Lee Ridley AKA Lost Voice Guy can't talk but isn’t silent. He is (probably) the first stand up comedian to use a communication aid. He won the BBC New Comedy Award 2014.
He has been commissioned to write a sitcom for BBC Radio 4, which is titled 'Ability'. This is due to be broadcast in 2018. You can listen to the pilot episode on his radio showreel.
Since making his first stand up performance in February 2012, Ridley has already gained quite a reputation for being both very funny and very unique. He has been described as “a wonderful comedian” by Little Britain’s Matt Lucas and has warmed up for the likes of Ross Noble, Patrick Kielty, Jason Manford and Jason Cook. He also appeared alongside The Boy With Tape On His Face in front of 1,500 people at a charity gig in Edinburgh.
After supporting him on his warm up tour, Ross described Lost Voice Guy as "a very funny guy", Sean Hughes thinks he is "fantastic" and Greg Proops says that he is "tremendous".
Lost Voice Guy does regular paid work for The Stand, The Glee Club, Manford's, Jongleurs, Frog and Bucket and The Hyena as well as many independent club nights including Rob Riley, Ten Feet Tall, Funhouse Comedy, Bottle Rocket Comedy, Hilarious Comedy, Breakneck Comedy and Abnormally Funny People.
In 2013, he took his first ever solo show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and has performed a show there every year since.
He has also featured on the BBC, CNN, The Independent, The Sun and The Mail on Sunday. An article about him in The Guardian said that finding humour in strange places was one of his strengths. His first comedy sketch premièred in December 2012.
He has also acted and appeared on many television and radio programmes including BBC One's The One Show, The One Show's Edinburgh showcase, and Scot Squad. Listen to his radio appearances on Soundcloud.
He has told jokes/given motivational speeches for a range of charities and other similar organisations including Barclays, Scope, Motability, Communication Matters, Find A Voice, the Royal College of Nurses, Percy Hedley School and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
He is also a patron of Smile For Life Children's Charity, Find A Voice,Communication Matters and The Sequal Trust.
 
 
"A very funny guy."
- Ross Noble 
"A wonderful comedian."
- Matt Lucas 
"Tremendous."
- Greg Proops
"Lost Voice Guy is fantastic."
- Sean Hughes
"Lost Voice Guy is amazing! He's so fresh, unique and very very funny!"
- Patrick Monahan
"Finding humour in strange places is one of Lost Voice Guy's strengths."
- The Guardian
"An Edinburgh Fringe one-off. Think Stephen Hawking reading the BBC News in the 1950s via a device programmed by the writers of the Viz."
- The Herald 
"Funny, personal, occasionally shocking and frequently mischievous."
- The Independent 
"The funniest comedian at the Edinburgh Fringe. His banter with the audience is one of the best I have witnessed."
- Broadway Baby
"Lost Voice Guy has proved himself as a good act."
- Chortle

Last term I mentioned that the school were involved in a very exciting project in which we had been bought a shop by the A.J Bell Trust, for our pupils to use and gain work experience in. Work is well underway on this now and we are hoping for it to be finished in a couple of months for a September 2018 launch. Please see photos to follow on the School's Facebook page showing you how this is progressing. The shop will primarily be a café with room to sell seasonal gifts such as greeting cards and artwork. Our Sandfield Park printing business will also do some of its work in the office at the back of the shop.
 In the meantime there are many things to organise. One of these is to have a name for the shop, there have been a few suggestions but governors would like to open this up to pupils and parents and organise a competition with the winner having a VIP invitation to the launch of the shop in September.
Please have a think about this with pupils, family and friends and see what you can come up with. The winner will be chosen by governors and those involved in setting up the project. Please send your ideas in after the half term break.

Pictures of the Shop and flat in progress can be viewed below.  We will keep you posted on the progress
View photographs here

Mark Hilton
Headteacher

We would like to thank the volunteers from Crown Commercial Services who did a wonderful job over a couple of days during the summer  holidays, clearing sections of the school garden,  preparing the raised  beds,  fence painting and jet washing of the path ways.  They have very kindly offered to volunteer for us again this February Half-Term.  Watch this space!

Tickets are available from the school office.

Well done to the Power Hockey team who fought bravely against Broadgreen, SFX and Woodchurch at Greenbank Sports Academy. 

After the successes of last year’s “Aladdin” and the summer production of “Wizard of Oz”, Miss Reynolds’ Sixth Form Drama Group couldn’t wait to get back in the limelight! The Christmas pantomime looks set to become a school tradition – oh no it doesn’t! Oh yes it does! Etc., and this year it was “Dick Whittington (and his cat)” that got the Sandfield touch. In fact December’s daytime performance was such a success that we decided a repeat performance was in order, so that parents and family unable to attend during the day could have the chance to enjoy it. We returned to Olde London one January evening, and if anything it was even better! The pupils were able to reflect and improve on their first performance, giving them a great opportunity to develop their skills, whether acting or helping out backstage. Bravo! Now planning for the summer begins…