Looking Back: Friends are back in touch after 40 years

Maxine Taylor-Napier and Dawn Giddings were among pupils photographed in a classroom at Lindens School in Craig Street, in 1980.

The school changed its name to Beeches School in 1981 and allowed boys to join.

Dawn is married with three children and seven grandchildren. She worked in the fancy dress industry for 25 years and is now a home décor sales manager.

She added: “I hadn’t seen Maxine for 40 years when we met for the reunion photo in 2021, but now we’re back in touch.

"I want to thank the school for allowing us to return, it brought back a whole flood of happy memories.

"It was bizarre as there have been a lot of changes but many of the original features are still there and the atmosphere was still the same.”

Maxine, who is now married with two children and works as a childminder, said: “It was lovely to see Dawn again and very strange to return to the same classroom for the reunion picture.”

•Street photographer Chris Porsz’s unique reunion pictures – where he recreates pictures he took decades ago – has earned him international recognition.

In 2009 the PT gave Chris his weekly column 'Paramedic Paparazzo' from which his 'Reunions' project was born when readers saw their pictures from decades ago. His second book, Reunions II, is now available. Go to chrisporsz.com for purchase details.