Peter Baines, President of the RFU and Old Wellensian Returns to Alma Mater

On Wednesday, recently appointed President of the England Rugby Football Union, and Old Wellensian, Peter Baines returned to Wells to spend time with current Wells sports scholars, watch a school cricket match and enjoy a guitar concert in Cedars Hall by virtuoso fingerstyle player Mike Dawes. Peter, who attended Wells between 1953 and 1959 took an active role across many areas of school life, singing as head chorister at Wells Cathedral, representing the school in rugby and cricket, as well as starting his own jazz band with fellow students, known as The East Liberty Stompers. Peter went on to study at St John’s College, Cambridge, after Wells, and then became a successful solicitor. Peter was a founder member of St Albans RFC in 1970 and became Hertfordshire representative on the RFU Council from 2002 to 2014. Among his many national roles Peter was an RFU Management Board member for 10 years and Chairman of the Finance & Funding and Governance Standing Committees. He also chaired the Agents Review Board and the Rugby Football Union for Women Integration Task Group, helping to ensure a smooth integration of the women’s game with the RFU. He was a founding Trustee of both the RFU Injured Players Foundation and the Rugby Football Foundation. During his visit to his alma mater, Peter and his wife were taken on a tour of the school by head boy and rugby player Angus and sports scholar Rhodri, met girl and boy sports scholars and enjoyed a meal with members of the sports department in the school dining hall. In the afternoon he watched an under 12 cricket match on Bekynton and spent time with Alex Battison, discussing sport development at the school. In the evening Peter enjoyed an inspiring concert by guitar phenomenon Mike Dawes and friends in Cedars Hall, following the school’s open house event hosted for local businesses.