This year's event will no doubt have many of the usual ingredients ensuring it will be a great night. It will give the members of the association the opportunity to catch up with old school mates, share memories and no doubt a few well-worn tall stories as well. This is a wonderful annual tradition and long may it continue.
The guest speaker for this year’s annual dinner is Neil (Billy) Wheadon, who is now working on the after dinner speaking circuit and is widely posted on the internet. He was born in York in the same year England was winning the football World Cup in 1966. The family moved for a short time to Pontefract, with his formative years spent in Wakefield, where he attended the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. It was here where he found his appetite for taking part in active sports, and whilst he does say that he might not have been the most skilful of players, this was made up with his obvious enthusiasm in all his sporting activities. Enthusiasm that did not go unnoticed and saw him appointed the captain of both the rugby and cricket teams.
The fami
ly then moved to Halifax to follow his father’s new job. Then, aged 14, this saw Neil move to Rastrick Grammar School. Where he quickly established himself on the sporting front, going on to captain Halifax Rugby Union Colts and Leeds Cricket Club. He also played for the Rastrick Grammar School in both the cricket and 2nd XI at football, where he was a noted goalkeeper. This skill as a goalie he attributes to the dynamics of size, rather than his physical prowess or skill.
He passed through the gates of Rastrick Grammar School to attend Salford University, where he gained a BA in geography and represented the British Universities at rugby league.
Once his university education was completed he returned to Halifax to start his first job at Marshalls at Southowram and return to his involvement in local sporting activities. This included playing cricket for Birkby FMA (Former Members Association) Huddersfield, Halifax Rugby Union 1st XV and the Calderdale/Kirklees Rugby Union representative team.
He left Marshalls to work for GB Brick and Artstone Ltd, based at Liversedge, however, it was not long after starting work here that along with a colleague they set up their own business trading as Complete Building Materials in 2005. After a number of very successful years in business in 2016 the business ceased trading.
It was after this set back that Neil looked to new horizons that took him into the world of after dinner speaking. This initially was only intended to be a means of supplementing his income, but very quickly he discovered he had found that his early performances and bookings were soon becoming very popular..
As his new found career has grown he has worked with some of the legendary figures in the world of sport and entertainment, which has included some of Neil’s sporting heroes. These have included Frank Bruno, Martin Johnson, Warren Gatland, Kevin Keegan, Paul Gascoigne, John Barnes, along with Ian Botham, David Gower, Eddie the Eagle. Others have included Colonel Tim Collins, Ben Fogle and John Sargeant, plus a host of TV comedians.
Looking back over his working life from the world of building materials to now rubbing shoulders with many household names, the demise of his business put him onto a path he could never have imagined
This year's annual event is being held on Friday April 19, 7pm for 7.30pm, at the Crow Nest Park Golf Club, Hove Edge, Brighouse HD6 2LN. Former students of the Rastrick Grammar School who wish to attend are asked to contact John Howarth on e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0034635-980655
John says: “It would be good to see any of the 1980s contemporaries of guest speaker Neil ‘Billy’ Wheadon by joining the association members on the night. As every year the event is open to former students of Rastrick Grammar School from all eras”.
