Schools & Colleges
Joe Cooper’s life at Milton Abbey School has evolved into much more than being a groundsman, and it’s a position he treasures. It’s not hard to see why, when you can work in beautiful surroundings in the peaceful Dorset countryside
Report by Laurence Gale MSc
Joe Cooper and Brian Pitman
FARMER JOE - happy as a pig in ... M
ilton Abbey School occupies one of the most picturesque sites in Dorset, if not England. As the school’s name suggests, the grounds are dominated by
an impressive abbey, and the later added gothic style house.
It is fortunate, for pupils and visitors
alike, that the abbey escaped the fate of many monasteries during the time of their dissolution in 1536. It is perhaps even more fortunate that Capability Brown was later commissioned to sculpt the land, as it is a truly stunning setting. The Headmaster is Gareth Doodes, the school’s seventh since its foundation in the 1950s, who took up the post in August 2010. He is currently overseeing new building works for when the school
96 PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012
becomes fully co-educational later this year.
Milton Abbey is a ‘small’ school in terms of the number of pupils - just under 300 - but has a big heart and big ambitions, all concentrated around the Abbey. Manned by a full time Anglican Chaplain, the school meets three times a week for chapel. There is a daily Eucharist, Compline on Wednesdays, and evening pray regularly through the week. The Abbey choir sing on major school occasions.
Whilst history records that the original
church was founded in the 10th century by King Athelstan of Wessex, that three Monarchs have visited the site, and that various Lords, Ladies and Barons have occupied the house, this lowly serf is here
to meet up with the school’s Head Groundsman, Philip (Joe) Cooper. Joe has been at the school ‘man and boy’. During his twenty-two years service, he has been instrumental in developing the sports grounds to the excellent condition they are in today. He has a team of five to assist him. Brian Pitman is the Deputy Head Groundsman. Lee Mitchell, Chris Prior, Chris Oram (gardener) and Nigel Everetts make up the rest of the team. The grounds accommodate one senior football and rugby pitch, two grass hockey pitches, one lacrosse pitch and one floodlit, all weather pitch for multi- sports. In the summer, the school provides three cricket squares and a 400 metre grass athletics track for summer
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