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

Mel Exon (Copeland)

A 1983-1989

R M B E E O V N 6 1 N M O

Writer, Board Trustee and CEO in the UK creative industries Nina Seed (Malone)

DH 1985-1991

B E R M E O V N 1 7 E S T U

Founder of Nina Seed Interiors, Polyglot and Former Lawyer R B E M V E N O 1 8 S D W E

Habibah Alao

AE 2003-2008

Senior Paralegal, Trainee Solicitor at Fieldfisher LLP

R M B E E N O V 9 1 H U R T

Izzy Norris

RH 2009-2014

Foundation Year Doctor, Acute Medical Unit, Charing Cross Hospital Lucy Fortescue

WD 2014-2020

R B E E M N O V 2 0 F R I

Founder of Mabel Dora Jewellery

www.sherbornegirlsvoices.com

I NSPIRING ENTREPRENEURSH I P

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK

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

Nina Seed (Malone) DH’91 – Founder of Nina Seed Interiors, Polyglot, and former Lawyer Habibah Alao AE’08 – Senior Paralegal, Trainee Solicitor

Izzy Norris RH’14 – Foundation Year Doctor, Acute Medical Unit

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.

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