Hitting the right notes at Crickhowell High School
At Crickhowell High School on 20 February 2025 Crickhowell Rotary Club and Llangattock Community Education Trust along with the Headteacher and her staff celebrated the official opening of the new Redwood Recording Studio, a project jointly funded by Rotary and the LCET. It is a demonstration of community commitment to the enhancement of arts education in the school.
From L-R David Haycock, President Crickhowell Rotary, Reverend Rhana Khan, Geoffrey Davies, Chair LCET, Vicky Callow Head of Music, Brian Brookshaw, Youth Chair Crickhowell Rotary, Claire Jones Headteacher, Crickhowell High School
The Chair of the LCET Geoffrey Davies said “Our hope is that this demonstrates to everyone, our community’s continuing and increasing concern at the dwindling attention paid to music and the arts in the development of young people throughout the UK.”
From time to time organisations like Crickhowell Rotary and LCET are fortunate to receive financial legacies. In this case both organisations provided joint funding for the project worth £15,000 on a 50-50 basis. The sales of the Miles Hall in the 80s provided the basis of support for young people living in Llangattock since those times.
The legacy left to Rotary by the Redwood family, Professor Martin and Mrs Pamela Redwood, is the second component in the project. They were active members of the community and made valuable contributions to the history of, and education in, the Crickhowell area. An earlier example of this was their gifting of a grand piano to the school. Rotarians had been asked to make recommendations for the best community use of this money. Given the club’s regular involvement in the school it was agreed to approach the school to find out whether there were any suitable ambitions that might qualify for such support, and benefit the school community.
Led by Vicky Callow, Head of Music, and Youth Chairman, Brian Brookshaw , two projects were ultimately selected. One working with year 6’s in the primary schools as a transitional programme and the second project being the recording studio.
Headteacher Claire Jones confirmed that “The Redwood Studio had been planned with sustainability and inclusion of all in mind and will serve learners of all ages across the Crickhowell cluster of schools.
The studio will be used to create cross-curricular links, helping next generations to develop lifelong and transferable skills. It will also be a bookable community facility and will help to bring people together, inspiring them through the arts.
The facility will play a part in our curricular and extra-curricular provision, adding further richness to our vision that our students become ambitious, healthy, confident and capable adults that will go on to lead the way for others”.
Claire Jones paid tribute to the significant role played by Vicky Callow for her creative planning to make this all possible.
During the proceedings, David Haycock, President of Crickhowell Rotary, was invited to recognise Vicky’s contribution, not just in the planning of the studio, but for her sterling work and dedication in promoting music in the school and wider community.
David took great pleasure in awarding Vicky, Rotary International’s highest award ‘The Paul Harris Fellowship’ for being a clear example of ‘Service Before Self’. Rotary was established by Paul Harris in 1905 and the fellowship was established in 1957. ‘Service Before Self’ is the motto that guides all Rotary community activity.
David Haycock, President of Crickhowell Rotary Club and Vicky Callow, Head of Music, Crickhowell High School
Commenting further before the ribbon cutting ceremony and tour, Claire Jones said “We truly value our collaboration with Crickhowell Rotary Club and the Llangattock Community Educational Trust.” In concluding she said “I felt that the John Lennon quote was fitting:
‘A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.’”
Main Picture
L-R Brian Brookshaw, Youth Chair, Crickhwell Rotary, Claire Jones, Headteacher, Geoffrey Davies, Chair of LCET