Sherborne Old Girls Journal 2020 by Shelleys the Printers Ltd

Journal Sherborne Old Girls

No. 54 – 2020

Editorial Team Fiona James

Contents

Anna Anthony Tim Gibson Executive Committee

Design and print Shelleys the Printers

The Old Girls Office Sherborne Girls Bradford Road Sherborne Dorset DT9 3QN T: 01935 818329 E: oldgirls@sherborne.com www.sherborne.com/Sherborne-Old-Girls

From the Secretary

From the Chairman

From the President

From the Headmistress

Development

New SOG Members 2020

Daughters and Granddaughters of OGs

Obituaries

Births, Marriages & Deaths

Careers Service

University Visits

Congratulations

Features

School News

News from Honorary Members

Sherborne Old Girls IBC Sherborne Girls Alumnae

Sherborne Girls

From

T H E S E C R E TA R Y Fiona James

We started 2020 with a busy and varied programme of events and reunions and by the time the global pandemic took hold in March, we had just completed a round of university visits. As you may have been aware, the Old Girls Office was closed for half of the year and at the start of the Michaelmas term, in September, we were delighted that the Old Girls Office was able to reopen. Since then, we have been in touch with many Old Girls and former members of staff. Because of the closure, we were unable to send out a request for Peer Group News. We also received feedback that by the time the Journal is printed news is out of date. So, with both these considerations in mind, we are including Old Girls news in our bulletins. If you do not use email, please send in your news by post to the Old Girls Office and if you would prefer a printed version of the bulletin, please also let me know and I will send you a copy. The address can be found on the inside front cover of the Journal.

In November, we were so pleased to be able to hold the first in a planned series of virtual careers events, which focused on the Medical and Health Care professions. A huge thank you to all who took part. It is testament to the strong bonds of friendship that Old Girls of all ages are so willing to help other alumnae and pupils. It is always inspiring to read about the achievements and roles undertaken by Old Girls and more so than ever during what has been a difficult year. I hope you will enjoy reading the articles included in the Journal and look forward to a time when we are all able to meet in person again. Thank you for your continued support and all good wishes for 2021.

From

THE CHAIRMAN Alexandra White A’95 Out of adversity comes opportunity.

This year has been unusual and difficult in so many ways, but there have also been so many positives. Innovation has been in overdrive with Sherborne Girls and Sherborne Old Girls moving seamlessly to online operations, keeping our community strong through invitations to an extraordinary variety of online events including a beautiful virtual carol service, as well as opportunities for career networking and to meet and share experiences. A very sincere thank you to Fiona James, Katherine Massey A’91, Ruth Sullivan AW’91 and the entire SG team for all their hard work. I said last year at the 2019 AGM that I had been struck by the easy conversation between Old Girls from different eras. It was so lovely to hear lately of the wonderful stories that came out of the SG Voices project where younger OGs called older OGs to have a chat and a trip down memory lane just before Christmas. Both parties talked of how much they had enjoyed these conversations – it is initiatives like this during difficult times that make the school and our organisation very special. We are delighted to be bringing you more features in this edition of the Journal, with articles on working in the NHS during the pandemic, volunteering and

conservation. We started to produce this year’s Journal before lockdown 1 and you will see some of our events from early last year such as visits to universities with the Old Shirburnian Society documented here as well as more recent events such as the virtual medical careers evening. There is also a wonderful tribute to the late June Taylor W’61, headmistress from 1985 to 1999, who contributed so much to the school throughout her life. We have received fantastic feedback from those involved in our career coaching programme. Most recently we supported a number of individuals who were re-entering work after a career break. We would like to continue this support and this year focus on those whose careers have been disrupted by the pandemic – please see page 26. The value of spending time in the physical company of friends has been brought into sharp focus this year. We look forward to resuming the reunion events when it is safe to do so and look forward to an AGM at the school in 2022. As ever, please do get in touch with Fiona if you have ideas for events or next year’s edition. We very much hope you enjoy this edition of the Journal and send our very best wishes for 2021.

From

THE PRESIDENT Lucy Jameson AE’89

2020. What a rollercoaster of a year. A year full of new words, new situations, new behaviours to navigate and loo paper to fight over. A year often full of stress and worry, about family, jobs and friends. But a year in which many of us rediscovered slower, simpler pleasures, amidst the Zooms. Walks, nature, our local area, baking. But, above all, a year in which I have been profoundly glad to have been part of the Sherborne community. My school group has been a fountain of wit, wisdom and warmth this year. The funniest memes, medical advice from the frontline, work woes, home-schooling suggestions, Covid tales and more. It has been one of the touchstones in what has been a year with some quite dark times. I feel extremely lucky to have had a school reunion and reconnected with all the amazing women from my year just before this happened.

2021 looks set to be just as challenging, even though the promise of the vaccine has given us all a light at the end of the tunnel. Like everyone else, I’m hoping that my elderly relatives are safer soon and that the vaccine will work its way round to the rest of us not too slowly. In the meantime, my one suggestion for the year ahead, is to reconnect with old friends. There is scientific evidence to show that loneliness is as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So, do get in touch and stay connected. Personally, I can’t wait for some large glasses of champagne and a lot of laughter with some old friends. So, here’s to the hope that all of us can have physical, not just virtual, reunions by the end of the year.

From

THE HEADMISTRESS Ruth Sullivan AW’91

Drawing on her Commemoration 2020 address, Dr Ruth Sullivan reflects on the quality of generosity that is seen in every aspect of school life. 4

When I spoke at the unique remote commemoration that we held on Friday, 3 July 2020, I chose ‘generosity’ as my theme. I believe this quality is very much the essence of Sherborne Girls. As this year has shown, our pupils and wider community embody it in thought, word and action.

sports such as netball, football, hockey, cricket, swimming, skiing, horse riding, cross-country, athletics, tennis and badminton. Many pupils also get involved in activities such as litter picking and environmental work around school and the wider area, helping keep our beautiful surroundings at their very best.

Generosity of spirit

Generosity of attention

Our girls always show such care for each other. I see this every year when older pupils encourage and support their younger housemates in the Glee Cup, which is organised by the prefects. It was also very evident in 2019’s House Dance Show, where we saw an abundance of energy, athleticism, passion and creativity. The result was two hours of sheer pleasure, with a fantastic spirit throughout.

Our community is one of care and compassion, shown by staff and pupils alike. More than that, our pupils are attentive to the needs of others. They regularly visit local nursing homes to chat with elderly residents, or spend time helping young pupils in local primary schools. Our girls are always willing to give back to the community. I am proud of them for that.

Generosity with time

Our extensive speaker programme shows the way shared wisdom is valued in our school community. This year, we welcomed a variety of guests, including the Tornado GR4 pilot Mandy Hickson, technologist and writer Alex Radu, and

Our girls are generous with their time. In the last year alone, more than 80 of them have read at school prayers, assemblies or services, and many more participate regularly in House and school

Generosity of wisdom

“Our girls are always willing to give back to the community. I am proud of them for that.”

internationally acclaimed civil rights champion Chris Lubbe. Our pupils also shared their own wisdom, including through some memorable presentations at the Turing Society. This is a joint initiative with Sherborne School at which sixth formers present on topics of particular interest to them. I especially recall a thought-provoking talk by one of the girls, Ellie, about the role of women in Classical Greek plays.

Generosity of material giving Ever since Mr and Mrs Kenelm Wingfield Digby opened their doors to educate girls 120 years ago, Sherborne Girls has been a community with charity at its heart. Our founders’ spirit lives on, with our girls regularly raising considerable sums of money

for worthy causes. For example, 10 residents of Wingfield Digby joined the Chaplain and Mrs Scott for a sponsored sleep-out in the grounds of Salisbury Cathedral, raising £2,500 for the Alabaré homeless charity. Meanwhile, Aldhemsted East completed a sponsored cycle and swim at the Oxley Centre, covering the distance between Sherborne and Brussels and raising £1,000 for the British Heart Foundation. The Kenelm Lower Sixth organised the sale and delivery of 1,240 valentine roses to raise £1,800 for ActionAid and the Brain Tumour Charity. A group of Upper Sixth pupils raised £450 with a Macmillan coffee morning, and a member of the Upper Sixth spearheaded a campaign to raise more than £500 for the World Wide Fund for Nature after the Australian bush fires.

Generosity in sharing interests This is a vibrant community in which pupils can regularly be seen debating, performing drama or music either individually or in ensembles and orchestras, writing or reading poetry, and sharing their enthusiasms with others. It is always inspiring to witness these events, both big and small, and be reminded of the sheer range of passions among our pupils.

Generosity of kindness One thing stands out from our experience of the Covid-19 pandemic: the girls, parents, Old Girls and staff members who have gone above and beyond to provide kind, gentle and heartfelt words of encouragement to each other and to the school team. I frequently found myself overwhelmed by the sheer kindness on display. 6

Generosity of mind Our school is characterised by an open outlook, a willingness to consider, reflect and respect others, and an impressive ability to adapt to changing circumstances. This has never been more in evidence than in the months following the Covid outbreak. We have risen to the challenge together, with the Upper Sixth and Upper Fifth showing particular stoicism in dealing with the disappointment of their cancelled examinations and uncertainty around results in the summer. These values are at the heart of Sherborne Girls and we have seen them in abundance this year. So I end by paying tribute to every single member of our community. Thank you for your support, commitment and generosity.

A note from the editors Due to the disruption caused to this edition of the Journal, by the time you read the words on these pages Dr Sullivan will already have delivered her 2021 Commemoration address. After careful deliberation, we decided to maintain our tradition of publishing extracts from the address for the year to which the issue relates. The Journal is both a magazine and a historical record – by publishing Dr Sullivan’s words from 2020, we ensure it captures that moment in time, the better for future generations to learn from and understand.

“These pupils represent the best of Sherborne Girls.”

DEVELOPMENT SHERBORNE GIRLS VOICES Last year we launched our Sherborne Girls Voices initiative to encourage all members of our Sherborne Girls community to share opinions, challenge key issues and make a positive difference. At school, this involved the launch of several new forums including: Ask the Head, where girls are invited to raise questions and ideas at a fortnightly Q&A session; Diverse Voices, a pupil group that is leading the school’s stand against discrimination; and a joint Pupil Pastoral Forum that engages pupils at Sherborne Girls and Sherborne School in discussions on key issues. There have also been several initiatives involving Old Girls:

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK

Founder of Nina Seed Interiors, Polyglot and Former Lawyer

Izzy Norris

Each day of Global Entrepreneurship Week, we released a video interview with a different Old Girl, each emphasising the importance of the five entrepreneurial traits of: Communication, Creativity, Collaboration, Curiosity and Courage in their respective careers. Thank you to these five inspirational Old Girls: Mel Exon (Copeland) A’89 – Writer, Board Trustee and CEO in the UK creative industries

Senior Paralegal, Trainee Solicitor at Fieldfisher LLP

Nina Seed (Malone) DH’91 – Founder of Nina Seed Interiors, Polyglot, and former Lawyer

WD 2014-2020

FRI 20 NOVEMBER

Foundation Year Doctor, Acute Medical Unit, Charing Cross Hospital

AE 2003-2008

Lucy Fortescue

RH 2009-2014

THUR 19 NOVEMBER

Habibah Alao

DH 1985-1991

Habibah Alao AE’08 – Senior Paralegal, Trainee Solicitor Izzy Norris RH’14 – Foundation Year Doctor, Acute Medical Unit

Founder of Mabel Dora Jewellery

RE ENT PREN E

SHIP UR

www.sherbornegirlsvoices.com

INSPI RI N

Writer, Board Trustee and CEO in the UK creative industries

Nina Seed (Malone)

WEDS 18 NOVEMBER

A 1983-1989

TUES 17 NOVEMBER

Mel Exon (Copeland)

MON 16 NOVEMBER

Lucy Fortescue WD’20 – Founder of Mabel Dora Jewellery

PHONE INITIATIVE As the country went into a further lockdown, we invited a group of recent leavers to help us call over 450 Old Girls over the age of 70 to offer a friendly voice on the end of the phone. We wanted to make sure that our Old Girls felt cared for and part of a supportive community, while also providing an opportunity for our younger Old Girls to get involved in a fun and rewarding initiative, at a time when many of their plans had been disrupted by the pandemic. It was wonderful to connect two generations of Old Girls in something so positive at a difficult time.

COMMUNITY CAROL When we realised that we would not be able to come together in person for our traditional Carol Service in Sherborne Abbey, we decided to bring our community together through song instead. We invited Old Girls to submit a recording of O Come, All Ye Faithful for our community carol. Thank you so much to everyone who took part. The rousing final carol really did demonstrate the power of our collective Sherborne Girls Voices! A recording is still available to watch on our website www. sherborne.com/carol-service (along with a list of Old Girls who contributed).

PASSING ON THE LIGHT Many Old Girls will be aware that the School emblem and Old Girls logo feature a torch, representing the ancient Greek ‘Lampadedromia’. This legendary race of torchbearers, which embodies the values of strength, teamwork and responsibility, gave rise to the Olympic flame and in turn inspired the school motto ‘The prize is a fair one, and the hope great’. Today, we also use the symbol of light to reflect the work of The Sherborne Girls Foundation (the fundraising arm of the School). Specifically, we aim to pass on the light of a boarding education to girls who would really benefit from our help. We do this through our transformational Candlelight Bursaries, which we offer in partnership with The Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation. Our aim is to increase the number of girls to whom we can offer a boarding education at Sherborne Girls. We very much hope that you will support this vision too. One of the ways in which Old Girls have given their support is by leaving a gift in their Will, and we recognise this very special group as our Torchbearers. If you would like to find out more about how you can support The Sherborne Girls Foundation or become a Torchbearer, we would love to hear from you on k.massey@sherborne.com or 01935 818215. Thank you so much.

Katherine Massey (Prideaux-Brune) A’91, Director of External Affairs and Sherborne Girls Foundation Trustee

“I don’t think I can overestimate how much the Candlelight Bursary has shaped my life, both directly and indirectly. It has been amazing to come to Sherborne Girls, where I’ve met great friends, had support from wonderful staff, and tried things I never would’ve been able to. Because of the opportunity I’ve had, my brother and sister were both encouraged to go to boarding school, so this bursary has helped my family too. I’m very grateful for the new world that has been opened up to me through the Candlelight Bursary, and for how it has made me a better, more wellrounded person. The generosity I’ve received has encouraged me to make a difference to others.” Amara Agwo, 2014 – 2021 Head Girl and Candlelight Bursary recipient

NEW SOG MEMBERS 10

Welcome to the following ‘new’ Old Girls who left school in summer 2020 Annabel Alers-Hankey

Lucy Linhart

Elizabeth Allen

Emilia Luders

Charlotte Bailey

Alexandra MacKenzie

Poppy Bailey

Annabelle Martin

Hannah Barber

Sophie Maynard

Ana Barklam

Eliza McCalmont

Rosie Barnes

Lotte Micklethwaite

Isobel Bates

Eleanor Miller

Fran Bedford

Amelia Morony

Lucy Blake

Louise Mountbatten

Daisy Bond

DAUGHTERS AND GRANDDAUGHTERS OF OLD GIRLS IN THE SCHOOL DUN HOLME Anna Cleveland Annabel Drummond Jemima Drummond

Louise Noel, Mother Louise Taylor, Mother

KENELM Freya Beeny

Caroline Swift, Mother Angela Gossow, Grandmother

Matilda Murray

Eli Benbow

Amanda Claydon, Mother

Charlotte Browning

Jemima Nettleton

Tilly Garton

Mary Monro, Grandmother

Verity Bruce

Matilda Nettleton

Harriet Bruges

Harriet Northover

Madeleine Cater

Isabella Orr

Artemis McMaster-Christie

Sarah Tory, Mother Diana Hamblin, Grandmother

Man Yuey Cheung

Sophia Orr

Amelia Pickance

Jane Isaacson, Mother

Alice Chittick

Ella Pearce

Hannah Collin

Katharine Pein

Grace Tucker

Antonia Tozer, Mother Penny Hockley, Grandmother

Sophie Connelly

Jemima Pentreath

Natasha Copinger-Symes

Amelia Potter

Jane Wilkinson, Mother

Alexandra Covill

Lucy Renville

Lottie Welch Sophie Welch

Eleanor Cruz

Alice Richardson

Fiona Stern, Grandmother

Cecilia Darwall

Lily Ridout

Emily Wood Hannah Wood

Chloe Dick

Grace Rochford

Martha Ellemann

Isabella Ross

Isobel Ellis

Amelia Rouse

Amelia Etherington

Catherine Sawyer

Charlotte Ferguson

Tilly Scull

Daisy Foreman

Natasha Simpson

Lucy Fortescue

Chloe Stevens

Alice Foulger

Emily Treacher

Octavia Garrett

Polly Usher

Mia George

Claudia Vaughan-Johns

Francesca Gill

Isla Watt

Eliza Gilmour

Harriet Watts

Madeleine Gray

Phoebe Wells

Emily Hawkins

Tatiana Wharton

Leila Hollingworth

READER HARRIS Jemma Craig-Cooper Bertie Simpson, Mother Isabella Schwinge

Clare Matthews, Mother

WINGFIELD DIGBY Electra Marshall Kate Gregor, Mother Matilda Massey

Katherine Prideaux-Brune, Mother

Milly Wills

Katy Gascoigne-Pees, Mother

MULLINER Petra Deacon

Alexandra Dickson Leach, Mother Joanna Osmond, Grandmother

Sophie Holcroft

Anthea Malim, Grandmother

Milla Wolffe

Emily Nokes

Anthea Ottaway, Grandmother

Barwaqo Ismail

Joyce Wong

Matilda Jenkins

Isabel Wooddisse

Agatha Palmer

Zoe Phayre-Mudge, Mother

Lucy Knott

Keely Xia

Alice Pearman

Jill Dams, Grandmother

Wan Wai Kelly Kwong

Tina Yau

Alice Leach

Tabitha Zisser

Flora Williams

Vicky Bartholomew, Mother

Janelle Lee If you know of other mothers and grandmothers with daughters currently at SG, please let us know by sending an email to: oldgirls@sherborne.com

O B I T U A R I E S

Phoebe Cresswell (Kerr) A’41

Submitted by Phoebe’s daughter, Diana Kerr (Land) A’70 My mother died on 10 December 2019 at the age of 95. She was brought up in idyllic surroundings outside Chipping Campden, but it was a lonely childhood. Her half sister-in-law Audrey Fletcher (Clarke) A’28 encouraged her parents to send her to Sherborne, where she flourished. In fact, despite the war, Phoebe’s Sherborne years were among the happiest of her long life. Phoebe’s wartime memories at school included the girls’ individual butter rations having a name flag, and weekly duties washing bottles at a dairy. She was an enthusiastic Head of House under their muchloved housemistress, Miss Armitage. Phoebe greatly missed her best friend Madeline Walker (O’Brien) A’40, who left Sherborne during the war when her naval father was posted to Canada. However, they remained in close contact until Madeline’s death in 2017, despite Madeline living in Colorado. Phoebe completed a social work diploma at LSE (later, to her

amusement, upgraded to a BSc), and then trained as an almoner at St Thomas’. Phoebe sadly lost her first fiancé in the war. Her marriage in 1949 to my father David and their life in Scotland proved long-lasting and happy. They had a son and a daughter and Phoebe later became a devoted, hands-on grandmother and great-grandmother. When I started at Sherborne in 1965, Phoebe was thrilled to meet up with friends whose daughters were also in Aylmar. My mother’s life was busy with much voluntary work, mainly medically based. One of her lasting achievements was instigating a League of Friends at the local hospital, which thrives to this day. Her hobbies included gardening, looking after her two much-loved donkeys (a reminder of her country childhood), and supporting my father when, in retirement, he became the Scouts’ Scottish Chief Commissioner. It was an energetic life, well lived.

Mary Passey (Forster) K’48

Submitted by Mary’s sister-in-law, Muriel Passey I met Mary when we were both undergraduates at St Anne’s, Oxford, from 1948 to 1951. She was reading English and I was reading French, and our lives became intertwined when I met, and subsequently married, her brother David who was at Oriel at the time. Mary had a reserved nature and a good, scholarly, serious mind. She had a strong interest in the philological side of her course, and on graduating she moved to London to train as an academic librarian. Following this, Mary returned to her native Yorkshire to work in Leeds University Library. It was here where, by their own account, she and her

future husband – the historian Gordon CF Forster – met among the book stacks! It was an encounter with the happiest of results, and led to a notably harmonious marriage. Mary and Gordon had no children, but were absorbed in, and devoted to, their academic interests. They made notable scholarly contributions, particularly in the organisation of the Thoresby Society. They also took great pleasure in the school and university careers of their nephews and nieces. Mary was particularly pleased that David’s and my four daughters all followed her into Kenelm, and we had many happy visits to Commem together.

Jane Knocker (Youle) AE’50

Submitted by Jane’s daughter, Diana Youle (Pring) AE’74 Born in Torquay in 1932, Jane was always so proud to be a Devonian. She had a very happy childhood, despite the war years, and loved to ride her pony, Kitty, along the narrow Devon lanes. She and her friends often rode all the way up to Dartmoor for the day, which they were allowed to do as long as they were ‘home for tea’. At Sherborne, Jane made many lifelong friends, including Ann ‘Hoblyn’, Una, Wendy, Syl, Ro, Ann and Peggy (Ann Hoblyn (Clyde) AE’51, Una Harris (Rankin) AE’51, Wendy Nash (Bloomer) AE’51, Sylvia Pyne (Greer) AE’49, Rosemary Longsdon (Snoad) AE’51, Ann Baxter (Dawson) AE’51 and Peggy Spicer (Heap) AE’50). She was always a keen supporter of the school and returned on many occasions for reunions, concerts and Abbey services – as well as

sending two of her daughters there. Sherborne fostered Jane’s love of classical music, and throughout her life she enjoyed playing both piano and organ and going to concerts. Later in life Jane took up bell ringing, and regularly rang in her local church tower until her late seventies. A keen supporter of the National Trust, she was a volunteer at NT Castle Drogo for nearly 30 years. She took part in their ‘dressing-up’ days and loved chatting to visitors in Devon dialect whilst playing the part of a scullery maid polishing copper in her pinny and starched white linen cap! Jane was full of fun and always lived life to the full. At the age of 79 she made a trip to the Galapagos Islands, and at 86 she bought herself a Mini Cooper – much to her grandsons’ delight and amusement!

Sheila Miller (Oglethorpe) T’51

Submitted by Sheila’s sons, Stuart, Justin and David Oglethorpe

Sheila, who died aged 86 on 5 May 2020, was a gifted piano teacher whose passion for sharing her art, and creating an enduring interest in all her pupils, extended far beyond the confines of the music room. After Sherborne, Sheila won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. On graduating, she taught at St Michael’s School for Girls, Petworth, West Sussex. While there, Sheila met and married Bill Oglethorpe, a solicitor from Lancashire. They made their first home in the village of Caton, near Lancaster, in 1956. With their three small boys, Sheila and Bill moved to Salisbury in 1964 and settled in Downton in 1966. Sheila taught piano and classroom music at several local schools, including Salisbury Cathedral School and the Godolphin, developing

a particular interest in children who were musical but struggled with academic blocks. In 1993, rather than retire, she undertook the RSA Diploma in Specific Learning Difficulties, qualifying with distinction. So began a new career as a dyslexia specialist. Her book Instrumental Music for Dyslexics (1996, 2nd edition 2002, Italian translation 2011) is a standard for music educationists, and remains in print. In 2014 Sheila and Bill moved from Downton to Salisbury, and they both moved into a care home in 2018. After Bill died in January 2019, Sheila continued to paint, play the piano and receive family and friends. She leaves her three sons, six grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter.

Prudence Butterworth (Dauris) A’57

Submitted by her son, James Dauris During her time at Sherborne, Prudence developed a love of music, sports and nature. She became a competent pianist, played for several school sports teams, and was Head of House in Aylmar. On leaving Sherborne, Prudence went on to read Law at Girton College, Cambridge. She continued to excel at sports – winning blues playing against Oxford in lacrosse and squash. She kept up her squash to a good standard well into her forties, and regularly bumped surprised young men down the ladder! Prudence qualified as a barrister, and embarked on a career working in industry for Unilever. She married

Colin in 1962, and they had two sons. Happy days at school left Prudence with a lasting affection for Sherborne, as well as lifelong friends. As a trustee of the school’s bursary fund for many years she was in regular contact with two former headmistresses, Diana Reader Harris and June Taylor. She remained close to her housemistress, Joan Kershaw, until Joan died. Throughout her adult life Prudence gave her time and talents generously to helping other people. Her faith, her courage and her rarely failing eye for beauty in the world and in other people helped her to face illness in later life bravely.

Jan Thompson (Heath) W’61

Submitted by Jan’s brother, Graham

Jan Heath passed away on 24 April 2020 in Calgary, Alberta, at the age of 76, after suffering from pancreatic cancer. Born and brought up in Cobham, the daughter of Oliver and Phyllida Thompson, Jan was educated at Sherborne and Trinity College Dublin, where she read Sociology. She then trained as a medical social worker, working at both Evelina Children’s Hospital and King’s College Hospital. While travelling in Canada, Jan met her future husband, Ian Heath, in Montreal – a meeting that ignited a lifelong enthusiasm for the mountains and wilderness of Canada. They eventually settled in Calgary, where Jan pursued her career in medical social work and gained an MA from the University of Calgary. Holidays were spent exploring the Canadian wilderness, including epic trips down the Churchill and Nahanni rivers. The arrival of Jan and Ian’s children, Emily and Rory, did little to curb their

adventures. Alongside her professional work, Jan always had a very strong sense of social justice. Through her church, she volunteered on many projects – including the building of houses in El Salvador through Habitat for Humanity, and helping with the resettlement of refugees from Syria. Following her divorce, Jan joined the Calgary Scope Society – a leading disability charity – as a therapist, and went on to become the clinical lead. Though retired from full-time practice, she was still supporting and mentoring the charity’s clinical team up to a month before her death. In retirement, Jan poured her energies into a number of causes that she felt strongly about. She served on the boards of organisations including Ten Thousand Villages (a fair trade retail store), and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund. She was also Vice President of Ujamaa Grandmas, a Stephen

Lewis Foundation initiative that raised money to support grandmothers in Africa who had become ‘in loco parentis’ through the spread of AIDS/ HIV. A committed Anglican, Jan never stopped questioning her beliefs and challenging orthodoxy. On one occasion, she wrote a letter to the main Calgary newspaper questioning the relevance of the Nicene Creed – receiving strident criticism from more traditional Anglicans. Wherever Jan saw unfairness, inequality or a social need she felt compelled to act and to carry others with her. Jan is survived by her children, Emily (a professor at Carleton University, Ottawa) and Rory (an architect in Innsbruck, Austria), her granddaughters Ida and Anneka and her siblings Alison, Francie and me. A celebration of her life was held at Aldeburgh Church on 24 April 2021, the first anniversary of her death.

Evelyn Mary Mackie E’73

Submitted by Mary’s sister, Sally Mackie, AE’75 Evelyn Mary Mackie, known by all as Mary, lived for most of her 66 years in the village of Elton-on-the-Hill in Nottinghamshire. Encouraged at school, she became a talented artist and designer – enabling her to paint and restore furniture, and work as an antique dealer. In later years, Mary devoted much of her time to supporting her mother and father. When they both passed away, she became heavily involved in her community as a churchwarden and clerk to the Parish Council. She was also extensively involved in CPRE. Right up until the day she died, Mary was busy ensuring everybody in her village was getting the support they needed during lockdown. Mary was a very competent skier, and was one of few women considered, at that time, to be both good enough and strong enough to be part of the ski patrol in the resort of Aspen. She also rode to a very high standard, competing in high-level

three-day events and working as a jillaroo in Australia. Mary was an intrepid and courageous traveller who visited most of the world, from Easter Island to Africa and South America – often finding ways of riding while exploring the country. Australia, in particular, was an especially important part of her life. She made many friends on her travels and was always very happy to open her doors to those friends when they came to England. It was especially pleasing that so many of them were able to join us for her cremation service, via the internet. For her family, Mary’s hospitality was amazing. Her bungalow became the focus of many celebrations and her nieces and nephews and their families were always particularly welcome, along with their dogs. Mary passed away suddenly on 27 May 2020. She was taken from us far too soon and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

June Taylor W’61, OBE 19 February 1943 – 2 February 2021 Headmistress 1985 – 1999 Housemistress of Wingfield 1970 – 1984 Mathematics Teacher 1966 – 1999

“I assure you that if I have fantasies of a nine-to-five job in a bank with no girls to worry about, they are not frequent and last about three seconds.” These are the words of June Taylor, who had a lifelong association with Sherborne Girls as pupil, teacher and headmistress and who died on 2 February 2021. June was appointed head girl of the school in 1961. When she returned as a teacher, she became housemistress of Wingfield for 14 years, and then headmistress from 1985

to 1999. There is no doubt that, during her time in office, June was a formidable presence. June’s strong and demanding leadership was driven by a profound sense of duty to the school, to education, and to the girls for whom she cared so deeply. In her role as headmistress, as honorary treasurer of the Girls’ Schools Association (GSA) and subsequently as chair of the Board for the Independent Schools Inspectorate, she worked tirelessly and with great courage. Children and young

people were her raison d’être, and the focus of her life’s work – an achievement recognised in 2012 with the award of an OBE for services to education. A committed Christian, June carried out charitable work and helped her community with selflessness and humility. She remains a towering figure in the history of Sherborne Girls, whose influence will be felt for generations.

Remembering June

Friends, colleagues and former pupils share memories of June “June is an important figure in the history of Sherborne Girls and we mark her passing with sorrow and gratitude. She made a real impression on the school, as pupil, teacher and headmistress. We give thanks for her legacy.” Ruth Sullivan AW’91, Headmistress

“When I first met June, I was struck by the enormous importance she attached to

the school’s musical tradition and reputation and the high value she placed on all children enjoying the benefits of a firstclass musical education. She came to every school concert and always ensured there was a full audience of girls and housemistresses to support the performers. As I am indebted to June for appointing me to the two most enjoyable and fulfilling posts of my teaching career and for her encouragement

and wise counsel, so will hundreds of young people – and their teachers – be grateful to her for her profound belief in music as a vital force in the lives of us all.” John Jenkins, Director of Music, Sherborne Girls

“June Taylor could be tough and demanding, and never settled for anything less than a supreme effort and dedication to tasks, duties and goals. But

she was also the most kind and nurturing influence, and a wonderful friend and mentor to me. Through firmness, fairness and absolute care and loyalty, June became a warm and guiding presence in my life. It was June’s little-known work for causes close to her heart that resonated with my own public work and responsibilities, particularly with the founding in 1999 of ‘Perspectives’ (a charity that June was devoted to, which supports projects for the socially excluded in St Petersburg, Russia), as well as her work at inner London schools both as a teacher and an inspector for the Independent School Inspectorate. A deeply committed Christian, June had a lifelong interest in the developing world, and in world religions. She was always interested to know my opinion as a Muslim, and was fascinated by Jordan, but equally she would talk of her work in North India, and of her visits to the Church School of Uganda, following in the footsteps of her own mentor, Dame Diana Reader Harris.” Sumaya bint El Hassan E’89

“June was tireless in her efforts to ensure that independent schools were well governed. Her first thought was always to champion children and young people, and she did this with great skill. June was endlessly patient with those who needed help, but had no time for laziness, self-importance or defeatism. Many is the time she would be heard to challenge others with the phrase, ‘It is not what you want to do but what you ought to do that matters.’ This guiding principle shaped her life both personally and professionally, setting a standard that all could aspire to.” Dame Christine Ryan DBE, former Chairman of the ISI and Chair of Ofsted

“June’s competence and accuracy with the GSA accounts were valued, as were her impressive networking skills and extensive knowledge of the independent sector.” Jane Carroll, Membership Director, GSA

“June was a great committee member. She was always full of ideas and had the energy and commitment to see things through. Generous with her time and company, June was respected by all. GSA is the richer for having had her contribution to its legacy.” Margaret Rudland, former Headmistress of Godolphin & Latymer School and GSA President, 1996

“June’s piercing intelligence, together with her academic ability and her knowledge of educational matters, was unrivalled. Her energy and sharpness fed her immense capacity for wit: when I worked with June as part of the GSA leadership team, she would often reduce a group of otherwise dignified headmistresses to fits of helpless laughter. It was always a pleasure to meet up with June – as soon as you saw her knowing smile and bright eyes, you knew that it would be a good day.” Rosanne Musgrave, former Headmistress of Blackheath High School GDST and GSA President, 1999

Rosemary Day (Barker) K’42

Submitted by her daughter, Jane Barker K’76

Rosemary was the youngest daughter of the late Mr and Mrs Graham Day, formerly of Southampton. She was married to the late Peter Northcote Barker, mother to Jane and Louise, and grandmother to James. Upon leaving Sherborne, Rosemary joined the Royal Academy of Dance, performing in London and Germany after the Second World War. Even after Rosemary had given up performing, ballet continued

to be a part of her life. She taught generations of young children over many decades. She travelled the world extensively and met her husband in the Bahamas. They lived there for a few years, before returning to England and settling in the Cotswolds to raise a family. They retired to the south coast, then Dartmoor, before finally moving to the Isle of Wight.

Maria Aplin

Spanish Teacher 1983 – 2005 Submitted by her husband and daughters Maria had a long and very fond attachment to Sherborne Girls. Arriving at the school in the late 1950s, she was affectionately called ‘la señorita’ by the girls in Wingfield House. Intending to stay in England for only a year or so, Maria settled in Sherborne after marrying her husband, Tony. She returned to the school in 1983, and spent 22 happy years teaching the girls Spanish language, history and culture. She loved her native language, was a grammar enthusiast, and encouraged the girls to achieve fantastic results. Maria’s colleagues have

commented that the girls thought very highly of her, and that she was a terrific teacher and ambassador for Spain and England. Conscientious, loyal and clever, Maria was the best teacher, wife and mother. She passed away peacefully on 21 December 2019, and is deeply missed by her husband, family, friends and teaching colleagues. Her zest for life and learning will not be forgotten. “Conocimiento de lenguas es la puerta a la sabiduria” – “Knowledge of languages is the door to wisdom.”

Births Marriages Deaths 22

B IRT HS Rachel Henley A’96 and Malph Minns had a daughter, Emilia Jane Jacqueline, on 20 October 2020 Alexandra Scott A’01 and Guido Gärtner had a son, Edward Gärtner, on 5 August 2020. A brother to Audrey. Brigitte Tilley-Gyado E’01 and Valery Levitine had a daughter, Abiola Charlotte Valeria Levitine-Gyado, on 7 April 2020 Tessa Clarfelt DH’02 and John Gayner had a son, Arthur Frances Haydon, on 8 September 2020, younger brother to Iris.

Clare Ratazzi (Ledger) AW’03 and Tom had a daughter, Honor, on 11 September 2020 Nicola Saunders T’03 and Ben Campbelton had a daughter, Beatrix, on 29 March 2020 Olivia James (Coughtrie) AE’05 and Richard had a daughter, Camilla, on 12 October 2020 Jessica Richardson (Excell) W’07 and Jamie (e 08) had a daughter, Molly, on 19 July 2020 Jessica Entwisle (Habershon) K’08 and William had a son, Charles Alfred Wilton, on 1 August 2020

Sarah Gray (Evans) A’03 and Adam had a daughter, Ivy, on 27 May 2020

M A R R IAGE S Susannah (Suse) Odgers A’02 married Michael Fox on 1 August 2020

Alice Russell W’09 married Guy Kelsey on 19 September 2020

Anna Neill A’03 married Paddy Corridan on 21 August 2020

Lucy Garrard-Abrahams W/WD’10 married Daniel Scott-Ham on 28 September 2020

Sophie Bowker K’09 married Oliver Milne on 1 August 2020

DE AT HS Erica Palmer (Stephen) K’40 died on 13 January 2020 aged 97

Ann Hoblyn (Clyde) AE’51 died on 25 November 2020

Phoebe Cresswell (Kerr) A’41 died on 10 December 2019

Jane Knocker (Youle) AE’51 died on 18 June 2020

Yvonne Davy (Tye) K’42 died on 2 January 2020

Sheila Miller (Oglethorpe) T’51 died on 5 May 2020

Rosemary Day (Barker) K’42 died on 30 November 2020

Clare Welch (Williamson) A’51 died on 20 November 2019

Pamela Cooper (Price) A’43 died on 29 December 2019

Sandra Corben (Douglas) AE’52 died on 14 October 2019

Stella Crawford (La Touche) DH’43 died on 4 December 2020

Judith Ball (Ouvry) E’53 died on 2 October 2020

Joan Taylor Morgan AW’43 died on 8 April 2020

Rachel Howell (Mylne) A’53 died on 19 July 2019

Georgette Killwick (Smith) K’44 died on 25 February 2020

Sally Davis (Gibbon) AE’54 died on 25 December 2020

Averil Reay (Gibson) K’44 died on 13 February 2020

Carol Turner (Hardyman) AW’56 died on 26 March 2020

Margaret Sayer (Hollings) DH’46 died on 12 August 2020

Prudence Butterworth (Dauris) A’57 died on 25 July 2019

Renée Thornton (Vallance-Owen) E’46 died on 5 November 2019

Sarah Hunt (Wedd) K’58 died on 2 February 2020

Paula Whitehead (Clarke) W’46 died on 22 January 2020

Joanna Lowis DH’59 died on 30 September 2019

Lynette Sheldon (Mitchell) T’47 died on 27 April 2019

June Taylor W’61 died on 2 February 2021

Mary Passey (Forster) K’48 died on 10 December 2019 Ann Hopkins (Hopkins-Clarke) K’49 died on 14 May 2020, mother of Joanna Udal K’82 Anne Makin (Kenyon) AW’49 died on 18 September 2019 Helen Ashbridge (Baynes) K’50 died on 3 March 2020 Verbena Barkworth (Evans) T’50 died on 18 October 2020

Jan Thompson (Heath) W’61 died on 24 April 2020 Evelyn Mary Mackie E’73 died on 27 May 2020 Sarah Lines (Hewett) T’80 died on 23 July 2020 John Rees, Mathematics teacher 1980 – 1999, died on 14 November 2020 Maria Aplin, Spanish teacher 1983 – 2005, died on 21 December 2019

Further News: CAREERS SERVICE: VIRTUAL EVENTS In November we held a Medical and Health Care careers event. This was our first virtual event and the technology did not let us down! A huge thank you to all those who took part and spoke about their own career paths as well as offering advice to those considering a career within the professions or at the start of their

own career. This was the first in a series of virtual events which include the law, finance and the media. We are delighted to be able to offer places on a Careers Coaching Course. If you would like to apply, please send Fiona an email stating why this course could help you.

UNIVERSITY VISITS In 2020 we visited Old Girls and Old Shirburnians studying at St Andrews, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol and Exeter. As ever it was very good to catch up with Old Girls, hear how they are getting on, what their future plans are and what they think of their university and course.

LEEDS

BRISTOL EDINBURGH

C ONGRAT U L AT I ONS Lucinda Harding (Brown) A’94 has been selected for the GB Age Group Sprint Triathlon Team that will compete in the World Championships in Bermuda in October 2021. Alexandra Scott A’01, became Professor for Double Bass at the University of Music and Theatre, Munich in October 2020.

Julia Morris DH’14 was awarded the Queen’s Guide Award. She graduated with a First Class Honours BSc in Clinical Medicine in 2018 and obtained her full medical degree MBChB, in 2020, both from the University of Glasgow. Sumaya bint El Hassan E’89 was appointed UNESCO Ambassador for Science and Peace.

NEWCASTLE

EXETER

HEALTH CARE AND VOLUNTEERING DURING THE PANDEMIC

Standing up to do the job Rebecca Jones (Appelboam) K’89 reflects on her experience as a consultant in Intensive Care during the Covid-19 pandemic

I have been a consultant in Intensive Care for nearly 10 years. I chose Intensive Care because of the complexity of disease, the challenge to make people well again, the opportunity to interact with all different specialties in the hospital, and the chance to support and guide patients and relatives through what is usually a life-changing experience. The pandemic of 2020 was, and is, a real challenge. The infectious nature of Covid-19 meant that the ICU became sealed. It was one way in and one way out – making it difficult for other specialties to visit us. Although the work was similar to what I have done for years, the visiting restrictions and need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) made it feel very different. The PPE in itself posed a number of challenges. Simply putting it on and taking it off required us to follow a series of complex steps in a strict order. This was so important that there were staff whose daily job was to watch us don and doff and tell us when we got it wrong – which we did, when we were tired. Then there was the challenge of working in PPE. It’s hot, sweaty and cumbersome – and makes you unrecognisable to your colleagues and patients. Though I’ve known my colleagues

for years, I couldn’t identify them in PPE. We couldn’t see each other’s faces, exchange glances, read emotions, or even hear each other clearly. It felt like the patients were alone. They had nurses by their bedside, but no family – nobody to remind us of who they are. Not allowing families to visit their critically ill relatives broke my heart. After weeks, the patients made small, steady steps to getting better. The journey was long, and the challenges for them huge, but they did it. They left the ICU and they returned home. Many are traumatised, but they don’t really remember being there. Nor do they know the faces or names of the people who cared for them as if they were their own. The generosity of strangers was extraordinary: food, gifts, and bottles and bottles of cool water were sent to the ICU. Homemade cakes. Sunday roasts! Even cosy pyjamas for when we got home. The public were all clapping us, saying we were heroes. But most of the time we didn’t feel heroic – just very tired. Though it was hard, I felt lucky to be making a difference. Rather than being asked to stand by, I was able to stand up and do my job; to go to work and do what I could; to be where I was most needed. That was a tremendous privilege.

The public were all clapping us, saying we were heroes. But most of the time we didn’t feel heroic – just very tired.

Behind the rainbow Returning to the NHS as a Speech and Language Therapist after years in private practice was a profoundly rewarding experience, says Claire Greville-Heygate (Bunce) T’98 28

At the start of this year, I found myself working as a Speech and Language Therapist back in the NHS, after several years in private practice. My new role was Clinical Lead of the Adult Community Team in Oxford, who assess and treat adults with acquired communication and/or swallowing difficulties. These can come about as a result of conditions like stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease or motor neurone disease. Prior to March, the public perception of the NHS was low: it seemed that staff worked without recognition, and the press only reported on examples of poor care. That is why I launched a campaign called #spreadnhslove, to encourage people to share stories of how they appreciated those who work in the NHS. Within just a few weeks, Covid hit – and love for the NHS was everywhere. Thursday clapping and Captain Tom did much to raise morale (and money, of course), and it was heartwarming to hear the public sing the praises of the NHS and talk about the great work we do.

Behind the rainbows and claps, though, working in the NHS during Covid has been exhausting and emotional. I had to carry out urgent assessments wearing the highest level of PPE. This meant changing into scrubs, a full surgical gown, gloves, FFP3 face mask and full face visor in my car, before I could enter a patient’s home or a nursing home. Wearing it for an hour at a time in the summer was hot and slightly claustrophobic, to say the least. For patients whose cases were not deemed urgent, we started conducting digital consultations (tele-therapy). This is something that no doubt would have taken us years to instigate under ‘normal’ circumstances. But instead, everyone jumped to try new ways of working and we were up and running within a few weeks. Although the tele-therapy approach has its limitations, on the whole it has been a brilliant way of supporting patients and their families when they might otherwise have been unable to access help. In September, I accepted a new role as a Speech and Language Therapist in a medium secure forensic unit for adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems. Alongside psychiatrists, psychologists and other nursing and therapy staff, I work with men who have committed an offence and are in the judicial system. This brings about a new set of challenges, as many of them have been on the ward for longer than Covid-19 has been around, and have had limited exposure to the outside world. As a result, while most of the patients have some understanding of the virus, they do not understand the full restrictions that people are under.

Once again, PPE is a necessity – and while the level of PPE is now lower, my colleagues and I must wear face masks all the time. This can lead to headaches and dehydration, and difficulties in communicating with those in our care. There is real evidence that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis. The pandemic has exacerbated this, with significant numbers of adults and children unable to access support. Keen to act, I trained as a facilitator for a charity called iheart, which delivers wellbeing and resilience training to school-aged children. The charity’s outcomes are extremely promising, and I was delighted to be able to take the training into schools in Oxford. In addition, I set myself a challenge to raise money and awareness of iheart’s work. I took part in a 26-hour marathon, which involved running one mile every hour for 26 hours through the day and night – outside and on my own. When I completed the challenge, I was blown away to discover that I’d raised more than £7,000. This year of working in the NHS has been an experience I will never forget. Staff have put themselves forward for different roles, worked extra shifts, dealt with very distressing situations, and had to respond to constantly changing information and situations. Stress, anxiety, overwhelm and burnout are real problems. Despite this, there has been amazing bonding between teams and incredible advancements of service delivery that would otherwise not have happened. As I write this, there is promising news of a vaccine that will be ready to use very soon. I have signed up to be trained as a vaccinator – so if you live in Oxford, be warned!

Behind the rainbows and claps, though, working in the NHS during Covid has been exhausting and emotional.

A change of direction Natasha Jones (Scrivens) K’87 switched her focus from sport medicine to general medical team during the pandemic

It was challenging and satisfying in equal measure.

The Covid outbreak caused many disruptions to people’s lives, including in their working practices. For Natasha, it brought about a complete shift in her professional focus – from working in Sport and Exercise Medicine to working in the trauma team at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Natasha is normally a consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. She also has a role with the English Institute of Sport as a sports physician, working with Olympic and Paralympic athletes across the last three Olympic cycles. Everything changed in 2020, however. Natasha, who has been a consultant for 10 years, was redeployed to assist in the care of trauma patients at the John Radcliffe. “This represented a return to acute medicine after many years away,” she says. “It was challenging and satisfying in equal measure.” As for many others, Natasha’s normal professional life will slowly resume. But her experience of Covid will definitely stay with her, and no doubt shape her future work in all sorts of unexpected ways.

VOLUNTEERING / HELPING OTHERS

Improving lives through art and science

HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan E’89 was named as UNESCO Special Envoy for Science for Peace in 2017 Combining her passion for art with a belief in the power of science to bring hope and opportunity, HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan is a champion of innovative research, education and entrepreneurship in Jordan and the Middle East. As president of the Royal Scientific Society and chair of the Princess Sumaya University for Technology, she has helped to make Jordan a centre of excellence for applied research and mentorship. An Art History graduate of the Courtauld Institute, Princess Sumaya works to unite science and the arts through her leadership of the Jordan Museum, helping to highlight the Islamic world’s often forgotten scientific heritage for the youth of Jordan and the region. In 2017, Princess Sumaya brought the leading gathering of global science policymakers, the Word Science Forum, to Jordan, marking a first for the Middle East. She was named as UNESCO’s Special Envoy for Science for Peace and regularly speaks at highlevel forums on science, education and the arts. Princess Sumaya contributes to research

publications and media on Royal Scientific Society of Jordan topics as diverse as water, nanochemistry and biodiversity, promoting evidencebased advice for decision-makers and supporting the unlocking of scientific and creative talent to help tackle global challenges. Princess Sumaya was awarded the Chancellor’s Citation at the University of California, Berkeley and has been incorporated as a foreign member of Real Academia de Ciencias Económicas y Financieras (RACEF), Spain’s national science academy. She is a founder member of UNESCO’s High Panel on Science and Technology for Development and heads the advisory board of the Middle East and North Africa Network of Water Centers of Excellence (MENA NWC). Princess Sumaya has worked with the UK’s Royal Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science to promote science diplomacy to tackle global challenges.

Caring in the community Alexandra Pentolfe DH’06 made use of her freedom during lockdown to help the local community

During lockdown I was fortunate to have the luxury of time and the freedom to use it as I wished. I wanted to help the local community and support local businesses, so I volunteered for Sherborne Viral Kindness (SVK) and Yeovil District Hospital. My role with SVK involved looking after a street of houses with any errands they required. Common requests included help with grocery shopping, posting letters and collecting prescriptions. At Yeovil District Hospital my role was to

I feel very grateful to live in a community where people are willing to help.

help the team on a ward. I made beds, fed patients and talked to them because they were unable to have their family with them due to the Covid restrictions. I feel very grateful to live in a community where people are willing to help. We did a great job of coming together and supporting each other. Among the chaos of the pandemic, my time volunteering allowed me to gain perspective: rather than concentrating on what I didn’t have I was able to appreciate what I did.

Artist Emma Young (Rose) K’81 painted her gate into a rainbow to raise money for the NHS https:// www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ Emma-Rose28. So far she has raised £650 and counting. Do visit her to see the gate and her Art Studio https:// emmaroseartworks.com

Feeding the hungry Helen McLuskie (Garton) A’82 was busier than ever during lockdown, working to support those most in need While friends and family complained of the constraints of lockdown and running out of things to do, as a trustee of Towcester Foodbank, that wasn’t my problem. At the start of lockdown it turned out I was the only trustee fit and under 70. So I ended up finding new premises, moving four and a half tonnes of largely tinned food, recruiting and training new volunteers, and implementing a contactless system fit for lockdown. It was busy, hard work, and great fun – so many gave up their time to help. People’s generosity has been truly heartwarming, and not just food: one chap gave us his furlough money, and an 11-year-old raised £150 running around her garden (Captain Tom has a lot to answer for). Demand for food parcels has not been as great as

anticipated due to local popups, though as these now pop back again our footfall is increasing and we expect much greater need going into the winter. The pandemic has brought us a bunch of new volunteers (including Juliet Measures (Clutterbuck) W’78, many of whom are younger, fitter and more tech-savvy than the old guard. Lockdown forced us to work digitally and we have forged closer links with the local council, support agencies and other foodbanks in our area. We are now better equipped than ever to meet the challenges to come. So, what will my memories of the pandemic be? Shelves in the warehouse bursting with food – we never ran out of pasta. British Gas vans arriving with our weekly food donation from Tesco. Frustrated volunteers struggling to work

the tablet with gloved fingers. The smell of hand sanitiser. Laughing with volunteers as we packed food bags together. Roads without a car in sight. The relief in an elderly lady’s voice when she realised we could feed her cat. The goodwill and generosity of so many strangers. The gratitude of those we helped. Yes, it was a busy time but it was also very rewarding. It will stay with me for ever.

Making waves in lockdown Young composer Anna Disley-Simpson K’14 wrote a special piece of music during lockdown, which was recorded by the London Oriana Choir

The Covid pandemic has inspired the creativity of many people, and musician Anna is no exception. She wrote Waves, a moving piece of choral music, as a meditation on the collective experience of lockdown. Soon after scoring it in June 2020, she oversaw the process of recording it virtually, with the London Oriana Choir conducted by Dominic Ellis-Peckham bringing the piece to life. “The motif behind the piece is of the gesture of a wave,” explains Anna. “It could be a sound wave or a tidal wave, or even a Mexican wave. The idea is that it’s something that starts incredibly small and then builds into layers and layers of texture. “The composition is wordless, focusing instead on the vowels and tonal quality in the voice to communicate structure and meaning. In making the recording, I collaborated with a videographer, who made a film incorporating the lockdown experiences of the singers. Throughout, our aim was to convey the times we are in through a lens of hope and celebration of community.” Waves isn’t the first composition by Anna to receive critical acclaim. An earlier piece, called In their gold coats and based on an extract from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was performed by the London Oriana Choir in June 2019 and drew favourable reviews. In addition to her role as Composer in Residence for the Oriana Choir, Anna is the Graduate Musician in Residence at Radley College. She teaches Music Technology and

works closely with the school’s pop and rock bands. Anna studied Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music and continues to hone her skills as part of the Young Composers Scheme with the National Youth Choir of Great Britain. Her work has been commissioned and performed by ensembles including the European Union Chamber Orchestra, the BBC Singers, the No Dice Collective, Kantos Chamber Choir and members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She is a former winner of the BBC Young Composer of the Year competition and her music has been performed at venues including the Southbank Centre, the Saatchi Gallery, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Snape Maltings and the British Library. As a performer, Anna currently sings with the highly regarded London Contemporary Voices and previously belonged to various Manchester-based ensembles with a particular interest in new music performance, premiering the work of many of her composer-peers. In 2018 she toured Europe as a singer and synth player with the band New Order, which was subsequently included as part of the documentary Decades on Sky Arts. To see the video of Waves, visit: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Qwthd5Obkf8 We were delighted to be able to listen to Waves in the Old Girls Virtual Concert, which is available on our website.

Throughout, our aim was to convey the times we are in through a lens of hope and celebration of community.

CONSERVATION

Getting in deep 36

Chloe Stevens DH’20 writes about her placement with a marine conservation charity in Mozambique Love the Oceans is a non-profit marine conservation organisation set up by Francesca Trotman in 2014. It is based in Jangamo Bay in Mozambique and has a small team of permanent staff that is supported by a number of volunteers each year. After hearing a careers talk at Leeds University where I am now studying Biology, I applied for and gained a five-week research programme with the organisation. The charity’s main goal in conserving the marine environment in Jangamo Bay is to establish a Marine Protected Area for the Inhambane Province in Mozambique. It also engages in marine research, community education, and diving. A sustainable approach Love the Oceans aims to make its work sustainable so that one day it won’t be needed in the area because local people are working themselves to protect the marine environment. It always seeks permission from the village elders for any actions taken, using this as a valuable opportunity to learn more about the environment from the local people.

My placement includes PADI open water training in the reefs around the bay followed by working with the team for five weeks in all areas of their work. I will get to assist scuba expedition research, involving seabed transects which help to enhance understanding of the marine ecosystem and inform the conservation efforts. Another way Love the Oceans surveys the area is through megafauna research. This helps identify and monitor species of humpback whales and whale sharks, which migrate through the area in the summer months. Community working One of the things that makes the charity so effective is its community work. Its bottomup methods include fisheries research to understand and teach sustainable fishing in the area, and education. As part of my work out there I will be helping to teach in the local school, with a focus on marine biology and interacting with the sea in a sustainable way. I will also teach swimming: essential in cultivating a confident and curious relationship with the marine environment.

A final important aspect of Love the Oceans’ work is collecting and managing ocean trash – an issue that currently receives a lot of attention throughout the world. As part of this initiative, each year the charity runs a Christmas jumper design campaign with a marine-themed pun. The sale of every jumper leads to the collection of 2kg of ocean plastic and waste. This year I won with my ‘A Whale in a Manger’ idea, meaning the Love the Oceans sustainably produced Christmas jumpers for 2020 feature my design. All profits go to funding research and conservation efforts and you can order your jumper here: https://lovetheoceans. teemill.com/collection/christmascollection/ A personal reflection I’d like to end on a personal note. I am a disabled person living with severe chronic pain and throughout school I was scared that opportunities like this placement would not be available for me. But I would like to emphasise to others in a similar position that there are so many different paths to follow. Love the Oceans has been extremely open in offering adaptations and options that mean I can still pursue my passion for marine biology in the field. There aren’t necessarily many disability role models in schools like Sherborne Girls, so I would like to say that I am always happy to talk to people who would like advice about how university can work for disabled students and what your rights are in terms of support and making sure you can still follow your passions. It’s my experience that nothing needs to stand in the way of your dreams – you just have to know how best to grasp the opportunities before you.

It’s my experience that nothing needs to stand in the way of your dreams...

Making a difference to our world Frances Budd DH’17 reflects on her vocation to work in conservation once she graduates from the University of Edinburgh. I am currently in my final year of an Ecological and Environmental Sciences degree at the University of Edinburgh. Once I graduate, I hope very much to pursue a career in conservation. I have had several experiences in this sector over the years. It began with volunteering at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, gaining hands-on experience in animal husbandry and fostering orphaned Orangutans. Frontline conservation isn’t always on foot and in the jungle, though. Last year I worked with the World Cetacean Alliance. Its work is invaluable for the global conservation efforts for whales and dolphins and is coordinated by a few driven individuals from laptops in a small office in Brighton. Whales may seem like charismatic creatures, worthy of conservation for the tourism industry alone. They are so much more, though, serving as watery warriors in our climate mission

Photo credit: Nicky Mason (Matthias), PE Teacher

by sequestering a vast amount of carbon in their bodies. This settles and stores at the bottom of the ocean when they pass on. A single whale is worth thousands of trees. Island life Like many before me, during my gap year I volunteered on a turtle conservation project. I spent a month at Camaronal Wildlife Refuge. I love the barefoot island lifestyle, but the physical labour was very tiring. During the day we worked on building a hatchery – a place where eggs are protected from predators. This is no mean feat and involved carrying heavy logs and digging in the sand in the midday Costa Rican heat. We also dug trenches to prevent flooding into the hatchery when it rained – something it did a lot. At night we took turns either manning the lookout or walking along the beach to find mother turtles laying eggs that we could move to the hatchery. One of the main threats to turtles is the illegal trade of eggs, as well as consumption by furrier poachers. There is nothing quite like shining a redlight torch into the pitch black of a midnight beach to see a racoon’s big eyes staring back at you. They are pretty nasty pests known to bite mother turtles as they lay eggs, and then demolish everything she’s laid. Despite our best efforts, there is only so much we can do from the shore to protect the hatchlings as they head out to sea. Out there an incomprehensible amount of fishing gear and other plastic

debris causes too many deaths. This experience definitely kick-started my conservation career and I am so grateful to the School, and the Pilkington Travel Award, for supporting me with the opportunity. Internship plans This summer I had a diving internship researching sharks and rays in Indonesia, but it was cancelled for obvious reasons. Instead, if all goes to plan, I will be travelling to Mexico this summer for two placements. Firstly, with the Manta Caribbean project, an NGO dedicated to the conservation, research and education of Manta rays. They are my favourite animal and I am beyond excited to work for a cause that contributes to their protection. Secondly, with Operation Wallacea, a biodiversity research organisation, this time with the emphasis on turtle behavioural ecology research. I will also be taking underwater photos of corals. These images can be calibrated with satellite images to help detect bleaching. Bleached corals are just one of the many ways we negatively affect the natural world. I am focusing on corals for my dissertation. I aim to investigate a specific kind of free-living coral species, which may be helpful for establishing new reefs in usually unsuitable habitats. I also spent this Christmas working with Think Pacific on their virtual internship program helping to design artificial coral reefs in Fiji.

A better world The conservation movement will protect biodiversity, not only for our future generations but for the sake of nature itself. It ensures that the ecosystems we rely on to survive will continue to work, to give us water to drink, air to breathe, medicines to cure and insects to pollinate our food. It could enable us to sequester enough carbon to halt climate change and prevent mass extinction. Our world is one giant puzzle, and each piece is essential. Conservation not only works for our flora and fauna, but to protect our indigenous communities around the globe and alleviate poverty. Conservation is creating a better world for us all. Even better, conservation is for everyone. It doesn’t always involve exotic diving expeditions and cute turtles. Conservation can look like climate marches or charity fundraising. It begins with the consumer and how we choose to vote with our money. It can be choosing the organic carrots, the plastic-free potatoes or the sustainably caught fish. It can be walking to work, eating vegetarian more often, or giving up fast fashion. The fate of the world is not our individual responsibility. But we can still show up and make our voices heard. There are many sides to conservation and I’m not entirely sure which one I’ll end up on. Whatever happens, I am excited by the prospect of joining the small but growing number of people out there doing good work to make a difference for our world.

THE LONG BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP

Even though the pandemic interfered with most people’s plans for 2020, the bonds between Sherborne Old Girls remained as strong as ever. As Heather Caverhill (White) E’57 wrote: “I had my 80th birthday in March and had planned a celebratory lunch in London for my family and a few very close friends. I invited a friend from School, Ruth Startin (Marshall) E’57, and was delighted when she accepted. Ruth lives in Essex and I’m in Devon, so there is some distance between us. “Very sadly, Covid overtook the event and it had to be cancelled. Next year it will be 70 years since Ruth and I first met in Ealhstan. I hope very much that we can meet then and enjoy our postponed celebration.”

S C H O OL NEWS 2020 CALCULATED SUCCESS Four pupils excelled at this year’s challenging UK Maths Olympiad for Girls: Lauren Carty (L6), Daisy Kwong (U6), Amy Ye (L6) and Daisy Du (M5). Daisy Kwong came in the top 25% nationwide, whilst Daisy Du, the youngest of our entrants, made the top 10% of all students across all age groups. Lauren Carty also took part in the 2020 Maths Olympiad Summer School after coming in the top 1.5% nationally in the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) Intermediate Maths Challenge.

MERRITT CENTRE PROVIDES LO CKDOWN RECO RDING SPACE Popular pianist Duncan Honeybourne raised money for struggling musicians by recording a CD in The Merritt Centre’s Gransden Hall during the first Covid lockdown. His Contemporary Piano Soundbites album is a collection of solo piano miniatures by various musicians, including the Music Department’s very own Simon Clarkson. The project has already raised more than £2,000 for the Help Musicians UK Coronavirus Hardship Fund. Duncan, who has toured extensively as a soloist and chamber musician and regularly appears on the BBC, said: “I’m most grateful to Sherborne Girls for playing such a crucial part in bringing this project to fruition.”

MAKING THE FINALS

TOP MARKS FO R SHERBO RNE GIRLS

Sherborne Girls was selected as a Finalist in two categories in the Independent School of the Year Awards 2020: Best Boarding School and Best Marketing Award for Effective Brand Communication.

Following an intensive visit and in-depth interviews with pupils, staff and parents, the Good Schools Guide published a glowing account of life at Sherborne Girls, concluding that the school is ‘better than ever’.

A joint submission with Sherborne School also resulted in being named as Finalists in the ‘Best Community Work’ category. This recognised the schools’ efforts to rewild areas of their campuses, and their partnership with local state schools, as part of the Operation Future Hope project.

Speaking about the review, Headmistress Dr Ruth Sullivan said: “We are so pleased this independent assessment managed to capture the real essence of the school, the girls, its teaching, leadership and governance.” The full entry in the publication states: ‘A gem of a school, led by an inspiring, go-getting head. Sherborne Girls is better than ever, achieving fine academic standards and, through its partnership with Sherborne School, giving girls the best of both worlds – an all-girls’ education with a co-ed lifestyle. A sixth former told us ‘It’s a place of opportunity’ and it really is.’

GREENING UP OUR ACT The school’s commitment to environmentalism remains as strong as ever, with pupils sitting on an Eco Council to suggest ways of enhancing sustainability. Here are some of our eco-friendly achievements to date: • Most of our vehicle fleet now consists of electric or low-emission small engine petrol variants, and most of our gardening power tools are electric, to reduce our use of fossil fuels • Our waste is managed to optimise recycling, and we work closely with waste management contractors to ensure it is used to generate power where possible • We use energy from sustainable sources and have energy monitoring in all key buildings • The cross-laminated timber structure of The Merritt Centre came from sustainable

sources, resulting in a significant negative carbon footprint. What’s more, the building is entirely cooled and heated by ground source heat pumps • Solar panels have been fitted to the Oxley Sports Centre to generate electricity and warm water – bringing huge energy savings, especially for the swimming pool • We have virtually stopped our use of singleuse plastics by ensuring girls and staff use reusable bottles whenever possible and banning plastic cups

News From HONO RARY MEMBERS A poem for VE Day Thanks to the pandemic, the 75th anniversary of VE day was marked in unexpectedly muted fashion. Peter Cantrell, Head of English from 2002 to 2017, wrote this beautiful poem to reflect on a historic occasion.

Victory Day It’s balmy summer warmth and sun, Apt weather, you could say; The bunting’s out, and Union flags: Our streets are proud today.

Eleven finds me standing mute, To honour lives withdrawn; Though cars offend the solemn air, I hear a bugler’s horn. This day in Nineteen Forty-Five Was World War Two’s VE: We’ll celebrate at two-arms’ length, For that’s the rule; we’ll see. Back then my parents partied too, The nation all as one: In teenage glee, and still unmet, Each laughed that war was won. The ethic of their age and class Equipped them well for war: Hard work, and thrift, and self-control, No clamouring for ‘more’.

LEAVERS

The Queen is billed to speak tonight, And then it’s Vera Lynn; We’ll meet again will echo loud, Our spirits lift within.

Jane Board

Deanne Mahony

Ella Carter

Enca Marza

Tessa Cawdron

Natasha Prince

Abigail Folleat

Lucy Suttle

Ben Gudgeon

Melissa Tillyer

Jane Hewitt

Georgina Toscani

Ros Johnson

Katelyn Walker

The message doesn’t change with time, It’s still that steadfast tune: Do not despair, do not give up, And make it through to June.

Our best wishes to the following members of the Sherborne Girls Community:

Sherborne Old Girls

Peer Group Co-ordinators

President Lucy Jameson

1925 – 1965

Daphne MaGuire (Thomson)

1966 – 1970

Anne Whatley-Smith (Agnew)

Presidents Emeritae Mrs Geraldine Kerton-Johnson Mrs Jenny Dwyer

1971 – 1975

Jocelyn Passey (Humfrey)

1976 – 1980

Jane Digby (Auer)

1981 – 1985

Emma Burrows

Vice-Presidents Mrs Patricia Barker Miss Augusta Miller Miss Sheila Powell Dr Hassan Qasrawi

1986 – 1990

Antonia Foster (Plant)

1991 – 1995

Alexandra White

1996 – 2000

Alexa Ramsay (Laryea)

2001 – 2005

Tess Cavendish

2006 – 2010

Alex Pentolfe

2011 – 2015

Louise Moseley

2016 – 2020

Imogen Andrews

Executive Committee Chairman Alexandra White Treasurer Lindsay Taylor Secretary Fiona James oldgirls@sherborne.com Peer Group Co-ordinators’ Representative Nicki Lewis oldgirls@sherborne.com Circle Secretaries’ Co-ordinator Jane Nicholson oldgirls@sherborne.com Co-opted Member Emily Palmer Ramus oldgirls@sherborne.com Headmistress Ruth Sullivan headmistress@sherborne.com Senior Management Team Representative Katherine Massey k.massey@sherborne.com

Trustees of Sherborne Old Girls Bursary Fund Joanna Gornall (Mrs Wright), Helen McLuskie (Mrs Garton) All correspondence should be addressed to: Miss Ghislaine Fluck, 16 Conifer Drive Meopham, Gravesend, Kent DA13 0TL ghislaine.fluck@btinternet.com Development Officer Laura Windsor development@sherborne.com Sherborne Old Girls Office, Bradford Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3QN Tel: 01935 818329 Email: oldgirls@sherborne.com www.sherborne.com/Sherborne-Old-Girls Main school tel: 01935 812245 Email: office@sherborne.com

Sherborne Girls Alumnae

Sherborne Girls

Sherborne Old Girls Journal 2020

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News from Honorary Members

School News

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