The Truronian - March 2021 by Truro School

the truronian TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

MARCH 2021

SPECIAL EDITION

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

THE TRURONIAN

Development & Alumni Relations Team Jayne Grigg Director of Admissions & Development Nicky Berridge Development & Alumni Relations Manager Amanda Forde (maternity leave)

Ella Goodman

(maternity leave cover)

Development & Alumni Relations Officer(s) Jo Wood

School Researcher/Archivist Telephone: 01872 246094 Email: foundation@truroschool.com tsconnections@truroschool.com Online: truroschool.com/foundation truroschool.com/oldtruronians LinkedIn linkedin.com/groups/8527667/

Cover photo collage: Truro School community - celebrating International Women’s Day

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In this Edition March 2021

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4 -7 F R OM T HE PR ESID ENT & TSA C H AIR

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8 -9 I N T ERNATION AL WOM EN’S DAY 2021

3 4 -3 7 TR UR O SCH O O L CO N N ECTED

1 0 -11 F I R ST F E MA L E H EAD OF T R URO S C HOO L PREP 1 2 -13 A N N WEEKS (TS 1980 - 1997) 1 4 -15 A N N G L A Z E CO 98 1 6 -19 B E THA NY A L LEN & LYD IA PAL E SC HI C O13 2 0 -21 P R O F ES SOR SH ARON COX C O 92 2 2 -23 A P R IL A NGIL LEY CO12 2 4 -25 A N EL A KU KU LJAC VALJEVAC C O 04 2 6 -27 R AC HA E L ROWE CO 81

3 8 -4 1 SCH O O L N EW S 4 2 -4 3 I N TER N ATI O N AL W O MEN ’ S D AY 4 4 -4 8 TR UR O CO O KERY SCH O O L L O CKD O W N STO RY SO FAR 49 A V I EW FR O M TH E CH AMB ER 5 0 -5 5 AR CH I V E: TH E FI R ST FEMAL E TR UR O N I AN S 5 6 -6 3 FO N D FAR EW EL L , O B I TUAR I ES AN D TR I B UTES 63 PAUSE FO R TH O UG H T 6 5 -6 8 TR UR O SCH O O L FO UN D ATI O N

In celebration of International Women’s Day this edition of the Truronian is dedicated to the women of Truro School, past and present - our thanks to everyone who has taken part.

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THE TRURONIAN

A Word from the President In January 2020 on a glorious Spring day I made my first official appearance as the incoming Head of Truro School on our entrance examination day. I spoke with parents and pupils, we enjoyed tea, cakes, and energising face to face conversation in the surroundings of our wonderful Sixth Form Café. When I reflect on that day I am struck by many thoughts. Firstly, that what the world has thrown at us all since then, however unwelcome, has brought the best out of our community. Over a year on, I have seen pupils and staff determined to learn and teach creatively, with the courage to aspire and pursue interests, passions, and ambitions in a hostile climate. Our remote learning innovations and evolutions have kept education at the heart of Truro School as it should be. I have seen growing confidence in our school and what we offer, both from within and beyond our immediate community. We will begin the next school year in September with

a pupil roll of over 1100, including over 300 at Prep and over 800 at the Senior School. It has been more than a decade since this was the case. It is a testament to the dedication and character of all. I pay especial tribute to Andrew Gordon-Brown for all his work to

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION build this potential in our school, and steer it so confidently through the first wave of the pandemic. I have seen compassion flowing strongly through all we do. At a time when generosity has been a challenge, the Foundation and Association each donated £50,000 to the school’s Emergency Bursary Fund. Our Old Truronian network is integral to this compassion, which has supported new pupils to join us, and ensured current pupils can stay when their families fall on hard times, when having the pillar of educational stability to lean on matters so much. As Aubin, the Rev, reminds me, it was Wesley himself who stated that we should earn what we can, save what we can, and then give what we can. I give particular thanks to all in our OT network who continue to embody this compassion, including those who have or continue to donate to the Guy Dodd Bursary Award appeal. We still look for when we can hold the celebratory event Guy’s life and legacy deserve. Lastly, I have seen an ongoing and commendable curiosity to look ahead. There are real opportunities to come, including the launch of a new and ambitious five-year Strategic Plan for the school in September. At that time, we will also be launching our new Truro School Sixth Form Diploma programme and implementing the recommendations of an Equal Opportunities and Anti-Racism

THE TRURONIAN steering group that has been working and reflecting hard this year. Before all that, I am excited by initiatives including those surrounding the G7’s visit to Cornwall in June. I am humbled by the achievements and values of our community, and privileged to be leading it. In what has been a physically disconnected world, Truro School has been blazing a trail for staying connected in other ways. I hope that you have been enjoying the now termly Truronian which allows us to share news in a timelier manner. This has been a direct response to increased OT engagement with our Development team, and I thank them here too. Likewise, our Keeping Connected newsletter is ever-evolving in response to OT feedback, and we welcome insight into what our readers would like to see featured. For my part, and as I write, I am in a school that has been energised by the return of pupils on site this week after the latest lockdown. This takes me back again to January 2020 and joy of face to face interaction. Many Truronian opportunities to gather and meet have been postponed or cancelled this year, unavoidably. In the main, and so far as we can predict, they will begin again next year. This will include the 100th Reunion Dinner in September 2022. There is much to enjoy and look forward to with great optimism, therefore, and I will relish the opportunity to do this with you, and in person, whenever possible.

Andy Johnson Truro School Head & TSA President

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THE TRURONIAN

Rachel Vaughan CO98 (right) pictured with colleague and fellow TSA Committee Member, Nancy Kenward CO96 (left)

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THE TRURONIAN

From the TSA Chair It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this term’s edition of The Truronian, which is dedicated particularly to all the women of the Truro School Community in celebration of International Women’s Day (8th March 2021).

to their own reticence to tell their stories; as well as dedicating this issue to the successes and achievements of all our women OTs, we would love to hear more from you all in the future.

When I joined Truro School in 1991, I was part of only the second cohort of girls ever to join from the age of 11. I was one of only 25 girls in my year group and five in my form and, although my friends and I received a warm welcome, we were viewed as something of an oddity by many in the community. Some of the longstanding male members of staff, in particular, were a little unsure as to how we should be addressed, calling us by our Christian names whilst the boys were still called by surnames and even, on one memorable occasion, sending us out of the room whilst the boys were given a telling off, in case we became upset. We were a hardy bunch and quickly made an impact, like the Sixth Form girls who had already being making their mark for years before our arrival. Being so few in number had its challenges, particularly on Sports Day when we all, regardless of ability, had to take part in a minimum of five events (in my own case, this was five more than I had taken part in for the rest of the year put together!) but it certainly made for strong bonds and I feel lucky to count my 1M female classmates amongst my closest friends thirty years later.

Our own team of Wonder-Women in the Development Office, Jayne Grigg, Nicky Berridge and Ella Goodman continue to work tirelessly to reach out to our community during these difficult times and the TSA committee and I would like to thank them for all that they do. We also send our congratulations to Amanda Forde, (Development & Alumni Officer), and her partner, Adam, on the arrival of their baby girl, Esther, in January.   As I write this, at the end of the first full week back at school for pupils and teaching staff, the Truro School site has returned to its vibrant, buzzing self, enlivened again by its people and their joy at being together. We look forward to seeing our alumni again soon too and are busy making plans for when it is safe for us to meet again - we have missed you.  Rachel Vaughan CO98 Teacher of English and Drama, Truro School Association Chair, & Head of Choristers

Then, as today, there were some amazing female role models amongst the teaching staff and I really enjoyed reading Ann Weeks’ reflections on page 12. The number of girls and female members of staff has grown hugely over the past twenty years and now, as a teacher at the school, I take particular delight in watching the achievements of the girls following in my footsteps and enjoying such an amazing co-educational experience, full of opportunity and challenge.  We often receive comments from readers telling us that our female OTs are underrepresented on these pages, due in large part

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Sarah Patterson Head of Prep Truro School Prep

Zoe Jobling

Director of Co-Curricular Activities Truro School Senior

Sarah Finnegan

Head of Biology & P.S.H.E.E. Medics, Dentists & Vets Coordinator Truro School Senior

Nicky Berridge

Choose to Challenge

Development & Alumni Relations Manager Truro School Senior

Dan Sanderson Director of Sport Truro School Senior

Andy Johnson

Head Truro School Senior

Kath Archer

Executive Assistant to the Head Truro School Senior

Emma Williams

Admissions Assistant Truro School Senior

Amanda Forde

Development & Alumni Relations Officer (maternity leave) Truro School Senior

Rob Piper

Science Coordinator Truro School Prep

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Jayne Grigg

Rachel Henderson

Carla Lamb

Joanna Wood

Director of Admissions & Development Truro School Senior

Marketing Manager Truro School Senior

Aysha Bryant

PR & Communications Officer Truro School Senior

Ella Goodman

Director of HR Truro School Senior

HR Advisor Truro School Senior

Jackie Flack

School Administrator Truro School Senior

Joanna Wood

Development & Alumni Relations Officer (maternity leave cover) Truro School Senior

School Researcher / Archivist Truro School Senior

Danny Goddard

Kieran Topping

Maths & Games Teacher Truro School Prep

Business Director Truro School Senior

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April Angilley CO12 Geography Teacher Doha, Qatar

Rachel Vaughan CO98

Alison Morton CO80 Chartered Physiotherapist Plymouth, UK

Sharon Cox CO92

TSA Chair Cornwalll, UK

Professor of Epidemiology & Nutrition UK & Japan

Nancy Kenward CO96

Anela Kukuljac Valjevac CO04

History Teacher & Head of Careers Truro School Senior

Lorraine Evans

HR consultant & trainer Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Kirsten Leslie CO88

Finance Director Truro School Senior

Cancer Alliance Co-ordinator (RCHT) Cornwall, UK

Maria Taylor CO86

Natalie Roberts CO97

Head of Cokery School Truro School Senior

Police Officer Lincolnshire, UK

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Gemma Rawlinson CO01

Jessica Alderson CO08

Flower Farmer Cornwall, UK

CEO & Co-founder of So Syncd London, UK

Jane Wills CO84

Lou Alderson CO11

Chartered Accountant Berkshire, UK

Lucy Cotton CO09

Co-founder of So Syncd London, UK

Amy McHenry

Senior Geolgoist & Ambassador for WING UK Cornwall, UK

Senior Leader at a tech company London, UK

Sara Roskilly CO92

Sian Mooney CO84

PADI Master Scuba Driver Trainer Bonaire, Caribbean

Natalie Lander CO87

Director, Salem International Summer School Ueberlingen, Germany

O’Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs Indiana, USA

Caroline Taylor CO82

Head of Operations for ‘Happy Child International’ Surrey, UK

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THE TRURONIAN

First Female Head of Truro School Prep I have been asked to write a short article about my career as part of this edition of the Truronian magazine that is dedicated to the wonderful women of Truro School and I am delighted to do so. It has been pointed out a number of times to me that I am the first female Head of Truro Prep, although I am only the fifth Head the school has ever had! I have also been called a ‘career woman’, too, which is something that I have never aspired to be and something that I really don’t think that I am; I have just been amazingly blessed in terms of the opportunities that have come my way. My career began back in 1992 when I started my first teaching role at Bournville Junior School in Birmingham; this was where I had completed my final teaching practice and was incredibly fortunate to then be appointed as a Year 4 and then a Year 6 teacher. Bournville is beautiful; it is situated on Cadbury land and is a stone’s throw from the famous Cadbury factory – the smells that would waft across when I was outside on playground duty were tortuous. One of the things that I always promised myself, and I have always done, is to try and experience as many different schools as I could; travel has always been a passion but visiting a place for a couple of weeks, even a month, was never enough for me and so after three years in Bournville I decided that I was going to move to Africa and was appointed at an amazing school: The Banda School is situated in Nairobi,

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Kenya and is only a few miles from Karen (as in Karen Blixen from Out of Africa). I loved Kenya and I still think of it on a daily basis; the school sits just on the edge of Nairobi game park and the freedom and the adventure were spectacular. After four fabulous years, I decided to return to Britain and this is where my leadership experiences started… St John’s College School in Cambridge was the next step and I was appointed by the most wonderful man who really helped me define what I stood for in terms of education – his name is Kevin Jones and I am forever grateful for his influence. It was here that I started to realise that the balance of pastoral care and academic rigour must go hand in hand. I fell in love with teaching even more than ever during those five years and it has certainly shaped the Head that I have become. St John’s was my first experience of an independent school in Britain; it is also a chorister school and a boarding school so I was able to develop experiences in new and more specialised areas. It was here that I stepped up into leadership and became the Head of English, which was a huge challenge but one that I loved. However, after five years at St John’s, I got ‘that feeling’ again which is what I would describe when I know I have to continue exploring, and my next chapter overseas was calling.

THE TRURONIAN The Grange School in Santiago, Chile is right at the base of the Andes and is beyond stunning in terms of its location. I was in Chile for eight years – my job kept changing and developing and I just kept going with it! So from Head of English to Director of Studies to Deputy Head, each new challenge was amazing, presenting new learning and new opportunities. Teaching in a school where English was not the first language was new to me and the school was huge: there were over 1000 children in the Prep School alone. Here I worked with Chileans, Brits, Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders – it was a wonderful mix of people. Following Chile, I moved back to Britain, to Junior King’s, Canterbury where I was for four years, as Director of Studies and then Deputy Head. I fully expected to stay at King’s for a lot longer but one day I noticed the Head of Truro Prep advertised and had the sense that this could be something very good…and the rest is history! I would encourage everyone reading this – male or female! – not to be restricted by a dogged determination to follow a set career path that can lead to missed opportunities and lost adventures but to try and experience as much as you possibly can – newness, challenge, excitement but also commitment to what you love doing and what gives you that deep sense of purpose. As I mentioned at the beginning, I have been blessed beyond measure in my career so far and can only recommend variety, beauty and challenge. Sarah Patterson Head of Truro School Prep

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THE TRURONIAN

Mrs Ann Weeks (TS 1980- 1997)

Old Truronian Staff Story

Fond memories from one of the early female members of teaching staff

“No, Annie dear, we want someone for junior rugby.” I ignored Dick Taylor’s advice, and applied, offering junior drama instead of rugby. The post was actually for English and History, subjects I had taught 20 years earlier at the girls’ grammar school, and which I had been teaching at Truro School for a term, filling in for Watson (Watson Weeks – TS 1957-1992) while he was on sabbatical in Oxford. I enjoyed my return to teaching and was familiar with the school. After all, many of the staff were our friends and I had been helping Watson with the school play since our marriage in 1962. And I had appeared annually, with other staff wives, in the Masters’ Play, a three-act farce which delighted the students every Christmas. There is nothing better than seeing masters losing their dignity and often their trousers! Truro School was gradually evolving into full co-education. The first girls arrived in the mid-seventies, but old habits died hard. Most masters still called students by their surnames - not appropriate for girls! There was no female cloakroom for staff. When I showed Veronica Edwards (TS 1984-1995) round the

school, she remembers my pointing out the toilet along the corridor beyond the sewing room, the one in the chapel, and the one in the sports hall. There were only two televisions in the school, and these had to be booked in advance. Trying to get the second form history class to see the historic raising of the Mary Rose, which we had been following all term, was difficult. As more women joined the staff in the eighties, Barry Hobbs (TS Headmaster 19861992) appointed me Senior Mistress in the mid-eighties and, with his permission I held a meeting for the female staff to see if there were any particular problems affecting them or the girls. We were all surprised that the male staff were quite indignant! In retrospect I am amused at their reaction. Did they feel threatened? I am glad that attitudes have become much more relaxed. I did attend several interesting meetings at other HMC schools who were moving into co-education. When Brian Jackson (TS 1954-1994 and interim Headmaster 1992-1993) took charge before Guy Dodd (TS Headmaster 1993-

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION 2001), I relieved him of the responsibility of providing cover for absent staff, and for organising invigilation for public examinations. As there are exams on every day of the summer term, this is quite time consuming. I expect it is done by computer now. Anyway, this was not enough for Guy. His first job for me was to improve the girls’ uniform which was a dull grey skirt. I felt that a kilt did not easily date (though it can easily be shortened just by turning over the waist band) and I enjoyed looking for the right colour plaid. I believe this is still worn over 30 years on.

Then came the appointment to Head of Sixth Form. In an attempt to add culture to the senior students, I formed the Burrell Society, to introduce Science to the artists, and Art to the scientists. Once a month I inveigled staff, old boys and parents to lecture the Sixth Form. I remember Peter Allen (TS 1981-2012) introducing physics, talking about ping-pong balls and space. Watson analysed a scene from the film ‘The Heat of the Night’. Nigel Haywood CO73, described life in the diplomatic world. And OT parent Rick Stein, revealed that he went into the restaurant business because the police kept closing his nightclub in Padstow. When Wednesday activities were introduced, I spent a happy year teaching cooking to the Sixth Form. I felt they needed basic cooking skills to see them through college. Every week a group would descend on my kitchen to cook eggs, sauces, vegetables and follow simple recipes. They had to cook, eat and clear up between 2.00pm and 3.45pm. This activity

THE TRURONIAN ceased after a year. I never knew why. Too few students? I could only fit 5 into my kitchen. Too much fun? Health and safety? So, I had to find another activity and remembered the boxes of Scrabble in the junior library. The Scrabble club revealed much talent, and I enjoyed touring Cornwall and Devon with teams for tournaments at weekends. Best of all was the introduction of a National schools’ competition in London, after regional heats. We reached the finals 3 years running, and in 1997, Harry Oram CO99 and David Trethewey CO02, became the National Scrabble champions. There should be a cup somewhere in school! And Brett Smitherham CO97, later became World Scrabble Champion. Watson and I enjoyed working together. We always shared an A-Level English class and made it the custom to entertain them to lunch on the Sunday before exams began, we said it was too late for revision and wanted them to relax. The sun always shone on our luncheon parties, which were usually hilarious. Was it Jessamy Young CO91 who fell in the pond? Over the years we had arranged many theatre trips to London, Bristol and, especially to Stratford. And I remember driving to Plymouth to the Theatre Royal on a dark, wet December night, in a new school minibus. I became increasingly concerned by a red warning light that kept appearing. I was so worried that I could not concentrate on the play. Peter Lang (TS 1959-1992) reassured me the next day. “Oh, it’s the light that comes on when you are exceeding 50mph.” I joined Watson in retirement in 1997. Between us we served 50 years at the Truro School chalk face, or rather, the white boards. Not a bad innings, but one that the Collinge family will soon overtake with three generations teaching there!

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THE TRURONIAN

Ann Glaze (née Gripper) CO98 Journalist and ‘Pod Save The Queen’ host

sports reporter - and got the job.  It would be another two years, though, before my first official day on sport. Placements on the Sunday papers, news and features taught me a lot, but arriving on sport in October 2006, I immediately felt at home - despite being the department’s first trainee and the only woman there other than the secretary.  My first assignment was a press conference at Reading ahead of their match with Chelsea, held in an Elliott hut style building at their training ground, and with the bonus of pizza while you were waiting. Sitting there, I debated whether to keep quiet as a newbie or ask a question. I had one, so I asked it. And I didn’t look back from there. Flicking through the papers in the Upper Sixth Common Room, the puzzle pages with friends a favourite, I never imagined I would write for the sports pages of one of the country’s biggest national newspapers. News and newspapers had always interested me, and I spent my week’s work experience at the West Briton at the end of the fourth year. But I was not convinced it was where my future lay - although I enjoyed working on the English magazine with Ms Neale (TS 19902003) in Sixth Form, something which later made it onto my job-winning CV.  Leaving school, interpreting or translation were vague career options as I headed for a degree studying French, German and Russian at the University of Nottingham. A gap year and four-year course later, I still hadn’t figured out what I wanted to do - but final year applications to become a linguist at GCHQ or a linguist at the newswire agency Reuters clarified things: I decided I would rather tell the world stories than not even be able to talk about my day at work. After a year teaching English in Moscow, I lined up a place for a journalism MA on my return. But I also made it to the interview stage of the Daily Mirror’s trainee scheme. I set out my stall to be a

My Mirror colleagues were entirely supportive. I was sent to my first match (Arsenal 3-0 Watford) alongside an experienced colleague, before going solo the following weekend - in the very different setting of Roots Hall, for Southend 1-3 Ipswich in the Championship. We were packed into a tiny press cabin, effectively a greenhouse in the autumn sun, passing around trays of church fete sandwiches at half time. I loved it.  I can’t remember if I was the only woman in the press box at Roots Hall that day - there may have been a local radio reporter too - but I frequently was, and any more than two of us at a match was generally a red letter day. Whether it was being one of only five girls in our form of 25 at Truro School, colleagues in the Press box treating me as an equal or because I was doing something I loved, it did not bother me. I got on with doing the job, made myself useful, pulled my weight in the pack, made friends and earned my place.  In my 10 years of sports reporting, only two comments ever questioned my right to belong - one from a dinosaur of a manager who quizzed me on the offside rule at 3am at an awards do, the other, more hurtfully, from

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION a reporter from another paper the first time I met him. On both occasions, their words said far more about them than about me. Women are an established part of the game whose presence grew substantially in my decade working in sport. And I was pleased to be part of the original team behind Women In Football - now an influential and respected industry body.

THE TRURONIAN manager reaction for a Sunday paper while also securing player quotes for a Monday follow up. The role they hoped was coming up was eventually closed, though, so after seven months of freelancing I changed tack, taking a six-month maternity cover contract on the Mirror website while continuing to do matches at weekends.  My first day online in April 2008 involved learning a whole new language of internet jargon. I quickly found I had a knack for web journalism and enjoyed its constant deadlines and rapid industry changes. That became my career focus, but I carried on Saturday match reporting alongside it until 2017, when I decided working seven days a week was no longer viable, however much fun going to football was.   Now, as engagement editor for our national titles, I’m part of the senior editorial team at Reach plc, which owns the Mirror and also has the West Briton among its titles. My job focuses on newsletters, comments and other reader interactions. But I’ve still got a side-line: I host Pod Save The Queen, our royal podcast - launched in 2017 amid the excitement of Meghan and Harry’s engagement, and recently nominated for Lifestyle Podcast of the Year.

Ann holding the FA Cup and David James on a fourperson tandem. Photo by Dave Hill for the Daily Mirror.

My languages were used daily as I scoured the foreign press for stories. So WAJ ( William Alan Johnston, TS 1963-1999 teaching staff) has a degree of responsibility for Thierry Henry appearing under the headline Ou est le goal? after the Arsenal striker’s admission he was less certain of his bearings in the Emirates Stadium than he had been at Highbury. Aside from football, covering the Wimbledon championships and a pre-World Championships athletics training camp with future London 2012 stars were highlights. At the end of my traineeship, the Mirror gave me regular freelance work, and I learned the art of doubling up: writing a live match report with

I have ended up doing the kind of jobs no careers teacher can realistically prepare you for - not least because half of them were not yet invented when I was at school. But I am grateful for the things I learned, the interests teachers inspired and the experiences I had at school paving that path for me.

Follow Ann: podfollow.com/pod-save-thequeen linkedin.com/in/anngripper twitter.com/anngripper

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THE TRURONIAN

Bethany Allen & Lydia Paleschi (née Jac Taking the ‘plunge’ - in more ways than one! Bethany and Lydia met aged 11 when they both joined 1J with form tutor Dr Spring (Head of History) - Bethany describes Dr Spring as “one of the best teachers I’ve ever encountered”. Bethany and twin sister Tegan CO13 were following in the footsteps of sister Daisy CO12 and brother Charlie CO10 (now living in Sweden) whilst Lydia joined the school on an academic scholarship. All the girls enjoy swimming and surfing, and it was this shared love and appreciation for the

Photographs in this article by Max Campbell.

ocean that would lead to Bethany and Lydia’s joint venture some years after leaving school. The girls rekindled their friendship when they both returned to Cornwall having been to university and gaining experiencing in different work environments. Lydia suggested the idea of building a wild swimming community and creating a guidebook for

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ckson) CO13

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wild swimming in Cornwall. Combining their skills and experience seemed like the perfect venture or more aptly ....’adventure.’ When their friend Max Campbell (who also grew up in Cornwall) was forced to return from his sailing circumnavigation due to the pandemic, he heard of the project. His Oceanography degree, experience as an RNLI lifeguard and photography skills made Max ideal for the team and Wild Swimming Cornwall was created in 2020.

The project aims to promote the physical, mental, and social benefits of wild swimming, to make it more accessible and to motivate a community of like-minded, environmentally conscious people. Wild swimming has played a huge part in Lydia overcoming her struggles with mental health and for Bethany it has been a tonic while supporting loved ones through severe mental health problems. Having decided to leave London and return to Cornwall to change her lifestyle, Lydia describes access to blue spaces and the ocean as ‘instrumental’ in her mental health recovery and hopes that it can be a tool for others to achieve better emotional health too.

“If more people are able to access these spaces it will help to create a healthier and happier community whilst also encouraging a deep appreciation and respect for the natural world. It’s humbling to receive feedback from our audience, confirming that we are having a positive impact on their lives. The most rewarding thing for us is to know that what we’re doing is helping people, especially those who struggle with mental health.” – Bethany 17

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION The trio have also been working on creating a book – ‘A Guide to Wild Swimming in Cornwall’ - which they are planning to selfpublish in April following their successful crowdfunding campaign. The guidebook contains information on the benefits of cold water swimming, safety information and details of around 50 swimming locations in Cornwall. They hope that the book will make wild swimming more accessible and encourage more people to experience its benefits whilst being mindful of how their actions impact the natural world.

THE TRURONIAN And the future? Bethany hopes to learn how to sail so that she can travel by sail rather than air. “My dream is to cross the Atlantic and the Pacific by sail before settling in New Zealand. I will also continue to work on projects that benefit people and the environment.” Lydia plans to head to central America, finding and sharing the stories of inspiring people and cultures. “I realise that the best things in life are usually unexpected, so I’m not going to plan too much. I’m looking forward to seeing where life takes me, whilst continuing to work towards being the best version of myself.”

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Advice for aspiring writers: “Read as many books as you can, write a journal, do some online creative writing courses or seminars and don’t give up. Come up with regular story ideas that you can pitch to newspapers and magazines. They will be more inclined to accept your work if you emulate their style and if you research stories that they are likely to feature. As with anything, practice is key! You will have failures, but the more you fail the more you will learn to succeed. And if your work gets rejected ask them why so you can improve for next time! Practising how to produce high quality photography is also a great idea as images and writing go hand in hand. And if you are struggling to decide upon a career direction, you don’t have to decide too early – just follow the path that you love the most. Choose the subjects that you enjoy, surround yourself with people who fill you with positivity and always remain true to yourself.”- Bethany

“The best career advice I could give is to do what feels right. It’s important to do things which afford us fulfilment and not because other people tell us we should. It’s much easier to work hard, to network, and to produce results if we believe in and love what we’re doing. It’s taken me a long time, trying different things, to work out what that is for me, but it has been worth it, and I have learnt many transferable skills along the way. And do not be afraid of failure. It is better to have tried and failed than to do nothing at all, or to commit to something which does not bring us meaning and purpose. The quicker you learn to fail gracefully, the quicker you progress both professionally and personally.”- Lydia

Visit the Wild Swimming Cornwall webpage: www.wildswimmingcornwall.co.uk @wildswimmingcornwall

@lydiapaleschi

@bethany_allen

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Professor Sharon Cox CO92 Associate Professor London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Professor of Epidemiology & Nutrition School of Tropical Medicine & Global Health, Nagasaki University, Japan In 2018 Truro School was lucky enough to welcome back Professor Sharon Cox as Guest Speaker at the end of year Speech Day ceremony, when she recounted to students her career journey which has led to her current positions with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and School of Tropical medicine & Global Health, Nagasaki University, Japan. Naturally, the global pandemic and lockdown has affected Professor Cox’s work and her location. “I am currently in Cornwall again, working from “home.”  I was here for the first lockdown and stayed in the UK until I returned to Japan again for my teaching commitments in October 2020 which was then again face to face, unlike the UK. During April and May, I was teaching the students in Japan remotely, getting up at 4am to give my online lectures – but only one or two a week, so I can’t really complain. I am not currently directly involved in the Covid response. I was part of two early, very multidisciplinary bids for funding to explore and compare social dynamics and health system responses to epidemics comparing 2

African countries with prior experience of Ebola with Philippines and China, but we didn’t get the funding due to vast numbers of applications – even with the short notice. Since then I have been focused on trying to ensure that my ongoing research on TB in the Philippines was able to continue, supporting the field staff, the TB patients and the local TB programme staff. The extremely strict and ever-changing rules of community lockdowns in Philippines has had huge impacts on TB services (and our research).” Although it will be very hard to clearly measure and demonstrate, Professor Cox fears this may result in greater long-term health impacts than COVID itself. Professor Cox has another grant application under review to prospectively assess how TB infection, TB disease, diabetes and TBdiabetes may affect the risk of Covid infection and clinical disease in Filipino community members (i.e. rather than starting with hospital populations already with Covid disease). The research would also include some detailed work on innate immune responses to Covid, which would be quite novel. “But we won’t know the funding decision until April or May.” “It does feel a bit frustrating that so much money and attention has been diverted to the pandemic, both for researchers and public health programmes. TB kills more people every year than any other single infectious disease – and yet we have the drugs and knowledge to treat and prevent it. More money has been spent in recent months on developing Covid vaccines than has ever been spent on an effective TB vaccine. The BCG vaccine is 100 years old this year and remains the only licenced vaccine for TB, yet it is not very effective against adult TB and really only protects against infant TB meningitis – which is important, but not enough. Only fifteen new TB vaccine candidates have entered human trials in the last 20-30 years compared to 63 for Covid, resulting in a record number of licenced vaccines in under a year.

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Professor Cox’s team and students from across the world

We wish Professor Cox and her team, success with their research funding bids and hope to hear more about their work in the future.

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April Angilley CO12 Life teaching in Doha, Qatar

April believes her Truro School days have given her some of her “greatest memories and happiest days.” She studied at Truro School alongside her siblings Athena CO17 and Augustus CO16, following in the footsteps of their Father Old Truronian David Angilley CO87. After leaving Truro School, April continued her studies at the University of Southampton, completing a BSc in Management and then spent a year working for American Express, in London. However, she soon realised City Life was not for her and decided to go travelling with Fiancée Tom, who she met whilst at University. Eventually, their shared love of the ocean and the sunshine aided their decision to settle in Doha, Qatar in 2016. “The decision to move certainly came with challenges as the culture is quite different here. The international perception of the middle east is that life for women is quite different. But if one is considerate and mindful of the country’s culture, dresses appropriately and respects the native way of life things are not too much different within the ex-pat community.”

“I have Truro School to thank for so many important things in my life. I am so grateful for all the incredible opportunities it gave me and the confidence I was able to build there. The support and guidance from teachers have been instrumental to the woman I am today. April began working in a school in Qatar as a PA, hoping to gain Being part of such a special community of an insight into the education teachers and students is something for which system. The School Principal recommended she pursue her I will be eternally grateful.” interest in child development and psychology and so she began an international PGCE with Nottingham University

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Combining her studies with work, it took a year to complete the virtual course which included one week of face-to-face training in Hong Kong. At the end of her training, she was offered a teaching position at the school. April is now a secondary school Geography Teacher at an international school in Qatar. Her school is part of a network of 66 schools worldwide and work closely with other countries through this global campus. They have 1000 students with over 70 nationalities.

THE TRURONIAN This year April plans to continue her studies and begin a master’s in international education with Kings College London. She and Tom will continue their frequent visits to Cornwall to see family and friends as April is still close to three of her old Truro School friends: Julia Nilsson, Emily Harris and Marianne Kemp (all CO12). She describes the four of them as “inseparable from Day 1”.

“I do think it’s a wonderful place to be a child and have friends from all over the world. Most people speak English here, but in school we have a lot of EAL (English as an additional language) students, so we often have to adjust our teaching and vocabulary.” April enjoys her role and feels a duty to try and inspire future generations to consider the world in which we live, and the impacts humanity is having - from volcanoes and weather, to important issues on development, population, sustainability, and climate change. Although April has never taught in the UK, she believes there are some differences between the schooling system. She explains “We have a lot of freedom in our teaching here and there are less regulations, which can often make it more fluid day by day. However, there are months when we are restricted due to the intense heat. During May-September you cannot go outside, so it can be challenging keeping children entertained inside.” Just as in the UK, schools in Qatar have faced major changes in the last year due to the pandemic. “We locked down in early March 2020 and everything was closed until midJuly. We started live lessons straight away, so it was a long few months of online school for us.” Adapting teaching during COVID is something which April feels has enhanced her skills. Teaching has now resumed in school with April using a blended learning approach, with half the class present for face-to-face teaching, whilst the other half remain at home accessing lessons via Microsoft TEAMS.

Having postponed their wedding twice already, due to COVID restrictions, Tom and April hope sometime soon, they will be able to plan and enjoy their wedding day with family and friends in Cornwall. And, In the future, the couple hope to return to the UK and the county they love to buy a place of their own. For now, April and Tom are relishing life by the beach, enjoying an active outdoor lifestyle, spending weekends on their speedboat and camping in the desert with their toy poodle, Ruby. Their love of travel has not diminished and as Tom is a pilot for Qatar Airways, they have visited many places together including Zanzibar, Nairobi, Zurich, Singapore, Boston, and Cape Town. “Travel is something that makes you richer. It is the world’s greatest teacher.” If you have any questions about the course April took to teach abroad, or are looking for advice about working abroad, the Truro School Connected initiative could help. Please contact the Development Team at: TSConnections@truroschool.com

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Anela Kukuljac Valjevac CO04 What a difference a year makes

“You could say that I will forever remain an ‘ambassador’ of Truro School, Truro and wonderful Cornwall. You cannot buy Cornish pasties and scones in this part of the world so over the years I have tried to perfect my recipes.”

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Anela Kukuljac Valjevac CO04 attended Truro School Sixth Form for the 2002-03 academic year on a full scholarship from HMC. Anela describes her time at Truro School as “transformative.” As a boarder, far from her own country and family, she felt she gained maturity and independence, whilst studying in and environment which was quite different and competitive in a positive way. She remarked “although it was just one year, in many ways it was an experience that made a long-lasting impact on my future education and life in general.” The School’s motto “Esse Quam Videri” resonated with Anela and has stayed with her. Anela has ‘wonderful’ memories of her time at the school, including extra-curricular activities such as a trip to Berlin with her German class and Ms Ward, the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and free weekends when she stayed with headmaster, Mr Paul Smith, and family. “These experiences helped me get the best of my year in Truro and connect with not only the school, but also the local community.” Whilst at school she was especially interested in macroeconomics and dreamed of having a career in diplomacy, so values the memories of the Business and Economics teachers; Mr Cornish (TS 1989-2012) and Mr Worthington (TS 1987-2011). After leaving Truro School Anela returned to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to begin Business Studies and later a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Cotrugli Business School in Zagreb, Croatia. Anela considers herself extremely fortunate to have received two scholarships; one to allow her to study at Truro School and later, another for her MBA studies. These helped her ‘tremendously’ with her education and subsequent career path.

THE TRURONIAN adversity can be compensated for with hard work. “ Anela’s most cherished memories are those of her fellow boarders in Malvern House, who she remains in contact with. “Although we live across the globe; UK, Germany, Hong Kong and me in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I know we will remain friends for life.” Some of her friends have travelled to visited her in Sarajevo. In 2016, Anela and her German roommate from Malvern House, Pia Schamoni CO05, embarked on a road trip across the UK visiting friends from school, ending the tour with a visit to Truro School. “There has been so much positive change. It was wonderful to see that the school really had modernised in so many ways.” Anela started working at 18 and has spent most of her career in Human Resource Management, including nine years as an Executive HR Director for a pharmaceutical company. Just a few months ago she started her own business as an HR Consultant/Trainer. She hopes that by applying her ‘work hard and smart’ ethos she will be able to develop and grow her business. Anela lives in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, with her husband and their two children; Lana aged six years and Mak aged one and a half years. In her free time, she enjoys running. Having already completed a half marathon her aspiration is to run the London Marathon one day – we have no doubt Anela will reach her future life goals, both personal and career, and look forward to future updates.

When asked if Anela has any advice about career choices she remarked: “Work hard and harder than anyone else, put in the extra work and hours. Eventually, it will pay off. It is my belief that almost any

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Rachael Rowe CO81 Two very diverse careers

began her nursing training at Barts Hospital in London.

Rachael Rowe attended Truro School on a scholarship between 1979-1981 and was among some of the first girls to join. Her brother, Martyn CO82 (who still lives in Cornwall), was in the year below and their younger sister, Fiona CO88, followed later. It was still very early days in terms of girls at Truro School, at the time there were only 16 in total and Rachael remembers the support and camaraderie among the close-knit group. “Looking back, generally it was a positive experience but as one of the first girls, it wasn’t without its challenges. In those days it was tough being one of the few girls at Truro School. For the masters, having girls in their class was a new and unfamiliar experience and certainly some were more welcoming than others to this new age. Sometimes it wasn’t easy, but I realise now that the experience taught me skills which have been valuable throughout my career.” Rachael explains that the careers advice in those days was not as comprehensive as it is today, and when she voiced her desire to become a nurse there was not a great deal of advice available. She decided to volunteer once a week in the A&E department at, what was then, the City Hospital and used the opportunity to seek careers advice from medical professionals she met. The experience reaffirmed her desire to become a nurse, and after Sixth Form, aged 18, she

“Within eight weeks of finishing school I was in the East End of London working in a very busy deprived area. The ‘banter’ with the boys at Truro School stood me in good stead for working in the emergency department. I qualified in 1985 and have worked in many places since. My jobs have varied from clinical posts, working as a ward Sister, to research, managing services for a health economy, and implementing innovative developments such as new treatments for strokes. French speaking skills learnt at Truro School also came in useful when I went on to work in a trauma unit in Switzerland – I think Monsieur Laupretré would have been proud.” Early in her nursing career Rachael won the ‘Smith and Nephew Scholarship’, facilitating travel to Ohio, USA, where she spent a month in the emergency department. This led Rachael into her work dealing with heart attack patients, something she is proud of. “I was one of the first nurses to be involved in changes to emergency care for heart attack patients. Although the treatment has continued to evolve, the work my small team did in Birmingham in the 90’s, was adopted across the country and internationally. It helped save hundreds of lives resulting in reduced mortality rates in heart attack patients.” Rachael now lives in Dorset whilst working in the adjacent county as Head of LongTerm Conditions at Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, based in Yeovil. “My work involves treatment programmes and preventative medicine to improve outcomes for people with long-term conditions, such as diabetes and strokes.” Of course, it has been ‘all hands to the pump’ during the pandemic and Rachael has been part of a team leading the emergency response for long term conditions

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION in Somerset, including implementing initiatives to protect those shielding in their homes. “Projects that normally take six months to implement were put in place within 3 weeks! The pace has been relentless.” The work continues and like many nurses, Rachael is now deployed to support the vaccination programme. Any advice for aspiring health professionals? “There are hundreds of diverse jobs in the NHS today leading to a wide variety of career pathways, opportunities are endless. The job I began aged 18 has changed beyond recognition. There are also new roles that didn’t exist at the start of my career, such as those involving technology. You don’t need to choose a degree immediately - I did both my BSc (Biology) and Masters later in life so don’t be hurried into something you don’t want to do.”

THE TRURONIAN career. Having recently qualified as a journalist she now writes for some local and international publications and has written travel and walking guides for Devon and Wiltshire areas. “There’s nothing like seeing your name in print for the first time. I always wanted to write about travel and saw an opportunity to work on books involving the Westcountry. I submitted a proposal and got accepted - and then all the hard work began!”

writer and looks forward to planning another exciting trip as she continues to travel the world. We would like to thank Rachael and all our OT Healthcare Professionals for their amazing dedication, commitment and hard work endeavouring to keeping us all safe through the pandemic.

In the next few years Rachael plans to retire from the NHS but hopes to continue working as a journalist and

Free time for Rachel has always included exploring the globe. “I’m passionate about travel and have been to some fantastic places such as Everest Base Camp, Iran, Latin America, and on the Trans-Siberian Express but I also enjoy things closer to home like walking, gardening and reading.” This love of travel led to Rachael’s second career, which at present, runs alongside her amazing NHS

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Lucy Cotton CO09 An exciting career in geothermal energy

Lucy Cotton CO09, joined Truro School in 2004, in the 3rd year following in the footsteps of other family members including, Juliet Dunbar CO91 (cousin), and Roger Dunbar, TS 1964 –2006 (uncle) who taught Classics and Ancient History for many years. Lucy enjoyed her time at Truro School and has lots of fond memories, most of which include friends from the same cohort (CO09) many of whom still live in Cornwall: Charlie Murray Morwenna Scott Bethany Stivey (née Milton) Rachel Chetwynd-Cowieson Andy Sidebotham Viliana Dzhartova

Sophie Hicks Claire Powers Izzy Bland Tim Sykes Emily James Lizzie Moore

“We were a very close year group and it’s nice to still share that sense of community. I loved all the opportunities available through sport and music and some of my happiest times were spent in the music department or on choir trips.” Lucy describes being introduced to geology at A-level as a “pivotal moment” in her life. “As soon as I started studying geology, I knew it was the right fit for me. The amazing geology room at Truro School fuelled my enthusiasm and imagination for the subject, ultimately resulting in my career choice.” During her gap year Lucy contacted GeoScience Limited, a company based in Falmouth. The MD and Chairman, Dr Tony Batchelor, an Old Truronian parent and part of the Truro School Connected initiative offered Lucy work experience with GeoScience Ltd which she thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend as it can be helpful when making career choices.

THE TRURONIAN “There will be work experience placements available again once we emerge from the pandemic restrictions and more opportunities are becoming available in the industry, and it’s an exciting time.” Lucy completed a BSC in Geology at Cardiff University and after graduating travelled, first to Australia for six months, working for the Wilderness Society and then living in Indonesia for 2½ years, teaching English and working as a surf photographer for Surfcamp Lombok, in a small fishing village called Gerupuk. This is where Lucy met her partner Simon (now a Truro firefighter).

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In 2015 Lucy returned to her studies and embarked on a MSc. in Exploration and Field Geology at University College Cork, Ireland. Once she had completed her Masters degree, she returned to GeoScience Ltd as a Senior Geologist.

“Mr Vanstone has been an absolute hero and taken the seismic monitoring project to the next level - what he can’t identify on a ‘Raspberry Shake’ monitor really isn’t worth knowing. I am very grateful for his continued support and help.”

“As a geologist my technical role can be really varied. Until May 2020, I was working as the Project Geologist for the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project. Geothermal was particularly attractive because I could use all the essential skills I was taught during my geology degree and apply them towards something that is positive for the environment. More recently, however, I’ve been working on desktop feasibility studies for geothermal heat projects all over the country. The potential of this renewable resource is enormous and very exciting. I also do a lot of communication work, educating people about geothermal energy and its uses. I really enjoy this aspect of my role as I get to work with young people – and who knows, maybe inspire them?”

Lucy’s adventurous nature means she enjoys time outdoors and is happiest when she is with her friends and family exploring the Cornish coastline or in the sea, surfing, swimming, or paddle boarding. She still really enjoys music, playing guitar and “chilling out in the evening, cooking some tasty food and relaxing with a movie or a good book”.

Lucy is part of the Truro School Connected initiative working with Nancy Kenward (TS Head of Careers) participating in the school ‘Industry Talks’ programme offering advice on careers in geology. “There are many different routes into the natural resources sector, whether it’s renewable energy or critical metals, and I would urge anyone who is interested in this career path to explore what it is they’re passionate about and pursue it. I would also say don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice. I give a lot of careers talks but only a handful of people reach out to me and those are the ones that tend to get remembered. This new virtual world is actually really good for creating a network with people who are usually hard to reach so take advantage of it.” Lucy is in regular contact with Mr Mark Vanstone, Truro School Director of Studies and Geology Teacher, who has played a major part in setting up the “Raspberry Shake” programme for schools which was created to help identify natural and induced seismic events around the United Downs Deep Geothermal Power project. Lucy explains

Plans for the future? “My immediate plan is to emerge from lockdown unscathed. Life has definitely been different, and it’s been important to take things day by day rather than setting too many goals. In the long term, I would like to keep developing geothermal energy in Cornwall and preparing the next generation to take the reins, and of course keep surfing as much as possible”. STOP PRESS: Exciting news! Lucy has been nominated as the UK Ambassador for Women in Geothermal (WING), a global network that aims to promote the education, professional development, and advancement of women in the geothermal community. Her role will entail leading the committee and implementing new initiatives “I’m really happy to have the opportunity to lead such a dedicated committee of women (and men) in the quest for equality in the industry. I’m very proud of what we have accomplished this year despite setbacks with Covid. I hope we can continue to inspire the next generation of girls to get involved with geothermal energy.”

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Jess CO08 & Lou CO11 Alderson So Syncd Sisters

We are the first app and website to use Myers-Briggs to help people find love faster.” In February 2021, Yahoo Finance announced Jess amongst The Top 10 female entrepreneurs to keep an eye on and Lou was featured by Yahoo as a top female entrepreneur in the under 30’s category. “We learnt of the feature in Yahoo Finance’s top ten female entrepreneurs list just before Christmas. We were incredibly honoured, especially because we haven’t been running our own business for long. There aren’t enough female entrepreneurs, especially in tech, and we hope to encourage other women to go down a similar path if they wish. I have recently taken on a new role as the UK lead for Women in Tech for similar reasons. One potential initiative involves running a programme about coding for girls in secondary schools. If this does go ahead, it would be great if Truro School were interested in taking part.”

Jessica (Jess) Alderson is an exinvestment banker who has discovered her passion as an entrepreneur. After leaving Truro School in 2008, she graduated with a Masters in Chemistry from the University of Bath in 2012. Having worked in a lab for a year as a chemist, Jess realised it wasn’t the career for her and joined Morgan Stanley where she worked as an equity research analyst. After 5 years in investment banking, she decided to take a break to travel and learn more about personality compatibility, something that had always intrigued her. It was this path that led Jessica to create So Syncd, a dating app that matches compatible personality types. “So Syncd is based on the Myers-Briggs personality test, which has largely been used in the business world up until now by 89% of Fortune 100 companies.

Jess co-founded So Syncd with her sister, Louella (Lou), who studied Economics at Cardiff University, after leaving Truro School in 2011. “To be honest, I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do but I really enjoyed economics whilst at Truro, probably because of our great teacher, Mr Cornish. It was a good steppingstone degree while I figured out the next step.” After graduating Lou moved to London to join a real estate start-up and completed a Real Estate Masters and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor. Just before the first Covid lockdown, Jess and Lou were both living in London with full-time jobs. As their jobs allowed them to work remotely, they both decided to move back in with Mum and Dad, on the Roseland Peninsula. This meant they could continue to work on So Syncd together, in the evenings and at weekends. In January 2021 Lou left her

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION property career to work alongside Jess fulltime for So Syncd. She handles Marketing. “I also look after our community, run our social media accounts, HR and accounting. We wear a lot of hats – you have to be very flexible when it is your own business.” Jessica’s role at So Syncd is all encompassing but currently her focus is the finance side of things, spending a lot of time talking to prospective investors. “Over the past few months, we’ve been seeking to raise money from investors to take So Syncd to the next level and we are very close to announcing a very exciting deal.” Is there anything that you are especially proud of relating to your career so far? Lou: “It’s been really fulfilling to be able to connect people from all around the world, particularly during the pandemic. Despite only launching early last year, we’ve had over 300 couples find love through our app, including a couple who got married last December! That’s definitely been a highlight for me, just knowing that we’ve changed people’s lives in a positive way.” Jess: “I’m most proud of our So Syncd community. The people on our app and involved in our Instagram community are just incredible. I’m constantly humbled by how smart, kind and insightful everyone is.”

THE TRURONIAN We asked these successful business women about their time at Truro School: Jess: “I feel very lucky to have gone to a school where everyone was so supportive; students and staff at Truro School were incredible. I have fond memories of kind, down-to-earth and fun teachers, varied extra-curricular activities as well as amazing academic opportunities. I will always treasure my time there as it certainly shaped me as a person and helped me in so many ways, including giving me the confidence to do what I’m doing now. I made some amazing friends, and we will always keep in touch. My close friend John Poole CO08 and I have travelled a lot together since leaving Truro School and another two of my good friends, Emma Jackson and Emily Barlow (both CO08), now live abroad in New Zealand and Australia. Lou: “I definitely think Truro School shaped me into the person I am today, there was just so much life inside and outside the classroom. It taught me a lot about myself and how to treat others. I have the best memories from

school, beginning at Truro School Prep (Treliske) aged 8 and then Truro Senior School - I absolutely loved every moment from beginning to end. I made the most

amazing friends for life, and the staff, the facilities and the students were all incredible.

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It was great that the year groups mixed – my great friend Franny (Francis) Barnes CO09 was older than me and we’ve been friends since he joined Truro School in Sixth Form. I regularly keep in touch with Jessie Hutter and Maia Mitchell (both CO11). Jessie and I were inseparable from the first day when we joined the senior school and I’m going to be Maia’s maid of honour at her wedding this summer.”

way and you need that passion to help you get through the hard times.”

Is there any advice you could offer anyone considering a similar life or career path?

“Our journey has been such a unique experience and it really is our passion. Each stage has been so different, and I think it’s going to continue to be like that. My hope is to one day send my children to Truro School so they can enjoy and benefit from the same experience Jess and I had!”

Jess: “I’d advocate setting up a business with someone rather than alone. The highs are amazing, but the lows can be testing. I think that Lou and I having each other for support, has made all the difference. We also just have a lot of fun.” Lou: “You should be absolutely certain you want to set up a business before you do it. There will be a lot of challenges along the

For now, Jess and Lou plan to continue growing their So Syncd business which is going from strength to strength: Jess: “It’s so rewarding to see something that we’ve created grow and evolve so quickly. Our goal eventually is to help millions of people find love.”

Call for Contributions We would really welcome hearing from any OT’s who are working in the field of ENVIRONMENT or SUSTAINABILITY Please get in contact by emailing: TSConnections@truroschool.com

If you’re from the class of 59 – 69 – 79 – 89 – 99 or 09 it means you’ll be hitting a new decade, whether your thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, seventies or eighties. As you begin this new chapter in life’s great adventure, we would like to hear from you: Do you have plans for your future? What next with your career? How are you celebrating this milestone? (Especially with COVID restrictions!) Are you in touch with fellow OT’s also celebrating? Use the link to fill in our NEW DECADE QUESTIONNAIRE

Any OT wishing to share their career story with us is most welcome to do so online by visiting the KEEP IN TOUCH link or visit the page in the Old Truronian section of the website.

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Careers & Industry Talks adjoining article by Sarah. Our general careers talks have again taken place remotely this term and in January we welcomed Sgt Kev Ford, the Southwest RAF Liaison Officer, to a very well attended talk on the huge range of opportunities within the RAF.

Even though we are currently teaching and working from home (as I write this), it still feels as though we are flying through the Spring Term. This term we have continued to advertise webinars, remote open days and virtual work experience through our online teaching platform, Microsoft Teams. Sarah Finnegan has been running weekly Aspiring Healthcare Professionals and Medical Pathways sessions on Wednesday evenings for our students interested in careers in medicine, dentistry or veterinary science. Each week a speaker is invited to talk through their career so far, and describe their training, typical day and top tips for students interested in those careers. This term we have been joined by a vet, radiographer, paramedic, midwife, cardiologist, and a GP. They have given a fascinating insight into the breadth of opportunities within these professions.  You can read more in the

David Paull CO01, is currently living in Bristol but was able to join us remotely in February to tell us about his career. He completed a Politics degree but upon graduating he found an opportunity within the busy Press Office at the Government News Network. Since then, he has worked in PR and Communications for a vast range of projects and organisations including Thames Valley Police, Heathrow Airport, Ministry of Defence, the Olympics, and his career highlight so far, England Rugby during the 2015 Rugby World Cup. He gave some great advice on PR as a career but also shared his own perspective on career success - to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves

rather than trying to plan your career too closely and to gain experience through part time jobs and volunteering.  He also 'volunteered' some of his old TS classmates for future careers talks and we look forward to hearing from them in the next academic year. In March we welcomed Tom Rimmington CO17, a 5th Year Architecture student and Dr Tony Batchelor, Founder, Owner, and Chairman on GeoScience Ltd. Dr Batchelor who has a wealth of experience in engineering, geological excavations and oilfield operations, inspired our students with his insight into the energy sector, especially geothermal engineering.  As ever, we have been incredibly lucky with the generosity of our past pupils and parents who have given up their time to talk to our students. If you would be happy to talk informally to our students during one of our careers events, do get in touch. Nancy Kenward CO98 Old Truronian, History Teacher & Head of Careers

NK@truroschool.com

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Aspiring Healthcare Professionals Devon and Cornwall. He is currently working as a locum vet in rural New Zealand so joined us prior to his working day as we were finishing ours.

Over the past few months, aspiring healthcare professionals at Truro School have had the opportunity to hear about a range of professions, from radiography to pharmacy, speech and language therapy to paramedicine. The insight provided by these trainees and professionals has been comprehensive as students have been given a flavour of a typical working day in these fields to aid their decision-making, advice on subject options, and possible pathways have been explored. One of the talks was given by OT Alex Kemp, CO11. After leaving Truro School Alex read Zoology (2014) and Veterinary Medicine (2017) at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge. Since graduating, he has practised as a companion animal, equine and farm animal vet in Norfolk, the Lake District,

We enjoyed hearing from Chris Johnston CO11, Lucy Conrad CO86 and Bonnie Bayley Skinner CO18, all Old Truronians, on Wednesday 24 February, Wednesday 3 March and Wednesday 10 March respectively. Chris is now a junior clinical fellow in cardiology at St Thomas’ Hospital, London, Lucy, a dentist working in General Practice and at Bristol University Dental School and Bonnie a third-year medical student at Exeter University. Students within our Sixth Form have continued to progress towards successful applications within Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, with all those who have applied this year having had interviews and some already securing places for September. Mr Bob Griffin MA (Oxon), a governor of Truro School, provided some excellent interview practice for the medical applicants. The aspiring medics in our Lower Sixth have had a focus on medical ethics over the past few weeks, exploring issues such as controversial end of life decisions and compulsory vaccination.

Mr Bob Griffin

We will begin to explore the mock Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) process later this term and are grateful to Exeter university medical students and other healthcare professionals for assisting us in this process. If you are involved in healthcare and would be willing to give a talk on a Wednesday evening or to join the Truro School Connected initiative; assist with mock interviews, offer careers advice and guidance, etc., we would be delighted to hear from you.

Sarah Finnegan Head of Biology & P.S.H.E.E. Medics, Dentists & Vets Coordinator

SEF@truruoschool.com

CAREERS

Support FUTURES

2020/2021

The Old Truronian network is a very special community. Within these pages our aim is to recognise and celebrate the wealth of career knowledge, life experience and generous, benevolent nature encapsulated within this incredible group of individuals, young and old.

Because of this community, TRURO SCHOOL CONNECTED was created:

“A network for life!”

TS Connected is a collaboration between Truro School Careers team, the Development Office and our OT community (alumni, parents, staff and friends of Truro School). Together we aim to maximise this incredible knowledge base to give a helping hand to those who might benefit most; students considering their future; recent leavers embarking on their first work experience and those wishing to take the next step in their career journey.

The Truro School Connected network offers something for everyone. Please read more opposite, and consider how you might be able help. We welcome your support: If you are interested please email: Nancy Kenward at nk@truroschool.com or Nicky Berridge at tsconnections@truroschool.com

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Ways in which YOU can help:

Offer support, advice, guidance, networking and opportunities for fellow Old Truronians and Truro School students. Industy Talks Every term, we welcome Old Truronians to speak and share their career experience with students. These career insights can make all the difference to students trying to identify the right career. Sessions can take place face to face (when times allow) or remotely via Microsoft TEAMS.

CV Reviews Our panel of reviewers are able to offer advice and guidance on the best type of CV, knowing exactly what skill sets are required by specific industries or career areas. This service also gives vital tips to a young person applying for their first or second job.

Internships, Work Shadowing or Small Group Visits These employer experiences can provide students with a meaningful insight into what it is like to work in a particular sector, job role or company.

Post-18 Option Days Students take part in our Post-18 Option Days where they get the opportunity to meet a range of entrepreneurs and high profile visitors from leading businesses and universities. With a multitude of talks and seminars, they can dip into the sessions that interest them, gaining first-hand insight from those with experience.

Mock Interviews These help students practise their interview techniques and are enormously beneficial in preparation for university or the world of work.

Biennial Careers Convention The main event takes place at Truro School in the Assembly Hall with a range of careers represented at the many delegate stands. This is an opportunity for students from the 3rd Year upwards to talk to professionals, helping dispel the myths and promote the highlights. GCSE, A Level, degree and alternative course advice is also on offer. In addition, there is a Key Note Speaker address in the Burrell Theatre, plus a variety of breakout sessions for those with specific interests.

Truro School Connected Networking Events At least twice a year (when times allow) the Development Office hosts specific Truro School Connected networking events, located in Bristol and London and we hope to add a third to the calendar very soon. These are informal evenings, allowing members of the OT community to network or just reminisce and enjoy good conversation over drinks and canapés. All are welcome!

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School News

Lockdown adaptions for the Admissions Team

Following the disappointment of not seeing all our regular, and new, visitors at a “cancelled” June 2020 Royal Cornwall Show, we went into the easing of restrictions over summer 2020 looking forward to being able to welcome parents and pupils back on to the school site during the autumn term.  Sadly, it was not to be.

School Story

The first event of the year, our Sixth Form Open Evening went on-line and by video.  Heads of Departments and their A level students prepared mini videos to explain to interested 5th years, parents and external visitors what each A level subject involved and we ran our Q and A session from the Burrell Theatre, putting our new Head, Andy Johnson, and the Head and Deputy Head of Sixth Form on the spot  with questions ranging from “How to engage reluctant learners?”, “How to involve new joiners to the Sixth Form?”,  “How are Life Skills taught?” and that all important one “Why should we choose Truro School Sixth Form?” That was closely followed by the release of our School Tour “by video” and a session of Q and A evenings for 11+ and 13+ with the Head, Deputy Head Academic and Deputy Head Pastoral answering questions from

parents, and their children.  We even got to find out which football club our new Head supports……. With our Year 6 Activity Morning looming, we had to get very imaginative.  On the plus side, I didn’t have to get dressed up as Professor McGonagall (actually, I missed it) nor cope with the Risk Assessment for 90+ 10 and 11 year olds playing Quidditch.  However, with the pressure of Lockdown meaning every child was at home looking forward to doing something fun on a Saturday, we had to get our thinking caps on.  Our wonderful staff came to the rescue with Mr Sanderson (ably assisted by his two little girls) opening the show with “Wake up and Shake up”.  I was exhausted just watching!  Mr Meads ran a fascinating painting session using cold (very strong) coffee – the risk assessment there was making sure the children didn’t try and drink it!  Finally, Mr Sparkes ran a very challenging Maths challenge with Mrs Duke which taught a very good lesson in “if at first you don’t succeed………”.  Much fun had by all. With things getting slightly easier before Christmas we set about organising a socially-distanced, time-staggered entrance examination – in a year when we had more

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applicants than we have had for the last 11 years.  Plans made, instructional pamphlet created and distributed and …… yes, you have guessed it ….. Lockdown No 3.    Back to the drawing board for a logistical challenge.  Using Microsoft Teams we ran the on-line examinations in a large number of invigilated examination rooms with around 9-12 children in each room.  After the first 10 minutes of IT glitches which meant a small number of children having to decamp to the “emergency” room which was run by Mr Johnson and started about 30 minutes after everybody else, we got every child through.  And having postponed in-person interviews from October half-term to December, we gave up and went for “Zoom”. Throughout all of this, the children have been absolutely brilliant – I cannot thank them enough for the way in which they have kept smiling and chatting and staying positive.  I hope, beyond hope, that we can welcome them all for their Taster Days in the summer term.  I simply can’t wait to meet them all in person. Jayne Grigg Director of Admissions & Development

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School News Excitment all around

Like many families across the UK, the news of return to school brought great excitement in my household. As a parent of two Truro School pupils and also a member of staff, there was even more reason to be excited – I would be returning to my office, once again surrounded by the sound of happy children outside.

School Story

Knowing just how much my own children had been looking forward to the return of normality (or some semblance of it) I jumped at the chance to help out with the School’s onsite COVID testing programme – something that we knew would offer greater security for our parents, children and staff. It also provided a lovely opportunity for me to engage with the pupils, to talk to them and to hear how they felt about returning to school and the safety measures in place. Certainly, from my daughters’ perspective she was prepared to put up with the ‘Maskne’ (when acne breakouts occur because of wearing a mask) and weekly testing if it meant she could be back in the classroom with her peers in a safe way. With some anxiety and much excitement, we returned to school on Monday, 8 March. My children didn’t need telling twice it was time to wake-up! Walking onto site we were greeted by the once familiar sounds of the

Truro School morning buzz of activity. As I said goodbye to my children and made my way to the Admissions Office, I don’t mind admitting that I left my door open just that little bit longer to listen to happy noises that day. We are all hoping that this will be the end of silent classrooms and empty sports fields and I hope this time I can say a final goodbye to my home office and I look forward to being able to once again invite new families on site, to show them around the ‘live’ version of Truro School.

Emma Williams Admissions Assistant & TS Parent

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International Women’s Day Thoughts from our current Sixth Form girls

This term, Amnesty has had its focus on International Women’s Day. The Lower and Upper Sixth Forms teamed up to create form activities to teach students about International Women’s Day and the intentions behind it and also to introduce them to some inspirational women, both past and present, some well-known and some not so much. We have also compiled reading, watching and listening lists of books, documentaries and films and podcasts so that students have the opportunity to find out more about a particular woman who inspired them or a specific issue they feel strongly about.

Lara On behalf of Amnesty International at Truro School

The prospect of leaving Sixth Form and beginning university this year has focused my mind on future aspirations. I’ve applied for a degree in Theological Studies with a view to converting to law and / or becoming involved in politics. It’s well established that historically these sectors have been male dominated, however I am confident that this is slowly changing. In the past few years Jacinda Arden (Prime Minster of New Zealand) became the second world leader ever to give birth whilst in office, Kamala Harris became the first female Vice President of the USA and Greta Thunberg led an unparalleled international political protest in response to climate change. What these women represent is a globalised step towards equality that champions the voices of all women in every aspect of life. This does not mean that the challenges women face in the work place or wider society have diminished – equal pay, gender based discrimination and harassment still remain fervent issues. However, increasingly women are encouraged to speak out and be heard as the #MeToo campaign demonstrates. Whilst it remains true that the careers I currently aspire to are majority male, I am in no way deterred from pursuing or discouraged in my abilities to achieve these goals. Whilst I recognise that I am speaking from a privileged position, society appears to be changing for the better in terms of equality of opportunity. There is still a long way to go before true equality is reached but I am able to state that my goals are truly attainable because I stand on the shoulders of countless women who sacrificed and laboured for the freedoms I enjoy today.

Jenny Head Girl

As a girl at Truro school, I have never felt disadvantaged and have always had the same opportunities as my male counterparts. I, however, am one of the lucky ones, living in a time and place where women have equal rights and opportunities in education. Applying to do medicine, formerly a very male dominated career, I am no longer in the minority. In fact, more women are now joining medical schools than men, narrowing the disparity between the number of men and women in medical careers. This is an exciting, yet relatively recent change and I hope that this is a sign of growing equality throughout many high-flying careers.

Holly Deputy Head Girl

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Being a woman throughout history has not been entirely easy, yet neither has it been for some men. My future aspirations are to explore my passion for music and also to become a teacher of education. Historically, the field of music has been heavily male dominated – we all know Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Handel, Brahms, but where are the women? It seems as if they have been lost to history. Coming from the position of a 21st century, not to mention privileged woman, I feel that I do have the same opportunities as a man in this field due to the social change that has occurred. Although, I feel that there is such a long way to go for others that might not be so privileged as I happen to be in society’s mind. In my wish to be a teacher, I think that I might be advantaged due to my gender to some extent. I think it is important to remember the struggles of men when talking about feminism (the call for gender equality). In the field of teaching, there have been some rather distressing and unjust social stigmas created around the notion of a male teacher, which are completely unfair. In this case, one could argue that I actually could have more opportunities than a man here – which is also unfair. Overall, I encourage everyone to engage in feminism as I believe that if we try hard enough, the world will be a better place. Lucy Sixth Form Student

I feel as if I am at an advantage when it comes to the divide between genders in my education. I have been given the same opportunities as my male counterparts within Truro School, so I have felt no great difference in my treatment. However, I cannot deny the ever-present stigma that comes with many career choices that people my age face. When I think of an engineer, or a doctor, my first thought is that of a man. This does not reflect my beliefs, but rather is the result of the society I have grown up in, where media portray these roles as primarily ‘male’. There is no doubt that this has improved vastly in comparison to the past, but still, I see inequality in many areas of our working world. Personally, I am very lucky. Veterinary Medicine is my chosen career, and I have noticed no disparity between the treatment of male veterinarians compared to female. Furthermore, the number of female veterinary surgeons has increased, and the stereotype of ‘male=surgeon’ and ‘female=nurse’ has practically disappeared from my observation. This gives me hope for my future, and that of other girls who aspire for once maledominated careers. I recognise that what I can achieve today is a privilege, but that will not stop me from striving towards true equality, where people are judged not by their gender, but by their individual talents. Zoe Sixth Form Student

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Truro Cookery School Lockdown story so far.... The amazing team at Truro School Cookery has a ‘glass overflowing’ approach to life, refusing to accept the thousands of reasons why something can’t happen, but searching for the one way to actually, make it happen. As a result, the last year has been quite the rollercoaster, so read on to hear their story so far…… Lockdown #1 Just before lockdown number one, we were approached by newly founded charity ‘The Hive’. Their mission is to help feed pupils who would normally receive a free school meal, yet due to the pandemic had lost the lifeline they relied upon. As a cookery school we jumped at the opportunity to help, although little did we know, it would grow and develop into such a huge project and success story! AJ, Assistant Head of the Cookery School, moved to the main Truro School kitchens and set about turning supermarket rejects into nutritious meals for a family of four. He was ably assisted by a body of volunteers including some of our parents and our very own Manuel.

The meals were vacuum sealed, frozen and then distributed by ‘The Hive’ through local schools. Two weeks in, AJ and Manuel realised they needed some help as the project was growing exponentially. AJ contacted former colleagues from Rick Stein’s and suddenly there were 10 people cooking, cleaning and packaging literally tonnes of high-quality nutritious family food each day. Not only was this helping feed local families, it was also preventing fresh ingredients going straight from farm to landfill. Over 7 weeks they produced 44,830 meals for the local community and made use of 13.3 tonnes of food that would have otherwise been wasted. While AJ was busy chopping pallets of cauliflower, Maria CO86, Head of the Cookery School, was busy at home on a ‘one woman mission’ to keep the nation cooking from scratch and eating together, filming videos for Truro School’s social media channels. Everything from pavlovas to paella, cooking and filming repeatedly. The feedback was amazing, with videos receiving hundreds of views from regular customers and Old Truronians who would email recipe requests and send in their photos of homemade creations. The award for the ‘most watched’ video went to Maria’s Cornish Pasty video, set to a tear-jerking rendition of Trelawney! It certainly kept everyone’s spirits up, and we were overwhelmed with all the positive comments telling us how easy the recipes were to follow and how helpful the ‘ingredient interchange’ advice was …..for everything except the pasty recipe of course, as there is only one way to make a traditional Cornish pasty! As the rules relaxed in the summer, we were asked to support one of the Truro School Enterprise events; an outdoor cinema night in the Sir Ben Ainslie Sports Centre parking area. AJ turned the cookery school into an indian takeaway and before we knew it the car park

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION was full of people eating lamb rogan josh and sea bass madras while watching Dirty Dancing in the blazing sunshine - it seemed that the world had gone a little mad. However, it made us realise that everyone seemed to be longing for takeaway food and a treat, so we adapted our ‘Friday Night is….’ - restaurant evenings to ‘Friday Night in…” - takeaways. On the first Friday we sold 40 takeaways – it seemed people were craving a bit of Truro School Cookery in their own home: Three courses of easy to prepare ‘dine at home’ restaurant style food, complete with recipe cards and all the trimmings. (And for those of you who were wondering, we launched our takeaway service one month before Rick Stein’s! Always ahead of the curve at Truro School Cookery!)

Maria Taylor CO86 - Head of Truro Cookery School.

Lockdown #2 After a challenging start to the Autumn Term, ensuring all our Upper Sixth Leith’s students were up to speed and welcoming our 18 new Lower Sixth Leith’s students, we were placed back into yet another lockdown in November. Whilst continuing to teach our students plus an additional 80 after school club pupils, we embraced another new market area – Christmas!! Selling Christmas cake kits with a video and recipe card to match, making 250 jars of mincemeat, chutney, piccalilli, chilli relish, apple and thyme jelly ……almost anything AJ could put in a jar! As we realised that the family Christmas 2020 would be scaled right back and no-one would want to be queueing in the supermarket, AJ put together a Christmas ‘dinner in a box’. Everything from AJ’s beetroot cured salmon starter, to Maria’s Bouche de Noel for

THE TRURONIAN pudding, all you needed to do was supply the Turkey! As the term ended, we had sold 25 feast boxes, over 30 Christmas cakes kits and every single jar of jam and chutney. We were officially sold out! Lockdown Number 3! Truro School Cookery team remains positive with a new partnership with St Ewe eggs and their inspirational ‘Shell out to help out’ campaign, with half of their business on hold, due to the closure of hospitality, and after discovering you can’t furlough a chicken! The St Ewe team had to find some way to prevent thousands of excess eggs going to waste. They are now ‘popping up’ in locations all over Cornwall selling trays of 30 free-range eggs for £3, with the wonderful added ‘eggstra’ that for every tray sold, they will donate a box of 6 eggs to a local food charity such as our old friends ‘The Hive’ who are, in turn, busy distributing eggs to help local families across Cornwall. Back in the Cookery School the guys are busy filming easy, nutritious and economical family recipes that use as many eggs as possible, so keep an eye on our Instagram and Facebook pages for more ‘eggciting’ ways to keep everyone cooking through lockdown #3. Egg puns aside, we are genuinely delighted to be able to support and engage with our local community once more as we move through these tumultuous times. AJ and Maria have been overwhelmed with the thousands of positive messages, likes, re-posts, DM’s, emails and notes they have received from far and wide. As a nation, Covid has helped us embrace the power of food; from the comfort that comes from cooking and sharing a home cooked meal, to the mounting momentum making sure no child or family goes hungry. We have been proud to play our own, very small part, and promise that whatever the next year brings, we will continue to ‘cook up’ plenty of innovative ideas at Truro School Cookery. In the meantime, we will leave you with one of our recipes to support the #SO2HO campaign.

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Cookery School Recipe Toad in the Hole with Sweet Onion and Sage Method

Ingredients 100 g plain flour 2 eggs 300ml milk 25g butter 1 large red onion 2 tablespoons oil 8 Cumberland (or similar) good quality sausages 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or similar Small bunch fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚c/ gas mark 7 2. To make the batter, sift the flour and salt into a small bowl. 3. Make a well in the centre, exposing the bottom of the bowl and break the eggs into the well. 4. Using a wooden spoon, mix the eggs together gently then gradually draw in the flour from the sides as you mix, adding just enough milk to the egg to make a smooth paste. 5. When all the flour has been incorporated, stir in the remaining milk. Cover the bowl and chill for about 30 minutes. 6. Carefully peel and slice the onion. 7. Melt the butter in a small saucepan then add the onion and plenty of salt and pepper. 8. Cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes taking care to stir occasionally so that the onion does not stick and burn. 9. Heat the oil in an ovenproof shallow dish in the oven. When really hot, add the sausages, turn in the hot fat and put in the oven for about 5 minutes. 10. Turn the sausages and return to the oven for another 5 minutes. 11. Add the mustard to the batter and re-mix then pour it over the sausages. 12. Scatter over the softened onion then wash, dry and rip up the sage leaves and scatter over the surface of the sausages in batter (or sprinkle over the dried sage. 13. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for about 25 minutes or until the toad in the hole is risen and brown.

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Cookery School Recipe Easter Simnel Cake

Ingredients 525 g dried mixed fruit 1 small orange 1 lemon 180 g soft butter 180 g soft brown sugar 3 eggs 180 g plain flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon mixed spice ½ teaspoon salt 50 g ground almonds 500 g marzipan 2 tablespoons apricot jam 1 egg white Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170 c 2. Grease and line an 18 – 20 cm deep sided cake tin. 3. Place the dried mixed fruit into a large bowl. 4. Grate the zest of the orange and lemon into the bowl then cut each fruit in half, squeeze out the juice, and add to the bowl. 5. Mix thoroughly and set aside for the fruit to plump up in the juice. Ideally, do this the day before. 6. Place the soft butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and cream together until the mixture is light and fluffy. You can use an electric hand whisk to do this. 7. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat together lightly with a fork. 8. Gradually beat the eggs a little at a time into the butter and sugar mixture. Don’t worry if the mixture seems a little curdled.

9. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt over the bowl and fold in carefully using a metal spoon. 10. Stir in the ground almonds, followed by the fruit and juice mix. 11. Carefully spoon half the mixture into the base of the prepared cake tin. 12. Cut off one third from the block of marzipan and on a work surface dusted with a little icing sugar roll it into a disc to fit neatly into the cake tin. 13. Lay the disc of marzipan over the cake mixture and press down lightly, then spoon the remaining cake mixture neatly over the top. 14. Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 1 hour until the cake is golden and springy and a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 15. Leave the cake to cool in the tin then unwrap and remove the lining paper. 16. Sieve the apricot jam into a small saucepan and warm over a gentle heat. 17. Taking another third of the marzipan, roll out to form a disc which will fit neatly on top of the cake. 18. Brush the top of the cake liberally with the apricot jam then lay the marzipan on top, trimming the edges if necessary. You may choose to crimp the edges to give a decorative effect. 19. Use the remaining marzipan to make eleven or twelve even sized balls to represent the twelve Apostles – depending on whether or not you choose to include Judas! 20. Use a little of the egg white to attach the balls evenly around the top of the cake. 21. Lightly brush the top of the cake and the balls with the remaining egg white and place under a heated grill for a few minutes until the marzipan is lightly browned in places. This will only take a few minutes so watch the cake to make sure it doesn’t catch! 22. Store in an airtight tin ready to serve over Easter.

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A View From The Chamber solutions that can save them money and protect the planet. We’re delighted to have secured Hugo Tagholm, Chief Executive of Surfers Against Sewage, Sir Tim Smit, founder of The Eden Project, and John Henry Looney, Managing Director of Sustainable Direction, as guest speakers for the conference and they’re just the ones we’re allowed to talk about! Watch this space…

All of my children have now flown the nest – aside from the occasional fridge raid- so lockdown for my wife and me has been quiet. I am in total awe of parents who have had to home school their children throughout this already difficult period; to have to take on the role of teacher whilst running a home and often continuing to work is just incredible. Thankfully, the end is in sight and despite not having school age children I’m very much seeing March 8th as the first step towards freedom. Cornwall Chamber of Commerce is busy: demand for export documentation has skyrocketed since Brexit and we’re dealing with a lot more enquiries due to heavy red tape preventing goods getting through to the EU. We’re also supporting members who are struggling to keep going after an entire year of uncertainty. An exciting project is the planning of our Sustainability conference, taking place on World Oceans Day, 8th June. This event is centred around businesses identifying expert

I want this Sustainability conference to position the Duchy as a model for achieving the G7 Summit’s objectives: tackling climate change, strengthening our resilience against future pandemics, championing the world’s shared values, and promoting future prosperity through free and fair trade.

products to visitors whilst G7 is taking place – more on that soon. The Cabinet and the dedicated G7 strategic groups in Cornwall (of which I am part) are working together to make sure this summit leaves a lasting legacy that will benefit individuals and businesses here for many years to come. Kim Conchie CEO Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, Deputy Lieutenant, OT Parent, Foundation Trustee

On the topic of G7, I’ve been looking at ways to ensure everyone in Cornwall can take ownership of the event – regardless of their location. Clearly, this isn’t a gig where the Chamber can get businesses into the Carbis Bay Hotel to present, or showcase their products in the foyer, but there are lots of other things we can do. I’m planning to run five regional G7 hubs throughout Cornwall to bring people together over the three conference days in June (11th-13th). I’d like individuals to be able to watch parts of the summit together, share business literature, discuss the key G7 topics, and network. I’m also working with other business leaders to organise a space where businesses will be able to physically showcase their

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Archive

The First Female Truronians 1915 - Miss Pauline Julian appointed as the first female teacher 1976 - Girls first admitted to the Sixth form 1989 - Treliske Prep School becomes co-educational 1990 - Truro School becomes fully co-educational 2016 - Sarah Patterson appointed as the first female Head of Truro School Prep

Sonya Lock CO79 Although a little nervous, I couldn’t wait to start at Truro School – especially as I was moving from an all-girls’ boarding school! In fact, the two years flew by and were so happy: Staff and boys made us welcome, and I had a ready-made group of friends in the seven girls joining the school at the same time.

Alison (Ali) Taylor CO79, Louise Gilbert (née Walker) CO80, Alison Smith (née Lobb) CO79, Michaela (Mickey) Best CO79 and Sonya Lock (née Carr) CO79 - July 1979

Highlights were taking part in house and school plays; a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see an RSC production (with a cast including Glenda Jackson, Patrick Stewart, Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman); Mr WorsleyWhite (aka “Root”), cooking supper for those of us studying A-level German and English lessons with the wonderful Watson Weeks (TS 1957-1992) – Oh, and not forgetting the enormous amount of socialising! I have found my way back to the West Country via stints in Greece and London, settling in Exeter. After 20 years in teaching, I’m now really enjoying doing other things: walking, swimming, cooking and visiting new places, as well as catching up with old friends – including a certain Louise Wearne CO79, whom I met on my first day at Truro School.

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Alison Morton CO80 I joined Truro School in September 1978 as one of eight girls in my year. My two brothers, Nigel Morton CO79 and David Morton CO82 were already at the School and my parents were pleased to support the school in the new Co-Ed venture.

THE TRURONIAN two years for me, I came away with skills beyond education, friendships for life and very happy memories of my time at Truro School. About 15 of us from CO80 meet every Christmas in London. Sadly, we missed our 40th anniversary dinner at school last year due to Covid 19. I went on from school to study Physiotherapy in Leeds and have had my own Independent Physiotherapy practice in Plymouth since 1993. I specialise in Musculoskeletal (MSK) Physiotherapy, sports injury and orthopaedics and have recently trained to be a vaccinator in the fight against Covid-19, alongside the day job!

Alison Morton CO80 with brother Nigel CO79 (Headboy 1980). Alison remarked ‘ready for Sunday Service, note my prefects tie!’ - 1979

We were only the third intake of Sixth Form girls and having attended an all-girls school previously, felt very honoured but rather scared, in equal measure. It didn’t take long to feel settled, under the watchful eye of Derek Burrell (TS Headmaster 1959-1986) and other masters who were a positive part of my Truro School experience, encouraging me to act, sing and pass a few A-levels on the way! Making friends with boys was a skill I didn’t have before Truro School but now, 41 years later, I consider some of those ‘boys’ (and girls) among my closest friends. It was a wonderful

I am a Governor at Plymouth College which is challenging but rewarding, (although I still support Truro School when the two schools meet to play rugby!).

Caroline Taylor CO82 It was quite a culture shock joining Truro School Sixth Form after six years at an allgirls school! At the time the boarders were all located in a beautiful old building called Dove House in Agar Road and Roger Dunbar (TS 1965 2006) was the calm, soothing Housemaster.

On my first day, I met Sian Oram CO82, and we have been friends for over 40 years. One of my lasting memories is of Sian frequently walking around the school in bright yellow crocodile skin shoes and of the regular Truro School Discos which were quite an occasion at the time. Sian and I studied Spanish together and I seem to remember there was a lot of giggling and silliness in David Hunt’s Spanish classes. Truro School served me well and I have many very fond memories. I went on to study Spanish and Portuguese at Kings College, London and for the last 25 years have used Portuguese most days serving a charity named Happy Child International. Our work focuses on reaching out to vulnerable children and young people in Recife, North East Brazil. I am also an accredited Counsellor and Psychotherapist working part-time in a small practice in Horsham, West Sussex. I live in Surrey and my lifelong school friend Sian lives just down the road!

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Upper Sixth Form, 1982 (Caroline Taylor circled)

Jayne Coley (née Sharron Harris) & Joanna Barry (née Gilbert) CO84 contact, getting together when they can. “We always seem to pick up where we left off!”

After leaving school Jayne graduated in French and Education from Exeter, going on to teach in Worcestershire where she met husband, Nick. Jo qualified in Law from Bristol and practised there as a Family Law Solicitor, and married husband, Simon. Jayne still teaches, having returned home to Cornwall, while Jo diversified into reflexology, “cheffing”; and pig rearing in Gloucestershire and both manage holiday lets from their homes.

Jayne, Mark Price & Joanna all CO84 playing tennis at lunchtime -1983

Jayne and Joanna (Jo) first met in the autumn of 1982, aged 16, when they began Sixth Form together. At the time it was a male dominated environment, girls outnumbered 5/1. Almost 40 years later, they remain close friends, godmothers to each other’s eldest children and in regular, albeit long-distance,

“Our two years at TS were all too brief but gave us a sound grounding in both education and life skills, we had a lot of fun and probably benefited somewhat by being a novelty. In fact, we thrived! I have memories of Mrs Weeks (TS 1981-1997) rigorously checking skirt lengths.” “Education and learning obviously did play a large part of our time at TS - we particularly remember the enthusiastic teaching of Mr David Hunt who imbued in us a life-long love of languages and European literature, whilst also getting us through ‘O’ Level Spanish in less than a year (from scratch!)” “Happy days indeed, for both of us!”

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Jane Wills (née Pearce) CO84

THE TRURONIAN how easily we fitted in and the fun we all had – whether it be the drama club run by Watson Weeks (TS 19571992) upstairs in the ‘old gym’ (now the Heseltine Gallery), or the DofE training expeditions supported by Mr Lang (TS 1959-1992).

I have moved around a bit since school – although not as much as some of my contemporaries. Having gone from Cambridge University to London for a number of years, my husband and I (also Cornish born and bred) then returned to live and work in Jane (seated) with Hillary Frank the County for over 16 years, and Jeremy Holland all CO84 in and both my children were costume for their production of born at Treliske hospital. Henry VI part II - 1983 Then in 2008, the financial crisis brought about another I attended the Sixth Form from 1982 to 1984 and having move across the UK for my husband’s work, and we come from a much smaller all-girls school, I was struck by now find ourselves living in Berkshire near Henley-onthe size and noise on my first Thames. Having trained as a day. There were only around Chartered Accountant after 20 girls in a year of over 100 University, I am now a partner and we quickly formed a in an accountancy firm which close-knit group and used to congregate in the ‘girls’ room’ is in the top 15 in the country. adjoining the main Sixth Form centre when the boys got too much, although I’m not sure this would be acceptable today since there was no equivalent ‘boys’ room’! I remember the impact we had – how trips had to be rethought when including us (for example, the first girls’ team on a Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition, having to pitch tents on a separate campsite away from the boys, or the need for separate accommodation on a Geography field trip to Wales. But most of all I remember

Jane recalls this funny movement in rehearsals of Henry VI part II with Hillary Frank CO84 underneath the dress of Sally Dimmick (née Hawkins) CO83-1983

Jane Tippett CO86

Jane Tippett, Lucy Conrad, Eleanor Ledger and Helen Tippett all CO86 at their 18th Birthday Party - 1985

Twins Jane and Helen joined Truro School in September 1984 together with best friends Lucy Conrad, Rowan McGrady and Karen Pritchard (all CO86). “As one may imagine, moving schools at this point in our educational journey was both an exciting and uncertain time for us. “I now live and work in London as a Consultant Nurse in the Emergency Department at King’s College Hospital London. “After leaving TS I undertook my Registered General Nurse training at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and have spent my career working in emergency nursing and trauma care in the NHS. “When asked to reflect on my time at TS I considered a number of memorable moments. However, the global pandemic has made me think about the current plight of school children, especially those currently at this stage in their studies. The social activities, parties and general day-to-day high jinks of the Sixth Form centre were as important as the academic studies in our time at

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION TS. This was also the place we discussed the last lesson, prep for the next one and of course challenged each other with our informal testing of each other’s abilities. One cannot recreate any of this on Zoom or Teams. “I wonder how many can say their Maths teacher came to their 18th birthday party dressed as a Christmas cracker!”

THE TRURONIAN

Kirsten Leslie CO88

Anna Wingate, Kirsten Leslie and Susan Burrows (née Kay) all CO88 on a London Trip

“The things that I really remember about school are that it was a very nurturing place for me. It helped me begin to believe in myself after my previous school had knocked my confidence hugely.

18th birthday party: Maths Teacher, Mrs Christine Thompson (née Rushton) in her Christmas cracker outfit

Lucy Conrad CO86 “I have very happy memories of Truro School which I joined in 1984 with my close friends from Penair. I loved the traditions of an old school and the enthusiastic and sometimes eccentric teachers. Meeting new friends, the lively Sixth Form Centre and the many 18th birthday parties more than made up for the hard work of ‘A’ levels. I went on to study Dentistry at Birmingham University and have since enjoyed a career in general practice in London, Cornwall and Cheltenham alongside teaching dental students at Bristol University.”

“I adored a couple of my teachers who were brilliant … I loved the friendships that I developed and have many fond and fun memories of antics (which are probably best left unspoken!) all founded amongst the hard academic work and Duke of Edinburgh Award. “As for my career. I felt I ought to have gone into medicine, and yet had always wanted to be a vet which perhaps would have suited my personality better. However, I lacked the confidence and I had to constantly work hard. Nevertheless, with encouragement from teachers I chose a nursing degree which I absolutely loved. “My nursing degree has served me well, I became a

Senior Nurse working with bone marrow transplant patients, having a varied specialist nursing career in cancer care, ultimately managed a hospital service and later a county-wide Macmillan service. I am currently back working in this field strategically. I am also a qualified psychotherapist and as such, I am integrative, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) and trauma-based therapist predominantly. “Currently I am completing my Doctorate. I have managed a county service, supported NHS staff, military, police and emergency personnel and continue to do so particularly during Covid - all of which I love and feel grateful for the guidance of my Truro School teachers.”

Kirsten Leslie and brother Damian CO91 at the School Ball

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Amy McHenry CO90 Gemma Rawlinson (née Holt-Young) “As a Sixth Former, my CO01 time at Truro was all about learning - but not all academic. You learn to make different, (slightly) more adult relationships with people which for some, led to marriage, or for others, they’re still in touch forty years later. “I felt like it was a transition between childhood and adulthood - and being taken to Tall Trees in Newquay by school bus, partying the Friday night away, certainly felt a lot more like the latter! “Days where spare periods were spent watching Home & Away and Neighbours in the form room (yes - they ARE that old!); skateboarding down the hill from the pool, eating so much buttery toast in our boarding house and even taking to a catwalk in the main sports hall, are all memories that still bring a smile to my face, and I expect they always will. “Whilst I’ve gone on to live all over the world, work in various sectors and am currently a senior leader within a tech company in London, my time at the school was definitely the beginning of that journey, and I very much hope that it serves those attending now in the same way.” “Good luck!”

“I started at Treliske (now Truro School Prep) in 1990, one of only two girls in my class. We always found our minority to be advantageous. The boys seemed to pay us the utmost respect and courtesy, which I doubt we’d have had if it was a more even split. Most of the teachers had been at the school for over a decade and experienced the move to be co-educational. They enjoyed relaying the stories of ‘how things used to be done’ and still referred to us all by our surnames. This rubbed off on the pupils and I fondly remember being referred to by my friends as ‘Holt-Young’. By the time we reached the final year of Treliske, six more girls had joined our year, larger girls’ facilities had been attached to the swimming pool and sports hall, and we felt like we were moving toward a new way of doing things.

“I really loved my time at Treliske, with its extensive grounds and smaller pupil numbers which gave it such a family feel. However, it was the staff that really made it a wonderful place and I often think of them, especially when (covid) home schooling my nine-year-old daughter. Mr Pearce was a particular favourite. As well as being an excellent cricket, rounders, and hockey coach, he taught us Science, English and occasionally how to out manoeuvre the enemy in war. I can only presume he was once a soldier, but he would often passionately transgress from his lesson to pass on his wisdom on warfare. When he retired in 1994, the whole school, plus family, got together in the sports hall for a barn dance in his honour, and to this day, it remains one of the best parties I’ve ever been to. “By the time we moved up to Truro School in 1994, the ratio of boys to girls seemed much more even. I remember it was the first year that the kilts were introduced, which created a huge amount of debate amongst the girls, and we spent much of our first year trying to get to grips with kilt ‘etiquette’ - by which I mean: how short was considered acceptable? and how to shorten it without making it look like a complete fashion disaster? “So many happy memories!”

Thank you to everyone who shared their Truro School memories and photos. 55

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THE TRURONIAN

Fond Farewell Colin MARTIN

(1959 - 2021) TS Staff 2015 – 2021

With deep sadness we report that on Wednesday 24th February 2021, Caretaker Colin Martin passed away aged 62. He was a loving husband to Alison, and beloved Father and Grandfather.

Fred TEAGLE CO59 (1940 - 2021)

With great sadness we report the death of Fred Teagle CO59 who passed away at Mount Edecume hospice on Thursday 4 March 2021, after a battle with cancer. Fred was aged 80. Everyone at Truro School, and especially the Development Office team, will miss Fred, who was a regular attendee at the annual Reunion Afternoon Tea. A tribute for Fred can be found on page 62

Derek Malcolm NEVILLE-WEAVER CO44 (1925 – 2021) With regret we report the sad death of Derek Neville-Weaver who passed away on 13th January 2021, aged 95. Tragically, Derek contracted COVID-19 whilst residing in a nursing home in Devon. He leaves daughter Sue and will be greatly missed.

Henry HEATH CO64 (1946 - 2020) Truro School are very sad to pass on the news of the death of Old Truronian Henry Heath who resided in Australia.

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THE TRURONIAN

OT Obituaries

(Truro School notification received: December 2020 – March 2021)

HERBERT ERWIN FLEMING CO58 (TS 1952-1959) ROBERT (BOB) NICHOLAS GROSE CO67 (TS 1960-1967) HENRY HEATH CO64 (TS 1958-1964) GEORGE ERIC WILFRED JENKINS CO48 (TS 1941 - 1948) KEITH (KAT) ALAN THOMAS LOW CO64 (TS 1957-1964)

COLIN MARTIN (TS NON-TEACHING STAFF MEMBER) DEREK MALCOLM NEVILLE-WEAVER CO44 (TS 1938 – 1942) FRED TEAGLE CO59 (TS 1952 – 1956) MICHAEL R TREVAIL CO52 (TS 1945-1950) KENNETH (KEN) ANDREWARTHA TREWHELLA CO42 (TS 1933-1942)

Truro School Chapel : Stained glass window

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THE TRURONIAN

Tributes and Memories

Herbert Erwin FLEMING CO58 1940 - 2020

done; he was always over optimistic about the amount of time needed for any activity.  Herbert was a constant in our family. Suitably attired in morning dress, he was an usher at our wedding and four years later he promised to fulfil the duties of Godfather for our son Martin. He always included a visit to us on his trips to London and brought a little gift for the children each time. On one occasion he thought it would be better for their teeth if they didn’t have chocolate and produced a healthy alternative – muesli bars! Not what they were hoping for.

With sadness I report that Herbert Fleming (1952 – 1959) died on 17th December 2020 after a short illness. He was 80.  I have known Herbert since we began primary school in Mount Charles, St. Austell in 1948 so he was my oldest friend. We were the only two from the school who won scholarships to Truro School and we travelled by train for 5 years until I left in 1957 after my O Levels. Herbert went on to Oxford where he studied French and German before he became a translator at English China Clays (now Imerys). He was made redundant in the early seventies.  His great friend at Truro School was William (Bill) Jones who also went to Oxford and at his funeral yesterday Bill’s widow asked that the following be read in tribute to Herbert.  She expresses his qualities better than I can:  “I first met Herbert during a visit I made to his great friend Bill Jones. Bill, shortly to become my husband, knew Herbert from Truro School and Oxford University. I remember being regaled by tales of Herbert at the last minute trying to get his essays

He also had a sense of humour. When Bill asked him whether Herbert and his mother ate their meals together, the reply was ‘Yes’ but it wasn’t necessarily the same meal!  Herbert was very fond of music especially Beethoven. He had had piano lessons in his youth and could sometimes be prevailed upon to play a few bars before his piano became submerged in a deluge of paper work.   Herbert Fleming was an intelligent and knowledgeable man who had the misfortune to be born in the wrong century. He was well liked locally despite or perhaps because of his eccentricities. I know that I speak for Bill as well when I say that I consider it a privilege to have known him.”  For my part I shall always value the great times Herbert, his brother George and I  had at his home (the same home until his death) with his wonderful Austrian born parents. He was a kind and gentle man and we have always been good friends.  Tribute by Thomas Les Rendell CO59

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Robert (Bob) Nicholas GROSE CO67 (1949 - 2021) Bob was born in his grandmother’s nursing home in Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, to Nicholas, an auctioneer, and Kathleen (nee Rushworth), a physiotherapist, although the family lived in Fowey, Cornwall. He attended Truro school before qualifying as a chartered surveyor at the College of Estate Management in Kensington, London. He travelled a good deal before doing a master’s in international administration at Cornell.

For some people, the work they do and the life they lead are in perfect alignment. My friend and colleague Bob Grose, who has died aged 71, was one of those people.  He did historically important work on HIV/ Aids for the World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa, and for polio, HIV and leprosy for the Overseas Development Administration (ODA, later DfID) in India. Writing for War on Want in the mid-1980s, Bob was one of the first to predict that truckers would be high-risk vectors for the HIV epidemic in Africa. He was quickly snapped up by the WHO’s Global Programme on Aids (later UNAids) in Geneva, where he worked from 1987 to 1992 as a technical adviser. He was ahead of his time, mobilising community groups in Africa to raise awareness of the epidemic: a focus of UNAids to this day.  As the ODA’s senior health and population adviser (1992-99), he oversaw several huge projects: the eradication of polio (every year more than 100 million children were immunised in a single day); the launch of India’s efforts to combat the HIV epidemic; and the elimination of leprosy. All of these stories have happy endings: polio has been eradicated in India, HIV is well controlled and 200,000 people were cured of leprosy on his watch. Bob is remembered by his colleagues there as a consummate professional, kind, wickedly funny, with a complete absence of ego.

It was in 1983, during an early posting to Yemen, that Bob met Jane Springham, who was working as a nurse at a small clinic on the Red Sea coast. They married in 1988.  Bob was determined to raise his young family near the Cornish countryside where he grew up, so in 1999 they moved from India to a farmhouse in Brownston in the South Hams, Devon. Bob spent the final decade of his career at HLSP, an international health consulting firm. When he retired in 2014, he became deeply committed to climate activism, and was arrested as part of Extinction Rebellion’s demonstrations in April 2019. The couple moved to Totnes when Jane retired three years ago.  Bob was fearsomely fit. He performed a seven-minute plank during a family lockdown competition and thought nothing of a 20-mile kayaking trip. In Jane’s words, “he died as he lived, cycling up a hill on a mountain bike, covered in mud, with a smile on his face. He wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”  His family remember him as “the most extraordinary man to live with”, a devoted father who woke up every morning interested in something new.  He is survived by Jane and their daughters, Catherine and Eleanor, and by his brothers, Timothy and Richard.  Tribute from The Guardian newspaper

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

George Eric Wilfred JENKINS CO48 (1931 - 2021)

THE TRURONIAN

Keith (Kat) Alan Thomas LOW CO64 (1946 - 2021)

Some of us are fortunate in life to know someone they regard as the most kind, intelligent, amusing man they are ever likely to meet. For seventy years I was privileged to share interests, friends, acquaintances, hospital experiences and even enemies with George Eric Wilfred Jenkins. We discussed people and things that will never be aired again. Had Eric’s intelligence and ability been matched in any way with selfishness, he would have been known nationally for his achievements. Eric was not inclined that way and devoted his life to Tremorvah Junior School and then Tregolls Primary School where the challenged pupils flourished under his tutelage. As respite, he exchanged with mainstream teachers on a regular basis and the more able children still fondly recall the kindly way he prepared them for life; there were occasions when some people took advantage of his generosity and made him sad. A private man who maintained standards in the face of many adversities, his sense of humour always shone through. He would implore me to stop making him laugh as tears of merriment were joined by those of physical discomfort. Only Eric fully knew the depth of his pains, joys, loves and sadnesses, emotions he would experience in abundance while only briefly mentioning them to a few of us. On the broader scene, Eric was known and appreciated by many as a gentleman who had kindly words of advice and quips to pass the day. His parting will be a substantial loss of a character from Truro, a person one is privileged to meet only once in a lifetime. May Eric now lose the pain and suffering that we have helplessly witnessed him bear for so long. Tribute by Philip Hosken CO53

With initials like his, Keith was known from the outset of his school career as Kat Low. The name was to stay with him for the rest of his life and it will be the name by which all those who knew him at Truro School will always remember him. Keith joined Truro School at a time when boys from the Isles of Scilly, who had passed the 11+ exam, mainly came to the School, as boarders, there being no secondary school on the Islands at that time. He was part of a contingent of Scillonians who left their mark on the life of the School in various ways, not least for their sporting prowess. Keith was no exception and earned his place as a formidable second row player in the 1st XV at an early stage of his School career. But it is for much more than his sporting ability that Kat Low will be remembered. He stood out from the crowd because of his generosity and kindness to people and he made friends easily – friends who would remain throughout his life. Possibly one of his more endearing characteristics, at least to his peers, was his attitude to authority. He was able to be at once respectful and yet dismissive and he would tell the tale of how he, with another,

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION having been banned from Latin in the 5th form, went on to secretly study and passed the exam with flying colours. It was a typical gentle poke at authority, tinged with respect. Kat’s time through School was inevitably tempered by his Scillonian heritage and his love for fishing and shooting continued unabated, culminating in his being one of very few boarders to sit down at Sunday teatime and eat roast pheasant, which he had only shot that afternoon! The cooks were only too happy to cook his ‘chicken’ for him. The feathers may be under the cricket pavilion to this day. His liking for people and his compassionate nature were to stand him in good stead when he left School and started work in residential child care. His work took him initially to London where he worked for the GLC, but he soon found a post in Camborne as Assistant Superintendent of a boy’s home. It was there that he met his wife and shortly afterwards the lure of the Islands proved too much and they returned to his beloved Scilly. Kat was to spend the rest of his life on St Martin’s where he took on the family flower farm and returned to his fishing. He would proudly refer to his job as “Crofter” but he never gave up his role of caring for others. His house was always a haven for anyone in any sort of need and his hospitality was legendary. It is no wonder that he has left a legacy of friendship across the world.

THE TRURONIAN

Colin MARTIN

(1959 - 2021) TS Staff 2015 – 2021 Colin had been a caretaker at Truro School since 2015 and was a popular and valued member of the Estates team. He was a happy, jovial staff member, always willing to help and support the many activities and events provided by the school. Colin had a great sense of humour and enjoyed golf, darts and watching football. He often talked about his favourite team, Manchester United (especially when they beat Liverpool) when not sharing stories of his family, of whom he was immensely proud. He will be greatly missed by all his colleagues and those fortunate enough to have known him. Colin is a huge loss to the Truro School community. Close colleague, Senior Caretaker, Paul Smith: “We started at Truro School together and shared a lot of laughs along with way. Colin helped shape the way the caretaking team now work. He had the knack of approaching a task in a different way (which was often more effective). His one liners always made lunchtimes in the trades room more enjoyable and interesting! I miss his support and friendship as will all the team.” Tribute by Richard Lamboll Estates Manager & Paul Smith Senior Cartaker

Covid restrictions meant that the number of mourners at his funeral was limited to only 30 but the service had been live-streamed on YouTube. By the next day over 1500 people had watched the service – a significant indication of the esteem in which he was he was held by so many. Kat Low was in many ways the end of an era. He was a memorable character and it is those memories which will continue in the hearts of all those who knew him. He will be missed.

Tribute by Andrew Julian CO64

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

Derek Malcolm NEVILLEWEAVER CO44 (1925 - 2021)

THE TRURONIAN

Fred TEAGLE CO59 (1940 - 2021)

Derek was born to parents James and Lilian in 1925, but sadly Lillian died when Derek was a young boy. In 1938, aged 13, Derek entered Truro School as a day pupil. When he left in 1942, he was not quite old enough to immediately join the RAF so, he lived for a while with friends on a farm at Shortlanesend, near Truro until he reached the age of 17 ¼, when he commenced training for air crew duties. When the war in Europe ended in 1945 his squadron was chosen to form part of ‘Tiger Force’ for operational duties in the Far East (Asia). As the squadron assembled, the war finally ended, so Derek’s visit to Burma (now Myanmar) was cancelled. He left the RAF in 1950, having served for seven years, and settled in the Midlands where he found employment in the steel industry. After a couple of years, he joined a company of steel stockholders and remained in the same industry until retirement. Derek was married to Barbara and when daughter Susan arrived, their family was complete. Sadly, Barbara passed away in 2018, having been nursed lovingly through a lengthy illness by Derek. Susan and Derek were very close, and she was the main reason he moved back to the West Country in 2019, moving into a care home in Ottery St Mary, Devon. Derek celebrated his 95th birthday with the residents and staff in July 2020. He enjoyed his days there and especially visits from Susan, who continually tried to convince him to live with her. Fiercely independent, and not wanting to be a burden to Susan, Derek remained in the home and tragically, contracted Coronavirus in January 2021. He passed away in hospital soon after. Derek had hoped to attend the next afternoon tea at Truro School accompanied by Susan – we shall raise a glass in his absence when we are all able to gather again. Susan will miss her Father desperately but is comforted by the wonderful memories which remain.

Tribute by Nicky Berridge Development Manager

On March 4th, 2021, Fred Teagle passed away aged 80 at Mount Edgecumbe hospice after a battle with cancer. A proud Cornishman, Fred grew up immersed in agriculture, heavily involved in Threemilestone Young Farmers Club, and surrounded by the growing Teagle Machinery business. Fred lived next to the factory with his wife Dinah and sons Roger and Colin whilst he saw the company expand from serving local farmers to become a truly international business. As a passionate and talented engineer with an insightful, no-nonsense approach, Fred managed the production departments and ran the site at Tuckingmill for many years. Throughout his career he was always focused on continually improving processes and adopting the latest technology. Latterly Fred served as Chairman of Teagle Machinery Ltd., involved with all aspects of the company where his commitment and innovation drove the business forwards. In recent years Fred oversaw the appointment of a management team at Teagle to ensure a sustainable business for the future. Family members who remain as directors of the company include his sons, Roger and Colin, his brother John and nephew Tom. During his ‘retirement’ Fred still remained on-hand in the business and delighted in the opportunity to share his pride in the company when hosting open days or guiding factory tours. Fred recently co-authored the

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION company’s 75th anniversary book, sales of which raised more than £12,000 towards the Cornwall Hospice Care, of which Fred and Dinah were committed fund raisers.

THE TRURONIAN

Kenneth (Ken) Andrewartha TREWHELLA CO42 (1924 - 2021)

Fred was proud of his Cornish roots and was always supportive of his family and friends. He was an accomplished small-bore rifle shot and was heavily involved in the City of Truro and Cornwall county rifle clubs for more than 50 years. He will be much missed by his sons Roger and Colin, his grandchildren Sam, Jenna, Alex, Amy and Adam; and his brothers David and John. Tribute from the Teagle Company website An online Remembrance Book can be found at:  Fred Teagle – Remembrance Book

Ken Trewhella was born at Marazion on 14 November 1924. and moved to Truro in 1933 when he joined Truro School along with brothers Kingsley and Harry. After leaving school Ken undertook National Service in the British Army with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and became camp adjutant. He also spent a great deal of time playing rugby for the army. Later, having left the army he managed Awson Carriage Company in Coventry, which made veneered trims and dashboards for cars. He later moved to Clenet Cars in Santa Barbara, California where they made 1930s style ‘neo classic’ sports cars. Ken was a keen rugby player and supporter, a stamp collector and member of the Coventry Philatelic Society and member of the Gardening Club with his garden being open to the public under the National Garden Scheme. Ken was a kind and generous man who did much good for his community and fundraised for a variety of causes. Tribute by

Kate Lutey Ken’s Niece

TRURO SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

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Pause For Thought A prayer by Reverend Aubin de Gruchy Lord in these times of change and transition may we experience your presence with us, guiding us, supporting us, and encouraging us along the way.  Give us the courage to take on any new challenges we may face and to know we will come through them and be stronger for having overcome them.   More so, let us take hold of any new opportunities and run with them and enjoy them.  Give us also the ability to appreciate those around us and the support and friendship that is offered. May we take time to catch up with each other. May we be of support to friends, classmates and colleagues.  As a school community may we enjoy moving out of lockdown and coming together again, renewing friendships, building new relationships and together joyfully and positively moving forward.  Lord we thank you for your unchanging love. Yesterday, today, forever.  Thank you for walking beside us wherever we go and set us free from all that holds us back from living the abundant life you call us to.  In Jesus name we pray  Amen.

Aubin de Gruchy (Revd) Chaplain and World Aims Coordinator

Donation Form Please complete this form as follows and return to: Truro School Foundation Limited, Tower Office, Truro School, Trennick Lane, Truro, TR1 1TH

> For regular donations by Standing Order please complete section 1, 2, > For a single one-off donation please complete sections 1, 3, 4, 5 and

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Please indicate if you are happy for the Foundation to decide how your gift will be used to support the needs of Truro School OR whether you would prefer a specific area or project to benefit. I would like the Truro School Foundation to decide the best way to use my gift for the purpose of improving education at Truro School. I wish my gift to be used for the purpose of Foundation Awards (bursaries).

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Every person making a gift, or who indicates their intention to leave a legacy, to the Foundation will automatically become a member of the Esse Quam Videri Society or Wesley Society, especially created to enable the Headmaster and Board of Trustees to thank TSF supporters. Members will receive invitations to selected School events and be thanked publicly in the TSF Annual Report unless their wish is to remain anonymous. Only your name will appear - we NEVER disclose amounts donated. I wish my gift to be anonymous I DO NOT wish to become a member of the Esse Quam Videri Society or Wesley Society. Please acknowledge my name as (Please print): (eg. Mr/Mrs Smith, The Smith Family)

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GUY DODD BURSARY AWARD APPEAL Guy’s beliefs, values and legacy will live on: “He believed in the gift of education being a true gift for life.” OUR MISSION: To honour the passion and vision of this inspiratonal educator, wonderful husband, father, grandfather, friend and wise counsel to countless others. Please DONATE TODAY and honour the memory of somone so significant in the history of Truro School, whilst also helping to widen access, and make a difference to more deserving children. https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/14406#!/DonationDetails

Help us to change a child’s life by supporting THE GUY DODD BURSARY AWARD APPEAL For more information please email: Foundation@truroschool.com

In the near future, Truro School Foundation hope to be able to plan an event to commemorate and celebrate the life of Guy Dodd. All are welcome. Should you wish to attend, please register your interest by emailing: Please Note:

Foundation@truroschool.com

We have kept a record of those who have previously indicated their wish to join these celebrations.

This beautiful paperweight gift was made by Flora Dodd (Guy’s grandaughter) for her grandmother Helen, using Guy’s Esse Quam Videri Society badge - a treasured memento of his association with Truro School.

Would you like to find out more about being a chorister? •

Perform music with an outstanding choir directed by specialist professional musicians in one of the South West’s finest buildings.

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Work as part of a close team with a special purpose and a strong sense of identity. The girl and boy choristers are celebrated not only in Cornwall but across the UK and internationally.

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Take part in BBC broadcasts, CD recordings and foreign tours.

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Receive scholarships and bursaries to support a Truro School education.

For more information about Truro School and joining the Truro Cathedral Choir, please contact: Christopher Gray, Director of Music Truro Cathedral christophergray@trurocathedral.org.uk

Jayne Grigg, Director of Admissions Truro School jeg@truroschool.com