little as £20 and receive their share of the rent and property price growth. UOWN is particularly popular with millennials and younger investors, who often use UOWN to get exposure to the property market for the first time.
UOWN has a wide appeal and has attracted more experienced investors who are impressed by the ability to buy part of a house in just minutes and receive their first rent payment weeks later. Shaan and Haaris are making the property market accessible to many more people in the region.
Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones (OG58)
Baroness Neville-Jones is a former BBC Governor and Chairman of the British Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC). She has held a number of distinguished roles in politics, defence and media, including Political Director in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, where she led the British delegation on the Bosnia peace settlement. She was later appointed Minister of State for Security and Counter Terrorism and is currently a member of the Advisory Board to the Council on cyber security.
Appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1987 Birthday Honours, she was raised to Dame Commander (DCMG) in the 1995 New Year’s Honours. Neville-Jones also received the Légion d’honneur (Chevalier) in 2009.
She is an Honorary Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and an Honorary Doctor of the University of London and the Open University.
Jennifer Bray MBE (OG61)
Formerly a head girl of LGHS, a university lecturer in geography and then Principal of two large and successful British international schools, Jennifer was awarded an MBE in 2002 for services to international education. She currently works as a leadership mentor for British Schools Overseas, specialising in start-up schools and those in areas facing major economic and political challenges.
Jennifer is a member of the Board of the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and a school Evaluation Leader for the Council of International Schools (CIS). She is also a founder and current Chair of the Griffin Schools Multi-Academy Trust, as well as an experienced inspector and school governor.
Lord Dyson (OL61)
After reading Classics at Oxford, John Dyson was called to the Bar in 1968 and practised as a barrister in London. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1982. He was a High Court Judge(1993-2000); a Lord Justice of Appeal of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales (2001-2010), Justice of the UK Supreme Court (2010-2012) and Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice (2012-16). As Master of the Rolls, he was President of the Court of Appeal and the second most senior judge in England and Wales.
In his long judicial career, he decided many cases across the whole range of civil law, including contract, construction and commercial law, general common law, international law, and public and human rights law. Many of his judgments are reported in the Law Reports and are frequently cited as precedents in the UK and throughout the common law world.
After his retirement in 2016, he returned to his former Chambers to practise as an arbitrator, mediator and to do Inquiries. In 2017, he was the Treasurer of Middle Temple. He has honorary degrees (LLD) from UCL and Essex and Leeds Universities, is an Honorary Fellow of Wadham College Oxford and a Visiting Professor at UCL and Queen Mary, London”.
Hon. Sir Harry Ognall (OL52)
Harry Ognall enjoyed a formidable reputation as an advocate at the criminal bar. Beginning as a barrister in chambers in Leeds, after appointment as Queen’s Counsel, and later as a High Court Judge in the Queen’s Bench Division he was involved in numerous high-profile trials, both here as well as abroad. Among very many notorious cases as a QC, he prosecuted Peter Sutcliffe, the so-called ‘Yorkshire Ripper’. He successfully defended six officers of the Air Force of Zimbabwe at their trial in Harare, where they were indicted for treasonable sabotage.
As a Judge, he conducted the trial of Colin Stagg (the alleged Wimbledon Common murderer), the manslaughter trial arising from the Lyme Bay canoe tragedy and the trial for the first time in the United Kingdom of a doctor’s alleged involvement in euthanasia. A Deputy Lieutenant of West Yorkshire since his retirement, he occupies himself with charitable activities, including after-dinner speaking. The memoir of his professional life, entitled A Life of Crime, was published by Harper Collins in 2017.