b'The Common Room THE ELLESMERIAN Departures17Matthew SpencerMatthew was a lively and valued member of the Physics department who was a great support to both staff and students and will be greatly missed. His enthusiasm for the use of software with practical Physics was a great asset. He has excellent knowledge of the subject and his classes, and was adept in designing interesting lessons pitched at the correct standards to get the best from classes ranging from Y9 to Y13. His talents were also gratefully used in the Maths department. He is a qualified football coach and took on the role of football co-ordinator and enjoyed supporting both boys and girls in their training and matches. Matthew was also a valued member of the RAF section of the CCF and worked hard to deliver interesting and enjoyable activities for the cadets. We wish him all the best with his future endeavours. Sue & David HinksSue Hinks started at Ellesmere College as the Headmasters housekeeper in September 1975 and retired in August 2023, which is an incredible 48 years of service.Sue has held numerous roles within the Operations Department and rose to the post of Head Housekeeper in 2004. Sues most recent position really was multifaceted, as she has been responsible for all the cleaners, the laundry, the sewing room, the second hand shop, organising flowers around the school, liaising with the Parents Society, supplying costumes and props to the school playsthe list goes on and on.However, it wasnt just the length of service that impressed, it was Sues commitment to the job that shone throughshe instinctively knew when something needed to be done and if that meant being here on a Sunday afternoon or a Tuesday night then she was in attendance. She will be a very hard act to follow.Dave Hinks joined his wife, Sue, at Ellesmere College and has given over 20 years of service, retiring in the summer of 2023.Dave was initially employed on the Grounds team and, after a short break following an initial retirement, Dave was invited back to become the Schools first minibus driver, operating one of the School runs i.e. picking children up in the morning and bringing them to school and then taking them home after school has finished. Dave was always reliable, engaged with the pupils and parents, and his success meant that we are now running multiple routes and looking to expand even further.Dave is now looking forward to spending time working on his own tractor and spending time with Sue at their holiday home on the coast in North Wales.A well-deserved retirement for Mr and Mrs Hinks.'