Grand Opening of the New Sixth Form Centre
On Wednesday May 20th the new Sixth Form Centre was officially opened by Lord Digby Jones, the former Director General of the CBI (Confederation of British Business).
The event was very well attended by governors, guests, parents, old boys and supporters of the project, many of whom had actually contributed financially to the building of the Sixth Form Centre. Also present were representatives of some of the numerous contractors who had designed and built such a fabulous facility.
Headmaster Mr Bird introduced the event and spoke about Handsworth Grammar School being a “vehicle for social mobility” and cited the case of one former pupil whose father had been a cooper (a barrel maker) and whose mother was a cleaner. This particular pupil had done extremely well at HGS many years ago, and had actually won a scholarship to Oxford University. He had gone on to have an extremely successful career, despite very humble beginnings.
Lord Jones spoke about his own humble origins, and how he had risen, through education, to win a Naval scholarship, had had a successful career in the Law, and then became a high profile Director of the CBI and consequently a cross bench peer sitting in the Lords.
He also praised all of those who had contributed to the project and, in a very entertaining speech, wished the school well for the future.
Lord Jones was presented with a framed painting as a memento of the occasion. The painting is by former HGS pupil Reuben Colley, now a successful artist with his own gallery in Colmore Row, Birmingham. This presentation was made by our Head Boy, Leopold Johnson, and Mr Tim Ison, the Director of Reuben Colley Fine Art.
There is now a plaque in the Sixth Form Centre, which will be a permanent reminder of this wonderful occasion.
Mr Conway
