football and discos...

Mr Hollows was a lovely man. I knew him as he was my teacher in lower juniors about 15 years ago. He was very well respected by the students. In fact, he was like your cool uncle, you wanted to be a good student for him. Mr Hollows was in charge of the school football team which I played for. He was brilliant at motivating the team and consoling us when we lost!

I was able to stay in touch with Mr Hollows after I left John Hampden as he was in charge of organising the school discos which I ran. I remember fondly, as I was setting up at one of the parties, he was showing a new Swedish colleague round the school - Towe! My way of welcoming her was to play Abba's 'Dancing Queen'!

Rest in peace Mr Hollows.

Mark Ansell

www.markansell.co.uk

Calling all runners ...

On Sunday 27th June 2010, Thame will be holding it's annual 10km run.

A few people have already suggested that they would like to run in memory of Graham, and we are looking to assemble a team to run in his memory and raise money for the charities that Towe chose. The race is popular and has a good turn out (about 1000 runners of all ages, shapes and sizes). Extensive running experience is not a pre-requisite (but it helps if you have done a little training in advance!). The course is flat, and largely traffic-free.

So if you are a keen runner, or even a not so keen runner, and would like to keep Graham's memory alive, why not join the team on June 27th?

If you would like to register, follow this link:

http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/events/foundevents.asp

and use the search facility at the bottom of the page to find the event: Thame CPM 10k. The fee for entering is £14.00.

We recommend that you don't delay as the event is popular - entry will close when they have reached a fixed number and there is no entry on the day. It would be great if you are also able to raise some sponsorship, but the important thing is to run for Graham. Even if you don't feel you can raise sponsors, or have already entered and are raising money for another charity, you can still join the team.

Once you have entered, simply contact Rick and Becca Bolt at rebecca.bolt@tiscali.co.uk to confirm that you will be part of the team, and to coordinate sponsorship. On the day we will issue you with an official team t-shirt to mark this exciting event. Towe is delighted that this is possible and we hope you will be keen to run for Graham and to support Towe and the family, on the day after Aila's 6th birthday.

graham's birthday...

As many know, today - February 5th - is Graham's birthday. Towe and the girls are marking the day by remembering him, and having a meal of some of his favourite things to eat.

Why not join them in remembering Graham today with a takeaway curry, a glass of champagne or by just setting some time aside to recall some happy memories...

memorial word cloud

[click the image for a better view]

Cherished memories and happy times - remembering Graham by Juliet Bawtree

So many cherished memories about Gray that I can only scrape the surface here. Over time though, I’ll make sure I recall them with Towe, the girls and his friends.
One thing Graham was not was just one of my best friend’s husbands. He was a very dear friend in his own right such that in retrospect, I think he was probably my most constant male friend. I have to thank Towe as when she met and married Gray, I gained an incredible friend. Our old friendship was not watered down in any way. It was amazing how quickly they became the fantastic “G&T” team that it is difficult to recall not knowing Gray so well if that makes any sense.
However, I will never forget first hearing about Towe (AKA ‘Bird’) & Gray’s budding friendship over a glass of pre Christmas bubbly in 2000 at what was, back in the day, an old ‘Birds’ haunt on the Kings Road. Towe had a real sparkle in her eyes when she told me about Gray. On being told about the age gap, his grey hair and the fact he was as deputy head, her mentor, I merrily challenged her feelings as being a ‘schoolgirl’ or rather ‘teaching assistant’ crush! A story that Gray (the ‘silver fox’) found hilarious. How wrong I was though and that became apparent very quickly. Indeed, I changed my tune completely after only having met Gray once so that by April 2001, I told Towe that I thought he was the one for her and that they would marry.
I met Gray just the once before I went to Oman in April 2001. We were both helping Towe move to her little flat in Thame and I was struck by how compassionate, calm and kind he was when quietly helping out with putting up bookshelves and sorting things out. When the hard work was done, we had the first of many lovely meals out all together and thought Gray utterly charming and could really feel the warmth between them.
Despite the fact that I was living in Oman during the early years of the G&T courtship up to and including their wedding, I was made to feel so welcome each time I came back and visited them in Thame. It was then that we set up the tradition of a Bird shopette and lunch whilst G had a bit of time to himself (catching up on the football in those days!), followed by the three of us sharing a bottle of bubbly and having a good old catch up. This included the Birds fashion show sporting our (well, mainly mine!) latest purchases from Bicester Village. A lot of men would have bored of this but Gray joined in enthusiastically coining the phrase “So how much did you save Bird?!” With Gray’s excellent maths, he would tot up the grand total pretty quickly and we’d celebrate what fantastic savings had been made! Occasionally though, he would raise an eyebrow and exclaim that it was a rather small item for the price tag! Gray certainly had an eye for style and his input was always most valuable.
Over the years, I’ve been privileged to have spent so many happy weekends chez Hollows. The traditions remained. Once the girls arrived, Gray would without any grumbling, delight in taking them swimming and shopping or perhaps sitting down and introducing them to the Saturday afternoon football, whilst Towe and I had some Bird catch up time. I much looked forward to those weekends. We always had great times together usually involving delicious food, wine, bubbles and perhaps some Strictly in the Autumn. The photo attached of Gray with the Birds was one such evening captured with the self-timer that Towe is a master of. Gray loved (I think and hope!) catching up on the Bird gossip over a chilled glass of bubbly but we’d laugh when a glass or two of wine and a delicious meal later, he’d get rather sleepy signalling time for him to happily head off to catch up on kip leaving us to chatter into the early hours. Sunday morning breakfasts chez Hollows were a triumph with Gray’s fantastic pancake making. A treat for us all! I always felt so relaxed and welcome that I didn’t feel like a guest with G&T in Thame becoming a bit of a second home.
The day after I moved into my little ‘nest’ (as Towe calls it), the G&T team were the first friends to come over armed with wine and goodies. They enthusiastically arrived with Aila who was a babe in arms then and didn’t mind a bit that together with my parents, we had to have a makeshift lunch surrounded by the chaos of hundreds and hundreds of boxes. Both then and over the years, Gray seemingly happily volunteered his DIY skills and helped with a variety of things from setting up my monster of a TV from Oman to mending my broken desk and wobbly loo seat!
The only one condition Gray ever imposed was that I make a curry (much to Towe’s horror!) just once. I had to compromise with Towe and make it a mild one but we had a lovely relaxed evening so much so that by the time we sat down to eat, it was about 11 pm and Towe ate in her pyjamas! There was never any fuss when they all stayed over with the girls sleeping in my wee study room. Many a person would have baulked at staying over en famille in my little place but it was never any trouble and Gray always joined in with the Bird twitter and banter- a true friend!
My last weekend stay with G&T in September was not unlike any other in that as ever, it was lovely, fun and relaxing. However, it was poignant that I spent more time than usual with Gray as being the early stages of the ‘Pip’, Towe was not feeling great. Gray, a techno whizz as far as I was concerned, counselled me carefully on the new TV purchase I was about to make, proudly demonstrating his new Panasonic that Towe had got him as a birthday surprise. Gray’s enthusiasm was catching and it didn’t take him long to persuade me to go for the bigger (32”) screen. After all, it was only £10 more than the 28”! I was slightly concerned it might be too big for my sitting room but to Gray’s credit, when it arrived, it fitted perfectly!
It’s so terribly sad that we were all blissfully unaware of what was about to unravel just a couple of months later. When Gray took me to Haddenham & Thame station together with the girls, we were joking away waiting for the train. I could never have imagined that waving back with a goodbye through the window at a smiley Gray and the girls, was a permanent farewell.
Graham as a funny, self deprecating, ever supportive and empathetic friend, will never be forgotten. Writing this blog has been difficult but remembering Graham will never be.

Bird

Over £1800 raised for charities at Memorial Service

The total amount raised as a result of the memorial service was £1893.12. This has been divided among the two charities - Winston's Wish and Teacher Support Network. Towe and the charities send thanks to you all for your generosity.

Both charities have set up a fund in Graham's name so that any further fundraising can be added to the total above and we can continue to both keep his memory alive and raise money for them. So if you decide to make a donation, or do a fundraising event in Graham's name, please mention his name when you donate and it will be added to the total.

James Milne is doing a half-marathon in April for Winston's Wish (in Graham's name, so this will be added to Graham's fund) - if you would like to sponsor him, please visit his Justgiving site:
http://www.justgiving.com/James-Milne

Tribute from Pauline Latham, School Administrator, Stoke Mandeville Combined School

Tribute delivered by Pauline at the special school service on 27th November 2009

Graham Hollows was a man I enjoyed working with. As part of the office team I was grateful to him for his trust in our ability to do the job without constant supervision or intervention. He was always ready to praise those who he felt repaid that trust and was grateful for a job well done.

He was excited by his vision for the school and what could be achieved there, always striving to provide the best for the children, and aware of the staff’s devotion to their tasks and their willingness to give their time and expertise beyond contractual obligation.


In the School Office, we knew Graham as a caring, professional Headteacher, who, whilst always being careful that the decisions he made were in line with governor and county policies, also considered the effect of those decisions on the staff and children in his care.

Although Graham had been Head of the school for such a short time, we came to know his sense of humour (with quite regular outbursts of giggles!), we experienced his kindness and compassion, his down-to-earth approach to problems,his love of Strictly Coming Dancing (and the regular discussions on Monday mornings about the latest couple to be “ejected”) and his very obvious devotion to Towe, Aila and Leiva. He was so excited about the forthcoming addition to their family.

We miss him very much.