Headmaster’s Tribute to Graham Chapman
It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of Graham Chapman, our beloved School Porter, who experienced a medical emergency on the school site. Despite immediate medical assistance and the efforts of paramedics, Graham could not be revived. Graham was a cherished member of our community and will be greatly missed.
Headmaster, Martin Priestley, comments: “Yesterday, we lost a valued colleague, Graham Chapman. He died yesterday afternoon following a medical emergency. Graham was given immediate first aid when he collapsed and the emergency services were very quickly in attendance. Our wonderful colleagues in our Medical Centre, and others, did everything they could for him, but he couldn’t be saved.
“This morning in Chapel I let the School community know, and we remembered him and his wife, Freda, in our prayers. Last night the Bursar and I went to visit Freda at her home, and I know she was very pleased to think that we would be remembering her and honouring Graham, and praying for them both, in our service this morning.
“It is very easy for me to write words of tribute for Graham, because he genuinely was a wonderful colleague. He had worked as one of our two School Porters here for the last ten years. To everyone who encountered him, he was a cheerful, engaging, characterful and positive colleague, who loved his work at The Leys. He was popular with everyone; he was a great Liverpool fan and he and I would often talk about that. He was one of those people who had a knack of making connections with people; he did that in all sorts of different ways right across the School community. All in all, he was a wonderful, collegiate presence, and he will be greatly missed by all of us at The Leys.
“We have signposted to pupils and staff where they can get support if they are struggling with this very sad news and we told them that the Chapel will be left open all day today for any member of the School community – staff or pupil – who wants to remember Graham, or to pray for him, his wife and wider family.”