Old Hallfieldian Profile – Harry Jenkins

Harry Jenkins (OH 2000-2008) returned in the summer with his friends for the Old Hallfieldian Cricket match. We took the opportunity to catch up with him and ask a few questions about life since leaving Hallfield 16 years ago.

• When did you attend Hallfield?

I was at Hallfield for 8 years from 2000 to 2008.

• What’s your favourite Hallfield memory?

Being on the minibuses on the way to sports fixtures, and after school club. Also, in Year 6 classics club, we were tasked with creating a play that we had to perform in assembly to the school. We decided it would be a good idea to do a Simpsons/Julius Caesar mashup – it was absolutely ridiculous and quickly descended into a genuinely dreadful show. Whenever the memory pops into my head I always have a giggle to myself. We tried to decapitate a polystyrene Bart Simpson!

• What were your favourite subjects at Hallfield?

I loved History with Miss Smith, Art with Mrs Hore and weirdly I remember loving DT too, with Mr Kynaston, which hasn’t carried on into my adult life.

• Did you take part in extra-curricular activities?

I played pretty much every sport I could, and I did classics club and drama club. I didn’t go anywhere near any musical instruments – no teacher was paid enough money to endure that!

• Where did you go to secondary school?

I went to Old Swinford Hospital School (OSH) as a boarder. I remember being the only boy in the whole year at Hallfield who didn’t apply to go to KES. On the day of the KES exam, I was the only boy in the year in school so they let me just play football all day! Other boys might have got into KES, but I felt like the real winner that day. I felt really well prepared for my OSH entrance interview as the Head and Deputy Head did about 10 mock interviews with me! It was really good of them to help.

• Are you still in touch with your Hallfield friends?

Yes! I’m still good friends with James and Joe Stokes. James was my best man and Joe was my groomsman at my wedding in May. I’m also friends on Facebook with pretty much my whole year group too!

• Have you been back to Hallfield since you left?

My first visit back was for the Old Hallfieldian Cricket match in the summer. It’s un-recognisable! Pretty much everything has changed or been upgraded!

• What is your career?

University has never appealed to me so I went straight into work from my A-Levels. Initially I worked in PR but moved quickly into events and marketing. I am now the Head of Marketing at Digbeth Dining Club who run food festivals and events around the UK and own a couple of venues in Birmingham too. I also run my own comedy festival at Warwick Castle and I’m on the comedy circuit myself.

• Do you have any words of wisdom for current pupils?

Just enjoy it whilst you can! I remember Mum telling that me my school days would be the best days of my life, and thinking she was nothing short of a fool to say something so ridiculous! 15 years on, I have to admit she was bang on.

If you’d like to share what you’ve been up to since leaving Hallfield, contact our Alumni and Development Officer, Kat de Polo here.