Dionne Saville with classic car at the award winning show

Crowds enjoy the Bentley Beetham gala dinner

SCHOOL officials are on top of the world after winning praise for their ‘extraordinary work’ in celebrating the achievements of a pioneering mountaineer.

Bentley Beetham was a former pupil and natural history teacher at Barnard Castle School. In 1924 he was among a party of climbers making the third attempt on Mount Everest.

To mark the centenary of the climb, and the historic name change from North Eastern County School to the current Barnard Castle School, staff organised a commemorative extravaganza.

The event has just won the Best of Europe Region Awards organised by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

Barnard Castle School’s director of development and alumni relations Dionne Saville said: “The gala dinner was a unique and memorable one-off event to commemorate our former student and teacher.

“Bentley Beetham was a pioneering figure who was among the first to attempt Everest 100 years ago, alongside Irvine and Mallory, and make a photographic record of the ill-fated trip that took his colleagues’ lives.

“We staged an evening of unbridled ’20s glamour and historical reflection featuring a drinks reception, a three-course dinner and a live 1920s band. A special guest, a former alumni and a courageous survivor of multiple Everest expeditions, motivational speaker Nicholas Talbot, shared his inspiring story of overcoming life-threatening challenges, including his battle with cystic fibrosis.”

The audience included alumni, former and current parents, local collaborators and community partners. Some of Bentleys family were even tracked down and invited to attend.

The event followed a three-month exhibition at the Durham Oriental Museum, created using school archives, offering further insights into Bentley’s photographic journey, which also included skis and poles.

A TV programme and a series of talks followed and students were treated to lectures and Q&A sessions with Nick Talbot.

“Bentley Beetham returned to become a renowned photographer and climber, as well as, through his work and commitment as a master at his alma mater, an inspiration to hundreds of Barnardians,” Dionne said. “We were thrilled to be able to welcome some of his family to the event and even more delighted to be able to announce the launch of the ‘Beetham Bursary’, in his memory.”

A spokesman for CASE said: “You are being recognized for extraordinary work. Your creative and innovative ideas will serve as inspiration for countless others in the months and years ahead.

“We are proud to have you and your colleagues as CASE members and even more proud to be able to celebrate your achievements. As the region’s leading resource for improving advancement practices, we are laser-focused on emerging trends and opportunities to enhance advancement initiatives. Your work ensures that our profession continues to innovate and improve our practices.”