Pete Wearn

(at KEGS 1956-1963) writing in 2020

After leaving London University with a Physics Degree, I worked as a research scientist at Harwell. Our team was developing the use of radioactive isotopes for tracing events in the environment (yes, really!) and though I enjoyed the field work I left after 4 years, realising research was not really for me. I somewhat reluctantly turned to secondary school teaching but actually came to enjoy passing on my enthusiasm for physics and worked for 29 years at Trent College, an independent school, near Nottingham.

Retiring in 2003 and after a gap year of travel etc, I started a little business taking science assemblies and workshops to primary schools. Payment received enabled me to purchase lots of equipment including a liquid nitrogen cylinder (and a white van!) and I went on to visit over 350 primary schools. www.coolprimaryscience.com for more!

At 73 and with 5 grandchildren to entertain me, I do less school work, appearing mainly at museum open days and summer carnivals doing fun table top demos for passing families to enjoy.

I am so grateful for the marvellous free education I received at KEGS (and at Risby Primary School). The love for literature (Nobby Nobes) and physics (Don Woodhouse) have served me very well indeed. It would be fun one day to return to KEGS and give some demos at my old school maybe??!!

and in 2021, Pete sent us the following update:

Knowing how desperate foodbanks were for food donations to meet ever increasing demand from local communities struggling with lockdown, a team of rotarians in District 1220, comprising over 60 clubs in the Sheffield and Nottingham area, set up Rotary4Foodbanks.

This scheme raised over £100,000 which was used to place monthly food orders at discount prices to wholesalers. Pallets of food were delivered to various hubs, one of which I serviced. This was the Shoe Aid warehouse which had kindly agreed to provide much needed space for no charge.

(www.shoeaid.co.uk)

Taking the food out to local volunteers was wonderfully rewarding; they were so pleased to receive whole van loads of food at monthly intervals. The task came to an end for me when the team switched to Morrisons who agreed to deliver direct. In the meantime the white van story caught the eye of the Derby Evening Telegraph and local BBC News, which gave me the excitement of an interview!

More at https://district.rotary1220.org/rotary4foodbanks-news