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ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Gillian Brooks (Fulcher) DH’53
Gillian Fulcher is clear about what Sherborne Girls gave her during her time at the School: a zest for life and a commitment to “never waste a minute”.
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The life of a schoolgirl in the 1940s and early 1950s was different in many ways to that of one now. For a start, as Gillian Fulcher explains, the food available was far more meagre. She says that a clandestine trip to Milborne Port, on foot, for fish and chips was the only way to get a decent feed on a Saturday afternoon during termtime, when the house fare tended to be a slice of toast under white sauce.
But some things rarely change, and for Sherborne Girls that is an understanding of the value of being busy, with a variety of activities to keep everyone challenged and amused.
“I remember one afternoon when I played squash for 20 minutes, hockey for 50 minutes and lacrosse for a further 50 minutes,” says Gillian. “I suspect this has something to do with my unwillingness ever to be still. I am constantly on the go.” Happy memories Gillian’s memories of Sherborne are many and varied. She looks back with cheer on that fish and chip sortie, when six girls from Dun Holme walked together in search of supper. She also remembers a half-term holiday spent at School, during which she and her friends hitched a lift in a furniture van to Lulworth Cove. “This would not have been approved of by our teachers,” she says. “And we didn’t give a second’s thought to how we might get back.”
The girls obviously did return, and despite their modest acts of rebellion, Gillian says she and her friends had a deep respect for “right and wrong” and a strong moral code.
“There was a clear discipline to life at School,” she reports. “We had a set of ideals and were encouraged never to waste a minute. We were expected to
show consideration for others, and to live a balanced life that combined physical and intellectual activity. We very soon appreciated the joy of good friendship, and that has stayed with me forever.”
Something else instilled during her time at School is Gillian’s love of the countryside, which she attributes to Sherborne’s bucolic surroundings. “I love the natural world, and this translates into a love of gardening and walking each night,” she says. “I have a strong affinity with Dorset, despite living in Australia for many years. I am a big admirer of Thomas Hardy: he is my benchmark for a number of things.”
Cultural pursuits The interest in Hardy speaks of Gillian’s intellectual vibrancy. After working as a typist at Number 10 Downing Street, including for Winston Churchill, she moved to Australia to complete a first degree and a PhD. She then spent 20 years as an academic before becoming an academic editor. Her own book, Disabling Policies? A Comparative Approach to Education and Disability, was published some 30 years ago and remains in print.
“I keep my brain active,” Gillian reports, “and read a lot, especially late at night. I am interested in public issues though increasingly dismayed by them. In recent years I have undertaken U3A courses in Ancient Greek, Latin and French. Language has been an interest throughout my life.”
This reflects Gillian’s ongoing commitment to keeping busy. It is a disposition formed all those years ago during her time at Sherborne Girls. Like many such habits, it looks set to last a lifetime.
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Gillian Bower (Banwell) A’54
Gillian Bower’s connections with Sherborne Girls go back to the start of the 20th century – but she says the School’s values have always been at its heart.
Self-discipline. Courage. Sharing. Getting on with different sorts of people.
These are the things that Gillian Banwell remembers learning during her time at Sherborne Girls, where she was a pupil from 1948 to 1954.
As she is quick to observe, they are close to what many pupils in the School will learn today, because its values have remained constant throughout the generations.
“My mother, Armorel (Mollie) Woodd (Bower) DH 1914, attended the School in 1909,” Gillian reports, “and was great friends with Venetia Wingfield Digby, Day Boarder 1908, who was daughter of the founders. That gives me a strong connection with the School’s history and I’m proud to be associated with it.”
A full life Gillian says Sherborne Girls gave her the confidence to go out into the world and pursue various opportunities. After School, Gillian trained as a short-hand typist, later qualifying as an orthoptist at the Oxford Eye Hospital. Her first job was in Saskatoon, Canada, and in 1962, post marriage, she and her husband spent two years in Hong Kong, where Gerald was consultant obstetrician at a Mission Hospital. All the patients were Chinese so they needed to learn to speak and understand Cantonese.
Asked about her greatest accomplishments, Gillian doesn’t hesitate to respond: “My family.” She supported her husband in his work as an obstetrician and gynaecologist throughout his career. “He retired from the NHS at 65 and was never ill,” she explains. “But he was diagnosed with leukaemia at 67 and died at 68.”
Despite this loss, Gillian has remained positive. She says she is lucky to live near her three children, in whom she and her husband worked hard to instil the values and standards she had learned at Sherborne Girls, and from her parents.
“I have seven grandchildren who are between the ages of 12 and 23,” she says, proudly. “I find it so interesting to hear what they are doing with their lives.”
Voluntary work Those Sherborne Girls values of which Gillian speaks have shaped her whole life. For 20 or more years, she was a regular delivery driver for Meals on Wheels in Hertfordshire.
“We were also able to help people who lived alone in rural areas with shopping, prescriptions and the like,” she says. “This was very fulfilling, but I’m now 84 and not very mobile due to arthritis, so I’m unable to get involved in these activities now.”
Even so, Gillian retains a love of music that was formed at School, both as a listener and a performer. She also enjoys reading and sewing, and has an abiding interest in the theatre, despite not making it to many shows nowadays.
She has kept in touch with many of her peers from School, not least as a regular participant in the Hertfordshire and Essex Circle. Particular friends from her school days include the late Prudence Butterworth (Dauris) A’57, Sally Dufty (Sandys-Renton) A’56 and Judy Howell (Lister) A’54, who she has known since the age of three.
Such connections speak of the profound friendships that Gillian formed during her time at Sherborne Girls. As the values by which she lives evince, her time at School clearly made an impression that has lasted a lifetime.
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Georgina May (Bullock) E’69
From making jelly in her cubicle to chilly evening walks between Houses, Georgina has plenty of happy memories from her time at Sherborne Girls.
In the span of a person’s life, the years spent at school may seem transient, all too brief. Yet they leave an impression that lasts for ever, creating memories that form them for whatever future they pursue.
That’s never more the case than for Georgina, who attended Sherborne Girls from 1964 to 1969. She remembers many details of her time at School and has a clear sense of how these experiences shaped her to be the person she is today.
“My fondest memories revolve around my life in the Boarding House,” she says. “I was a resident of Ealhstan, but we had to sleep out in Aldhelmsted West sometimes. I well remember the cold and wet evening walk to bed, which certainly helped us develop resilience.”
Other happy memories include performing in House skits and enjoying toast in the Upper Sixth sitting room with her Housemates. “We also invented the Lower Sixth Free Dance Competition,” reports Georgina. “That feels like a good legacy to have left behind.”
Forming habits Perhaps the best legacy is what Georgina took from her time at Sherborne Girls. As well as a no-fuss attitude, she says she and her classmates quickly learned how to be resourceful. “We used to make jellies in our cues,” she laughs. “And, of course, we learned to tolerate the foibles of other people. You have to rub along when you’re living in confined quarters with each other.”
Off the back of such tolerance, Georgina formed lasting friendships that she nurtures to this day. “I have kept in touch with some of my year group from Sherborne Girls,” she says. “I’ve also enjoyed the Regional Reunions and attended some of the School concerts when they’ve been held in London.”
Georgina’s connection with Sherborne Girls is seen in other ways too. She puts her ongoing enthusiasm for tennis, and singing in choirs, down to her time at School. “Cooking and gardening followed later,” she says, “but tennis and singing were hobbies that I nurtured when I was at Sherborne and have continued for the rest of my life.”
Another habit that was instilled during those formative years is of service to others. Georgina has certainly lived up to that value, serving as a Samaritan volunteer for 28 years.
“I look back on my time at Sherborne with real gratitude,” she concludes. “I regard my greatest achievement as sending our daughter to Sherborne Girls! That’s the clearest possible sign that I enjoyed my time there and found it a worthwhile experience.”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Baroness Kate Pope (Rock) A’86
Working Peer Baroness Rock has many fond memories of her time at Sherborne Girls – many of which centre on the inspiring people who taught her.
Ask SOG Baroness Kate Rock to reflect on her time at Sherborne Girls and you’ll very quickly get a sense of the lively community of which she was a part between 1981 and 1986.
The names of fellow pupils and former teachers come thick and fast. They include her Aylmar Housemates, Helen Moore and Emma Lowther, with whom she once crept through a skylight to top up their tans in the summer sun. “We smothered ourselves in baby oil, thinking it would make us browner,” Kate laughs. “I wouldn’t suggest taking such an approach now – either to the location or the skincare regime!”
Other names include Kate’s Housemistress Anne Dixon, who always urged the girls in her charge to be “nice, not nasty”. Then there are those who inspired her love of learning, including English teacher Miss Pitt, whom Kate still thinks of when she reads Jane Austen’s Emma, and the legendary Gussie Miller, described by Kate as “the most extraordinary and inspiring teacher”. She says she “adored” singing in the choir and playing in the orchestra and that her time at School instilled a love of music that endures to this day.
Lessons learned Mingled with these very specific memories is the general sense that Kate describes of Sherborne Girls forming her for the future. She well remembers the spirit of determination formed on the lacrosse pitch, as well as losing herself among the bookshelves of the library.
She also recalls the fairness that was at the centre of School life: a value that she still prizes. “While we were encouraged to believe that hard work and healthy competition have their place,” she says, “there was always a sense that you had to deal fairly with everyone you encountered.”
That commitment remains at the heart of Kate’s outlook. It has shaped her work as one of the Founders of Women Supporting Women, an initiative for The Prince’s Trust that gives young women the skills to flourish in modern society. She is also a Director and Trustee of The Prince’s Countryside Fund, helping rural communities and family farms invest in their future.
“Sherborne Girls taught us to embrace change and not fear challenge,” Kate says. “I always prepare well for everything, but I’m not afraid to ask for help and advice. There is always someone who knows more than you do.”
Significant achievements Asked about her most significant achievements, Kate gives a surprising answer. It is not her elevation to the House of Lords or her visiting fellowship at St Anthony’s College, Oxford. Rather, it is “… persuading my husband Caspar to marry me.”
Kate and Caspar have two children, one of whom has Special Educational Needs. She says she has learned a huge amount from him: “He’s taught me that the world is full of extraordinary and diverse people. That has stood me in good stead in all sorts of contexts.”
These include in her career in publishing, then public relations, and more recently in Parliament. Kate is also a NonExecutive Director of several companies, and farms alongside her father in her beloved Dorset.
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Fongyee Walker DH’89
Photo by Sebastian Basco of NYSH Productions
Master of Wine Fongyee Walker took a circuitous path to career success after leaving Sherborne Girls. But she says the values instilled at School helped make her the person she is today.
“My fondest memory of Sherborne Girls is very definitely the sense of camaraderie between pupils. I was rather naughty, so I enjoyed the sense of pulling together against the authorities. We found solidarity in our friendships and that set me up brilliantly for the rest of my life.”
So says Fongyee Walker, who left Sherborne Girls after completing the Upper Fifth in 1987. She believes her time at School formed her to be resilient, tenacious and confident in expressing a minority opinion – all traits that have stood her in good stead as she has pursued her career.
Dreaming big Fongyee believes that her time at School prompted her to have big ambitions for her future. “I realised that your dreams are only limited if you heed the views of people who can’t think beyond what’s normal or expected,” she reports. “Once you get past these limitations, you can do anything.” With a career trajectory involving five different university degrees, including a PhD at Cambridge, it is fair to say Fongyee has pushed herself to achieve success. “Before I finished my doctorate, I decided to move to China and start my own company. I have since become the only Master of Wine resident in China.” This is a significant achievement, and has presented Fongyee with all manner of opportunities. “My life is my hobby,” she says. “Sometimes, I can’t believe what I get to do as ‘work’, like helicoptering over glaciers in New Zealand on a contract for Air New Zealand, travelling to Antarctica to do a tasting as a guest of Wines of Chile, or visiting beautiful chateaux to enjoy lovely food and wine. It’s such a privilege to do this array of fun things as part of my job.”
Giving back There are other privileges too. For example, Fongyee often hosts charity wine auctions and recently raised more than 100,000RMB for a foundation to support abandoned children with disabilities in Shanghai.
“I really enjoy doing live auctions,” she reflects. “It’s great to get people excited about supporting charity. I also work on sustainability issues in food and drink, so people are more aware of how their choices affect the world.” Given her influence training China’s next generation of wine connoisseurs, Fongyee more than lives up to her reputation as the country’s ‘Godmother’ of the industry. She says it is a delight to see her students go on to achieve success and build their own thriving businesses.
The sense of ongoing connection with her students reminds Fongyee of her friends from Sherborne Girls, with whom she keeps in touch via the internet. “Covid scuppered our plans to meet in person during 2020,” she says, “but I follow their activities on the social media platforms that I can access in China. I hope that we can all meet face to face soon.”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Cherry Roengpithya AW’99
Cherry Roengpithya has followed a fascinating path since leaving Sherborne Girls, including running a hotel and turning it into a temporary hospital during the Covid crisis.
When the third wave of the Covid pandemic swept Thailand in April 2021, hotelier Cherry Roengpithya and her team decided to be proactive in supporting the nation’s health. Running at around 10% occupancy, and with Bangkok Hospital just a short walk away, they realised they could open their rooms on a temporary basis to patients.
The team spent three weeks converting 114 hotel rooms over three floors into hospital accommodation. Staff were then trained to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and in hygiene and infection control, before securing approval from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health to operate during the crisis.
The ‘Hospitel’ opened its doors on 14 August 2021 to a group of 10 patients. By the end of the month it was caring for 100 patients per day, and it ultimately accommodated more than 150 people – each of whom returned home safe and well at the end of their stay.
Cherry reports that it was a hugely satisfying experience to repurpose her hotel in this way. It certainly bears out the mix of persistence and compassion that has defined her life both during and after her time at Sherborne Girls. Persistence and hope “I think persistence is the most important value I learned at School,” she says. “To succeed, you have to be willing to keep on going through difficult times.
“For example, when studying for my PhD in Chemical Engineering, there were moments when experiments failed, or I got writer’s block and wondered if I would ever complete my degree. But I kept my head down and tried my best until I finally graduated.”
This same tenacity is what drove Cherry to keep the hotel open throughout the pandemic. “With so few travellers coming to Thailand, it would have been easier to close temporarily,” she says. “But I decided to adjust operations and keep trading to support my staff. Repurposing as a hospital at the height of the third wave felt like a natural development of that approach. We all persist through these difficult times.”
Even now, with the hotel converted back to its original purpose, Cherry maintains her altruistic endeavours. The hotel hosts a one-stop food-donation programme that supports local medical facilities and a community isolation centre. It’s further evidence of the ethos of
compassion and other regard that is at the heart of Cherry’s approach.
A varied life After finishing her PhD at Imperial College London, Cherry returned to Thailand and worked at a chemical trading company before switching to commercial trading at Unilever Thailand. She moved into real-estate development after her first pregnancy and built the hotel in 2017.
“I think the hotel is one of my biggest accomplishments,” she says, “though I have overcome other challenges too. I had preeclampsia during both of my pregnancies and feel lucky to have survived them.”
This may all feel a long way from Cherry’s days at Sherborne Girls, which she attended from 1995 to 1999. She remembers her enjoyment of the dark winter evenings while at School, with the early UK sunset representing a contrast to the later dusks she was accustomed to from South East Asia.
“Sherborne Girls gave me such a lot,” she reflects. “I remember especially enjoying Home Economics. I still have a love of cooking, bakery and embroidery.”
Another legacy of her time at School is the close friendships Cherry maintains with other Old Girls. “We keep in touch using modern technology,” she says. “It’s just like we’re still in adjacent cubicles when we chat!”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Georgina Lucas K’04
Georgina Lucas has many fond memories of her time at Sherborne Girls. She says she draws on them regularly when navigating life’s ups and downs.
“I remember laughing, a lot.”
That is a pithy summary of Georgina Lucas’s reminiscences about her time at Sherborne Girls. It was, she says, a time filled with great joy and some deep friendships, that will stay with her for ever. “I remember finding every conceivable excuse to avoid sport at all costs and then being made House athletics captain,” she laughs. “I remember making cheese toasties in our Upper Fifth Common Room while ‘revising’ for our GCSEs. I remember playing music at full volume, getting in trouble for staying up late and chatting in our cubicles, fancy dress discos. I remember testing how short we could make our skirts without being sent back to House to get changed. And I remember Abbey services, particularly the Christmas Carol Service, which is truly magical.
“But most,” she asserts, “I remember the very greatest of friends.”
A lifetime of support Georgina has had more cause than many to draw on those friendships since leaving School. Her son Grey died at the age of 21 days after being born nine weeks early. She has written about the experience in a memoir entitled If Not For You, published by Little, Brown and due for release in January 2022.
“My view of life has changed since little Grey died,” she reflects. “Where once I would have counted my greatest achievements as things like writing a book or buying a house, now I really think it’s the small things that count: taking care of friends and family, kindness to strangers, seeing the good in every day.”
That attitude may have come into sharper relief in the face of her personal tragedy, but Georgina traces its origins back to her time at Sherborne Girls. “We were taught the importance of values like integrity, kindness, taking part, supporting others – and, of course, the huge value of friendship. This has shaped my adult life in every way.”
A broader perspective The road to publishing her memoir started with a series of internships in the fashion industry after leaving School. Georgina eventually moved into writing
Photo by Marco Vittur
and worked as fashion marketing editor at Matchesfashion. She left to become a freelancer and now runs her own content and editorial consultancy.
The book has been well-received by early reviewers, with ITN newscaster (and OS) Tom Bradbury describing it as “the book of the year, perhaps the decade”. Meanwhile, the novelist Kate Mosse said: “It is heartbreaking, beautiful, important, full of integrity, powerful and honest, inspiring and full of the wonder of women and love.”
For Georgina, the book’s release will give welcome publicity to the charity she and her husband Mike have set up with their sisters in memory of Grey. “It is early days, but we hope The Love Grey Foundation (lovegrey.org) will provide support, in many forms, to those affected by premature birth and baby loss.”
As you may expect, Georgina has retained her love of reading but wishes she had more time to indulge the other enthusiasms that were nurtured during her time at School. “I love drawing and crafts,” she says. “I also enjoy running, yoga, skiing, travel, gardening and cooking.”
And, of course, she relishes spending time in the company of her fellow Sherborne Old Girls. “Several of my closest friends are from School and we see each other regularly,” she reports. “The SOG network has been central to my life.”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Octavia Cooper RH’15
Coming from a family of Sherborne Girls pupils has given Octavia Cooper a wider perspective on the School. One thing she knows with certainty is that it’s a place where everyone can flourish.
“Sherborne has an extraordinary ability to make everyone feel valued and welcome,” says Octavia Cooper. “The fact that my two sisters and I (all very different) excelled in our own ways at School demonstrates this. There was a strong sense of inclusion and kindness that I think I carry with me now.”
Such a culture plays out in a variety of ways. For a start, it encourages pupils to ‘have a go’ at the many opportunities laid out before them. Octavia, for example, had never held a racquet before she started playing squash in the Lower Sixth. She still loves the sport now, playing regularly with friends in London.
“I also played tennis and hockey at School, and continue enjoying them now,” she reports. “I play hockey with four Reader Harris friends, so some things never change!”
This speaks of the deep friendships Octavia formed during her time at Sherborne Girls. She lives with three SOGs and has kept in touch with several others. “I think everyone would agree there’s something special about your school friends, who have seen you grow up,” she remarks. “We recently had our (belated) 5-year reunion and it was wonderful to see old faces and catch up.”
Professional connections The Sherborne Old Girls network has been important for Octavia in other ways too. It was at a joint event with the Old Shirburnian Society that she met an insurance broker and started thinking about this as a potential career choice. She undertook a placement with Lloyd’s of London during her History degree at Bristol and secured a place as an Underwriting Graduate Trainee at AXA XL upon completing her studies.
“I would never have imagined that I would end up working in insurance,” she says. “I was in the bottom set in my GCSE year and thanks to the incredible teaching of Miss Davidson somehow managed to achieve a B. But I really wanted to challenge myself and was lucky enough to get the offer from AXA XL after applying for more than 20 graduate schemes.”
Charity work As well as developing her career, Octavia’s role presents an opportunity to get involved in charity work. She joined the International Insurance Charitable Foundation (IICF) as soon as she started her traineeship. This brings a variety of law and insurance firms together to support 10 charities that are dedicated to improving social mobility for disadvantaged young people.
“I sit on the volunteering committee and interact regularly with the charities,” says Octavia. “My interest in charity work was sparked when I visited Bristol with Kids Company during my time at Sherborne. And, of course, it’s been fostered by the ethos of kindness and compassion at the heart of the School.”
This culture doesn’t only translate to pupils’ interactions with those in need. Octavia says it also shaped the friendships that form within the School community. “I well remember happy times in Reader Harris, especially in the run-up to Christmas,” she says. “We had so many rituals, including decorating the dining room. Everyone worked together to make it special, and Christmas has never quite been the same since leaving!”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Georgina Lane RH’16
Charity worker and trainee lawyer, Georgina believes Sherborne Girls taught her to throw herself into everything. In consequence, she says she is always looking for fresh challenges.
As with many former pupils of Sherborne Girls, Georgina Lane’s fondest memories are of the simple things. “My recollections revolve around the friendships I was able to make during my time at School,” she says. “I loved spending time with friends in our House in the evenings and making toast and cereal after Stick at the weekends.”
These friendships have stood Georgina in good stead in her years since leaving Sherborne in 2016. Not only have they continued to sustain her on a personal level, the memories also shape the person she has become.
“At Sherborne, we were always encouraged to pursue every avenue of interest, from academic study to sport, drama to cooking,” she says. “We took every opportunity that came our way and were always able to make the most of our experiences. That set me up perfectly for life beyond School.”
Varied interests The multiplicity of activities in which Georgina is involved demonstrates her varied interests. After reading Philosophy and Criminology at Exeter University, she completed a postgraduate degree in Law. Now, she works for a charity, but intends to begin the Barrister’s Training Course in September before pursuing a career at the Bar.
“I continue to throw myself into everything I do,” she says. “I’m always looking for new challenges and that’s helped me continue to grow as a person. I have never felt confined to one aspect of my life, meaning that I have been able to do a huge variety of things since leaving Sherborne.”
Such activities include swimming, cross-country running and athletics – all pastimes that Georgina first took up at School. She recently completed a charity fundraiser that involved a 21km run, an 8.5km swim and a 300km cycle. “The event was in memory of my wonderful friend Hannah and in aid of her charity, Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony,” Georgina says. “I raised money for the charity during my time at Sherborne and was always given huge support by School.”
Charity work A habitual commitment to the wellbeing of other people is seen in Georgina’s current role. She works for the Resume Foundation, promoting inclusive employment for marginalised groups. Her focus is on two projects: Project Racing, which helps people from marginalised groups work in the horseracing industry, and Project Venture, which gives exoffenders a chance to develop their business skills and pitch to a group of investors after a programme of mentoring and development.
“I’ve also been involved in several pro bono legal projects,” she says, “including teaching groups of school pupils about their legal rights and responsibilities, and working on a case for the Freedom Law Clinic. This notfor-profit company provides research and advice on appeals for people convicted of serious criminal offences who maintain their innocence.”
With such a well of professional experience already under her belt, it’s clear that Georgina faces a glittering future. For her, though, the most important thing is keeping those friendships alive from her younger days.
“I see a number of SOGs regularly,” she concludes. “I thoroughly enjoyed the recent 5-year reunion. The time has gone so quickly, but we soon fell into our old routines.”
ALUMNAE IN FOCUS: Annabel Harris K’18
Curiosity and compassion are just two of the traits that trainee physiotherapist Annabel Harris attributes to her time at Sherborne Girls. Both have helped her prepare for her next steps.
It is easy for a school like Sherborne Girls to talk about the values that rest at its heart, but what really matters is when they are lived by pupils and alumnae. In the case of Annabel Harris, the School’s ethos is very much alive and kicking: she attributes the attitudes that are guiding her through her final year at university to her time at Sherborne Girls.
“I have such fond memories of my time at School between 2013 and 2018,” she says. “I especially remember sitting in the House office in Kenelm in the evening and discussing anything and everything with whoever happened to be around. These informal encounters are what life in a Boarding House is all about.”
Annabel also remembers the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions organised by Mr Fremlin and Mr Biddle, which she says helped instil a love of outdoor pursuits and physical activity. “That love of adventure has stayed with me beyond my time at School,” she reports. “Tom Fremlin was a real influence in developing my enthusiasm for the great outdoors.” In a reflection of the diversity of opportunity available at Sherborne Girls, another of Annabel’s passions was in a very different sphere: she loved playing in the Symphony Orchestra and singing in the School choir. Indeed, she says some of her happiest times were singing for services in Sherborne Abbey, and she is proud to have performed Handel’s Messiah in Wells Cathedral with the Sherborne Choral Society.
Living values For all that these experiences have shaped Annabel’s habits beyond her time at School, she is quick to point out that the enduring influence of Sherborne is in the values that she lives day by day.
“I learned to be compassionate and courageous, which is something that everyone at Sherborne Girls values enormously,” she says. “We were also taught to challenge ourselves and keep pursuing our goals
whatever the setbacks. These habits have helped me enormously during my Physiotherapy degree at Cardiff University and in pursuing my goal of joining the Army Reserves.”
This latter ambition is one that Annabel hopes to achieve after graduation, alongside securing a job as a physio with NHS Wales. “Sherborne Girls has a strong culture of giving back to society,” she says. “We recognise that whatever we achieve has come with the help of others, so we need to do our bit to support those coming up behind. I hope to have embodied this in my life so far.”
Allied to the innate curiosity that a Sherborne Girls education inculcates, it is no surprise to learn that alumnae like Annabel thrive when they move into their next phase of life. “My degree has been all about expanding my knowledge base,” she reports. “I’ve drawn a lot on the techniques that teachers like Dr Hopper equipped me with to keep up to date with the latest research in my field.”
A wider network Annabel’s role as the Wales Officer for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) Student Reference Group has also helped expand her knowledge and raise her profile. She works alongside 11 other student officers to ensure their perspective is wellrepresented with the CSP. “I also benefit hugely from the Sherborne Old Girls network,” she says. “I’ve been able to get advice and support from a variety of people, which has stood me in really good stead throughout my training. It also keeps me in touch with friends from School – reminding us all of the positive experiences we had during our time at Sherborne Girls.”
