EVENTS

On Tuesday 8 June 2021, Alumni and other members of the School community enjoyed debating ‘The UK’s Place in a Post-Brexit World’ at a virtual networking event held via Zoom. Old Girl Amanda Brooks, CBE (Class of 1989), Director General, Trade Negotiations at the Department for International Trade, and Old Boy Ravi Bhatiani (Class of 2001) the Executive Director of FETSA, The Federation of European Tank Storage Associations, were keynote speakers at the event, sharing their thoughts on the future of UK trade and international relations on the global stage before leading discussions between fellow guests in breakout rooms.

Amanda joined the Department for International Trade (DIT) in August 2016, where her responsibilities have included bilateral trade relationships, multilateral fora on trade such as the WTO, G7, G20 and Commonwealth, trade remedies and disputes, and export controls. Prior to joining DIT, Amanda spent much of her career in the Department for Business, leading work on innovation, industrial strategy and growth policy. She has also served overseas as the Deputy High Commissioner and Director of Trade and Investment in Singapore. Amanda has an MBA from Imperial College, and received a CBE for services to economic growth in 2020. Prior to the event, Amanda was asked to reflect upon her time in the Girls’ Division and how this has helped her to achieve her ambitions. Although Amanda is the only member of her family to have attended Bolton School, she occasionally finds connections in her working life, which is very gratifying – in particular, she has got to know Gillian Crooks (née Spencer, 19711982) and Sarah Jayne Allen (1992-2006) Among a plethora of fantastic memories of School, trips to Cautley feature highly, as do School productions, such as My Fair Lady and The House of Bernarda Alba, and being in the Venture Scouts. However, playing lacrosse does not feature in Amanda’s list of highlights – she reckons she was terrible at it!

Amanda’s favourite teachers were Mrs Todd, Mrs Georgiou, Mrs Garthwaite and Miss Dickinson – in fact, she wishes the latter could work her magic on her son who is taking Maths A Level and finding it as tough going as Amanda herself did. Above all, Bolton School gave Amanda confidence – she notes that Miss Boston’s Beech House mantra of “Onwards and Upwards” runs deep in her!

With many of the lockdown restrictions still in place, unfortunately the annual Cumbria lunch was unable to take place again this year. Instead, Old Girls and Old Boys chatted in a virtual ‘happy hour’. There was plenty to talk about, but all agreed they were looking forward to enjoying some proper Lake District hospitality at the Lindeth Howe Hotel, courtesy of Old Boy Stephen Broughton (Class of 1970), next Spring.

Tuesday 14th December Girls’ Division Perspectives Lecture: Medicine Via Zoom, 7pm Monday 13th December Girls' Division Ceremony of Carols Great Hall, 7.30pm

Thursday 3rd February Old Girls’ Lunch Friday 4th February Cambridge Dinner Tuesday 8th February Girls’ Division Perspectives Lecture Friday 4th March London Dinner Wednesday 23rd March New York Dinner Sunday 24th April Patterdale 25+2 Open Day Saturday 30th April ‘1’ Class Reunion Friday 6th May Scottish Dinner Thursday 9th June Old Girls’ Lunch and AGM Friday 10th June Friends of Bolton School Dinner Arts Centre, 12 noon Venue TBC, 7pm Via Zoom, 7pm Armourers’ Hall, 7pm Harvard Club NYC Patterdale Hall Bolton School, 11.30am-4.30pm University of Edinburgh, 7pm Arts Centre, 12 noon Arts Centre, TBC

Friday 24th June Cumbria Lunch

Lindeth Howe Hotel, 12 noon Monday 27th June Recent Leavers' Reunion, Class of 2021 Bolton School 3-5pm To reserve your ticket for any of our Alumni events, please call the Development Office on 01204 434718, email development@boltonschool.org or visit the ‘Former Pupils section of the School website (www.boltonschool.org) where you can book online.

After being deprived of their customary opportunity to return to School one year after leaving, members of the Classes of 2019 and 2020 were thrilled to be reunited with their classmates at a special reunion in September. Our youngest Old Girls and Old Boys took part in a question and answer session in which current Year 13 pupils were able to get the lowdown on university life, the world of work and the pros and cons of taking a gap year. Afterwards there was a real buzz of excitement as everyone caught up with friends and former teachers.

Safiyya Patel, Huma Azim, Hamzah Babaria and Huzaifa Anwar (all Class of 2020)

Maya Drummond (Class of 2018), Lorna Stirzaker (Class of 2020), Isobel Plant (Class of 2020) Amelia Doherty, Lauren Pursey, Rachelle Sidoli and Sally Cowling (all Class of 2020) Annabelle Boulos, Cate Lord, Honey Higham, Lucy Nutall (all Class of 2020) Ella Smyth, Rachel Crompton, Gabby Appleby, Jaya Guhathakurta (all Class of 2019)

After having to shelve Alumni events for many months, it was fantastic to welcome leavers from 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010, along with former members of staff back to School at the end of September. There was a wonderful atmosphere as Old Girls and Old Boys returned to reminisce, to see what has changed since they left – and what hasn’t! – and to enjoy a good old school dinner.

Hannah Smith (2003-2010), Tricia Hall (Girls’ Division Staff, 1993-2014), Anna McCrory (2003-2010) Barbara Laycock (née Ingham) and Catherine Bankes (née Chadwick (both Class of 1960) Mary Rose Walsh (Girls’ Division Staff, 2005-2019 and Patricia Hall (Girls’ Division Staff, 1993-2014)

Joanne Willan (née Rushton) and Elizabeth Isherwood (née Lewis) (both Class of 1980) Amanda Lakin (née Kilsby) and Susan Thomas (née Porter) (both Class of 1980) Gill Richards (Headmistress, 2005-2011) and Lynne Kyle (Head of Girls’ Division) Tina Ninan and Helen Andrews (née Williams) (both Class of 2000)

Elizabeth Hayward (née Rigby), Shirley Sheehy (née Deeks), Cherrill Lee (née Gratrix), Vanessa Barnes (née Pietre), Janet Hutson (née Wright) (all Class of 1970) Vivien Rink (née Appleyard, Ailsa Hurst, Jennifer White (née Davis), Barbara Laycock (née Ingham) and Catherine Bankes (née Chadwick) (all Class of 1960) Emilia Davies, Elizabeth Davies (née Morritt), Melanie Fawcett-Brown, Katherine Brooks (née McCreesh) (all Class of 1990, Alice Brooks Members of the Class of 1980