Welcome to the 1999 section of Briggensians news. Last year was a very full mail bag but I must admit that this year the postman /postlady has not been filling the newsbag as full and the reason I suppose you can all guess - more and more people are now using the Website especially the younger members. It is with the younger members that I have been asked to begin this year's news. However before I start in detail I have to put forward one popular request which many members old and more recent have been asking and that is

The most popular choice is a 'Special Reunion' but what type of event is very much open to debate so whether you write, ring or E-mail get your thinking caps on and let's be hearing from you. Certainly one member keen to know is Brian Thornalley, Willoughby on the Wolds, Loughborough, who supported the idea of a special reunion.

Well here goes, you younger people the type is all yours, and to start with we go down the road in Brigg to Peacock and Binnington where we heard from Stephen Grundy. Having left S.J.N.S. in 1994 he took up an apprenticeship with the agricultural engineering firm, attending Bishop Burton College of Agriculture on day release. In 1996 Stephen won the Brian Parker Trophy for the best agricultural student attending college. From this award he went on to become runner up in an inter college skills competition for Humberside and Lincolnshire. More recently Stephen has gained an NVQ level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in Agricultural Engineering being the first in England to gain this qualification putting both S.J.N.S. and P.& B. on the map. Stephen was in the same year as Peterjon Hastings and keeps in regular contact. One pursuit they follow is 5-a-side football along with Stephen's older brother John and many other Briggensians in various friendly and league 5-a-side matches.

Peterjon is in his final year of training at British Steel and enjoys the regular company of the Wednesday evening Briggensians football training organised by Adrian Gibbons (see picture later in sports section ) . These sessions keep him fit and sharp for the important games. In 1997 Peterjon was a member of the Lincs. Centre Caravan Club 5-a-side team that won the National Championship at Weston Park (Shropshire) beating Nottinghamshire in the final. The squad in the over 19 and under 35 section included one or two Lincoln City players so Pj was in good company. Last year the National Championships were held at Harewood House (Yorkshire) and again Pj was selected to play for the Lincolnshire over 19 team. He scored many goals and guided the team into the final stages with the best goal of the tournament against Cheshire in a thrilling 2-0 victory. In the final Lincs met S.Yorks. going to a penalty shoot out where Pj was the only member of both teams to score so he came home not only with his winner's trophy but also with the match ball. This year he is heading to Cholmondeley Castle (Cheshire) where Lincs. will be hoping to make it a hat trick of wins.

Next we have news about Lee Rhodes who was another member of that same year. Lee left S.J.N.S in June 1994 with 9 G.C.S.E's and between Aug. 1994 and May 1996 he completed a Building Technician Modern Apprentice Training Scheme at Scunthorpe Borough Council completing a BTEC National Certificate in Building Studies on a day release at North Lindsey College. On completion of the course Lee was awarded the Clugston Construction Shield for his achievements and results he had gained over the two-year course. In June 1996 Lee started working for Jack Tighe Ltd. Industrial Painting contractors as a Quantity Surveyor and during this time he has completed the BTEC Higher National Certificate in Building Studies at Grimsby College on a day release basis. Talking about football, another keen footballer in his day was Jim Harris who lives in Northampton. Jim received his Newsletter via an Elsham Golf Club member who lives next door to his parents at Keelby. Although nearer to Grimsby than Brigg like many other former pupils the appointed school for successful 11+ candidates was B.G.S. As with many of the old 'Yarborough House' he had long (but always fun!) service bus journeys to and from school and relied on long suffering parents for extra-curricular taxi services. Jim enjoyed the newsletter and has fond memories of his time between '71-'78. Our next news is about Paul Jenkinson '74-'81 who emigrated in 1995 with his Australian wife living in Frenchs Forest, N.S.W., Australia. Paul is a national sales manager for a computer software company in Sydney where he still enjoys an occasional game of cricket as well as 'sailing for fun'. He dropped into school last July and left his news with John Allcock mentioning that he keeps in touch with Chris Jacklin who lives in Singapore. Occasionally they both fly to Perth to meet.

Jeremy Bartle (Stoke Newington, London) sent us his stamped addressed envelope as well as one for Steve Wilson (Milton Keynes) Jeremy wanted to know if the new editor of the Sun was the same David Yelland who was in the class of 1981. He sends his congratulations and wondered if he could expect the next newsletter to be printed in Wapping as well as some drastic changes! (We wish!). Peter Shreeve (Beaufort, Ebbw Vale) sent us news about two more qualifications gained this year. One is a certificate in Deaf Awareness (CA .CDP) as well as a second PGCE in SPLD/Dyslexia from the University of Wales (Swansea). Peter's brother Desmond made the headlines twice in the Grimsby Evening Telegraph during September and October when he was heavily involved in raising money to send a young Grimsby girl, Natalie Mumby (12) to Disney World with her family for a holiday. Natalie suffers from acute myeloid leukaemia. Desmond played his part by riding Pleasure Island's Boomerang for six hours with his fellow fundraiser Stuart Andrews to raise a grand total of £550. Congratulations for your wonderful effort and your caring nature.