In our features section you can read fantastic stories from University of Southampton alumni.
Read about Richard Atherton BEng Electronic Engineering 1998 and three of his friends from University, Ross Williams BA Geography 1998, Marek Larwood BA English 1998 and Paul Green Mathematics 1995-1997 and what has happened to them since their time here.
Find out about how 22 years worth of Southampton University sailors battled it out at unique Wessex Exiles event
Richard Atherton - BEng Electronic Engineering 1998
(Picture courtsey of Clara Molden)
As well as gaining the academic qualifications he needed for what he hopes to be a lucrative career in business, his time at university laid the foundations for him to succeed at his true calling – in the entertainment business. Richard now owns his own company, Bonobo Entertainment, staging successful variety shows in the Café Royal, London. He also started recently to perform stand-up comedy.
Richard was initially drawn to Southampton because of the 'beach,' discovering, to his dismay, in the first week that it didn't actually exist. He had excelled at Electronic Engineering at college, which, coupled with good job prospects clinched the deal. He moved into Glen Eyre Halls, making some great friends - including Ross Williams (BA Geography 1998).
Richard joined the Students’ Union Dramatics Society and helped to take a play to the Edinburgh Fringe festival. The experience inspired him to set up his own society – The Flaming Texans Comedy Revue. The group, of a dozen members, created a series of sketches, which Richard both wrote and performed in. It was here that he first met his friend Marek Larwood (BA English 1998) – now a professional comic.
The following year Richard began working on the Revue, performed to students in lecture theatres. He recalls dodging beer thrown by some rugby boys, the butt of a joke, at one performance – a skill which helped prepare him for the audiences he meets today!
They then headed for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, with a new play – The Triumphant Sausage. Despite the local Southampton press being enthused the group’s earlier sketch show, the reviews of their Edinburgh play weren't positive.
After University, Richard headed for London, working in a bar while performing stand up gigs. However, when his housemate joined Goldman Sachs as a trader on a high income, Richard got a reality check. He felt he should be doing something similar and so took a job as a computer programmer. This was followed shortly by a move into management consulting.
After a few years, and on the verge of becoming senior manager, Richard realised it was time to 'commit or leave.' Comedy was still his first love, and after reading a glut of self-help books and attending some ‘find yourself’ development courses, he made the brave decision to dedicate himself to it. He bought a flat while he still had a salary and on the day the mortgage went through, handed in his notice and started organising his first variety show. His show, Bonobo Presents, has since gone from strength to strength.
Richard acknowledges his time at University as a key factor in getting him where he is today. He made great friends, and it gave him the time and opportunity to pursue his true interests – leading to the fortunate position in which he currently finds himself.
If you would like to see one of Richard's shows, or perhaps even take part yourself, check out www.bonobopresents.com.
Ross Williams - BA Geography 1998
University can be a sports fanatics dream, providing opportunities to be involved in over 70 different sports. No-one embraced their opportunity more than Ross – taking part in football, rugby and windsurfing to name a few. Now, he runs his own successful adventure sports company, 8th Day UK. Ross credits his university experience in allowing him to reach this stage because 'the club is modelled on being in a post-University Athletics Union for people who still want to make the most of their spare time.'
Ross came to Southampton because the University has a great reputation for Geography and was close to the sea for windsurfing. He was a resident in Glen Eyre with Richard Atherton and Paul Green and 'had a ball! It was a great way to meet a lot of people really quickly, and we had some fun and games there.'
After university, Ross went straight to London and began a job in Sports Marketing, before falling in to PR, which he did for the next four years. Even while working demanding hours in London, he continued taking part in activities with big groups of people just as he had done at university – which is where the idea of 8th Day UK sprung from.
The company is now flourishing. “There are loads of members with events on throughout the week and every weekend, with an average of about 30 people coming away each weekend. Our ski trip this year has over 50 people going on it. I love going on all the weekends away, and the flexibility that working for yourself gives you.” His advice for anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps is “be passionate about what you're starting. You really need to believe in it and really want it to succeed, because it's never as easy as you think!”
Ross looks back fondly on his time at University and “the continuous stream of parties that seemed to go on!” It was here that Ross also met his fiancé Nikki Farmer (BSc Geology with Physical Geography 1998), who he is marrying in October. Ross is still in touch with “a fair few people, and when I'm not doing stuff with the club, I catch up with them. I've got quite a lot coming to my wedding, Ben Lowe (BSc Geography 1998) is my best man, whilst we're off to Mexico a week after I write this for Ian Preddy's (BSc Business Economics & Spanish 1999) wedding..."
Ross' time at University gave him the opportunity to indulge in his interests, and use that as a foundation to build his own business. Coupled with the relationships he built while studying, it is something that has shaped his life immeasurably.
If you would like to be involved with 8th Day UK check out the website at www.8thdayuk.com, where you can take a look at the events and get in touch with Ross. There is an informal get-together on the 1st Wednesday of each month 'which is a good opportunity for anyone to come along and find out more about us and get an idea for what the other members are like.'
Marek Larwood – BA English 1998
Catch Marek in 'Laura, Ben and Him' Tuesdays, ITV2, 10.30pm.
What attracted you to Southampton and your course?
To be honest Southampton was one of the eight universities that looked quite nice from the pictures in the prospectuses.
Which halls were you in and what was it like?
I was in Montefiore House. It was like being stuck in a prison with 20 other over excited young men, who were all unable to feed themselves properly and consequently became more excited. Every now and then the fire alarm would go off and you’d see what type of pyjamas everyone wore.
When did you meet Richard Atherton?
I met Richard Atherton putting on a comedy revue in one of the old lectures halls. We were so buoyed by the success that we took the show to Edinburgh, where our fears were confirmed that only students and people who knew us found it remotely funny.
Were you involved with any societies?
I joined up to the Drama society by accident, after following a good friend to an audition from the University bar. As for the sports societies, I went down to Jesters an saw some of their activities and decided they were best left alone.
What is your fondest memory of your time at University?
The saddest and fondest memory was standing outside the English Department with my best friend having handed in our last essay, and just realising that something that seemed to go on forever was coming to an end. Then we went down the pub.
How did you get into comedy?
It all started with a stand up course I signed up for six years ago, and I got sucked into the comedy world and lost my social life forever. At the moment things I going quite well, I recently finished a sketch show called 'Laura, Ben & Him' for ITV2 and a kids sketch show for CBBC.
Did your time at University help you get to where you are today?
Definitely, if I hadn’t have ventured to that first audition for the drama society I would have thought that acting and performing is just something that kids do to express themselves.
Do you have any advice for others looking to follow in your footsteps?
Practice making your eyes pop out and pulling stupid faces.
Anything else you think would be of interest to your fellow alumni…
No, it all sounds a bit too self indulgent already.
Paul Green Mathematics 1995-1997
‘I was at Glen Eyre halls of residence where I met Richard Atherton (notoriously thrown out of Glen Eyre for maliciously throwing a paper napkin at a member of the JCR!) and Ross Williams. We formed a very close group of friends in that first year. I still get together with lots of them even now.
‘Outside of lectures, I started a Kick Boxing club, something that I had enjoyed as a youngster. It didn’t become very successful (despite having hundreds of initial members). It was disbanded shortly after it got going due to a mass brawl that erupted at Jesters nightclub!
‘Every memory I have of Southampton is fantastic. I left early to pursue a business opportunity and have spent many hard years trying to make it successful, whilst friends from Southampton seemed to be enjoying life much more fervently than myself. My fondest memories are of the fun we had at Glen Eyre and in our house in Portswood in the second year. Nothing can ever live up to spending time with six guys far away from home. They really were the best years of my life.
‘I started in the oil business with a friend of mine, an investor and two family members. In the end, we learnt to cut out the middle man and distribute our own products direct to independent garages throughout London. This started to become a niche market and we built upon it over many years providing thousands of different products and improving our distribution network and customer service. I now employ 24 people and the company will turnover over £4m in 2008/09. The industry is hard. As with all sectors you have to keep adapting and changing on a daily basis and that is what we do.
‘In the first 6 or 7 years of starting up a business, my advice to others would have been don’t do it. Why? When you get into it properly it will take over your life - once I had borrowed over £1m there was no getting out. However, ask me now and I am proud of my achievements, and would offer adjusted advice to people getting started. Either, get settled and do it after a career in a sector where you can take your knowledge and find a niche, or start very small and be content with that. Other advice would be to take up a sport or a past time. I play squash 3 or 4 times a week and without it I don’t know where I would be. Too much worrying about work will make you ill - a very hard lesson to learn for a control freak!
‘I would say that my time at Southampton did contribute to where I am today. My degree taught me to be methodical, analytical and precise, qualities that are required in business. I feel that time away from home is definitely good for everyone who is lucky enough to go to university - the variety of people you meet and the activities you can engage in make for a more rounded individual.’
22 years worth of Southampton University sailors battle it out at unique Wessex Exiles event
The Hawks sing down the Great White Telephone
Sixty six sailors making up eleven teams met last weekend at Spinnaker Sailing Club, for the inaugural Wessex Exiles Team Racing Event. Masterminded by John Greenland BSc Computer Science 2001, University of Southampton alumni from throughout the ages competed against one another, as surely no other University could. Almost exact original teams were replicated and met on the water to do battle just as they once did during their University careers.
The standard of team racing at Southampton has always been high, proved by the achievements of many of the alumni in their post-Southampton sailing careers. Steve Tylecote BSc Geography, 1989, World Team Racing Champion and author of the Team Racing book competed, along with several other World Team Racing Champions, Olympic sailors, National Champions and BUSA Champions. Two current Southampton teams also battled it out against the exiled sailors, including the current Southampton Ladies team, who were intent on taking on Katie Archer’s only all girl exiles team, counting no fewer than five BUSA titles between them. Not only have these exiles been successful in the sailing careers, but it is testament to the students of Southampton that there were doctors, nurses, accountants, fighter pilots, lawyers, event organisers, engineers, management consultants, professional sailors and PhD students racing against one another.
The pressure was always going to be on with nine 'exiled' and two current teams from the University of Southampton competing for the hallowed trophy. But, as if it were a lake full of lame ducks, the Wessex Hawks swept to victory with a clean slate of 'bullets'. The Hawks, led by team racing veteran Dom Johnson BSc Geography and Oceanography, 2001, proved to everyone that practise truly does make perfect. Fortunately for the majority the Hawks were the only team to have put in any time on the water, with the rest taking a can of WD40 to the joints first thing Saturday morning, making the competition particularly close!
Greeted with six to eight knots and clear blue skies it couldn't have been a better weekend for what had always promised, and indeed proved to be, a brilliant and unique event for all. While it may have been a clear victory for the Hawks, the overall results hide the competition they faced:
The 'friends reunited' team sported no less than two Gold medallists from the 1995 Team Racing World Championships - Steve Tylecote and Greg Eaton.
The Imperial Poona Wessex Legends saw Andy Green BSc Politics, 1995, of GBR Challenge and Team Origin fame pairing with Simon Shaw BEng Ship Science 2002 and Ben Vines BM Medicine 1998. Simon Shaw is, of course, no stranger to boat on boat competition being mainsheet for reigning Match Racing World Champion Ian Williams' Team Pindar.
The multiple BUSA winning ladies combination of Katie Archer, Karen Greenland and 'H' Draper (nee Brown) regrouped to give many of the teams a run for their money.
It was a champion of champions’ event for the University, which served to raise funds for the sailing club at the same time as providing a full 48 hour programme of entertainment for the alumni returning to the city of Southampton! Especially when the opening Karaoke song was 'You've lost that loving feeling!' proudly sung by the Exiled Guns of 2001 captained by John Greenland, who masterminded the entire Exiles reunion event.
The popularity of the event means another will certainly have to take place. No one wants to see Dom Johnson hold the trophy for ever! Dates to be confirmed... But put February 2010 in your diary as a near estimate!
1st Wessex Hawks (Dom Johnson, Debs Kershaw, Ben Field BSc Management 2004, Tom Foster MEng Civil Engineering 2003, Andy Cornah MSc Accounting and Finance, 2007 and Hamish Walker)
2nd Golden Exiles
3rd Imperial Poona Yacht Club
4th Friends Reunited
5th Exiled Guns of 2001
Wessex Exiles Team
Outstanding alumni