Ex-student's 5,000-mile trip for Shrewsbury's Wakeman School party
A former student of the closure-hit Wakeman School flew more than 5,000 miles across the Atlantic to attend a big reunion ahead of its closure.
Sean Kelly, 33, who now lives in southern California, jetted back to Britain to be at the reunion with former pupils and today – as the school in Shrewsbury shuts for the final time to pupils – he spoke of his sadness and anger at its closure.
Mr Kelly, who was born in Copthorne and spent five years at the Wakeman between 1991 and 1996, also said people had been reduced to tears at a farewell concert held in the school hall on Wednesday night.
He said: "I went into it thinking it might be a bit embarrassing but the concert was absolutely brilliant and it does make you think why would you close a school which is pumping out so much talent?"
Mr Kelly, who works as a Formula One broadcaster for NBC news in America, moved to California in 2007 but still visits his family regularly at their home in Monkmoor.
He said as a tribute to his former school he would be wearing the school crest on his time trial helmet when he completes the London Triathlon next weekend.
He said: "I knew it was being shut and then a friend told me about the reunion in April, so as I was coming to England anyway for the triathlon I thought I would extend my stay by an extra two weeks. There was no way I was missing it and it's been absolutely worth it.
"It scarcely seems believable that this school will cease to exist in 24 hours' time and it's so sad but also a scandal that the council has closed this school."
And when Mr Kelly popped in to see the staff yesterday, Wakeman headteacher Karen Moore presented him with an honorary prefect badge and tie as a lasting memento.
Mr Kelly added: "It is such a part of your formation as a human being where you go to school and if I could go back to it I would.
"It doesn't matter how far I live away, I'll still be from the Wakeman." The reunion was held on July 12 and was attended by hundreds of former students at the school.
The Wakeman is the only secondary school in the county to close as part of a Shropshire Council education shake-up to combat falling pupil numbers.
