GDST magazine 2026-27 FINAL

NOVEL CREATION Rebecca Coxon HITTING THE HIGH NOTE Abi Gilchrist REMEMBERING SOPHIE KINSELLA Madeleine Wickham

CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF READING The Magazine for GDST Alumnae and Friends | 2026/27

CONTENTS GDST Life 2026/27

CONTENTS

Wherever your story takes you, you will always be part of the GDST

04 Welcome CEO Cheryl Giovannoni the 05 Introducing Year of Reading storyteller 06 The Jamila Gavin cookbook writer 09 The Eleanor Steafel write stuff 10 The Alumnae-authored fiction overview 12 Events Highlights and diary dates non-fiction writer 16 The Rebecca Coxon campaigner Chimmy Ngoma 19 The write stuff 22 The Alumnae-authored non-fiction illustrator 24 The Sarah Gibbs trailblazer 26 The Angela Carter the archives 28 Into School libraries through the ages of the Year 2025 30 Alumna Last year’s winners and shortlisted alumnae 36 Reunions School get-togethers 38 The impact of giving 39 A gift for today the sisterhood 40 Supporting Introducing Time, Talent and Treasure gift for the future 41 AMolly Dark 42 Retrospective Remembering Madeleine Wickham (Sophie Kinsella)

EDITOR Louise Barnes

DESIGN Brand+Outlines Ltd

COVER PHOTO Millie Turner

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WELCOME GDST Life 2026/27

YEAR OF READING GDST Life 2026/27

WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF GDST LIFE

day-to-day lives and spent time in GDST schools with our students and staff. These girls explained just how much they value the chance to have their own space.

GDST schools give space for girls to find their voice and take a lead.

Space free from casual misogyny or gender stereotypes. Space where they are encouraged to be ambitious and take intellectual risks without fear. Space where their voices are heard and where they can learn to lead with confidence.

We offer outstanding opportunities for students to collaborate and innovate together, to learn entrepreneurship, space technology, oracy and civil discourse. We partner with leading organisations, such as the London School of Economics and the University of Cambridge, to ensure we are forward thinking in our approach to cutting-edge education.

And rightly so, as the world our young people are entering is altered beyond all recognition – not just from

Cheryl Giovannoni CHIEF EXECUTIVE

YEAR OF READING 2026 has been designated the National Year of Reading, encouraging us to ‘Go All In’. The message is simple – take time to read more.

The campaign aims to reconnect reading with everyday culture, highlighting and celebrating the ideas and stories that we see everywhere, encouraging us to use our imagination.

photo credit: istock/Jorm Sangsorn

More than ever, it feels as though the world that we know is changing rapidly, with big debates around AI, graduate jobs, social media, gender equality and how we educate the next generation.

It is an uncomfortable truth that gender equality is far from the norm in schools today. Our determination to ensure that girls’ education continues to thrive is bolstered by the compelling case we can make for the power of our all-girl approach at a time when it could not be more important or urgent.

Distinctively, the GDST spans the state-maintained and independent sectors, bringing together experience and best practice from both, and designing our schools specifically for girls and how they learn best.

In her BBC Radio 4 series About the Girls – released earlier this year – documentary maker, presenter, podcast producer and reporter Catherine Carr spoke to over 150 teenage girls nationally about their

that of our founding mothers in 1872, but also from the world in which so many of us grew up.

It is a world where AI is shaking up our norms – in everyday life, in education and in the workplace, where we hear recent graduates are battling the AI bots sifting through their job applications without nuance or human interaction, in an ever more competitive employment market. A brilliant education is no longer enough to secure that coveted first job.

To help address this, we are mobilising our global network of incredible women to be more active role models and mentors, to not just our students but also our young alumnae – upcoming or recent graduates from higher education who might be struggling to get into the workforce. We will be adopting a new drive on Time, Talent and Treasure, with a view to fostering conversations and networking that not only inspire, but enable.

You can read more about this within the pages of GDST Life, and I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who supports this initiative, empowering more young women to reach their full potential so that they can live lives without limits.

It felt fitting to theme this edition of GDST Life around the Year of Reading as this magazine is here to share some of the wonderful stories from your alumnae community. We have women with inspiring narratives who are living lives without limits, as well as those who are the storytellers, drawing us into the worlds that they create. Alongside this, we celebrate the spaces that allow us into these worlds, delving

into the archives to look at school libraries through the ages.

Since 2015, students have been invited to take part in the GDST Book Award, embarking on a new ‘reading journey’ with the carefully selected shortlist. Run annually, the award celebrates reading for pleasure, bringing together girls, librarians and staff across all GDST schools to celebrate outstanding contemporary fiction and to champion student

voice in choosing the books that win. It is encouraging that in an age of smartphones and technology, students still enjoy celebrating reading and sharing the books that moved them.

So, we invite you to settle down and enjoy the simple joy of reading within the pages of GDST Life. We hope that you feel inspired and proud to be a part of this wonderful GDST family.

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THE STORYTELLER GDST Life 2026/27

THE STORYTELLER GDST Life 2026/27

What makes a great storyteller? Is it the ability to create unforgettable characters that we care about? Is it being able to reimagine familiar myths and legends? Or perhaps it is the gift of connecting different cultures and experiences through a shared human story?

Whatever the exact alchemy required, it’s clear that Jamila Gavin has it.

When hearing about Jamila’s early life, in many ways this is no surprise. It sounds like a rich melting pot of creativity and culture, where “nothing was ever categorised: reading, writing, music, dressing up and playing make-believe all merged into being part of my creative life”.

JAMILA GAVIN

A LIFE OF STORYTELLING Critically acclaimed writer Jamila Gavin (Notting Hill & Ealing High School) was awarded an MBE for Services to Children’s Literature in 2024. The author, who has written over 20 books, alongside short stories and adaptions for radio, TV and theatre, is a true storyteller, with a lifelong passion for books and reading.

Photography by Anna Mosklava

India has a storytelling culture going back thousands of years – and I have enjoyed telling those stories.

As a child in a small town in India, there were no libraries or bookshops, but she cannot remember a time without music, storytelling or art.

Jamila and her family moved to the UK when she was 13, beginning a new chapter in her life. This melding of cultures is a key part of Jamila’s identity as an author; her mother was English and her father Indian, and both were proud of their cultural heritage. “India has a storytelling culture going back thousands of years – and I have enjoyed, over the years, telling those stories. It was my own mixed background that became the basis for my writing.”

By reflecting on her own experiences, Jamila was able to be a voice for children who found themselves living between two different worlds, as she was. “Since I

began publishing in 1979, I increasingly wanted to help children realise that they and their lives were visible. It wasn’t just about the feel-good factor but seeing themselves in stories; I, and others, were writing about cultural issues and differences. It was the desire to reflect the presence of different ethnic groups and cultures in Britain – not just contemporary Britain, but within history.”

In writing novels that reflect on historical periods, Jamila carefully weaves together cultures and children’s experiences. “While my most recent novel, My Soul, a Shining Tree, is based on the true story of Indian WWI gunner and recipient of the Victoria Cross, Khudadad Khan, it is about how children experience war.

Likewise, my previous novel, Never Forget You, involves young girls on the cusp of womanhood, finding themselves coping with WW2.”

Even though she is described as a children’s and young adult author, this pigeonholing is something that Jamila disagrees with. “I have hugely mixed feelings about the over categorisation of “children’s books” and by bookshops putting age labelling on their bookshelves.

What self-respecting nine-year-old would want to be seen taking down a book from a younger age category – even though it might be entirely interesting to them, and give them

confidence in reading?

“All good books are worthy of reading, whoever they’re aimed at. How are books like Alice in Wonderland categorised?

Or Treasure Island, or His Dark Materials? If readers enjoy the books they read when they’re young, they’ll carry on into adulthood with the expectation that they will enjoy books at any age.”

“I think adults can be surprised by the issues children’s books cover, and the imaginative scale and scope which can be found in children’s books. The challenge to all readers, young and old, to read the books of Philip Pullman – especially His Dark Materials – can only open the most incredible doors into philosophy, religion, the power struggles between good and evil, similar to the great stories of Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.”

I think adults can be surprised by the issues children’s books cover.

Introducing a variety of books and literature to people of all ages is clearly something that Jamila cares about. In 2016, she founded the Stroud Book Festival, which has grown from a local initiative into a major five-day festival attracting thousands of local and professional visitors. Unsurprisingly, at the heart of this is children, with the festival working to inspire children and young people to tell their stories and become lifelong readers.

While Jamila is an accomplished author, she is also a creative in the broader sense, having trained as a concert pianist and worked in arts studio programming across radio and television. “I always feel I move between the genres easily – I love

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THE STORYTELLER GDST Life 2026/27

THE COOKBOOK WRITER GDST Life 2026/27

recently winning the Nero Book Award for Children’s Fiction. While feeling “very bemused” about these honours, Jamila is clear that they are not her reason for writing. “These honours come out of the blue. I do my own thing, and if it is appreciated, then of course, there’s an enormous sense of satisfaction for being recognised. But I feel you have to know whether what you are doing is meaningful to you.”

sound, music, film and theatre. I suppose I’m a chameleon. Like so many children, I loved dressing up, and re-enacting stories – making up the scripts of course! I think many writers love to move between genres and find it stimulating.”

Jamila makes an important, and rarely made, distinction between writing and publishing, and the process of making a conscious decision to move from being a pure creative into being a professional writer. “I had a lightbulb moment which made me not just want to write – I’d always done that – but to publish.

That’s a different matter. I made two decisions: one, to write stories which reflected the multicultural world in which we all now live, and two, to try and get those stories published.

“Being a professional doesn’t necessarily mean doing things well or better, it’s a commitment, with a contract, payment and a delivery date. It was 1979 and that was the year when, on the publication of my first book, I decided to carry on and try to make it my profession.”

It’s a profession that Jamila has certainly been successful at – alongside her MBE, she has won the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and been shortlisted for numerous awards across literature and theatre, most

If you want to make writing a profession, then you do need some kind of discipline, which only you can respond to.

For budding writers, Jamila believes that writing is a craft, that needs to be worked on and learned.

“My mother always said: read the best quality books and learn from the best. If you want to make writing a profession, then you do need some kind of discipline, which only you can respond to. I felt lucky that, having trained to be a pianist, I knew how to be on my own and organise my practise time.

“I also emulated many writers in that I wrote in the garden shed, away from the telephone and distractions. I always had a time constraint saying, ‘I will not leave my garden shed – even if I have no idea what to write. If I have to stare at a blank page for two hours, then so be it’. But, of course, you don’t. I didn’t, and I learned that the brain is like your body: the more you use it, the more it works for you.

“But above all, if you have a story to tell, tell it. In the end, it’s the story that counts.” So, perhaps this is the secret to what makes a great storyteller.

What was your favourite book at school?

Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.

What book has had a profound impact on you?

Schindler’s Ark, by Thomas Keneally.

Who is your favourite female character?

I’m not sure about ‘favourite’ in the iconic sense, but Jane Eyre or Marianne in Sense and Sensibility. The first female character which affected me deeply as a young child, and who I still often think about, is The Little Mermaid: the sacrifices she made to be near the prince with whom she had fallen so much in love, only to have to endure him marrying another. There’s a lot in that story which reflects the female experience.

What are you reading now?

Because so much of my writing is set against an historical background, I do huge amounts of reading for research. But I have a great pile of novels I’m longing to read: Alice Jolly’s new book The Matchbox Girl, or Anna Bailey’s Our Last Wild Days. I am seriously thinking of having next year off.

ELEANOR STEAFEL

THE SECRET INGREDIENT CRISPY GNOCCHI WITH HOT AND SOUR TOMATOES, DILL AND GRATED HALLOUMI Serves 2

I first realised a cookbook could be a glorious thing to curl up with when I was given Nigel Slater‘s Kitchen Diaries for Christmas. It was 2011 and I was living in Paris during my year abroad. That year, Nigel‘s tales from his north London kitchen shepherded me through the seasons – from January‘s marmalade cake to August's bread and tomato salad – and I’m absolutely certain it made me a better cook. It also gave me a love of narrative food writing.

Since then, I have tended to view a good, wordy cookbook as something to be inspired and comforted by rather than as a bible to follow to the letter. The recipes are crucial, of course, but the pleasure is in falling into someone’s world for a while. In telling you about their dinner, they are reaching out to you from their kitchen to yours.

I hope that’s what people feel when they read my books – that I’m standing with them while they pull a meal together, cheering them on.

Ingredients 275g baby plum tomatoes 1 tsp tomato purée 2 tsp crispy chilli oil 1 tbsp sherry vinegar Olive oil, for frying 1 shallot, finely chopped

500g packet of dried potato gnocchi (I just don’t believe them when they say it serves 4) 1 heaped tbsp sour cream A small handful of dill, finely chopped Halloumi, for grating

Method Slice the tomatoes in half on an angle and place in a bowl. Add the tomato purée, crispy chilli oil, sherry vinegar and a big pinch of salt.

Mix and leave to sit while you cook everything else.

Set a large frying pan over a low-medium heat with a good glug of olive oil. Add the shallot and a big pinch of salt. Cook for about eight minutes, or until the shallot has softened up (it doesn’t need to be completely soft – a bit of bite is good). Scrape out of the pan into the tomato bowl while still hot and give everything a stir.

Set the frying pan back on the hob over a medium flame. Add another splash of olive oil. When hot, add the gnocchi. Fry for about six minutes, or until crisped up and starting to brown in places.

Turn the heat off and add the tomato mix to the pan. Toss briefly but confidently so that the gnocchi starts to soak up some of the hot and sour juices but stays crisp.

Serve straight away in warm bowls, topping with spoonfuls of sour cream, the dill and plenty of coarsely grated halloumi.

Eleanor Steafel (Notting Hill & Ealing High School) is the author of The Art of Friday Night Dinner and But First, Dinner.

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THE WRITE STUFF GDST Life 2026/27

THE WRITE STUFF GDST Life 2026/27

THE WRITE STUFF 1

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If you’re looking for your next fiction read, there’s a great selection of new novels, Young Adult and children's fiction from authors in our alumnae network.

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1. Fiza Saeed McLynn, The Midnight Carousel Wimbledon High School

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8. Sofka Zinovieff, Stealing Dad Putney High School

2. Harriet Evans, The Treasures Notting Hill & Ealing High School

5. Nina Bassalian, Bruno’s Green Adventures: Holding Hands with the World South Hampstead High School Illustrated by Carly Selby, South Hampstead High School

3. Jasmine Dennison, The Reset Sheffield Girls

6. Ella McLeod, Andromeda Streatham & Clapham High School

10. Sarah Rayner, The One Who Got Away Putney High School

4. Ros Huxley, Kendal Acts Up Portsmouth High School

7. Sarah Hagger Holt (née Hagger), A Sister Like You Notting Hill & Ealing High School

11. Tracy Cook, Wings Over Valletta Brighton and Hove High School (Brighton Girls)

9. Michelle Paver, Rainforest Wimbledon High School

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12. Jamila Gavin, My Soul, A Shining Tree Notting Hill & Ealing High School Longlisted for the Jhalak Prize, in the Children’s and YA category 13. Ewa Jozefkowicz, Trix’s Tree House Notting Hill & Ealing High School 14. Anna Mazzola (writing under the pen name Anna Sharpe), Notes on a Drowning Croydon High School

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GDST EVENTS GDST Life 2026/27

GDST EVENTS GDST Life 2026/27

GDST EVENTS It has been wonderful to welcome a range of alumnae to speak to the community over the past year. Below are some of the highlights, along with details of upcoming events.

Pictured left to right: Cheryl Giovannoni (CEO, GDST) with Jo Sharrock (Head of Putney High School), Anna Paul (Head of South Hampstead High School), Julie Taylor (Head of Belverdere Academy)

Showcasing the GDST’s global expertise in girls’ education

As global leaders in girls’ education, the GDST is committed to ensuring that girls in all academic settings reach their potential – which includes sharing research insights beyond GDST schools and classrooms.

Designing the Future of Girls’ Education, the GDST’s landmark research report, was presented

before influential audiences, first at the House of Lords in September 2025 and again at Liverpool Central Library in June 2026.

At the House of Lords, Cheryl Giovannoni set out a bold and forwardthinking vision, rooted in GDST research, to ensure girls in all academic settings reach their potential. Alumna Ilora Finlay, The Baroness Finlay of Llandaff, the Heads of Putney High School, South Hampstead High School and Belvedere Academy, and six

inspiring GDST students highlighted the power of all-girls’ education and the GDST’s commitment to shaping its future.

In Liverpool, we led the conversation, asking ’what is the most important thing we can all do to empower girls to lead lives without limits?’ The Heads from Birkenhead High School Academy and Belvedere Academy, alongside Dr Philip Purvis, demonstrated how creating space for girls, adapting curricula and forging a culture of positive women role models can all play a significant part in supporting girls in and out of the classroom.

Alongside this, guests were privileged to hear from GDST students and author and podcast host Catherine Carr, whose powerful advocacy for listening to girls has become an important voice in the growing national conversation about girls’ education. Building on the impact of her BBC Radio 4 series About the Girls, Catherine reinforced GDST’s call for us all to pay closer attention to the needs, experiences and voices of young women and girls.

With the backlash to progress on equality posing growing challenges for girls and young women, the GDST mission to ensure their voices are heard is more important than ever.

‘An evening with…

Eliza Manningham-Buller’

In September 2025, over four hundred alumnae, staff and friends of the GDST gathered at South Hampstead High School for a truly extraordinary evening: hearing from Baroness Manningham-Buller, Northampton High School alumna, former Director General of MI5 and one of the most distinguished public servants of her generation.

Dame Eliza spoke with candour and insight about her remarkable career in intelligence, including her leadership during times of national challenge, such as the 7/7 London bombings.

Dame Eliza’s story was one of courage, intellect and integrity.

However, despite her many noteworthy achievements, her personal reflection that she is one of thousands of remarkable women who began their journeys at GDST schools all around the country was truly humbling.

Remarkably, Dame Eliza follows in the footsteps of the late Dame Stella Rimington, Nottingham Girls’ High School alumna, and the first woman to lead MI5. That the first two women to take on this vital role both came from GDST schools is no coincidence: it speaks to the confidence building, resilience training and leadership skills that are nurtured in GDST schools every day.

Dame Eliza’s story was one of courage, intellect and integrity.

Dame Eliza defined her leadership unapologetically – she insisted that everyone should be their own role model by learning from both the best and worst behaviours they encounter; she spoke of the

discipline of weekly self-reflection on her performance, while also advocating lifelong learning. And she never underestimates the power of small gestures – a timely word of praise or a handwritten note in difficult times can mean the world to someone.

A truly inspirational evening from an alumna who has redefined modern female leadership.

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GDST EVENTS GDST Life 2026/27

UPCOMING EVENTS GDST Life 2026/27

UPCOMING GDST EVENTS

London Networking series with alumna Victoria Rennoldson

With AI forming the basis of many discussions around the future of work and the workplace, it was wonderful to welcome South Hampstead High School alumna Victoria Rennoldson (below) to speak at the GDST’s Alumnae London Networking event in February 2026.

As a coach, speaker and certified facilitator specialising in global leadership, communication and cultural intelligence, Victoria offered insights into the human capabilities that can support leaders to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Victoria emphasised that adaptability was vital to this, alongside trust and strong relationships in the workplace, saying, “Adaptability is crucial as things are changing so fast and we have to make sure that we have the skills that keep us evolving as leaders. The key to adaptation is human capabilities; however, I would not call these ‘soft skills’, as they are absolutely vital.”

A lively Q&A session followed the presentation and Victoria concluded on an optimistic note: even though AI is evolving incredibly fast, this is a fantastic opportunity for leaders to develop their own skills while supporting their teams to grow in a rapidly changing workplace.

Her insights reflect the GDST’s commitment to nurturing girls for life, equipping leaders to embrace change, and fostering environments where everyone can thrive.

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September The Curzon, Soho Alumna Helen Brocklebank with Marianne Clarke, GDST Director of Engagement

Leaders Without Limits series with alumna Helen Brocklebank

The nature of leadership is changing, and to help address this and support our alumnae community, a new series was introduced as part of the GDST Alumnae London Networking programme: ‘Leaders Without Limits’.

The inaugural speaker in May 2026 was Helen Brocklebank, alumna of Birkenhead High School Academy and CEO of Walpole, the official sector body for British luxury, which represents more than 250 of the country’s leading brands in a sector contributing £81 billion to the UK economy.

Helen, in conversation with Marianne Clarke, the GDST’s Director of Engagement, spoke with warmth, humour and honesty about leadership, confidence, networks and navigating professional life as a woman. She described how, for women, careers are a marathon, not a sprint, and so women should pace themselves with many peaking in their 40s and 50s.

Helen went on to reflect that, “Leadership is a behaviour, it isn’t decided by a C-suite job title. As a leader, you should be proactive, be curious, and work out how you can help and learn something new, adding value. As a leader you need to think about the next step and the team, alongside the nature of your business.”

When considering her time at school, Helen said, “What I learnt in the GDST environment is that I deserve to be in that room and have a voice that deserves to be heard.

We can’t take it for granted that the world is an equal place, so you need to own the room.”

As with all GDST alumnae networking events, conversations continued well beyond the formal close of the evening. One Brighton Girls’ alumna commented, “It was such a special event, and I left feeling truly grateful to be part of a network of such wonderful people. Another attendee and I were reflecting that similar events can be daunting, but entering a room of GDST women, you feel immediately at ease.”

‘An evening with… Dame Pippa Harris’

We are delighted to welcome Oxford High School alumna and award-winning film and TV producer Dame Pippa Harris. Dame Pippa will talk about her experiences bringing Academy Award winning film Hamnet to the screen, co-founding Neal Street Productions, and her work as a Producer and Executive Producer on a range of film and TV projects, including The Magic Faraway Tree, 1917, and Call the Midwife.

Alumna of the Year and Festive Drinks | 23 November 2026

This event is always a favourite! We will be in a new venue this year and look forward to welcoming alumnae for festive drinks and to enjoy celebrating our amazing alumnae and their inspiring achievements at the 2026 Alumna of the Year awards.

February & May 2027 London Networking and Leaders Without Limits series

Alumna of the Year finalists at the 2025 event, alongside CEO Cheryl Gionvannoni

STAY IN TOUCH To find out more about any events and to book, please visit gdstprod.smartmembership.net/events

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THE NON-FICTION WRITER GDST Life 2026/27

THE NON-FICTION WRITER GDST Life 2026/27

The questions ‘who am I?’ and ‘what makes a family?’ are challenging to answer and very personal. Nottingham Girls’ High School alumna Rebecca Coxon, who has spent her professional life tackling difficult issues in her work as a documentary maker, looks at these head-on in her incredibly moving memoir, Inconceivable.

Several major life events combined to create a perfect storm for this book to be written. Rebecca had always known that having children might not be straightforward following an endometriosis diagnosis in her twenties. Alongside this, after completing a commercial DNA test, she was matched to an unknown half-sister, leading to the discovery that she and her siblings were conceived via a sperm donor. Her book examines major topics like identity, family secrets and fertility, through a very personal journey.

REBECCA COXON

THE BIRTH OF AN AUTHOR Photograph by alumna Millie Turner (Nottingham Girls' High School)

You have an incredible portfolio career and have won awards for the work you’ve done filming, producing and directing documentaries, while also working as a ghost writer. What made you decide to write this book?

I found myself with a unique perspective – looking at fertility struggles both as a donor-conceived child and recognising that my parents struggled to conceive, then wanting to be a mother and then becoming an egg donor myself – and I didn’t know anyone else who had experienced it from both sides.

As a journalist and documentary maker, I realised that this is the story I needed to tell the world.

In my early thirties I started trying for a family but having worked in TV

for more than a decade, I looked around at colleagues who were juggling families and filmmaking, and saw how difficult it was, particularly for women. I initially started writing the book in secret in 2022, taking time off between contracts, writing in the evenings and at weekends and going on writing courses and retreats, before taking a year off to do a Master’s in Creative Writing. Very early on in my course I started pitching the proposal to agents and when it became clear there was interest, I told my family and they have been so supportive and brilliant, saying “we trust you, let us read it when you’re ready”. I’ve been really lucky.

Parts of Inconceivable are incredibly personal as you write about your own family history alongside what it’s like to live with endometriosis.

How hard was it to write about these topics and did you consider leaving some parts out?

During my Master’s course, there was a section about sex that I was embarrassed about sharing.

My tutor read it and he said, “that’s where your best writing is.

You’re saying stuff that nobody else is saying and you’re being really honest.” And I realised it’s that honesty that readers really appreciate. My friend also pointed

out that I couldn’t write a book about fertility without mentioning sex! But, of course, you still think “gosh, my parents are going to read this”.

There were other things I didn’t want to write about: scenes with my family and siblings which were still emotionally affecting me, and you always worry when you’re writing about other people. I avoided writing some scenes for months but always knew they were probably going to be the best chapters in the book and I think they are.

It’s very exciting that your book is the first to be published on Elizabeth Day’s new imprint, Big Day. The Big Day manifesto – focusing on stories that matter and writers who ask the questions that others avoid – certainly resonates.

What does it mean to be working with someone as influential as Elizabeth Day and to be her flagship publication?

It’s a total dream; I couldn’t believe it. I was lucky enough to get my choice of publishers and one of the reasons I went with Fourth Estate, Harper Collins, is because Elizabeth was on their books and my editor promised that we could all go for cocktails! Six months after I handed in the manuscript, our joint editor got in touch and said that she

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THE NON-FICTION WRITER GDST Life 2026/27

THE CAMPAIGNER GDST Life 2026/27

was launching a new imprint with Elizabeth, and did I want to be the first book? Of course I did!

I had read Elizabeth’s books and have listened to her podcast for years, particularly as she’s been one of the few people in the public eye talking about infertility. Elizabeth gave me hope in the hardest of times that I could have a meaningful life beyond having children, when I thought it wouldn’t work out for me. So, to have her support and personally championing the book has been a debut author‘s dream.

Have you always been interested in storytelling and do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

I vividly remember when I was in year 7 at Nottingham Girls’ High School, I wrote a story and my teacher read it aloud. I was so proud of myself and delighted that she chose to share it.

It was quite a harrowing story: I‘d written about a girl in a coma, which to be honest, does make sense when you look at my career. I‘ve worked on a lot of medical series like Ambulance and 24 Hours in A&E and have always been interested in the darker sides of life, the way people‘s minds work and what happens in times of crisis.

In terms of advice, I would say try and find a community to keep you going. I’ve done a lot of writing retreats, including some brilliant ones with ‘Write like a Grrrl’, ‘Arvon’ and ‘Curtis Brown Creative’.

Just keep writing and trying to get published – whether through ghost writing, media bylines or publicity pieces – big or small.

You’ve just got to go for it and of course you’ll get rejected but over time it will affect you less and you’ll build up confidence.

You’ve packed a lot into your professional life – what are your future plans?

I‘ve been writing a novel since my Master’s in 2024. I‘ve pitched it to my agent, and she‘s really excited about it, so I just need to finish writing it.

It‘s based in modern-day reality, but with a dark, online, psychological twist.

You’ve got a life-long connection to books, having also worked as a bookseller. What do you think the enduring appeal is of books and reading?

I think there‘s nothing quite like when you start reading a book and you can‘t wait to go back to it and find out what happens. I think that will always endure as a form of entertainment, even in a world of screens and TV. I‘m heartened by the fact that in a bookshop you still see people coming in and buying actual books, and I hope that continues. I truly believe there is a story and genre for everyone.

How did your time at Nottingham Girls’ High School shape you?

For A-Level I did English, RE, drama and history, and I think all of those subjects come into my book. One of my Master‘s tutors wrote a review about Inconceivable and said that it was a bit like an adult RE lesson, in the best way possible! There are lots of things that creep in, such as philosophy and ethics cases related to IVF and fertility that I learned about at school, and a few T. S. Eliot quotes. I read T. S. Eliot’s poetry for the first time in extracurricular lunchtime English lessons with Mrs Lowden and fell in love with his writing. I've got great memories of all my teachers, particularly at A-Level, and I really thrived in sixth form.

CHIMMY NGOMA

STORYTELLING FOR ALL

What was your favourite book at school?

Tess of the D’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy.

What book has had a profound impact on you?

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut and The Return by Hisham Matar. I read them both during my MA and they impacted me deeply. One is fiction, the other non-fiction: both are about the devastating, generational impact of war.

Who is your favourite female character?

Jo March from Little Women.

What are you reading now?

The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

Access to books shouldn‘t be a luxury. Chimmy Ngoma (Croydon High School) is a patron of The Free Books Campaign and on a mission to make this a reality – sharing the power of storytelling across communities.

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THE CAMPAIGNER GDST Life 2026/27

THE CAMPAIGNER GDST Life 2026/27

The audience at the Free Books Festival 2024

I don’t see storytelling as just for books.

The Free Books Campaign is about getting books by authors of colour to people who might not otherwise have access to them. It started in 2020 when its founder, Sofia Akel, watched library closures strip away the one thing that she felt had shaped her own life, which was access to books.

Sofia and I attended university together, where we worked on the ‘Why Is My Curriculum White?’ campaign. That collaboration was about representation in what we’re taught. Free Books is about representation in what we read.

Five years ago, I supported the first festival in partnership with Broccoli Productions, a subsidiary of Sony.

We had a couple of hundred people attend. Since then, it’s grown into a celebration that draws in thousands of attendees and hundreds of volunteers. Not only does everyone get a free book but we showcase all forms of storytelling. Famous authors

from different genres discuss their books, from history and manga to cookbooks, alongside free audiobook access with brands like Spotify.

What began as a small fundraiser to get books to people who couldn’t afford them has grown into a movement that’s now donated over 14,500 brand new books and runs an annual festival that thousands of people attend, entirely free.

My own relationship with books started before I could really justify having opinions about it.

My own relationship with books started before I could really justify having opinions about it. At around five years old, my mum would read me Harry Potter every night. One day I felt she was going too slowly, so, to her surprise, I took the book off her and read the rest myself. That was

it. After that, I read everywhere: in the playground, at the dinner table, in the car – wherever I could get away with it. Books got me into other people’s worlds, other cultures and other ways of thinking that I wouldn’t have had access to otherwise.

One of my favourite books of all time is Pachinko. Min Jin Lee does a beautiful job of weaving a narrative that flows across generations, the perspective of each character ageing with each change. It’s a wonderful example of why historical fiction is one of my favourite genres.

But I don’t see storytelling as just for books. I work in financial services in capital markets and a lot of my role is still storytelling. I build stories around our products and projects.

For many companies, a compelling narrative is key to encouraging people to believe and invest in them.

The purpose is different, but the instinct is the same one inspired by reading and writing: what’s the story, who’s it for and how do you make someone care enough to follow it to the end?

It’s part of why I don’t believe that books should be in competition with screens: reading is much more fundamental. You can watch a book adaptation on TV, but it won’t replace what the words themselves are doing for your vocabulary and your ability to think in more than one register.

Even with AI, a good output depends on how precisely you communicate what you want, which is a reading and language skill before it’s a technical skill. Reading isn’t in competition with any of this. It’s the foundation underneath it.

Ultimately, everything I care about comes back to access. I’m on the board for several charities and all of them are about access, whether to books, financial literacy, mental health therapy or career opportunities.

The Free Books Campaign isn’t only about getting stories into people’s hands. It’s about which stories get out there in the first place, because that

shapes how society sees people.

It’s still disappointing to me how many people don’t know that written African literature goes back centuries before colonisation. The Ge’ez literary tradition in Ethiopia dates back to the 4th century with poetry using sophisticated techniques like ‘wax and gold’, where every poem has a surface meaning and deeper meaning. The Timbuktu manuscripts alone run into the hundreds of thousands, covering everything from astronomy to law to poetry. That history existed.

It just hasn’t been told with the same reach as other traditions and that’s the kind of gap Free Books is trying to address.

My wish for the campaign is simple: that it keeps growing until free, equal access to books and storytelling isn’t something we have to campaign for at all.

Chimmy Ngoma Chimmy Ngoma is a Senior Sales Enablement Manager at Equiniti Group, where she works across shareholder services and capital markets on commercial and go-to-market strategy, collaborating with leading investment industry players such as JP Morgan, HSBC and Goldman Sachs.

An active voice for industry change: Chimmy has spoken at notable events and facilitated panels hosted by organisations including O2/ Virgin Media and Channel 4. She has judged initiatives like ‘Alter Ego 2025’ with Hackney Empire and in 2025 she participated in the UN Women UK Commission on the Status of Women, contributing to global conversations about increasing access for women in tech.

Beyond career achievements: Chimmy serves on the board of Her Wealth Network, where she hosts Talent Talks, a podcast focusing on women in financial services and fintech. She has been recognised in the Women in FinTech Powerlist and featured in Disruptors magazine.

Charitable roles: As well as a Patron of the Free Books Campaign, Chimmy is proud to serve as a Trustee of Waves Music Therapy, an organisation dedicated to bringing the transformative power of music to those who need it most.

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What was your favourite book at school?

Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. I was obsessed.

What book has had a profound impact on you?

Waris Dirie’s autobiography Desert Flower. It was the first non-fiction book I ever read. It was also the first time I’d heard about FGM, and it gave me an early, lasting sense of what resilience to success looks like.

Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn is another book that completely reframed how I understand the state of women’s health today and why we’re still so far behind.

I cannot stress enough that every woman should read this.

Who is your favourite female character?

This is a hard one but possibly Sephy from Noughts and Crosses.

She doesn’t start out as wise or self-aware. In fact, she’s blind to her own privilege. But she stays open, she learns and acts on what she’s learnt even when it costs her everything.

What are you reading now?

I am usually always reading two books at a time: one fiction and one non-fiction. My fiction book of the moment is the third instalment of The Final Strife (The Ending Fire) by Saara El-Arifi, which is a fantasy series built on African and Arabian mythology. My non-fiction book of the moment is Signals: The Inside Story of our Hormones

by Dr Saira Hameed, a renowned endocrinologist writing about lives interrupted by misfiring hormones. I’m having a fantastic time with both of them.

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THE WRITE STUFF GDST Life 2026/27

THE WRITE STUFF GDST Life 2026/27

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THE WRITE STUFF There’s something for everyone in the non-fiction bookshelf from our alumnae network – covering finance, science, history, leadership and much more!

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1. Mary Berry, My Life in Gardening Royal High School Bath 2. Katherine Backler, Athena’s Sisters: Reclaiming the Women of Classical Athens Putney High School 3. Eleanor Steafel, But First, Dinner Notting Hill & Ealing High School 4. Grace Spence Green, To Exist As I Am South Hampstead High School – Longlisted for the Waterstones Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction 2026 5. Melanie Phillips, The Builder’s Stone: How Jews and Christians Built the West – and Why Only They Can Save It Putney High School

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6. Abigail Foster, The Money Manual: Everything You Actually Need to Know About Personal Finance Croydon High School

11. Mary Beard, Talking Classics: The Shock of the Old Shrewsbury High School

15. Cathy Hollowell (née Couzens), Nana, Capitalise to Were You Famous? A British Tabloid Journalist’s Tale Howell’s School, Llandaff

7. Sanjana Dawar, Breathe, Then Go Again: Become Resilient at Work Sutton High School

12. Sophie Raworth, Running on Air: From BBC Headlines to Life-Changing Finish Lines Putney High School

16. Samantha Lewis, Forces of the Day Brighton Girls

8. Rupal Patel, Money: The Inside Story Croydon High School

13. Jo Filshie Browning, Scientifically Speaking Nottingham Girls’ High School

9. Victoria Rennoldson, Become a Global Leader South Hampstead High School

14. Sheila Kanani, This Book Will Make You a Scientist and The Starspotter’s Guide: Stories, Science and Secrets of our Night Sky Wimbledon High School

10. Ruth Sellar, Weatherscapes and Ice Cream Delights Oxford High School

17. Elaine Wein (co-author), Extraordinary Wandsworth Women Streatham & Clapham High School – Featuring more than ten women from Putney High School 18. Edward Shawcross, The People’s Emperor: The Unlikely Rise and Spectacular Fall of Napoleon III Teacher at Putney High School

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THE ILLUSTRATOR GDST Life 2026/27

THE ILLUSTRATOR GDST Life 2026/27

SARAH GIBB

JUDGING A BOOK

BY ITS COVER When speaking to Bromley High School alumna Sarah Gibb about her work as an illustrator, what’s most striking is her observation that “my career has moved with me”. There is something wonderful in seeing how her art has not only evolved alongside her personal life, allowing her to keep developing as an artist, but also mirrored book trends – from the ‘chick-lit’ of the 2000s through to recent children’s fiction and fairy tales.

Sarah’s path as an illustrator began at school through her art teacher, the “brilliant Mr McPartland”, who was “very encouraging and helped me to become an illustrator”. After a BA at Central St Martins and an MA at the University of Brighton, Sarah moved into a creative shared-space studio with fellow artists, focusing initially on editorial work for the likes of Vogue, Elle and The Times.

With the growth of ‘chick-lit’, Sarah began to move into book covers, creating artwork for authors like Catherine Alliott and Sue Townsend, alongside the coveted Harrod’s Christmas windows. “It was at the time when they used to have posters of book covers on the Tube and I used to ride along seeing my work; it was just a really exciting time.”

After about a decade of successfully building her portfolio in book covers, illustrations and card artwork, Sarah’s career pivoted and she started work on her first children’s picture book, The Princess Who Had No Kingdom, when she was pregnant with her first child.

To date, two of Sarah’s favourite book covers are from children’s books: Emily Windsnap and the Tides of Time by Liz Kessler, a series

she has worked on extensively, and the National Trust’s Homes Through History, which was “a labour of love”.

Illustrations for fairy tales became something of a speciality, and the delicate details immediately mark them as Sarah’s work – some in black and white, others with foil detail, but all with a characteristic elegance that beautifully captures the fairy tales that we all remember from childhood.

Sarah is incredibly grateful for her career, saying: “I couldn’t stay in one lane – I would find that very boring.

I’m a very creative person and don’t like being pigeon-holed; I feel very fortunate to have been able to move through different areas of publishing and have such a diversity of work.”

In a full-circle moment, Sarah is now teaching in an after-school club. “Teaching is becoming a passion of mine, and I realised I’ve got such a wealth of knowledge. Mr McPartland was so wonderful for me, and I can really see how it’s important to pass information on to the next generation.”

Sarah’s joy of learning hasn’t dimmed either. “I’ve started going to a sculpture class and I absolutely love it – it’s like a really interesting problem to solve, and I hope to do more of it in the future. A lot of my illustration work has become digital, and this is a great way to physically reconnect with art.”

What was your favourite book at school?

I loved The Crucible by Arthur Miller as there’s something about the story that I found really compelling. I did Theatre Studies as one of my A-Levels and we studied The Threepenny Opera by Brecht – what was lovely was that I revisited it when I did my BA as one of my final pieces of artwork was based on it.

What book has had a profound impact on you?

There are so many – from an illustrative perspective it is probably the Moomin series,

by Tove Jansson. I absolutely love her work; it is so beautiful.

Who is your favourite female character?

Emily Windsnap is my favourite character, because she’s both relatable and adventurous: an ordinary girl discovering an extraordinary identity. In The Tail of Emily Windsnap, she shows curiosity, courage and a strong sense of right and wrong. Across the series, she grows emotionally while balancing life between two worlds, making her easy to connect with and admire.

What are you reading now?

The last book I read was The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Attwood and I’ve also recently finished The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman – I enjoy a good, cosy murder mystery.

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THE TRAILBLAZER GDST Life 2026/27

THE TRAILBLAZER GDST Life 2026/27

ANGELA CARTER

LEADING IN LITERATURE When thinking of female writers who have made a significant impact on literature in the past 50 years, the name Angela Carter frequently comes up. Indeed, when The Times compiled ‘The 50 greatest British writers since 1945’ in 2008, they ranked Carter 10th.

The Valley of Kings by Angela Carter. Copyright © Angela Carter. Reproduced by permission of the Estate c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN Born in 1940, the-then Angela Stalker attended Streatham & Clapham High School, leaving in 1958 to study English Literature at the University of Bristol, alongside working as a journalist for The Croydon Advertiser.

She was a prolific writer and from 1966 regularly published novels, short story collections, poems, radio plays, children’s books, essays and articles.

Released in 1979, The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter’s short story collection based on reimagined fairy tales, is perhaps her bestknown work. Widely considered as a feminist reworking of well-known stories and folklore, the collection has also been described as a genuine work of art – balancing themes like gender politics with imagination, narrative and emotional depth. It is

Angela Carter by Fay Godwin © British Library Board

no surprise that the text has been a staple of A-Level English Literature syllabuses for years, often linked with the Gothic genre or part of a collection of modern prose.

In celebration of this remarkable alumna, we are delighted to be able

to share a poem that was written

by Angela in 1952 while she was in Upper Thirds (current year 7) following a school trip to the British Museum, alongside a tribute from Joseph Persad, Head of English at Streatham & Clapham High School.

Through the ingenuity of our librarians past and present, Sue Nichols and Kate McGuinness, and our Head of Philanthropy and Alumnae Engagement, Saskia Mower, Streatham & Clapham High School located some of Angela Carter’s earliest published fiction in its archive of school magazines. It is a rare privilege to witness the beginnings of a writer with such an unerring ability to expose the deeper realities operating beneath surfaces.

Despite her profoundly subversive streak, Angela Carter has rightly become part of daily life at Streatham, with one of our school houses named in her honour. Still, when year 11 students encounter The Bloody Chamber’s ‘The Snow Child’ for the first time, they immediately recognise the oddness of this taming gesture, as their assumptions about fairy tales are shattered through Carter’s postmodern take on tradition. With verve and wit, her grotesque story exposes the noxious ideals that seemingly innocent tales can keep in circulation.

Carter’s early fiction also offers a skewed memoir of her Streatham school days. As well as providing the name for our creative writing magazine, The Magic Toyshop

evokes the disruption of being uprooted from idyllic countryside to the seemingly endless suburban streets of Streatham, haunted by lingering Victoriana, echoing Carter’s own childhood evacuation to Yorkshire before her arrival in Streatham.

The brutal dystopia of Heroes and Villains is similarly haunted by Carter’s schooldays, tracing its defiant protagonist Marianne’s journey from the apparent utopia of the Professors and Timekeepers into the savage wilds of the wider world. Meanwhile, with its Bristol setting, Several Perceptions charts Carter’s move from Streatham & Clapham High School to study English at Bristol University and the mind-altering possibilities she discovered through her dedication to the subject.

It is hard to think of a writer who more humorously and committedly embodied Streatham’s motto: Towards Wisdom Unafraid. We are extraordinarily fortunate to share a connection with her legacy.

Mr Joseph Persad Head of English, Streatham & Clapham High School

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INTO THE ARCHIVES GDST Life 2026/27

INTO THE ARCHIVES GDST Life 2026/27

INTO THE ARCHIVES All of us will remember our school library. Whether it was somewhere to concentrate in peace, a refuge from a busy day, a place to tackle outstanding coursework, a trove of both new or familiar stories to get lost in, or somewhere to get homework done, every GDST girl will have spent time in her school library.

Notting Hill & Ealing High School, 1880 Norwich High School

Sydenham & Dulwich Girls, 1920s

for Girls, 1974

As with all elements of school life, libraries have changed significantly over the past 150 years. Gone are the heavy wooden tables and familiar clack of the return date stamp, and in its place is the clicking of laptop keys and electronic beeps as books are scanned out. However, the essence of the library hasn’t changed – enjoy this delve into our archives to see the evolution of GDST school libraries since the 1880s.

Sheffield Girls’, 1960s

Putney School, 1986

Wimbledon High School, 2018

Howell’s School, Llandaff, 1930s Sutton High School, 196

0s/70s

Croydon High School, 1959, the opening of the Margaret Adams Library

Portsmouth High School, 1950

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ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR

CELEBRATING INCREDIBLE ALUMNAE The wealth of achievements across the GDST alumnae network is staggering and it is always wonderful to celebrate this at the annual Alumna of the Year awards. The excellence in the 2025 awards, from science to the arts, across charity work and advocacy, celebrating leadership and community work, was truly humbling.

Even though our winners of the 2025 Alumna of the Year and Trailblazer awards are very different, both are focused on improving health – mental and physical – and supporting those that struggle to be heard.

TRAILBLAZER OF THE YEAR When obstetrics and gynaecology registrar Jennifer Townsend (Bromley High School) was invited back to her school for the launch of its new Women’s Health Initiative, it was a fullcircle moment. “As an obstetrics and gynaecology registrar, to be invited back to discuss how to empower and support girls to understand their health – I couldn’t be prouder of the

students, staff and the community for the work they do, the same that played such a vital role in shaping me into the person I am today.”

Jennifer has always had a keen interest in global health disparities and has worked to address these both in the UK and internationally, alongside her work at Watford General hospital – with education at the heart of it all.

“Working in maternity services, we know that the system is under real pressure. Staff shortages, burnout and

strained services are daily realities. But I still love my job – and I believe that by investing in the next generation, we can build safer, more compassionate, patient-centred women’s healthcare.

Education and empowerment must be at the heart of that.”

Jennifer’s work began as soon as she left school and gave her a truly global picture. “I had a gap year in northern Uganda researching maternal acute illness and then took an additional degree in international health while at medical school in Leeds that took me to Colombia, studying barriers women face in accessing healthcare during conflict.

Later, I went to Haiti, exploring how grassroots approaches can strengthen local hospitals and communities after crises.”

In the UK, Jennifer helped found a National Teaching Society: a free, accessible online platform to help medical students and resident doctors feel confident working in surgery or applying for surgical training.

Jennifer’s thirst for learning, alongside her passion for empowering women, is evident. Yet the foundation for her work is very much rooted in her time at school. “The skills I first learned at Bromley High stayed with me. The debating competition in year 9 helped me chair a national panel with Médecins Sans Frontières years later. The piano exams in the school hall taught me how to practice, to focus and stay calm – the same ability to work under pressure I now draw on before an emergency C-section.”

I couldn’t be prouder of the students, staff and the community for the work they do.

SHORTLISTED TRAILBLAZERS Lilah Fear (South Hampstead High School) Lilah is a professional British-Canadian ice dancer whose performances have redefined British figure skating on the world stage. She made history in 2025 by winning bronze at the World Figure Skating Championships with her partner Lewis Gibson – the first world medal for a British team since 1984.

Lilah embodies creativity, resilience and excellence in sport.

Juhie Radia (Northwood College for Girls) A climate advocate, youth champion and data analyst, Juhie is dedicated to empowering the next generation and building a sustainable future. The youngest King’s Ambassador for the Engineering Development Trust and an emerging leader at Anthropy, Juhie contributes to national conversations about sustainability and youth engagement. She has mentored 500 young people, is the Vice-Chair of the Kew Gardens Youth Council and has been recognised as ‘one to watch’ by Women in Data.

Kasia Hughes (Putney High School) An emerging talent in British fashion, Kasia graduated from the London College of Fashion with a specialism in fashion pattern cutting and is now undertaking a coat-making apprenticeship at Connock & Lockie. Kasia won the Rising Star prize for tailoring at the prestigious Golden Shears Awards 2025. She utilises bespoke and couture techniques, paired with experimental construction methods, rooted in a deep respect for traditional craftmanship and sustainability.

Rebecca Clarke (Wimbledon High School) Rebecca was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 2025 King’s New Year Honours List in recognition of her exceptional work as a disability rights advocate and young leader. She is passionate about equality and accessibility, demonstrated through her work as Vice-Chair of the Whizz Kidz Youth Board and having co-designed the impactful ‘Autistic and OK’ programme with Ambitious about Autism. A BEng Biomedical Engineering student, Rebecca played a key role at the National Citizen Service and contributes to the Disabled Children’s Partnership, shaping influential research and reports that inform national policy.

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ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

Nothing about Abi Gilchrist (Blackheath High School) is half-hearted. From her infectious laugh to her incredible singing voice and absolute joy in the power of music, she enters a room and fills it with her passion.

BLACKHEATH HIGH SCHOOL'S ABI GILCHRIST

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR Photograph by Adam Hills

This began at school where, she says, “much of that early support came from an extraordinary music department and two people who changed the course of my life – Mr and Mrs Tewson.

The believed in me, championed me, and created a space for me to grow as a musician. They opened doors to opportunities I didn’t even know existed. I wasn’t treated as ‘just’ a student; I was treated as an artist in the making.”

Abi is the first to acknowledge the twists and turns that her career has taken, describing it as “anything but linear”. As an international singer she has an enviable CV from working on film scores like Mission: Impossible and Wicked and leading her jazz and cabaret band ‘Miss Kiddy and the Cads’, to working with iconic artists like Jacob Collier. Alongside this, Abi is also the Founder of UK Soul Choirs.

Started in 2010, it now boasts over 700 singers each week and has raised over £60,000 for charity.

As with many artists, Abi’s biggest challenge came during the COVID pandemic, when her freelance work disappeared overnight. However, her resilience came to the fore once more and HOMESING was born. This highlighted something Abi had long known – the transformative power of music in enhancing mental well-being and building inclusive communities.

She said, “I have heard first-hand from my members that [HOMESING] saved

many people who were alone during such a frightening, lonely time.”

Abi is a champion and advocate for the arts in schools, saying, “[the arts] create not just performers, but thinkers, dreamers, collaborators and leaders. We may not all become Mozarts or Monets, but music sharpens our minds, strengthens our spirits, and enriches our communities.”

Practicing what she preaches, Abi is also now sharing her knowledge and expertise as a teacher, at Trinity Laban and as Principal Vocal Tutor at the London School of Musical Theatre. And the lessons she shares are the ones she carries from Blackheath. “I am helping train the West End performers of tomorrow and the greatest lesson I share with them is one I learned at Blackheath: there is no single path. Dreams evolve. Setbacks redirect us. And sometimes what lies ahead is even greater than what we first imagined.”

Dreams evolve.

Setbacks redirect us.

And sometimes what lies ahead is even greater than what we first imagined.

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ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR GDST Life 2026/27

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR 2025 SHORTLIST FRANCES STEAD SELLERS (Brighton Girls)

PROFESSOR SAMAYA NISSANKE (Oxford High School)

Frances is a distinguished journalist and editor whose career has spanned continents and transformed public discourse. She is currently Associate Editor at The Washington Post and is a prominent host for Washington Post Live. She has covered major events and her work often explores themes of identity, citizenship and language, bridging cultural divides with clarity and expression. Beyond her career, Frances serves on boards for public health, history and nature preservation, and selecting students for the trans-Atlantic Thouron Award.

Samaya is a pioneering astrophysicist whose work has transformed our understanding of the universe and is at the forefront of gravitational wave and multi-messenger astrophysics. Her work has been recognised with many prestigious awards, including the 2021 Suffrage Science Award for her outstanding science communications and support for women in STEM. Samaya is a passionate science communicator, an inspiring role model and an advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion in science.

HELEN BROCKLEBANK (Birkenhead High School Academy)

MARGERY SWINTON (Croydon High School)

Helen is the Chief Executive of Walpole, the official sector body for UK luxury, which counts over 250 British brands in its membership. Under her leadership, Walpole launched the British Luxury Sustainability Manifesto, aiming to position the UK as a global leader in sustainable luxury. She is a champion for both women and business: founding Women in Luxury to increase C-suite gender parity, sitting on the board of the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance and serving on the Department for Business and Trade’s advisory group for manufactured and consumer goods.

Margery is a tireless champion for youth sport, inclusion and education, whose work has transformed opportunities for children in rural Scotland. Alongside her 37-year career in teaching, Margery founded a rural athletics club to serve remote schools in the Highlands and is a world-leading athlete herself. She took up athletics at 42 and in her event, the hammer throw, she holds three British Masters records and several Scottish records. Thanks to Margery, sport is now an integral part of education in her region, and her coaching has developed several national level athletes.

DR MEHREEN DATOO (Nottingham Girls’ High School)

ELIZABETH HOWE OBE (Howell’s School, Llandaff)

Mehreen is a clinical lecturer and infectious diseases doctor at the University of Oxford, whose work is helping to transform global public health. She was a key member of the team that developed the Oxford R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine at the Jenner Institute, which is now being administered to children in sub-Saharan Africa. Mehreen has also worked on Ebola vaccine trials and was a clinical research doctor on the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trials. For her exceptional contributions, Mehreen was named in the prestigious TIME100 Next list in 2024.

Elizabeth is a legal professional and global leader in criminal law and international human rights. She served as Chief Crown Prosecutor for Kent, leading complex and high-profile cases, and has played a key role in shaping prosecution services across England and Wales.

Her influence spans both domestic and international spheres. As General Counsel of the International Association of Prosecutors and President of the International Legal Assistance Consortium, Elizabeth was instrumental in promoting the rule of law worldwide and has had the distinction of being recognised as an Honorary Bencher of the Inner Temple.

PROFESSOR MINA RYTEN (South Hampstead High School) Mina is a leading clinical geneticist and neuroscientist, currently serving as Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, where she leads a multidisciplinary team focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms driving neurodegeneration. As one of few women leading a major UK research institute in neuroscience, Mina is a STEM role model. Her leadership is helping to shape the future of dementia research and deliver real-world impact for patients and their families.

Don't forget to vote for the Alumna of the Year 2026 – we will be announcing our winner on 23 November 2026.

To vote, please visit gdst.net/alumna-of-the-year

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REUNIONS GDST Life 2026/27

REUNIONS GDST Life 2026/27

SCHOOL REUNIONS There is nothing like returning to your old school: seeing friends and former teachers, reminiscing, catching up and marvelling at the changes that have been made since you left. This year has been no exception, and it has been wonderful to welcome back alumnae from a range of GDST schools around the UK. Below is a snapshot of some of the wonderful reunions that took place.

Putney High School,

All-Year Reunion

Wimbledon High School, Birthday Reunion

Oxford High School Reunion

ool, South Hampstead High Sch nion Reu ual Ann Notting Hill & Ealing High School, OGA Tea Party

Bromley High School, Class of 1976 Reunion

Norwich High School for Girls, Sum

mer Reunion

Streatham & Cl

Portsmouth High School Reunion

apham High Sc

hool Reunion

Howell’s School, Llandaff, Cocktails at Christmas

To find out when your old school is next having a reunion and to book your place, please visit gdstprod.smartmembership.net/events.

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A GIFT FOR TODAY GDST Life 2026/27

PHILANTHROPY GDST Life 2026/27

IMPACT OF GIVING 2024 –2025

CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE GENERATIONS

This year was particularly challenging for the independent school sector, bringing into sharp focus the GDST’s need, as a charity, to look increasingly to philanthropy to help sustain and grow our bursary programme.

Phoebe received a full bursary when she attended Norwich High School. She was always very aware of how this support changed her life – enabling her to attend a school that would provide opportunities and allow her to flourish, culminating in plans to study medicine at university.

The GDST family of schools is enhanced and enriched by students who receive financial assistance, many through a life-changing bursary, and the support of the GDST community has never been more important.

Through loyal donors and supporters, working alongside staff and alumnae, more girls and young women can benefit from an outstanding GDST education, equipping them with the skills and confidence to become the future leaders and changemakers the world needs.

932 girls

received a GDST education through life-changing bursaries

1 in 2

bursaries awarded were fully funded places, helping to remove financial barriers

£4.3 million

was given by our community of alumnae, parents, staff and friends – supporting girls in our schools to flourish

1,418 gifts

big and small. Your gifts change lives – thank you!

So, when the chance to take part in a GDST telephone campaign came up, to connect with alumnae and seek their support for key school priorities, including the Bursary Fund, it felt like a natural next step.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect,”

Telephone Campaign 2025 6 schools united Newcastle Norwich Nottingham Sheffield South Hampstead Wimbledon

709

meaningful alumnae conversations

1 in 3

calls resulted in new support

£125,000

unlocked in bursary awards

said Phoebe, “but it was such a fun and rewarding experience. I loved speaking to a fellow full bursary award holder, who was incredibly open about the assistance she had received and how it had impacted her.

As I had received identical support,

we had a lovely conversation about our unique shared experiences.”

Phoebe was one of 17 dedicated Sixth Form students and recent leavers who spoke to over 700 alumnae over the course of two weeks in the 2025 Telephone Campaign, supporting six schools across the GDST. Alongside securing generous financial support, the student callers built meaningful, lasting connections within the GDST alumnae network as they heard inspiring stories, celebrated achievements, and received invaluable career advice and mentoring offers.

Alex, a fellow Norwich High School for Girls caller, said: “I really enjoyed speaking to people who loved their time at school and had interesting jobs. I also enjoyed the connections and laughs I had with other GDST girls and, of course, raising money for a cause I think is so important.”

Thank you to every alumna who donated, shared her experiences or offered her time to support the next generation. Your generosity and encouragement ensure that we reach as many girls as possible, supporting and empowering them to achieve their full potential.

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A GIFT FOR THE FUTURE GDST Life 2026/27

TIME, TALENT AND TREASURE GDST Life 2026/27

MOLLIE DARK

SUPPORTING THE SISTERHOOD

A LEGACY OF EDUCATION

As part of our global alumnae community of incredible women, you are a powerful force for change. To help meet the challenges of today’s world, we want to obilise our unrivalled network of women to be active role models and mentors, to support both students and alumnae.

Sometimes acts of profound generosity can go unseen. Here, we remember Wimbledon High School alumna Mollie Dark, whose remarkable donation is supporting future generations of girls to receive an exceptional education.

How can I share my talent?

Our new initiative Time, Talent and Treasure will create a true culture of philanthropy across our GDST network, where alumnae support each other, networking and fostering conversations that not only inspire but enable.

How can I provide my time?

By speaking to students or Offering skills or specialist alumnae about your role, knowledge to a specific offering work school project, experience, joining a panel supporting mock or advisory board interviews or or being part of TIME, participating a School TALENT, in a school Governing careers fair.

Board (SGB).

TREASURE

How can I support treasure?

Consider giving a monthly donation, leaving a gift in your will or speaking to us about our ambitions to create a transformative financial support programme.

Join us today. Help unlock life-changing opportunities for more girls – and ensure the next generation can live lives without limits. Sign up to give your time or talent: forms.cloud.microsoft/e/rndeyfJzZR If you are interested in supporting our treasure initiative, please contact Rachna Purdie, Deputy Director of Philanthropy and Partnership, on r.purdie@wes.gdst.net.

When Mollie Dark (née Prescott) arrived at Wimbledon High School in 1940, the world was at war. Alongside her sister, she began her education at a time of uncertainty and disruption.

Even cherished traditions were interrupted: birthday celebrations paused as students set aside banners and games to help clear rubble and debris. In those moments, the values of resilience, responsibility and community were not simply taught, they were lived.

Those formative years shaped Mollie profoundly. The school nurtured her intellectual sharpness, independence of mind and quiet determination. In an era defined

by challenge, she developed the confidence to think critically, adapt quickly and seize opportunity – qualities that would guide her throughout her life.

In adulthood, Mollie built a successful career in the financial world, applying her keen intellect and instinct for negotiation with assurance and skill. Later, she embraced a life enriched by art, culture and community, becoming part of Cornwall’s vibrant creative scene. She formed lasting friendships, cultivated a remarkable art collection and created a home known for its warmth and generosity – a reflection of the curiosity and openness first encouraged during her school days.

In her later years, Mollie turned her attention to the future – considering the education that shaped her and how she could help a girl at the start of her journey. Mollie chose to leave a gift in her will to Wimbledon High

School, ensuring that other girls would benefit from the same transformative education that had shaped her own life. Her legacy will fund bursaries for talented and motivated students from all backgrounds.

In 2024–2025, Mollie became part of a remarkable community of donors whose legacy gifts raised more than £2 million across GDST schools to fund bursaries. Together, these gifts represent a shared belief in an an all-girls' education and in the power of girls to shape their own futures.

Fionnuala Kennedy, Head of Wimbledon High School, said: “We are so grateful to those who have left a legacy to the school in their will. They continue to have a transformational effect on all aspects of school life. Gifts like Mollie’s ensure future generations of girls and young women will benefit from a Wimbledon High School education. Thanks to Mollie and to all our legators, the WHS community continues to thrive.”

To find out more about how legacies can shape girls’ futures, please visit: gdst.net/support/giving-in-your-will

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RETROSPECTIVE GDST Life 2026/27

RETROSPECTIVE GDST Life 2026/27

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RETROSPECTIVE

IN MEMORY OF MADELEINE Remembering Madeleine Wickham, aka Sophie Kinsella, 12 December 1969– 10 December 2025 We were heartbroken to learn of the passing of Putney High School alumna and renowned author Madeleine Wickham (née Townley, Class of 1987), known by her pen name Sophie Kinsella. She is especially celebrated for her best-selling Shopaholic series of novels, which sold more than 50 million copies in over 60 countries and had been translated to more than 40 languages by the end of her life.

During her time at Putney, perhaps unsurprisingly, she had a clear love of creative writing. An early example of this can be seen from 1981, with her poem ‘A Shell from New Zealand’, which was published in the school magazine.

Madeleine was also an enthusiastic young athlete. She was an awardwinning gymnast and played netball and tennis. She was a great pianist too, receiving a Distinction from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music for her Grade 7 examination.

Putney High is immensely proud Photography by alumna Anita Corbin (Putney High School)

to have showcased Madeleine in its Portrait Exhibition Series, which marked the school’s 125th anniversary.

Generous with her time, she returned to Putney for a careers event and last summer, Putney students took part in a concert raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity to honour Madeleine. The event, at St George’s in Hanover Square, was

a huge privilege, particularly as the choir sang a piece of music written by Madeleine.

Madeleine has left an indelible mark on Putney High School, through her uplifting support, inspiring the next generation.

She is dearly missed and our thoughts and condolences remain with her family, friends, Putney peers and loved ones.

AL UMNA

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facebook.com/GDSTalumnae @gdstalumnae GDST Alumnae Network

HOW TO KEEP UP TO DATE We would love to stay in touch with you. As most of our communications now take place by email, please make sure we have your current email address by contacting us at info@gdstalumnae.net, or updating your details via our alumnae portal gdst.net/alumnae/portal HOW WE LOOK AFTER AND USE YOUR DATA We promise that your details are safe with us – you can view our privacy policy at gdst.net/privacy-notice/. You can choose how we contact you by updating your details on our alumnae portal.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE Phone us on 020 7393 6898 or email us at info@gdstalumnae.net

The opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the GDST. All reasonable attempts have been made to clear copyright before publication.