Guy Holder-Williams (Ashton, Osborne and MF 1994-08)

"I always felt very privileged to be growing up and living in a place as beautiful as Rossall, for many years, my bedroom window overlooked the Sumner Library and the Square, not many kids get a view like that!"

Guy grew up at Rossall. His parents were teachers at the School, so he lived at Rossall before he was a pupil here. Our Alumni team caught up with Guy about his time at Rossall and his interesting career and key achievements. 

What is your greatest achievement? 

In terms of my career, I see my greatest achievement as having completed three operational tours when I was serving in the British Army. I will never forget the sense of satisfaction and pride that I felt as I flew out of Afghanistan upon completion of my first tour in 2017. Tours can be quite intense at times and I truly felt that my platoon had performed to an exceptional standard throughout our time there, I think we made a difference.

Can you tell us a bit about the Dinne stones - the challenge, how you prepared and the cause behind the challenge?

 Unless you follow the sport of strongman or watch the World’s Strongest Man, you will have no reason to have heard of the Dinnie Stones. But in the world of strength, they are a well-known feat. Simply put, the challenge is to lift two awkwardly shaped and heavy boulders off the ground at the same time. The Stones are two granite boulders that were originally used as a counterbalance when constructing Potarch Bridge in Scotland. They have a combined weight of 332.49Kg (733Lbs), the smaller of the stones weighs 144.47kg (318.5lbs) and the larger is a somewhat intimidating 188.02kg (414.5lbs). Iron rings are affixed to the stones and legend has it that a famous Scottish strongman, Donald Dinnie, carried these two stones across the width of the bridge. But the challenge for mere mortals is to lift the stones clearly off the ground and hold them in place to put ‘wind beneath the steens’. 

I have always enjoyed strength training, initially for rugby and then I carried this on to stay fit in the military. But I had never focussed on strength as a sport, and I was not in the same league as people who have dedicated their lives to powerlifting or strongman. I heard about the challenge, and I love the history and tradition behind Scottish stone lifting. I read that grip strength and technique were equally as important as having a strong back and set of legs, so focussed heavily on developing in these areas for 9 months.

In lifting the Stones, I wanted to raise money and awareness for the veterans’ mental health charity, Combat Stress. The charity does amazing work by supporting military veterans who are struggling with mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. It is a cause that I care very deeply about. www.combatstress.org.uk 

You can learn more about Combat Stress and support its cause with donations on this page -Guy Holder-Williams is fundraising for Combat Stress (justgiving.com).

Please can you tell us about your Army career?

 I served in the Army for nine years. Upon joining, I had only planned to complete the minimum commitment of three years, but I was enjoying myself and loved what I did, so I stayed for another six! I was motivated to join by a desire to do something adventurous, see some action, serve my country and to try to make a positive difference in the world. I like to think that I achieved all of those to at least some degree.

As I wanted to be an officer in the Army, my career started at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, where I spent one year in training before commissioning as a second lieutenant into the Yorkshire Regiment. This was an infantry regiment, so my early years involved lots of running around in cold and wet training areas to prepare myself and my soldiers for overseas operations. I progressed through the ranks along a time-based structure that is used in the Army, ultimately, I decided to leave the Army as captain.

I learnt so much throughout my career. The Army is a fantastic career for people who like to learn by doing. The Army helped me to learn the importance of responding positively to failure and to be comfortable being uncomfortable. These are perhaps the most self-defining lessons that I picked over the years. But there have also been plenty of skills that have translated well when I was considering a career beyond the military, such as planning, communicating, leadership and management.

On a side note, I have the Rossall School motto engraved on my sword. ‘Mens Agitat Molem’ or ‘Mind Over Matter’ seemed the perfect words to keep in mind when the going got tough.

Where has your career path taken you now and can you tell us about the company you work for?

In June 2023, I started at PA Consulting, a management and technology consultancy. I work in the defence and security sector of the business which allows me to leverage my previous experience. Every day continues to be a school day! So far, I have been involved in identifying new technologies to help the UK Home Office with immigration challenges; and I am currently supporting an innovative client in the RAF, with strategy and communications. 

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in the Army?

 If you have the itch, scratch it! The Army can offer you a baptism of fire as a leader and a manager, you will gain some truly unique experiences that will stay with you for life. There are lots of different roles and specialisms, most people in the Army are not running around with a rifle! There are still some great perks too, I spent two months learning and competing in Alpine Skiing and got away on rugby tours to both South Africa and Georgia. 

What piece of advice would you give to current students at Rossall? 

Make the most of everything the place has to offer you. Try out those extra-curriculars that you are curious about, chat and be friends with fellow students from other parts of the world, and of course, put in the work. There is plenty of time to work and play, both are equally as important! Remember, most people are not fortunate enough to attend a school like Rossall, so you owe it to yourself to embrace the experience! 

What skills did you learn at Rossall that have helped you in your career and, or life?

 Too many to list! So, I will limit my answer to two things that jump to mind:

Firstly, communication! My ability to communicate, in both the written and verbal form, was developed and honed at Rossall. I think the  essays that I needed to produce in English, History and Philosophy classes helped me to attain a solid baseline standard that proved extremely helpful throughout university and continues to help me in my professional life. Also, my participation in various drama performances at school unquestionably helped me to develop a confidence in public speaking. Although this is not essential for everyone, it can certainly help you stand out from the crowd as you want to progress in your career.

Secondly, Rossall gave me the opportunity to become friends with people from all over the world. This exposure gave me a passion for learning about different cultures. This has helped me to remain open-minded to trying new things, to seek opportunities to travel and learn, and in work, it motivated me to train as a Defence Cultural Advisor to enable UK military forces to be more effective partners when working alongside foreign armies. 

Would you recommend Rossall as a School and if so, why?

Unquestionably, yes! Growing up and learning in a multi-cultural environment is a privilege and an experience that will help you more than you can probably appreciate at the time.