16591 leweston 5th september_12013 Newsletter 25/09/2013 11:27 Page 1
The Belvedere
Chronicles
The Leweston Society Record 6th Edition
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Contents Headmaster’s Introduction Prep School Headmaster’s Address Leweston Society Manager’s Report Music Clare Thompson Diary of Events Careers Day Dr Debbie Shoemark Holly Ritchie Reunions Gaudy Reunion Mandy Hackland Amanda Catmur Class Notes The OA Award Jonny’s Sister Sixth Form Centre South Africa Choir and Netball Tour The School Year in Retrospect Summer Results
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A D R I A N AY LWA R D HEADMASTER I AM BASING MY INTRODUCTION FOR THIS YEAR’S BELVEDERE CHRONICLES MAGAZINE ON SOME OF WHAT MY OUTLINE THOUGHTS ARE WHEN PREPARING FOR MY OPEN DAY SPEECH. I HOPE THIS WILL BRING THOSE OAS UP TO DATE AS TO WHERE WE ARE AS A SCHOOL AND WHAT WE ARE FOCUSING ON TO CONTINUE TO OFFER OUR PUPILS THE BEST POSSIBLE ALL-ROUND EDUCATION.
We
We are an all-girls school and unashamedly so from 11 and will remain so. This is not just about academics although some of the arguments there seem reasonably clear with, for example, some of the tougher subjects particularly being taken more commonly in the Sixth Form than at co-ed schools, but crucially it is also about development of all aspects that make us human. One way of then looking at this is to say that in an all-girls school the girls have the space to take more risks, the right sort of risks. These could be emotional, spiritual, physical as much as intellectual. For example, participation in sport and extra-curricular activities requires a sort of mental casting off one’s bread upon the water. Participation, not to say standard, is I believe exceptional at Leweston. We do not wish to be isolated and continue to work on the opportunities, cultural and social, with other schools, particularly our long-standing links with Sherborne Boys School. We are a community and wish to remain so, consisting of all the different constituentcies of school life. It is something remarked upon by all visitors after their tours. They sense the palpable benefits of our community and often remark on the strong staff pupil relationship. It is what the Head Girl of last year told me, after she had left, that on reflection, it was that sense of partnership that made Leweston so special, the level of support and challenge in good times and bad.
Our educational tradition is dedicated to the education of the whole person, not just a marketing tag but one of Christian humanism emphasising preparation for a life in the world and the responsibilities of service. We are a community with boarders and day girls and will remain so. Boarding has been a particular area of success for us in these last two years and will be up a remarkable 20% in September, much against the national trend. We see more girls wanting to board as full boarders, weekly boarders and flexi boarders. If this trend continues, we will have to consider the possibilities for expansion from Year 9 to 13. We are an academic school, by which I do not mean selective in the sense of the traditional grammar school but I mean one where the girls are challenged within an academic curriculum which is worked around their own choices to the extent possible. We do not have option blocks. The staff have been particularly proud of the girls in the last year or so and it was an excellent performance last year that our value added put us in the top 5% of schools nationally, and top of the DfE Performance Tables for Dorset and Somerset at Sixth Form. The challenge is now to keep helping each girl do their best by eschewing any complacency. Above all, we are a school where the girls’ qualities of commitment, enthusiasm and naturalness are vital and commonly fed back to me. These habits and qualities are not a given. They do live on in the DNA
of the school but they need to be nurtured and we need to go forward with that. We are a school, extra curricularly, with the opportunities of a larger school although quite a small one. We have a costed Business Plan which is not easy for us to achieve but it is professional, it is monitorable and measurable and it is accompanied by a School Development Plan with aims and objectives in terms of our teaching and learning and all aspects of school life. In terms of the developments we have added a wonderful Sixth Form Centre this year which I know the girls have loved, thanks to a kind parental donation. We are planning major capital expenditure this summer holidays on ensuring we have first rate internet access. We are investing in other ways in the infrastructure, particularly in the boarding areas. I hope you will find enclosed a copy of the Leweston Annual fund which contains several fundraising projects across school life with which we would be very grateful for any assistance you are able to offer. I hope that you have sensed the positive momentum and the good spirits at Leweston on the occasions you have returned. As always we look forward to welcoming OAs over the coming academic year. Do keep in touch with the school and please keep on sending your news, as we are always interested in the next phase.
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J A M E S S AV I L E PREP SCHOOL HEADMASTER
“Learning is essential to living life to the full we should never stop learning” I would like to take this opportunity to reflect upon this past academic year which will leave you amazed at just how busy and successful the children have been ...
stand still. We are always striving to move the school forward and we have some exciting developments for the coming school year.
We made changes to our timetable and curriculum so that the core subjects are focused on at the start of the day. By moving to one hour sessions we have been able to work closely with the Senior School and make more efficient use of staff and facilities across the campus. Our spiritual needs have been taken care of by Father Peter throughout this year. He has celebrated Mass on Wednesdays for both the Prep and Senior School. The Masses throughout the term have been enjoyed by everyone and have meant so much to us at the Prep.
The Governors have spent a lot of time analysing the future of the Prep School. They have specifically been looking at our Early Years as it is the start of many pupils’ time with us. As a result, I am pleased to announce that the Nursery will become an all-year round unit from September 2013 for children between the ages of 2 and 4 and will be open from 8am until 6pm.
Music has gone from strength to strength. Our choir has regularly sung beautifully in Mass and the children have been very busy in concerts and exams producing excellent results. Year 5 worked very hard last term in their music as they took part in the Wallace and Gromit competition. The Sherborne Mayor’s Concert which was performed in May was a huge success with the children being able to show their talents to a packed audience. The end of year drama production of Pirates of the Curry Bean was of a very high standard; the pupils certainly shone forth in their roles and it was most entertaining for the audience. Sport at Leweston Prep has also produced great results. Throughout the year we have had many matches, both home and away. Many athlons have taken place and it has been so encouraging to see our children do well as both individuals and in teams. The addition to the staff of Great Britain biathle coach Mick Flaherty has helped to create some outstanding results, particularly in biathle. Children have participated locally and nationally and we were delighted when two of our pupils qualified to represent Great Britain in the European Biathle Championships.
As part of our learning outside the classroom, we have been transforming a wood which is near the Prep School so that it becomes an outdoor learning area. This we look forward to using from September. Sailing has continued to be a popular extracurricular activity. Once again, Leweston Prep was the host school for the IAPS Sailing regatta with 200 young competitors representing prep schools from throughout the country. Conditions were about as challenging as they could be with half the fleet sadly failing to reach the start line due to the strong winds, but our 4 team members fought very hard and are to be commended for everything that they achieved. When the school was inspected in 2012 the results were extremely encouraging and showed Leweston Prep to be a very good school. This was backed up this year by a visit from the Good Schools’ Guide who wrote a very encouraging report about us. However, it is important that we do not LEWESTON NURSERY
Our parent and toddler group which takes place on a Thursday morning has grown from strength to strength with new parents and children joining weekly. We have also enjoyed some wonderful Nursery activity mornings and have recently introduced an Aquatots class on a Wednesday morning which is a swimming group for parents and toddlers in our own school pool. As we move on to the start of this academic year we look forward to welcoming our new pupils. Leweston Prep has many things to offer as part of an all-round education, and as our leavers move onto their secondary schools we believe that the confidence and abilities they take with them will lead them through this next phase of education wisely.
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MARGO LIDDLE LEWESTON SOCIETY MANAGER huge thank you to all those OAs who have been in touch with their news over the past few months; it’s been a joy to hear from you all and wonderful to have so much news in the “class notes section” and to be able to have a bumper marriage page and plenty of reunions to report on. Thank you also to those who have written articles for the magazine this year, these are spaced throughout and are highly recommended read!
A
You will find included with the magazine a copy of Leweston’s Annual fund; a fundraising document which I would like to draw your attention to. This has been designed around smaller but still significant projects which will have an immediate impact on key areas of school life. In particular one of the fundraising items which I feel would personally interest OAs are the Chapel kneelers which we are desperately requiring for St Antony’s Chapel. I’m sure you will all remember being in Mass and scraping the wooden kneelers out from under the chair in front of you! This is no longer, we are to replace all 320 kneelers which are to be made and covered in Leweston House colours. Kneelers are able to be purchased individually and House colours can be chosen. I would like to assure you all that no gift is too small, we would be very grateful for any help you are willing to give! Please do take a minute to read through this document. A diary date for 2014 is the Gaudy Reunion which will take place on Saturday 10th May at Leweston. Please see the events section on page 7 as to which year groups are to be invited. The Gaudy has always been well attended and a great way for OAs to catch up with one another. Do start making your plans and encouraging other peers to join you, obviously the larger the turn out in a year group the better the occasion it becomes! Invitations will be sent out at the beginning of the New Year. As always I look forward to hearing about the reunions which take place throughout the year, please email me a photograph of the occasion together with a small description and I will be delighted to add this into the next edition of the Belvedere Chronicles. Finally a message from me to you, please keep in touch, do let me know of any news, stories, articles, business achievements, and of course personal achievements which take place throughout the year. Marriages and births are equally important for us to hear about and last but not least please keep your contact details up to date with me! I hope to see many of you in May at the forthcoming Gaudy reunion. If any other year group would like to organise a reunion back at Leweston at a different time throughout the year please do not hesitate to contact me via liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk or telephone 01963 211015.
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The Carol Service in Sherborne Abbey will take
MUSIC A CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT CHIDEOCK CHURCH CHRISTMAS FILLED CHIDEOCK CATHOLIC CHURCH, BRIDPORT, AS LEWESTON’S SCHOLA CANTORUM AND VARIOUS ENSEMBLES PERFORMED A CHRISTMAS CONCERT. THANK YOU TO MRS DEIRDRE COATES WHO KINDLY DONATED CHIDEOCK MANOR FOR THE REFRESHMENTS AFTERWARDS. THE AUDIENCE ENJOYED RECITALS FROM THE SCHOLA CANTORUM, LEWESTON’S STRING QUARTET, WIND QUARTET, CELLO ENSEMBLE, THE NEWLY FORMED SIXTH FORM CHOIR AND JAZZ BAND. THERE WERE ALSO MANY WONDERFUL SOLO PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE EVENING. THE CONCERT ENDED WITH THE WELL-LOVED CAROL OF “O COME, ALL YE FAITHFUL”. THE FUNDS MADE FROM HOSTING THIS CONCERT CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS LEWESTON’S CHOIR AND NETBALL TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA AND ALSO TO THE CHIDEOCK CHURCH DOME APPEAL.
MUSIC DIPLOMA DISTINCTIONS Congratulations to three Leweston girls who took their ATCL (Associate Trinity College, London) Performance Diplomas this year: Ellie B on the Saxophone, Emily Y on the Piano and Imogen M on the Flute. All three candidates passed their Diplomas with both Ellie and Imogen achieving a Distinction – this is no mean feat at Diploma level which is an advanced exam and equivalent to the first year of a Music Conservatoire Degree course.
Leweston Schola Cantorum CD for Sale! Leweston’s Schola Cantorum has recorded a CD of tracks it has performed throughout the year including the Sherborne Abbey Festival and the Choral Society Concert Zimbe! These CDs are being sold through the school at £10. Please contact 01963 211015.
This year’s Christmas Concert will be held on Saturday 7th December 2013 at St Luke’s and St Theresa’s Catholic Church in Wincanton.
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place on Thursday 12th December 2013 at 4pm. Please contact Margo Liddle should you wish to receive an invitation to this event.
LEWESTON’S CHORAL SOCIETY PRESENTS ZIMBÉ! We were delighted to welcome a record audience to our Choral Society Concert on Sunday 3rd March. This year’s concert entitled Zimbé!, sing the Songs of Africa, included vocalists from Leweston Senior School, Leweston Prep School and members of the local community who came together to form this year’s Choral Society. The choir was accompanied by the ‘Call me Al’ jazz quintet which included Alexander L’Estrange, the composer of Zimbé! and the Choir had the fantastic opportunity to work with Alexander during some of their rehearsals. Director of Music, Claire Hawkes commented, “My aim for this year’s Choral Society was to spread the sheer joy of what music and singing gives us through the infectious harmonies and rhythms of Africa across the campus and into the local community. Zimbé! was an unusual choice of work for this year’s Choral Society, but an opportunity not to be missed, in bringing together Schola, Junior Choir, the local community and cross campus inviting the Prep school children to form the Children’s Choir. What better way to promote and fundraise for our Schola and netball tour to South Africa in July, than to fill people’s ears with the sounds of Africa? The lilting African harmonies took the audience on a journey from South Africa all the way to Ghana and
Please contact Margo Liddle for more information - 01963 211015
Kenya, singing about life, from playground songs, weddings, funerals and even simply the sun rising and setting. This was a challenge for all involved, not least for me, conducting two lots of SATB with the chorus and semi chorus, and for the singers learning words in Swahili, Shona, Xosa and singing without scores, as well as clapping and moving. It was wonderful to see the pleasure this gave to all the singers and audience alike. I am very proud of everyone’s hard work and commitment to this project.” Alexander L’Estrange, composer also commented, “It was a joy to have such cross-age collaboration. The age range of the choir was from 5 years to 90 years old and this is what singing is all about. You all did Zimbé! proud and you rocked! Thank you.” This year’s Choral Society raised £3000 for the choir and netball tour to South Africa.
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design for
CLARE THOMPSON (NEE HELYAR ’82)
I have
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about the unfolding lives of fellow ‘Old Antonians’ in previous issues, so when given the opportunity to contribute myself, I was delighted. Not because I could write about what I had ‘become’ or ‘achieved’ but because I passionately want to share my story since leaving Leweston School to perhaps motivate or even inspire others. My journey has taught me to believe that no matter what you might think you must do or what life throws at you, with patience, perseverance, enthusiasm and ambition you really can live your dreams… At 16, whilst enjoying athletics, languages and art at school my father took me to a design studio, setting my passion for creativity alight. This desire saw me flourish in my first professional career in London’s Harley Street working in Optometry as a private adviser to the then Prime Minister, John Major, cabinet ministers and royal family members worldwide. I also designed eyewear collections for Henri Jullien and Boucheron fashion houses, in London and France. This career came with significant responsibilities too, leading to a good understanding of magazine, TV and radio marketing campaigns. But all of this was just
the beginning… Time came to start my own family resulting in two beautiful daughters, Gabrielle and Jessica. I also wanted to establish my own business and couldn’t think of anywhere better than returning home to the West Country. With the fire of creativity still burning, I pursued my dreams and established icatching design (ICD), a complete design and marketing service in 2005.
Be courageous enough to have a vision, be brave enough to see that vision through and do so with passion, determination and integrity. Even when a major back complaint threatened to blight my life, I was more determined than ever to prove my doctors wrong and see my ambitions take flight. I set myself a goal to climb Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as part of a fundraising effort close to my heart. Once fighting fit, I donned my 15 kilo backpack and joined 3 Afghan soldiers and 31 others to master the mountain, receiving the nickname of ’Simba’ the lion from the porters,
when I was the first to reach the top. A love for Africa was born and already I was making plans in my heart to return. Only twelve months later I read an article in the Belvedere Chronicles about OA Charlotte Hopley - nee Coltman (’91), now living in Tanzania and I knew I had to get out to see her and the marvellous work she was doing as founder of ‘Grassroots Tanzania’ - a not-forprofit organisation that centres on community, conservation and education. My time out there with her came with the realisation that there was a genuine need for good people to help business grow and develop, specifically from a marketing and design perspective to open the worldwide web doors and give the business and people in Tanzania access to all the joys (connections, expertise and funding) of contemporary business models. This meant first and foremost getting a satellite company up and established, managed and run by local people as determined and passionate about this as I was and we did all this and more, with clients such as Orkolili School, Grassroots Tanzania and Way 2 Nature Safaris benefitting.
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life All these experiences have taught me the value of good communication and successful team building where the end result is a creative, inspiring group of people motivated to exceed the needs of our diverse international clientele and who derive pleasure from their work; be it creating a brand for a local personal trainer, design ideas for an independent prize winning cider producer, or a brand collaboration for Dame Vivienne Westwood’s human rights charitable trust. I hope that my journey so far is living proof of an ethos I hold dear. Be courageous enough to have a vision, be brave enough to see that vision through and do so with passion, determination and integrity. More info: Our services are open to anyone passionate about improving their business’ design and marketing presence. Tel: +44 (0)1934 744540 Email: studio@icatchingdesign.co.uk Visit: www.icatchingdesign.co.uk
Diary Dates ... 2013 ctober Thursday 4th O n Day 9.45am pe Joint Schools O ctober Tuesday 22nd O Show 3.30pm n Leweston Fashio ember pm Tuesday 5th Nov weston with Hog Roast 6.30 Le at Bonfire Night pm ovember Thursday 7th N d Christmas Fair 10am – 4.30 an g n vi Leweston Li ber Friday 8th Novem rm taster day Fo Leweston Sixth ecember 5pm Saturday 7th D , Wincanton Catholic Church rt Christmas Conce ecember Thursday 12th D herborne Abbey 4pm S Carol Service at 2014 Monday 5th May Day 9.45am pen Joint School O ar ay Saturday 10th M Leweston for the following ye , 99 at 19 n , io 94 n Gaudy Reu 79, 1984, 1989, 19 19 , 74 19 , 69 19 , groups: 1964 2004
F LO R E N C E J A M E S A NOTE FROM THE HEAD GIRL
Leweston has given me so much as a pupil over the past six years When I joined Leweston in Year 7, Upper Sixth seemed a long way off. I can’t believe that now, not only am I in Upper Sixth, but I am also Head Girl of Leweston. It is a massive honour which I am keen to take on. Leweston has given me so much as a pupil over the past six years and I see this role as a way to give back. I take the role as Head Girl with pride and also recognise the responsibility that comes with it. I am also excited about leading the team of prefects and representing the school. As I go into my last year at Leweston I realise a lot of hard work lies ahead with A Levels and applying to University. I am eager to take on these challenges and be able to look back on my last year and be proud of what I have achieved as both a pupil and Head Girl. 7
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CAREERS DAY
PUPILS IN YEARS 10 - 12 HAD THE EXCITING OPPORTUNITY OF HEARING FROM A VARIETY OF PROFESSIONALS AT THEIR CAREERS DAY. WE WERE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BACK TO LEWESTON CAT FOX (’00), CHARLOTTE CARTER (’03), LOTTIE EAGLES (’06), NICOLA WALSH (NEE TILLEY ’00), CATHERINE HAMMICK (’10), AND CLAIRE LOUIS-NEAL (NEE PARROTT ’02). THESE OAS JOINED OTHER OUTSIDE SPEAKERS TO GIVE THE GIRLS AN INSIGHT INTO THEIR CHOSEN CAREERS. Pupils were given the opportunity to choose three of their favoured career topics which included the following: Law, Medicine, TV and Film, Psychology, Marketing and PR, Fashion, Engineering, Veterinary and the Armed Forces. Each speaker provided the girls with great knowledge on their chosen career including helpful advice on university choices, being totally honest with the pros and the cons of their careers and also making sure the girls were aware of how a typical day was for them! This was an incredibly useful event and we were very grateful to all those who took time out of their working week to come and spend a day back at Leweston. A special thank you goes to Charlotte Carter who was working night shifts at a London hospital and came straight from her shift to attend the Careers Day.
2013
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(nee Bradford ’83)
Dr Debbie Shoemark I have two beautiful daughters Karen and Sarah, two beautiful grandsons Thomas and Dylan (not brothers!) and two beautiful granddaughters Rosie and Willow. Not forgetting a kind and supportive husband who (I think) looks a bit like Johnny Depp if you squint a bit! I am grateful that my time at Leweston ignited a passion for science, although I didn’t realise it until my youngest daughter Sarah had started school. I attended the University of Bristol where I attained my degree and doctorate in Biochemistry as a mature student. Since then I have been privileged to enjoy my work predominantly as a molecular modeller in the field of drug discovery for conditions including malaria, cancer, Alzheimer’s and intractable pain. It was whilst researching for a tangentially related grant application I stumbled upon emerging data linking Alzheimer’s disease with oral hygiene. Some ideas seem rubbish when reviewed after a week or so, others refuse to go away… The Bristol based charity BRACE, short for Bristol Research into Alzheimer’s and Care of the Elderly, has kindly agreed to fund my project. It is the first in what we hope will be a series of studies aimed at selecting and treating patients in the early to middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) for whom oral health may be a contributory factor. Firstly we aim to devise a blood test to identify patients who might benefit from our planned therapy, which targets oral bacteria. Evidence suggests that some cases of sporadic AD may result directly or indirectly from a l o w - g r a d e i n fe c t i o n originating in the mouth. This project lays the groundwork for further studies to test the effec ts of our treatment on disease progression. Treatment will comprise of
targeted antibiotics, dental work and a dietary supplement to maintain the brain’s protective blood-brain-barrier. The mouth is a rich source of bacteria, readily influenced by changes in immune function and diet. Poor oral health and tooth-loss in youth and mid-life are associated with an increased risk of AD. Gum disease increases with age, affecting two-thirds of over-65s and often goes untreated for decades. Oral bacteria are very good at evading the immune system and often fail to cause the pain and inflammation normally associated with an acute infection. They are also remarkably good at getting across natural barriers. As part of normal immune defences, cells lining the mouth release chemicals such as tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a) to fight bacteria. However the ageing process results in a reliance on TNF-a to fight infection and so levels naturally rise as we get older. Under some circumstances this can make the normally protective blood-brain-barrier leaky. Oral bacteria and elevated TNF-a levels have been found in the blood of AD sufferers. It is now thought that the plaques or aggregates that are seen a lot in Alzheimer’s brains, which are made up of a peptide called A-beta, may initially be produced as the brain’s response to infection but just compound problems as they build up. In this study we will start to engage the help of Alzheimer’s patients and carers to find the most effective ways to improve oral hygiene in this patient group. We will carry out laboratory tests for oral bacteria and e.g. TNF- in blood and tissue samples from the Dental Hospital and the Bristol Brain Bank to establish a blood test relevant to AD. I f we can develop a sensitive blood test we can identify AD patients for whom oral bacteria may contribute to their condition and who are therefore most likely to respond to our treatment.
www.alzheimers-brace.org 9
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I left Leweston in 1995 with a strong personal interest in the developing world, possibly nurtured through early geography lessons, and a keenness to understand the ‘less privileged’ - as described by the school nuns - in various far-flung places (and of course, the ultimate recipients of the church collection)! Yet I had little clarity on what to do. Medicine? Other? With an initial feeling to stick with the sciences of my A Levels, I went on to study Chemistry with Psychology at the University of Warwick. During my university holidays, I then endeavoured to travel as widely as I could through Asia and Central America to understand a bit more about these diverse realities. After university, I took this further, and spent an eye-opening year in Brazil working as a volunteer teacher in a city shelter. This forced me to really experience/feel poverty, violence and vulnerability up close, and to meet extraordinary people seeking to make a difference, despite strong forces opposing them. Yet on returning to the UK brimming with passion to pursue a career in development, I received resoundingly frustrating recommendations that I should really firstly ‘obtain (conventional) professional experience’, before then embarking on a ‘Masters in development’. What a long road it seemed! So I ended up working in banking/hedge funds in London for three years - that indeed taught me invaluable professional skills - before taking the brave plunge to start my MA in 2002 at the University of Amsterdam. I threw myself into my Master’s degree in International Development with true zest and determination. And in the latter phase of this study, I returned to Brazil for 6 months of tough but rewarding anthropological fieldwork with street children. I finally graduated in 2004 with an overall Cum Laude! With my MA complete, I could now start to work in the field. Yet ‘getting in’ proved much harder than expected. After several disheartening applications, I managed to
REFLECTIONS ON A ROAD LESS TRAVELLED IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (… PARTICULARLY IN ONE WAR-TORN BUT MUCH LOVED COUNTRY!)
HOLLY RITCHIE (’95)
finally obtain a job in Afghanistan with the well-known British NGO, Afghanaid, despite facing a series of difficult interviews in London. Most NGOs expect candidates to have 2-3 years of developing country experience making it very difficult for newcomers to ‘break in’! Whilst lacking this extensive experience, I was described as the ‘most determined’ of the interviewees, and they took the fateful risk! A new era had begun taking me at last from a career in finance to development, and a deep emerging love for a war-torn, but truly compelling country. Mountainous and landlocked, bordering China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Pakistan, Afghanistan is characterised by ‘a combination of remoteness and accessibility, stability and resilience, and marginality and diversity’ (Adam Pain, 2007). After three decades of protracted conflict, the country stands as one of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries in the world with some of the lowest human development indicators. Illiteracy is particularly high: less than 40 percent of men are able to read and write. Amongst women, this can be as low as 12 percent. Since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, large-scale reconstruction and development efforts
have been rolled out in Afghanistan under an ambitious state-building agenda. Whilst school education levels and health indicators have indeed improved, formal governance and the rule of law continue to be weak, with persisting regional-based conflict, particularly in the South. Despite several years of intensive international aid and military support, the western-backed government has now largely lost public credibility due to endemic corruption, and the lack of (sufficient) tangible progress in social and economic development, particularly outside of the cities. With political uncertainty, rising instability and increasing levels of wealth differentiation, the situation today remains perilously fragile. Over this increasingly turbulent period, I was to spend my first three formative years with Afghanaid, with travels through the North and West of the country, culminating in a position as a director. I then decided to sharpen my technical focus on a particular area of development: micro-enterprise and market development. Following several international training courses on ‘propoor’ business/enterprise, I boldly set up a working group in Kabul called ‘Making Markets Work for the Poor’ with
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uncertainties. These local leaders, practitioners and friends alike have supported me in realizing my work/research, provided me with valuable insights, and forced me to (continually) re-evaluate assumptions, to dig beneath the surface, and to consider diverse perspectives (and to keep thinking outside of the proverbial box!). These lessons remain critical as I explore further realities in both Afghanistan and beyond, and endeavour to co-develop creative, inclusive and sustainable approaches to local development in fragile environments.
participation of both NGOs and the private sector. And in 2007, I began work as a freelance development consultant in Afghanistan, with a special focus on local economic development. Through NGOs and government agencies, I worked with farmers’/women’s associations, analysed market chains (including medicinal and wild plants, potatoes, almonds and carpets), developed market assessment tool kits, drafted business plans, and evaluated business services. Yet I struggled with integrating the socalled theory with a more complex and challenging reality. In 2009, I thus began my PhD research with a view to better understanding these more deep-seated issues shaping markets and local development, particularly in volatile environments. The research aimed to specifically examine sociocultural/religious issues in women’s enterprise in Afghanistan, trajectories of social change and implications for local economic development. Taking a case study approach and drawing once more on anthropological methods, I explored this through the lens of three women’s businesses: a food-processing association in West Afghanistan, a set of vegetable cooperatives in Central/East Afghanistan and an electronics business in Kabul.
These exceptional ‘business’ women allowed me, a foreign stranger to enter into their lives, to ask often peculiar and difficult questions (and sometimes several times over!), and to spend extended amounts of time in their company. They shared the oftenemotional journeys that they had endured (and were still enduring) in slowly overcoming local prejudice and tradition. They permitted me to explore their fragile worlds, and talked candidly about their experiences, ambitions, and struggles and hopes for the future. Not only did I learn about their complex lives, but I also began to better understand the layered Afghan reality, and to appreciate the ways that the women had negotiated their (own) changing dynamics. They taught me the value of patience, attention to detail, commitment and determination in both fruitful social science research, and meaningful development work. As I reflect more broadly on this time in a war-torn and turbulent country, close to a decade in Afghanistan has brought me in contact with countless inspiring and courageous people - Afghans and foreigners alike - dedicated to development and to understanding Afghanistan in all its challenges and
A passionate aid worker, Holly Ritchie is defending her PhD (Development Studies) in September 2013 at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands. With extensive experience in Afghanistan (9 years) and Brazil, she currently consults for various development agencies (including Oxfam, Tearfund and FAO) with a strong focus on livelihoods, gender and market development, conducting research, evaluations and training. In 2012, she won Best Paper at the International Symposium on Entrepreneurship and Innovation (University of Padua, Venice) for an article based on one of her PhD cases in Afghanistan. She has written several broader papers on women in business in Afghanistan, economic development, food security and market chains, in addition to key aid effectiveness briefs. Her current research explores Somali women entrepreneurs in Kenyan slums. Longerterm post-doctoral research intends to build further on her PhD, incorporating other fragile states, including Somalia, Congo and Colombia. She is an active member of the IS Academy on Human Security in Fragile States, at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She currently lives between Kabul and Nairobi, Kenya. Holly can also be reached by email on: hollyaritchie@yahoo.co.uk, For further information on Holly’s work, www.hollyaritchieconsulting.com
Ursula (Ursy) Morrissey ( ’67) and Mary Waltham (’67) both of whom went to Leweston in 1960 (and left in 1967) met for lunch in London in August, and would like to follow-up this enjoyable reunion by connecting with others in the same year. Please email Mary mary@marywaltham.com if you were part of this year group and would be interested in meeting up at some point in London.
OA Reunions
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Families from the year group of 1990 meet for their yearly reunion
Class of ‘91
Back left: Sarah Ainslie, Sara Hay, Victoria Gillies (nee Wroth), Mary Clare Maunder (nee Pyne) , Sarah Fradgley (nee Lamb), Annie Aarons (nee Pensabene), Jane Wharton, Rosemary Vallejos (nee Cotter) and Rachel Carter (nee Bevan). Front row left to right standing: Tania Linares and Louise Barlow. Sitting: Anne Cronin (nee Weaver), Pilarina Linares and Veronique Nelson
OAs from 1970 gather in La Isla, Northern Spain for their reunion! “We were celebrating 60! Tania Linares asked us to go to La Isla in Northern Spain. Her mother Pilarina (89 this year) was a fabulous host to us all and ended up mothering us for the holiday. She was amazing at producing wonderful meals, food like you have never eaten – it was heaven! One of the girls summed it up perfectly: What an injection of friendship which has left me with a glow and grin. How diverse our lives are and yet the touchstone of Leweston has bonded us with such a strong rope.” Anne Cronin (nee Weaver ‘70)
Melanie Moore who now lives in Perth, Australia was over in the UK visiting in August and had a mini celebration for her 40th birthday with friends from Leweston; six of them met up and had dinner at Yauatcha in London. From bottom left going clockwise around table: Rachel Hepworth (nee Kershaw), Kate Burkey (nee Mitchell), Kate Dawson (nee Parsons), Melanie Moore, Victoria Ridgewell (nee Broughton), Fiona Ward (nee Dalzell) and Hermione Evans (nee McEwen).
Bback row: Catherine & Phil Broadbent, Andrew Williamson-Jones. Middle row: Oliver Ruse, Guy Ruse & Matilda Ruse, Hugh & Alex Williamson-Jones, Eleanor & Jessica Broadbent. Front row: Isobel & Charlotte Williamson-Jones.
Merigon Steiger-Jarvis (nee Steiger’78)
Suzie Ruse (Oliver) who lives in Sydney, Catherine Broadbent (Fairlie) living in Marlborough and Isobel Williamson-Jones (Williams), all 1988 alumni, enjoyed the day together at Isobel and Andrew Williamson-Jones’ house, in Hampshire on a hot July day with their children.
After a very long gap between visits, I very much enjoyed the opportunities to explore the school and grounds afforded both by my niece doing her exams as an external student and the class of ’78 reunion. Some things were still so familiar, some impressive new developments. My thanks go out to Lucinda Fraser (nee Rayment) and Susan Carter (nee Bryan) for the encouragement to join the reunion, it was so good to catch up with the group which went, and I would definitely recommend it to everyone else when the opportunity arises again!
OA Reunions
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OA REUNION Y E A R
O F
1 9 9 3
THE RAIN HELD OFF AND IN FACT THE 1ST JUNE TURNED OUT TO BE THE MOST WONDERFULLY SUNNY DAY. BALLOONS AND BUNTING PROVIDED THE DIRECTIONS FROM THE FRONT GATE TOWARDS THE PICNIC VENUE NEXT TO THE OLD DINING ROOM. OAS CAME FROM AROUND THE WORLD, SOME WE HADN’T SEEN SINCE WE LEFT ALL THOSE YEARS AGO BUT THERE WASN’T ANYONE WE DIDN’T RECOGNISE IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS THE MOST SPECIAL FEELING AS MANY AN ANXIOUS FACE APPEARED FROM THE FORMAL GARDENS TO A SEA OF OLD FRIENDS AND THEIR FAMILIES BUT ALL THE MEMORIES AND LAUGHS CAME FLOODING BACK. CHILDREN WERE PLAYING EVERYWHERE AROUND US AS HUSBANDS TRIED TO KEEP THEM AMUSED AS WE CHATTED AND REMINISCED FOR HOURS. AS THE AFTERNOON WORE ON MOST OF US HAD A STROLL DOWN TO THE BELVEDERE AND AROUND THE GROUNDS. LATER SOME OF US WENT INTO TOWN AND MET UP WITH THE SHERBORNE BOYS OF 1993 WHO WERE ALSO HAVING A REUNION AND HAD TEA WITH THEM IN THE QUAD IN SHERBORNE SCHOOL. OUR EVENING FUNCTION WAS IN TRUE LEWESTON STYLE WITH A BLACK TIE DINNER BEING HELD IN THE PENSEBENE HALL (NOW DINING ROOM) WHICH THOSE OF US FROM OUR ERA WOULD REMEMBER AS THE OLD STUDY AND EXAM HALL. MARGO LIDDLE AND THE CATERING STAFF LAID ON THE MOST FABULOUS EVENING FOR US WITH PRE-DINNER DRINKS AND A THREE COURSE MEAL. THE EVENING CULMINATED WITH MUCH DANCING AND THE RESURRECTION OF SOME DANCE MOVES MADE UP OVER 20 YEARS AGO! IN TOTAL WE HAD 37 OAS ON THE DAY PLUS HUSBANDS AND CHILDREN, WHICH MADE IT A TRULY MAGICAL ‘BIG REUNION’. CAMILLA HULF (’93)
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GAUDY REUNION 2013 In May of this year, the ‘Class of ‘83’ attended their 30 year school reunion, a ‘Gaudy’ hosted by Leweston at Leweston along with other year groups who had also been invited. 1983 had the largest turnout of OAs and written below is an article about the day by Deborah Boitel-Gill (nee Courtnell ’83).
SISTER CARMEL
SISTER BREDE
SISTER JOSEPHINE
The Sisters of Leweston Celebrate their Gold, Silver and Diamond Jubilees Sister Carmel, Sister Brede and Sister Josephine, who all reside at St Antony’s convent, Sherborne, celebrated their Jubilee years in May at the Church of The Sacred Heart and St Aldhelm in Sherborne. Sister Carmel celebrated her Golden Jubilee, Sister Brede celebrated her Silver Jubilee and Sister Josephine celebrated her Diamond Jubilee. The Church was full with all the Catholic parishioners, friends and family for this special occasion. The Sisters had their own celebration afterwards and were each given a peace lily by their parishioners.
1985 GATHER FOR A REUNION AT SOHO HOUSE Due to a minor logistical problem (she lives in Brisbane), Mary (Whelan) Baker was unable to make it to our original reunion in March 2011. So she decided to put the organisational potential of Facebook to the test. Knowing she would be in the UK for Christmas and New Year 2013, she asked if any of us would be prepared to go to London for a mini-reunion. In the event, seventeen of us could not resist. We had a last-minute venue crisis, but thanks to Madeleine (Bailey) Waters we all had a very “jolly” time at her club, The Soho House. The club were not keen on photos being taken in case we snapped anyone famous and sold the results to the tabloids, but we were not to be deterred – and in fact we were far too
busy catching up to notice any celebs. Many trains home were missed, and we were finally kicked out of the club at 7pm after a very good lunch! Those who made it: Angie Tennant, Vicky (Elliott) Cowan, Henrietta (Cracroft) Speirs, Miranda (Cracroft) Granger, Laura (Dewey) Asquith, Vicky (Noel) Hindmarch, Helen (Birch) Fleming, Madeleine (Bailey) Waters, Louisa (Merton) Tumin, Mary (Whelan) Baker, Siobhan (Collins) Keeling, Luci (Leigh) Downing, Wendy Best, Emma (Ashenden) Jarrett, Ruth (Thompson) Weighill, Miranda (St Maur Seild) Spooner, Vicky (Seaton) Lindhart. Huge thanks to Mary and Madeleine for making it happen and a message to anyone out there who missed it – I’m afraid you’ll have to get on Facebook. Luci Downing (nee Leigh ’85)
THE SCHOOL REUNION AND A PUNK ROCK PYRAMID When we left St Antony’s Leweston, at the age of 18, we were young impressionable sixth formers. We had grown up in a fairly cloistered, protected and privileged environment and I know that I was impatient to be out in the world and more than ready for the uncertainties, thrills and responsibilities of adulthood and independence. Suddenly, as if those three decades had passed in the blink of an eye, there we all were again. Only this time we were drinking coffee in the library, sipping wine in the music room... and using the ‘visitors-only’ loos in the onceforbidden environs of the Black Hall. All this before lunch! After lunch we were invited to discover the very different and sometimes wildly familiar spaces that are 21st century Leweston: the suitcase cupboard that passed muster as our careers’ office... the chic boutique-hotel-inspired sixth form hangout that was once our very congested First Year common room. And the piano cells and mesh lockers which still look (and smell) the same. Out of a year of some 60 -70 girls, a good 50 percent of us made it to the Gaudy. Each of us had an entire planet’s worth of vastly different life experiences on board: the not-so good, the bad and the ugly as well as the good, the very good and the truly wonderful. But, as one friend commented, she felt she instantly had more in common with any one of us than most women she meets nowadays. I suppose the particular intensity and proximities of our boarding school education meant that we were not merely schooled together but we did a lot of growing up together. Certainly the reunion was very noisy and as warm and fond as a family gathering. And, like any family gathering, the talk revolved around absent and missed classmates who were unable to make it, as much as it centred on the frantic catching-up-in-a-short-time that we were able to manage in a single day.
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GAUDY REUNION 2013
ALL OAS AT THE GAUDY REUNION
1983 For some reason, when I think about our May reunion now I keep remembering a May rather longer ago – 1977 to be precise. It was our first Summer term together: the year of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and also, the era of punk rock. School kilts were artfully frayed and illicitly studded. Uniforms, especially as worn by the older girls, became a kind of canvas for a punk rock graffiti of safety pins and holes. Hits by bands like Blondie and The Stranglers rang out from the common rooms. And girlswho-shall-remain-nameless in
the Upper Sixth, who were about to leave school forever, hatched a Big Jubilee surprise for Open Day. The Jubilee surprise involved us little First Years, new, compliant and eager to please, astonishing parents and staff by performing a dance which was to culminate in a gigantic and perilous human pyramid, set to the rousing accompaniment of God Save Our Gracious Queen sung not by some angelic choir, but loudly and very subversively by Johnny Rotten and The Sex Pistols.
Inevitably, there was a whistle blower and the pyramid’s architect was caught redhanded by Reverend Mother Eleanor, just as we were all obligingly crashing from each others’ shoulders and landing hard upon Capability Brown’s green lawns. The pyramid and The Sex Pistols were banned. Outlawed. The architect disgraced. But the memory of our pyramid endures, not unlike the friendships renewed in May. Today, pictures of us toppling and falling would have been
posted on Facebook, where, by the way and entirely thanks to Annabel (Dewey) Mosse, a page created in advance of the reunion helped do so much to rekindle those friendships in advance of the day. Thanks must also go to Margo Liddle, Leweston Society Manager, Headmaster Adrian Aylward and Leweston itself for hosting such a memorable and successful event. Deborah Boitel-Gill (nee Courtnell ’83)
An alternative version of this piece will appear in my blog, mudontheroad.com 15
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ITS NEVE MANDY HACKLAND (NEE DONCASTER ’70) This year I have fulfilled a dream I have had since I was seven years old! I have become a published author. In 2007 my husband Nigel was diagnosed with cancer and the book ‘And Always God …’ is the story of God’s faithfulness to us both. It relates our struggle to believe the God who promises hope in the light of an illness which predicted death. Although Nigel was the one who experienced the physical pain this is my own story as the time spent by his side became a personal challenge. It tells of my walk alongside Nigel as cancer grew inside him, but even more … it is the story of God’s faithfulness as we prayed and believed, struggled and doubted, cried and shouted in anger, surrendered and marvelled at God. It is an amazing account of God’s tangible, audible presence in a time of pain as He fulfilled every promise He made – even if not as we expected. I have kept a journal for many years and have used these journals as the foundation of this story. I always dreamt of a shared ministry with Nigel, and I believe that this book is the fulfilment of that dream too. My prayer is that others may discover that, whatever their struggle, emotions, belief, or doubt, God loves them and is waiting with arms stretched wide in welcome… always. Mandy’s book is available through Amazon via the link below.
Amanda Catmur For years you’ve been used to a full on timetable and equally full on holidays during which you try to catch up with your four children, your husband, family, and even some household chores!
A
decision that had been brewing inside me for a couple of years translated into action: a letter on the Headmaster’s desk handing in my resignation. I had worked at the same prep school for 13 years, had been teaching for 16, and I badly needed a break. As is often the case there was a catalyst: I had just had a bit of a scare and had almost lost the sight in my left eye. It was the wakeup call I needed; no more 14 hour days, 60 hour weeks, Saturday teaching and Sunday duties to adhere to.
It was the beginning of an extraordinarily interesting journey: how to deal with ‘non directed time’ successfully, how to set oneself a reasonable number of tasks to accomplish in 24 hours, how not to feel guilty that your salary had disappeared. It was certainly not easy to begin with and you learn slowly how to turn the negative into a positive and feel comfortable with yourself. Luckily I was still called on to take children for interview practice, and I had several requests for private tutoring in French and Spanish. It certainly helped! On December 31st, 2011, the fun part of the journey started. Andrew, my husband, and I had decided to visit our youngest
daughter, Emily, and her husband, Simon, in Rio. We had three and a half glorious weeks in what must be one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world. We hit the ground running: landed at 08.30, taxi to Ipanema, lunch, siesta, and then the celebrations started for the Brazilian New Year! Everyone dresses in white and there are street parties everywhere as people head to Copacabana for the pièce de résistance, the 16 minutes of continuous fireworks that see in the New Year. What a spectacle it was! Emily was a first class organiser and tour guide as we explored many wonderful places that Brazil has to offer: Paraty, Niteroi, the botanical gardens, to name a few. We then headed for Argentina and the famous Iguazú Falls - another visual, cultural and culinary treat! Early January was a good time to be there: warm to hot, and, yes, there were tourists but
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alway s-God-Story-Faithfulness/dp/ 1483667782/ref=sr_1_8?s=boo ks&ie=UTF8&qid=137700765 8&sr=1-8&keywords= And+always+God GOD BLESS YOU
At the conservation project in Argentina
Rio
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R TOO LATE (nee Birch’75) not in uncomfortable numbers. It is such an incredible visual spectacle; unimaginable quantity of falling water, the power of it, the noise, the spray, the rainbows, a thrilling boat trip that takes you perilously close to the ‘Devil’s Throat’ falls, the stunning flora and the unexpected fauna. Beautiful butterflies land on you, coatamundis (snuffle monsters) follow you hoping that you’ll drop some food, stunning colourful birds add their tropical music to the spectacle, and we were even treated to a squabble between a family of coatimundis and two large tegu lizards. Having viewed the waterfalls from the Brazilian side at Foz do Iguaçu, we passed the ‘Parque das Aves’ and decided it could be worth a visit. Birds of all shapes and sizes and hues, butterflies, turtles, caymans it was a must! It transpired that it was part of a conservation project, they take in birds that have been rescued from animal trafficking or, for some reason, are no longer able to survive in the wild; then they breed a new generation of birds that are capable of being released back into the wild. There is still so much more I could touch upon from Brazil and Argentina: the people, the food, the music, the ‘favelas’, but then my article would need an entire magazine all to itself! I shall now take you through a whistle-stop tour of three more countries and experiences which made my ‘gap year’ so special.
The next trip ranks amongst the highest in level of importance: our son’s wedding in the stunning Tuscan countryside of Volterra. For those of you who have experienced the wedding of one of your children I need add very little in the way of text! It was truly fantastic. And finally… a phone call all the way from New York from our eldest daughter, Kathryn, brought about another ‘gap year’ journey. New York in early June is beautiful. Not too hot, very colourful, and despite being ‘one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world’, it did not feel overcrowded. Kathryn had to work for some of the time so I explored Manhattan, Fifth Avenue, street markets, ginormous super department stores, bijou coffee houses, and a lot more. Kathryn had always wanted to visit The Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and that is where we decided to go for her birthday. What a visual, cultural and historical feast it proved to be - it was like taking a walk though medieval France. I could go on, but I fear I have already exceeded my word limit a thousand times over. I know that I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to afford the luxury of a gap year at this stage of my life and I have now returned to a full timetable with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. If any of you feel that you can take three, six, or even just one month off, I heartily recommend doing so - it is an instructive and beneficial experience in very many ways!
February was time to experience a ‘girls trip’. We went to Haro, a small town in northern Spain, in the province of La Rioja. Jill, the friend who had masterminded the trip, had been visiting Haro for years so we were immediately thrown into a well-established network of friends and parties - a lot of Spanish was spoken, excellent Rioja flowed, delicious tapas were consumed and vineyards were visited. Iguazù Falls
An incredible mural in Vittoria-Gasteiz
Boat trip in Paraty
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C L A S S N OT E S ALEXIA ROBINSON (’87) is living on a farm between Cirencester and Cheltenham with her ‘other half’ Charles and his children. She is still very much a Dorset girl and has just bought a little cottage near Sherborne to keep in touch with her Dorset roots. She loves seeing Leweston friends who live in Glos: Tuft Dobson (de Salis) whose children go to the same pony club; Tarquin Edwards, whose sisters Milla and Lissa went to Leweston; and Vanessa Buchan (Birrell). She is still running the Love British Food campaign and British Food Fortnight which she founded 12 years ago. As part of this, she is organising the first Harvest Festival service to be held in Westminster Abbey in living memory with hundreds of school children presenting harvest boxes of food they have grown themselves. Working in London means she sees Hannah Strickland and Jessica Fulford-Dobson a lot and had a lovely reunion supper with Phil
Webb recently. Alexia’s sister, Emily, is also in London. Alice Firks (Leigh) came to stay with Alexia this year from Zambia – Alice comes to England a few times a year so is easy to keep in touch with. And there is always huge excitement when Caroline de Pelet Abraham comes over to England every August with her children. Alexia still rides horses and last winter galloped through the Leweston woods and past White Ladies whilst out hunting with the Blackmore Vale; it bought back many memories of mud-splattered cross-country runs with Picol Kopanski always miles ahead of everyone else! ALI BHARGAVA (NEE DALE ’90) Ali lives in Penn, Buckinghamshire with her husband Doctor Raj and her children Hermione (9) and Nikki (6). She still enjoys sport and runs half marathons regularly and plays tennis daily whilst juggling working in her husband’s surgery.
ALICE COWEN (’97) with Indigo and EMMA GIBSON (NEE CHARLES (’97) with Lola. ALICE COWEN (’97) has moved her personal training company back to the UK along with the boot camp she runs, which is now based in Somerset. Alice’s new website: www.alicecowen.com
nicely. Their son Zac does sport 6 days a week, so they are always busy. Amanda has gone back to teaching part time as an ESL. They love being in Australia and are hoping to buy their own place next year.
ALICE WEDGE (’07) is now design assistant at Vivienne Westwood.
CLARE DEWAR (NEE NORTH ’90) Clare lives in New Malden, Surrey with her husband Pete and children James (7), Chloe (5) and Charlotte (2). She is very active in the children’s school PTA and has recently been developing a school wildlife garden.
AMANDA MIRFIN (NICHOLSON ’91) In November 2012 Amanda and her family took the plunge and moved to Adelaide, Australia. They have now been there for nine months and are settling in
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CAROLINE KAY (’98) is now based in Seattle, USA running a global leadership development and business coaching firm. She moved to Seattle 2 years ago to set up the conference and events division and took up an offer to become COO for 3 years. CAROLINE MATTHEWS (NEE WHITE ’90) Caroline had a very exciting 2012 with the birth of her beautiful daughter Ella Rose and the launch of her new animation and design agency, Rupert Ray. She lives in SE London with her family and enjoys her times together with Tamsin, Clare, Theresa and Ali.
CATHY VEALE (NEE GIBSON ’77) Cathy works as a professional artist living in the Purbeck area of Dorset, working mainly towards her solo exhibitions, specialising in large watercolours, and regularly exhibiting with the Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolour in London. Cathy continues to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust at her exhibitions as Sarah, her niece, Virginia Dorey’s (nee Gibson) daughter, suffers from the disease. She has also taken part and completed the inaugural Purbeck marathon last year, and in October this year she will be running the Royal Parks half marathon with her sister, Tish Alberry (nee Gibson). Cathy would hugely appreciate any donations received at www.virginmoneygiving.com/ cathyveale
CHARLIE CRONEY (’12) COMPLETES GOLD DofE Charlie has completed her final part of her Gold DofE award by climbing Kilimanjaro. She will be presented with her award at St James’ Palace this year. Charlie flew to Kenya before travelling south overland to Tanzania. She lived on the mountain for 7 days and hiked 100km. Charlie summited at 07.21 in the morning after a 7 hour assent in darkness to reduce risk of dehydration from sun exposure. It was -21.5C at the peak. Congratulations to Charlie who is now studying Law at York University with an intention to climb the Matterhorn next!
CHARLOTTE HYSLOP TEACHER OF MATHS FROM 1993 - 2008 SKYDIVES FOR PARKINSON’S. Charlotte Hyslop who taught Maths at Leweston from 1993 - 2008 has been suffering with Parkinson disease for over 10 years now. Charlotte has made great strides in her fundraising efforts and has now taken on the massive challenge of a tandem sky dive in September to raise money for Parkinson’s UK. This is quite an amazing task for Charlotte to commit to and
she would be delighted if OAs were to sponsor her. She says: “There comes a time when coffee mornings are not enough and one has to do something different, as is my way!! To this end on September 21st 2013, I am going to do a tandem parachute jump in aid of Parkinson’s UK. The jump from 10,000+ft will include 30-45 seconds free fall before the parachute is deployed and then I will float gracefully down to the ground, strapped tightly to an expert, who will carry out a gentle landing! Should you feel inclined, you can sponsor me online at: www.justgiving.com/Charlotte -Hyslop EMMA GIBSON (NEE CHARLES ’97) is currently living in Wandsworth, London with her husband Angus and daughter Lola. Emma has recently returned to work as a Personal Assistant at Imperial College. CHARLOTTE (DEBORAH) TRIM (’85) is now living in Lincoln, Massachusetts, with her husband and two children, Phoebe and Serena, 11 and 7, along with her horse, Irish setter, chickens and a dozen beehives. In September 2011, her horse tripped and fell; it was quite a bad accident, but Charlotte is slowly recovering. Over the past 9 years, she has turned a two acre property into a mini-farm, and this year is leasing town land to plant a peach orchard. There is a strong local/organic food movement brewing in America, and with a little help from her friends she remains active in this movement, teaching, consulting and producing! She is also home schooling her eldest daughter, so memories of her early years at Leweston come flooding back!
CONGRATULATIONS TO DIDO HARDING (’85), who has been voted one of the nation’s top 100 most powerful women by BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour. Dido Harding was appointed CEO of TalkTalk in 2010. After her time at Leweston, Dido studied at the University of Oxford. On graduating she joined McKinsey & Co as a consultant in 1988, before taking on a number of directorial roles in marketing for high street names such as Thomas Cook, Woolworths, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. She has been a Non-Executive Director of The British Land Company PLC since 2010. Leweston has been delighted to welcome Dido back to the school on numerous occasions including school Speech Days and Careers Days. She remains an inspirational figure for many of our girls and we are delighted that her outstanding achievements have been recognised. ELIZABETH CHAMBLER (NEE CAIN ’01) is living in Poole, Dorset and is enjoying the challenge of working as a doctor in Emergency Medicine (A&E). She is currently training to be a consultant in Emergency Medicine with dual accreditation in Paediatric Emergency Medicine.
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EMILY FRENCH ULLAH (’94) continues to live and work in London, doing brand licensing for children's television. She is married to Sana and is a mum to two boys aged 5 and 7. Emily visited Leweston this summer with her sons and one of ‘Maria Torro Vedu (nee Torro’s)’ sons who was staying with her from Madrid. Maria was at Leweston 1989-90 and they have kept in touch ever since. Maria has three boys. The photo is of Emily and the 3 boys, 2 hers and 1 of Maria’s. EMMA ROOKE (NEE MERVIK ’98) has been practising as a lawyer for nearly 10 years. After a years maternity leave Emma is now working “in-house” at Burberry (the fashion house).
her studies she has a photography business doing baby, children and family portraits, and occasionally weddings. Joanna was the photographer for OA Becky Evans’ (Stones ’01) wedding.
HANNAH O’CONNOR (’08) Hannah qualified as a doctor in May this year. Congratulations to Hannah after all her hard work! JEMIMA PETTIFER (NEE WESTWOOD ’06) graduated from Reading University in 2012 with a 2:1 in Ancient History and Archaeology and this summer has graduated from her PGCE course at Oxford Brookes to start her job as a primary school teacher in September this year. JO TAYLOR (’04) Jo is busy working in London as a scientist for GlaxoSmithKline. JOANNA CUNNINGHAM (NEE MCCARTHY ’01) is a qualified accountant through the ACCA but is currently undergoing a career change and is at Reading University studying a degree in Dietetics, with the goal of working within the NHS as a dietician when she qualifies in two years. To keep herself afloat throughout
KATIE SMITH (NEE PARFITT ’01) married Michael (Smith) in May 2011 and this year their son Arthur was born. Katie is still working as a dentist in the Army and on 1st January 2014 will have completed 10 years in green kit. KIMMY COLOMBO (’11) has just completed her first year at Keele University, and had the time of her life! She now has returned to Geneva for a summer job working for a media company.
KIT KNOWLES (NEE BRIGSTOCKE ’83) is a Horse Whisperer! She works with horses that have been abused and rehabilitates them. She also looks after children that are either young carers or have troubled family situations who she introduces to the horses, and has ended up doing a double rehab kind of thing. Kit comments, “This has been wonderfully rewarding from all points of view!” LEXI MANNING (NEE STAVELEY-HILL ’02) is now living in London with her husband Daniel and their son Henry born in September 2012. She is taking a year out on maternity leave from working in a hedge fund which was where she met her now husband! LINDA READE BELTRAMINI (’64) is living again in Brazil, after ten years in Geneva, Switzerland and thirty years in New York. Linda is a financial consultant in M&A (mergers and acquisitions) of hi-tech companies and real estate ventures (mainly shopping centres and hotel/resorts for the international market). MARGARET MCDONNELL (‘94) has just moved to Hungerford with her husband and toddler son. Margaret set up a small PR firm earlier this year and is just about to publish a children’s book. MARTA FONTANALSSIMMONS (’04) Congratulations to Marta Fontanals-Simmons (Mezzo Soprano) who performed beautifully as a soloist at Sherborne Abbey in a musical act of remembrance on the eve of Remembrance Sunday. Marta was a former music scholar at Leweston and now lives in London studying Opera at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
MILLIE YAKTEEN (NEE BALL ’91) is in her ninth year of working for Horse Racing TV, the network for horse sports. She is living in California with her husband Tim and two boys Sam and Ben. MOLLY KNIGHT (NEE SHERWOOD TAYLOR ’03) lives in Lymington and teaches technology at the Arnewood School in New Milton which has just been judged as outstanding. Molly is the lead practitioner for technology. Molly and her husband are expecting their first child in March 2014. Both sisters Helen and Molly recently returned to Leweston for what may be their last time for Speech Day, for Joe Sherwood-Taylor’s retirement. NIKKI SCALE (NEE TAYLOR ’99) is being kept very busy with her 16 month old son Freddy and is expecting her second child in December. OLLY KYBETT (LOFTS ’87) has returned to the UK from the Cayman Islands and is now back enjoying working for two busy MPs at the House of Commons. She is still in touch with Vicky Milliken-Smith who she met up with in London in July. PEP BARDOUILLE (’93) is currently working for the World Bank (on renewable energy and energy access issues), and is in various parts of Africa and Asia most of the time but Washington DC is her base. PETA WALMISLEY (WALKER ’62) had a great trip last winter, leaving the UK on 6th December 2012 and returning on 20th January 2013. She started with a visit to a Chinese friend in Tokyo, with whom she visited the two remaining Imperial Post Towns in the Japanese Highlands, Magome and Tsamagojuku, 8.5 metres apart – an army’s daily
march (none of her Japanese friends had heard of them!) and four temples in Kyoto, staying the night in one. She also visited the Railway Museum in Tokyo (the railway system, of course, was built by the British).
On to New Zealand, where she spent Christmas with her husband’s brother, sister-in-law and nephew (‘Little Richard’ is now 18), who gave her a flight in a Tiger Moth as her present. She visited other friends and relatives in Auckland and Wellington, as well as a newlyfound second cousin in Tauranga. Australia next, with a visit to Canberra with cousins of Richard’s, several days in Sydney (very hot) and a 4 day train trip across Oz to Perth with a very longstanding friend (even longer than school friends!); more friends and cousins to see before flying to Singapore for 3 days on the way home. In Singapore she visited the amazing Marina Bay Sands complex: three towers with a ‘boat’ on top. Peta is hoping to visit her niece (Claudia Beach’s daughter), Matilda in Buenos Aires in November this year.
RACHEL HEPWORTH (NEE KERSHAW ’91) met up with Hermione McEwen and their children. Pictured above is Rachel on the left with her children Lilah and Charlotte and Hermione on the right with her children Amelia and Solomon.
RAYNE ROBERTS (NEE TOMPSON (’88) Rayne lives in Somerset and is married to Andrew and has two gorgeous sons, Louis (11) and Ben (9). She runs her own business near Bath called Law League. It provides law firms with online customer and staff satisfaction surveys, the results of which are benchmarked into league tables. Rayne hasn’t been doing this for long but it’s all going very well. SARAH LESAGE (NEE MONEY ’81) Sarah recently had a visit in Alsace from Rosie Cunningham (nee Coubrough ‘81) and her lovely family; husband Ed and children Finn and Lilly. They had a lovely time catching up on old times and visiting the area. Sarah has also heard recently from Lucinda Bosworth (nee Arrundel) who is now living in Marrakech! SARAH SANDERSON (’05) has just finished her foundation training in Devon and is off to New Zealand for two years. She will be working for the Nelson and Marlborough District Health board on South Island - happily close to lots of vineyards! Sarah will be working full time as a doctor in the hospital and in her spare time doing as much outdoor adventuring as possible! Visitors are very welcome if anyone is passing through! SOPHIE TUPPEN (’11) Sophie is at Cardiff University studying Zoology. Next year she has her Professional Training Year, and is hoping to work at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada on wild big horn sheep with Dr Kathreen Ruckstuhl.
SUZIE RUSE (NEE OLIVER ’88) who lives in Sydney, Catherine Broadbent (nee Fairlie) living in Marlborough and Isobel Williamson-Jones (nee Williams), all 1988 alumni, enjoyed the day together at Isobel and Andrew Williamson-Jones’ house in Hampshire on a hot July day 2013 with their children. TAMSIN CLARKE (NEE WIGLEY ’90) Tamsin is still running her experiential agency ITCH, eleven years on working for clients such as Virgin, Google, Nike and UEFA. She moved out of London over 3 years ago to beautiful East Sussex where her sons Zach (6) and Jake (2) are enjoying country life and their school years! She is still in regular contact with Clare Dewar (nee North) Alison Bhargava (nee Dale) Caroline Matthews (nee White) and Theresa Osen (nee Ely) who meet regularly in London and twice yearly with all their families in tow! THERESA OSEN (NEE ELY ’90) Theresa welcomed a new arrival in 2012 when her daughter Olympia was born. She also has a son, Milo. They live in Surrey, from where Theresa runs her own PR consultancy working with architects and designers on projects including the Chelsea Flower Show. She regularly sees Clare Dewar (nee North) who lives close by and loves meeting up with Tamsin, Ali, Caroline and Clare especially with all 10 of their children who also enjoy seeing each other and are fast becoming good friends themselves!
Class Notes
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VALENTINE SIMSON (NEE COOPER ’77) Valentine and family continue to enjoy life in Dorset. Valentine has a new and busier job at Bovington Camp where she has worked for 17 years. She sees many OAs quite regularly - Judy Dodworth (nee Seymour) lives in the next village, Lucinda Fraser (nee Rayment) who also lives locally and she keeps in touch with several others including Jane Pridham (nee Stibbon) who became a granny for the second time in July 2013, Miranda Ford (nee Morgan) and family now living in Poole, Fo Parker (nee Moseley) living near Peterborough, and Fiona Cierach (nee Vickers) who starts a new head hunting job in London in the autumn. Valentine’s son Jos will marry Klara in May 2014 in Poland, and her daughter Olivia - also an OA - is in regular contact with her Leweston friends and about to go on holiday to Turkey with four of them! Olivia graduated from Leeds Met with a 2:1 in PR in July 2013 and starts a PR job in late August which will involve working in both London and Dorset. Her other daughter Lucy continues her work as a freelance chef which involves travelling the world.
ZOE NICHOLLS (NEE NICHOLSON ’93) After a great nine and a half years in Australia, Zoe was given a great opportunity through work to move to Singapore. She and her husband have settled in and are spending a lot of time overseas as Zoe now runs programmes across Asia, Pacific and Japan. They love the cultural change and the experience of Asia.
JULIA STEWART (NEE SAMPSON ’81) Stop Press ... Earlier this year Julia completed her Doctorate in Education and is now Dr Julia Stewart. Julia left Leweston in 1981 and had her family when she was quite young. She returned to study as a mature student, graduating as a Speech and Language Therapist in 1998. Julia left clinical practice in 2005 and moved into lecturing and is now the Programme Lead for the BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy at the University of St Mark and St John, Plymouth.
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Marriages
LIANNA ORDE (’99) married Tom Fairhurst in September 2012. Harriet Wright-Morris (nee Stavely-Hill) and Anstice Murray were both bridesmaids. MELANIE FOX (’99) married Brian Heyel in September 2012. There was a good group of OAs who attended including Rachel Johnson (nee Perrow), Camilla Sulivan, Caroline de Lisle (nee Budge), Katie Thomas (nee Phayre), Tabitha Warton, Lianna Fairhurst (nee Orde), Maggie MacDonald, Becky Wren and Anstice Murray. LEXI STAVELEY-HILL (’02) married Daniel Manning on Saturday 22nd June 2012 in London at Chelsea Old Church followed by a reception at the Oxford and Cambridge Club on Pall Mall. EMMA NUTTALL (’06) married Joe Tizzard at Sherborne Abbey on Saturday 25th May 2013. SOPHIE CROSBIE DAWSON (’02) married Mark Salvidge on Saturday 15th June 2013 at St Mary’s, Overton. Lexia Manning (nee Staveley-Hill) was matron of honour. EMILY PORTER (’05) married Oliver Hearn in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire on Saturday 6th July 2013. JESSIE COOPER (’98) married Ashley Stones on Saturday 25th May 2013 at St John’s Church, Milborne Port. GINA MOSSE (’99) married Marc Whiting in the Dominican Republic on Friday 13th May 2013. There was a blessing in Hampshire on Saturday 6th July 2013. ANNIE CHAN (’94) married Sean Gulliford on 25 May 2013 in Bristol. Also at the wedding were Sibylla Lofts and Marged Tucker (James). JOANNA MCCARTHY (’01) married Giles Cunningham on 22nd June 2013 at Latimer Place, Chorleywood, Hertforshire. PHILIPPA CLIST (’06) married Tom Hunt on Saturday 1st June 2013. Jess Yeates, Louise Ashmore and Camilla Broome (nee Barber) were her bridesmaids. REBECCA STONES (’01) married Simon Evans on Saturday 10th August 2013 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sherborne. They were married by Rev Mark Aitken (previously priest for Sherborne Boys School) and had four OAs as bridesmaids - Katie Oliver (nee Everard), Kate Drew (nee Huxtable), Jess Green and Elle McMahon. CHRIS COCKERAM (’03) married Anthony Robert Penson on Saturday 4th May 2013. OAs Demelza Elgee, Emily Bednall, Hannah Parmley and Georgina Besent were present at their wedding. Demelza was a bridesmaid and Emily did a reading during the service. LIZZIE CAIN (’01) married Duncan Chambler on Saturday 23rd March at St Peter’s Church, Long Bredy, Dorset. OAs Anna Bowditch and Victoria Cain were bridesmaids. LUCY GRASSBY (’02) married Kevin Haseldine in September 2012. OAs Emily Grassby and Roma Loukes were bridesmaids. Chloe Nash (nee Gallimore) and Rachel Roberts (nee Bussey) attended the wedding.
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Births
Retirements
NIKKI SCALE (NEE TAYLOR ’99) a son Freddy Scale born on Friday 1st April 2012.
MAGGIE NIGHTINGALE retired at the end of this academic year after teaching recorder at Leweston for 34 years.
KATE THOMAS (NEE PHAYRE ’99) a daughter India Rose Phayre Thomas. CHARLIE HOPLEY (NEE COLTMAN ’93) a daughter Isabel Kemirembe Hopley, born 19th October 2012. GINA MOSSE (’99) a daughter Bella Rae born 14th December 2012. LEXI MANNING (NEE STAVELEY-HILL ’02) a son Henry born 23rd September 2012. Lexi is expecting her second child in December this year. CLAIRE WORSLEY (’93) a daughter Thea Gillis Worsley-Howlett born 26th February 2013. TIFFANY DUFTON (NEE HENSMAN ’92) a daughter Lucy Faith born 25th May 2013, a sister for Grace and Molly. CAMILLA BROOME (NEE BARBER ’06) a daughter Daisy Ellen Broome born on 7th December 2012. HANNAH BRAGG (NEE LUARD ’93) her third child, a daughter Alexandra Julia Luard born 1st October 2012. KATIE SMITH (NEE PARFITT ’01) a son Arthur born 20th March 2013. SARAH O’GRADY (NEE MOTT ’99) a son George Edward born 17th February 2013. Rachel Johnson (nee Perrow) is Godmother. MARGED TUCKER (NEE JAMES ’94) a son Jacob Theo Gareth born May 2013, a brother for James William North. ALICE COWEN (’97) a son Indigo Blaise Erskine born 28th October 2012. Alice is expecting her second child in January 2014. ALICE FREYMAN (NEE BABINGTON HILL ’96) her third daughter Louisa Sophia Babington born 17th October 2012, a little sister for Sasha and Lottie. CAROLINE THOMAS (NEE BIGGART ’98) a daughter Annabelle Sarah Grace born February 2013. JULIET CLEMENTS (NEE BIGGART ’95) welcomed a second baby, a son Felix Arthur Willoughby on 15th July 2013. EMMA GIBSON (NEE CHARLES ’97) a daughter Lola born on 25 May 2012.
Deaths
JUDY FACER teacher of French for many years at Leweston until she left in 1990 died 21st September 2012. Judy very kindly last year made it possible for there to be a French Prize awarded to a pupil in Year 11 and this will continue for many years to come. DIANA BOMBIE CLARK (NEE BROOKS ’68) died 25th June 2012. JOE RALPH teacher of Biology at Leweston from 2002 – 2013 died 2nd September 2013.
JOE SHERWOOD-TAYLOR, teacher of Chemistry retires after 40 years! We sadly said goodbye to Joe this summer after a very long teaching service to Leweston. Joe taught at Leweston from 1973 – 2013. After celebrations and gifts, Joe wanted to thank OAs for their generous donations: “I would like to thank the Old Antonians for their extraordinary generosity in contributions to my leaving present. It has enabled me to buy some very nice woodworking equipment with which I have already started to make some garden furniture. I was also fortunate to have been allowed to institute the ‘Sherwood-Taylor Prize for Practical Chemistry’ which consists of two old retorts which had been in the lab since before I came, mounted on an oak base made by my daughter Molly. This will be awarded to any girl in the school who shows particular promise in practical chemistry. Dr Kemal prepared an album for me which had many photos from the past including old girls, and also presented me with an old Kipp's apparatus. Some of you from the 70s or 80s may remember this which was used to generate hydrogen sulphide (bad egg gas) for sixth form analysis and used to sit stinking quietly in the fume cupboard. It now graces the corner of our sitting room. Thank you also for making my time at Leweston such a happy one, I have many fond memories of you.”
CHRISTINE HAWKYARD (MATRON) I joined Leweston in 1980, I was looking for a nursing job that gave me the school holidays as my husband was in the Navy. None were available but Mother Eleanor gave me a job and I could work the hours that fitted in with having small children at the Prep School (which was then in Sherborne). I helped out in the science labs working mainly for Joe Sherwood-Taylor which I did for 7 years. I then moved over into the nursing role which I was far more suited to. I left Leweston at Christmas 1992 to accompany Nick on an overseas posting to St Lucia (Jill James a Leweston mother took over my role). I then returned to the post in 1996. I have been associated with Leweston for 33 years and have worked there for 29-30 years. The nuns were a pivotal part of school life and mine. I am very grateful for all their support and the kindness shown to me over the years. I always enjoyed my nursing post at school and never wanted to change or do anything different; I have been fortunate to see two generations, mothers and daughters through the school. This year’s head girl is a fine example! There is something special about Leweston girls and I have had the privilege to enjoy their company and see them grow up and move on – as I have recently done, into my retirement! I leave a really happy school and have many fond memories. 23
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T H E O A AWA R D THE OA AWARD IS a sum of money available annually to assist a pupil or former pupil of Leweston School whose project develops the School’s mission statement to those less privileged. The chosen project could be overseas or in the UK. It could be inspired by the Sisters of Christian Instruction or any other religious or charitable organisation. When applying for the award applicants will detail how they became interested in their chosen charity, what they want to do to help the charity and how they propose to raise money for their chosen project. If there is no suitable applicant found for the award in a year the committee can consider awarding an “OA Grant” to a pupil at the school who needs money for a charitable project.
CONDITIONS FOR GRANTING THE AWARD • The successful applicant will be at least 18 years old when she takes up the Award. •
She is expected to take up the Award within a period of 12 months from the date of the offer.
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The successful applicant will be required to provide proof of: adequate travel and personal insurance cover; satisfactory personal health; completion of a course of appropriate immunisation and vaccination.
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She will be required to undertake, on her return, a presentation of her experiences during the time she was receiving the Award by personally visiting Leweston School to give a talk.
The sum of money awarded will contribute towards the travel and living expenses of the successful candidate so that she is able to live and work with the community of her choice for a minimum period of six months (a shorter period would be considered for a gap year candidate). It is not envisaged that the Award will be used directly to assist the community or those in its care.
APPLICATION OAs wishing to be considered for the Award will be required to submit the following: • A completed application form including the names of two referees. •
At the beginning of each academic year the Award will be launched at the school and made known to OAs through the Leweston website www.leweston.dorset.sch.uk and the Old Antonian Magazine which is produced annually. There will be continual reminders and advice for applicants during the scholastic year.
An explanation of the nature of the work she would envisage doing and the benefits which the applicant and the community she intends to visit would expect to gain from her stay.
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Written correspondence indicating acceptance from the head of the community the applicant plans to visit.
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An estimate of the total cost.
ELIGIBILITY The Award is open to any former or present pupil of Leweston School aged between 18 and 30. DISCLAIMER The successful applicant for this Award will be required to sign this form as a statement absolving the Old Antonian Association and Leweston School from all responsibility. Neither the Old Antonian Association nor Leweston School can be held responsible for accidents to the applicant whilst working with her chosen community.
To obtain an application form please email Liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk or alternatively, visit the website www.leweston.co.uk where an application form can be found under Leweston Society and OA Award. Applications should be made before the end of March. This will enable all applications to be carefully considered, and shortlisted applicants interviewed by the Chairman of the OA Association at Leweston. The successful applicant will normally be announced at Speech Day, which is held at the beginning of July each year. APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO: The OAA Chair, Mrs Shirley Hewson, Leweston School, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6EN.
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THREE PUPILS FROM THE RECENT YEAR 13 LEAVERS WERE AWARDED A SHARE OF THE OA AWARD THIS YEAR. THIS AWARD IS AVAILABLE TO CURRENT PUPILS IN YEAR 13 TOGETHER WITH OAS. THE ARTICLES FOLLOWING DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENT CHARITIES AND WORKS THESE THREE GIRLS HAVE DECIDED TO SUPPORT.
Imogen Massey is to take part in a ten week Raleigh International project in Tanzania which will be split into three phases: a community project, an environmental project and a trekking challenge. Imogen chose to travel with Raleigh International, a non-profit making charity as she was impressed with their powerful and positive mission statement “To bring together people from around the world. To inspire, challenge and develop them to work in partnership as active global citizens. Learning how to build sustainable communities and conserve the environment.” Imogen felt that, having been educated at Leweston where concern for others and charity are part of the core ethos, she is very aware of the importance of making a difference to the less priviledged and is determined to do so. Imogen will go onto read History of Art at Bristol Uni.
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Isobel Worrall will be going to the Solomon Islands to help teach young people the new liturgical music for weekly masses. Isobel will also be regularly helping out at the local school. One of her aims before she travels is to raise money for the John McEvoy Scholarship for Girls Charity which will help provide funds for a group of girls to attend the school where Isobel will be working. This Charity was set up by Patricia McEvoy and her four daughters after her husband John died who was a Marist Father - a priest and teacher on the island for almost eighteen years. He ran a four hundred strong school on Malaita in the Catholic Diocese of Auki. Isobel feels this is a fantastic opportunity to have been given and a great way to use the confidence and knowledge she has acquired whilst being at Leweston.
Ellie Byfield is going to the Kampala Music School for three months to teach the saxophone. She will also be taking small clarinet classes and offering singing tuition. Ellie hopes to have the opportunity to assist with leading the school jazz band and to also take part in the community choir. She will also be involved in their outreach programme where children come from the poorest parts of Uganda; many have lost their parents to AIDS and have nothing. This project provides them with training in many different arts such as music and drama. Ellie hopes to benefit these children in the school by inspiring them to take up or continue with music. Ellie will go onto Royal Holloway University to study Music.
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Isobel will go onto read History and Archaeology at Southampton University.
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T H E O A AWA R D S
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www.jonnyssister.co.uk
UNIQUE, PERSONALISED AND HANDMADE IN GOOD OLD BLIGHTY BY OA JANE FIELD (NEE WALLINGTON AKA WALLY! ’75) Jonny’s Sister is about to have its 8th birthday and it seems that it has a lot to celebrate about. Started in a room not much bigger than a telephone box, Jonny’s Sister was founded by Jane Field (who is actually Jonny’s sister!) in 2005 and has since gone from strength to strength. As well as its products appearing on a number of TV shows, it also has a very loyal celebrity following and is even resident in Buckingham Palace! After leaving Leweston many moons ago, training as a nurse in London, many years spent overseas working and then back to London again, Jane and her family moved back down to her home county of Dorset in search of a better quality and slightly slower pace of life. She had always dreamt of sending her daughter, Hattie, to her alma mater and so was thrilled when it all became possible. She had always wanted to have her own business and, after much research, decided that personalised products had the potential that she was looking for. It soon became obvious that the idea behind Jonny’s Sister was working and within 18 months its award winning Love Letters were in Harrods. Whilst it has its own team of seamstresses making all its textile products it also uses many local crafts people for its signwriting, fabric printing and joinery. “Manufacturing in England has always been very important to me” says Jane.“When we first started, lots of people were quick to tell me that we could be making so much more money if we moved the production out to the Far East. But I really believed then, as I do now, that eventually people would start to really value having British made products and so dug my heels in (but also crossed my fingers!). Yes it is more expensive, a lot more expensive, but you only have to look at our products to see the amazing quality that you get from being British made. With all the recent positive media coverage on manufacturing in England I know that we made the right decision”. As well as supporting British made, Jane is a huge supporter of the apprentice scheme having got two already and now about to welcome their third. “Although my daughter chose to go to university, with the recent hike in fees along with people starting to actually question their reasons for going rather than just following their friends, the apprenticeship scheme is a fantastic alternative”. Jane has offered to speak to any OAs that would like to hear about her company’s experience. To celebrate its birthday Jane is offering all OA magazine readers an exclusive 15% discount until 22nd November 2013. Just enter Leweston at the checkout www.jonnyssister.co.uk
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LEWESTON OPENS NEW SIXTH FORM CENTRE Both the girls and staff at Leweston School are delighted with the latest campus development project, a new Sixth Form Centre which opened for use on the first day of this past summer term! The Centre is located at the heart of the school, close to the Pensabene Library (which was the dining room) and careers resources. This wonderful new resource offers Sixth Formers a place to socialise and relax, host guests and events, as well as access their emails using the wi-fi facility. It also incorporates a courtyard allowing girls to socialise outdoors. The decision over the location, purpose and use of the Centre was decided upon after consultation with girls in Years 11 and 12, some of whom then had the exciting opportunity to work with internationally renowned design and interior refurbishment specialists Resolution Interiors whose clients include Bose, Links London and Molton Brown, to come up with the final design. This latest piece of campus development comes at the end of a year of exceptional academic success for Leweston. Mrs Jessica Miles, Head of Sixth Form commented: “The completion of the new Sixth Form Centre will undoubtedly benefit both the existing and future Sixth Formers at Leweston and will complement the excellent teaching and social opportunities that our girls already receive. We look forward to the girls making the most of this exciting new resource which will help us to meet our aim of enabling them to achieve to the best of their ability, going on to take their place in the world with confidence.”
How the girls did it… Alice Hague, Harriet Woodland, Dasha Korznikova and Isabella Thompson explain the design process... “Alice, Harrie, Dasha and I volunteered ourselves to design the new Sixth Form Centre. We briefly had a meeting about the size of the room and how it could all be laid out before meeting with the team from Resolution Interiors a few days later at their offices. All four of us went through hundreds of photos that we placed on three boards: ice cool, cool and not cool. We wanted to go for a homely feel so we can relax in the space and enjoy the room. We also wanted to have a vintage theme that would last for years to come. We had a lot to think about in terms of setting the room out with four key aspects to account for studying, eating, relaxing and entertainment. There were a lot of emails and ideas sent back and forth through Pinterest, an online mood board, which helped us to finalise the idea and choose the main objects and furniture we preferred. Over the Easter holidays building work went ahead and was completed for the beginning of term. We have had a huge amount of great feedback from the students and teachers, and it is now being constantly used and enjoyed by all the Sixth Form. We are all so pleased with the outcome and hope that this room will be respected and used as much as possible in the future.” Isabella Thompson Yr12 Design Student
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SOUTH AFRICA CHOIR & NETBALL TOUR 2013 LEWESTON’S INAUGURAL CHOIR AND NETBALL TOUR TO SOUTH AFRICA SET OFF ON 15TH JULY 2013. DURING THE TOUR’S 12 DAY DURATION, THE 30 GIRLS INVOLVED VISITED DIFFERENT SCHOOLS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA, SINGING IN THE CHOIR AND PLAYING NETBALL FIXTURES AT ALL AVAILABLE TIMES OF THE DAY! THE TRIP ALSO INVOLVED FIVE PUBLIC PERFORMANCES BY THE TOUR CHOIR AT HOST SCHOOLS, LOCAL CHURCHES AND THE VICTORIA AND ALFRED WATERFRONT IN CAPE TOWN. THE GIRLS WERE ALSO VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PLENTY OF SIGHTSEEING AND A TRIP TO A GAME RESERVE WHERE THEY STAYED OVERNIGHT. THE TOUR WAS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR BOTH THE GIRLS AND THE SCHOOL AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANNOUNCING AND PLANNING OUR NEXT TOUR FOR 2015! THANK YOU TO THOSE OAS WHO KINDLY ADVERTISED IN OUR TOUR BROCHURE WHICH WAS SOLD TO GENERATE FUNDS FOR THE TOUR AND A BIG THANK YOU TO NICKY RUTHERFOORD (NEE DANCASTER) AND HER SISTER AMANDA HACKLAND (NEE RUTHERFOORD) WHO FLEW DOWN ESPECIALLY FROM JOHANNESBURG TO LISTEN TO THE GIRLS SING IN A CONCERT AT ST GEORGE’S CHURCH IN KNYSNA. THE PHOTOGRAPH HERE SHOWS THE LEWESTON CHOIR WITH AMANDA HACKLAND AND NICKY RUTHERFOORD WITH LEWESTON’S DIRECTOR OF MUSIC CLAIRE HAWKES. NICKY COMMENTED: “WE CHATTED AFTERWARDS TO SOME OF THE GIRLS AND THEN TO CLAIRE HAWKES DIRECTOR OF MUSIC AND SOPHIE ELLIS MUSIC TEACHER BOTH AT LEWESTON; WHAT CHARMING AND TALENTED YOUNG WOMEN THEY ARE. BOTH MANDY AND I WERE SO PROUD TO BE LEWESTON OLD GIRLS, AND THE SCHOOL CAN BE VERY PROUD OF THEIR DELIGHTFUL YOUNG AMBASSADORS”. OPPOSITE IS A COPY OF THE ITINERARY WHICH THE GIRLS FOLLOWED:
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Monday 15 July Meet at London Heathrow Airport where a representative from the tour company will assist with your check in prior to your scheduled flight to Cape Town. Tuesday 16 July On arrival in Cape Town transfer to the Lord Charles Hotel, where you will be staying for two nights. During the afternoon transfer to Parel Vallei High School to play your first set of matches. Wednesday 17 July Board the coach to Langa Township where you will undertake an escorted tour as well as perform your first choir recital to Mokone Primary School. After this your Langa Township tour begins. In the afternoon meet your next set of opponents which will be against ‘Community Sides’. During the tour you will see the township’s four different types of development, whilst learning about the community’s history and culture. In addition to visiting some of the main buildings and organisations within the community, you will enjoy lunch at Sheila’s Café. The tour is an amazing experience, remembered as one of the highlights by most groups. After your matches return to your hotel for the evening where you will enjoy dinner. Thursday 18 July Drive back to Cape Town and transfer to the Waterfront for a boat trip to visit Robben Island for a tour of the island and prison where Nelson Mandela was held. Back onto the mainland; gather at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront Amphitheatre for your next choir performance: Transfer to meet your first hosts; Wynberg Girls’ High School for a two night stay.
Friday 19 July This morning you will perform as a Choir at an assembly at the school. After your performance transfer to Cape Town to take a cable car trip to the top of Table Mountain for great views of the City and Table Bay. Later this afternoon transfer to the V&A Waterfront for a performance to the public at the Amphitheatre. You will be performing with Wynberg Girls’ High School. Return with your hosts for the evening. Saturday 20 July Say goodbye early this morning to your hosts and board your coach for the long drive to Wilderness. This afternoon visit Oudtshoorn and one of the ostrich farms, then the Cango Wildlife Ranch and the Cango Caves. Continue to Knysna and check into the Log Inn for two nights. Dinners will be arranged for you in local restaurants. Sunday 21 July This morning you will go on a cruise around the Knysna Lagoon. Make your way on foot to St George’s Church where you will perform a one hour concert for guests invited from all the Anglican Churches in Knysna. After the concert make your way back to your hotel. This evening enjoy Dry Rock Restaurant one of the local restaurants in town. Monday 22 July Check out of your rooms and transfer to Port Elizabeth. On arrival, transfer to Linkside High School where you will be met by hosts and given time to warm up for your match. Enjoy post match hospitality with your hosts. Afterwards, transfer to Collegiate Girls’ High School to meet your final hosts for a two night stay. Tuesday 23 July This morning you will perform as a choir during morning assembly. After your performance you have the morning to sightsee. During the afternoon transfer back to your hosts and prepare for your matches. Enjoy your last evening with your hosts. Wednesday 24 July Say goodbye this morning and you will be taken to visit the Addo Elephant Park. Continue onto the Kariega Game Reserve for a one night stay. In the late afternoon there will be an escorted game drive into the Reserve to hopefully spot the ‘big five’. Enjoy your final evening tour dinner at the Lodge. Overnight at the Game Reserve. Thursday 25 July Rise early for a final Game Drive at sunrise to see more wildlife. Return for breakfast and transfer to Port Elizabeth Airport for your return flight to London Heathrow Airport, via Johannesburg. Friday 26 July Arrive at London Heathrow Airport and transfer to Leweston by coach.
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THE SCHOOL YEAR IN A LETTER OF THANKS FROM VENERABLE COLIN PAINE, ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, KNYSNA
Dear Mr Aylward
RETR OS
We would like to thank you for the outstanding Choir performance that your school girls rendered at St George’s Anglican Church in Knysna. The girls were wonderful and staff were fantastic. Our community really enjoyed the afternoon and the blend of new and old music and worship. We took a collection at the end and raised R 2935.00 which was to assist a coloured lady in our community that runs a small orphanage of 12 children who now all come to our Sunday School. This was much appreciated. We also had the delight of having two former students from Leweston School with us in the audience. The gift of the pattern is much appreciated and we will be using it on our Tuesday Communion Service which fits our small chalice beautifully. Once again, well done to all and thanks for the great afternoon.
FROM LUCY MACKAIN-BREMNER CHAPLAINCY CO-ORDINATOR I was delighted to take up the newly created role of Chaplaincy Co-ordinator in early February 2013. Since then my feet haven’t really touched the ground for retreats to organise, prayer groups to launch, confirmation classes taking place weekly and kneelers to replace. After the wonderful era of Father Richard (Resident Chaplain 2002-2010) who moved on to parish work and is well-loved by those who know him, I find it rewarding, together with local clergy, to carry on his important work and the work of many others to keep Christ at the centre of the Leweston school day. NEW FOREST RETREAT A group of girls were lucky enough join the Dominican sisters deep in the heart of the New Forest whilst on retreat at St Dominic’s priory. Warmly welcomed, the girls were made to feel at home from the start and invited to join in the daily rhythm of prayer. Sr Hyacinthe, internationally renowned speaker last seen teaching catechesis to 5000 in Dubai, took the group through the finer points of ‘The Moral Life’ using artworks projected on the wall. The evening was spent eating pizza, watching Sister Act and quizzing other sisters from Nigeria, USA and France on ‘a nun’s life’! During the second day the girls ventured out for a wander through the New Forest, spotting wild ponies and discovering a nearby lake.
After Mass they joined the sisters for prayer, singing psalms in the exquisite oak-beamed chapel. LEWESTON CATHOLIC CONFIRMATIONS Forty two girls and boys from Leweston, Sherborne Boys and other local schools were confirmed during the summer term at a service led by Bishop Christopher of the Diocese of Plymouth. For some of the candidates it was also the occasion of their First Holy Communion. This occasion was wonderfully supported by friends and family of the confirmation candidates; Leweston’s Chapel was full to bursting. We were delighted to have our own Schola Contorum perform throughout the service which made it all the more special for those taking part.
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TR OSPECT RISE THEATRE YEAR 9 RETREAT DAY A travelling Christian theatre group, RISE, came to Leweston to entertain, encourage and challenge Year 9 in thinking about ‘Friendship and Identity’. They spent the day working in teams, discovering differences and similarities, and laughing a lot. RISE began the day with high-energy creative exercises including forming a ‘tableaux’ where teams of 6 or 7 were given just 10 seconds to arrange themselves into a still-scene, based each time on a different letter of the alphabet. This was followed by some reflection time on what makes true friendship, discussing in groups various role models, what they value and aspire to, and what negative and positive forces influence our identity. The afternoon mission was to create and act out a film trailer; “You’ve got a friend in me – coming to cinemas near you!” Wonderful insights came from the girls as they pondered the meaning of building your house on rock or sand and what constitutes the ‘rock’ and the ‘sand’ in our lives. The day was rounded off with a quiet prayer time in the Chapel before tea. SIXTH FORMER WINS INTERNSHIP WITH TOP LONDON FASHION DESIGNER Congratulations to Dasha who secured a summer internship with top London fashion designer, David Koma. Dasha was awarded the position after attending an interview with David. David commented on the quality of her textiles samples and on how well her Leweston sketchbooks were presented and organised. He also gave Dasha some useful feedback on her work. We look forward to hearing more ...
TOP OF THE DfE PERFORMANCE TABLES FOR DORSET AND SOMERSET 2012/13 Staff and pupils were delighted to have come top of the Department for Education Performance tables for Dorset and Somerset. Leweston’s A Level and PreU students achieved an average UCAS point score of 976 per student, the best of all independent and maintained schools in the two counties.
“We are delighted that the DfE data has placed Leweston as the top school in the area for its performance at A Level and equivalent. It is a tremendous reflection on the girls, our committed staff and the vitality of the all-round education offered at Leweston. This tops off an excellent year which has seen Leweston ranked in the top 5% of schools nationally for value added and our third set of record GCSE results in 4 years.” Adrian Aylward
LEWESTON BIATHLETES QUALIFY FOR BRITISH TEAM! Congratulations to the Leweston girls who have been selected for the British team following their performances at the National Biathle Championships at Salford Quays, Manchester. In the Youth E Girls U10, Year 5 pupil Anya E came 5th individually with Year 6 pupil Elektra C followed close behind claiming 6th position, and Year 12 pupil Victoria H who came 6th individually in the Youth B Girls category. These sterling performances meant that three girls qualified for the British team! Leweston’s two other competitors, Poppy B (Year 8) and Olivia M (Year 10) came 8th and 10th in their races and have been named as second and third reserves respectively for the British team. We look forward to the World Championships in Cyprus taking place this term. THE INTER-HOUSE SWIMMING GALA AND SPORTS DAY The inter-house swimming gala was once again this year a huge success, with many school records broken! The overall winning house was Mayne and congratulations goes to them for their fabulous efforts and their outstanding ability to win so many of the individual races. Sports Day was another triumph held on the arranged calendar date this year with no rain to be seen! The girls competed to a very high standard and all did extremely well. The overall winning house was Mayne! This academic year has been a terrific sporting year for Mayne and we wish them luck this autumn term with the inter-house cross country. 31
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SUMMER RESULTS 2013
GCSE
A LEVEL
FOURTH SET OF RECORD BREAKING GCSE RESULTS IN FIVE YEARS AT LEWESTON! Leweston is celebrating its fourth set of record GCSE results in five years. An unprecedented 41% of examinations were passed at A* with 69% of all entries passed at A* or A. 91% of examinations passed at A*, A or B, also a record. Congratulations to the 41% of all candidates who achieved 9 or more A or A* grades and to the 17% of girls who got 9 A* grades or more. 98% of all examinations were passed at grade A* to C. These record results, particularly at A* (41%), are notably impressive in the light of the national fall in the percentages of A* and A grades and the overall pass rate.
ANOTHER YEAR OF RECORD BREAKING RESULTS FOR LEWESTON'S SIXTH FORMERS. Record AS and A Level results for the second time in three years! Sixth Form girls achieved a 100% pass rate and 72% of A Levels were passed at grade A* to B or Pre-U equivalent with a record 20% of the results passed at A* grade or Pre-U equivalent. 52% of the results were passed at A* or A grades or Pre-U equivalent, double the national average and Leweston is delighted that a pupil has achieved the school’s first ever D1 at Cambridge Pre-U. This exceptional grade is above the standard required for an A* at A Level and is a truly outstanding achievement. An impressive 34% of students achieved 3 or more straight A or A* grades across a range of subjects. Average UCAS points per candidate were 383, the equivalent of over three A grades per candidate. It was also a record breaking year for Leweston at AS Level with 73% of examinations passed at grade A or B.
Year 11 pupil Eleanor Evason achieved 12 A* grades followed closely by her classmates Rosie Frampton, Maddie Kirby and Grace Thorner who all achieved 11 A* grades.
“
Once again Leweston’s girls have excelled themselves and I am delighted with their outstanding performance in their GCSE exams. The results across the subjects were excellent and highlight
These results have enabled all Leweston’s leavers to win places at their chosen universities or specialist colleges. Many girls will be going on to the more selective institutions, Oxford, London School of Economics, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Nottingham, Newcastle, Cambridge, University College London and York to study degrees such as Accounting, Biological Sciences, Economics, English, Drama, History, History of Art, Mathematics, Medicine, Nursing, Philosophy and Politics, Physiotherapy and Spanish.
the all-round academic strength of the school and the benefits of an all girls’
“
education where the pupils are encouraged to take risks and achieve to the best of their ability.
Geoff Smith, Director of Studies
“I am delighted with what is another strong set of results at Leweston across the whole ability range. I am particularly pleased that all our Oxbridge and medical school candidates have been successful in meeting their offers, further building on our record of success in this area. These outstanding achievements pay testament to the hard work of the pupils and the work ethic of the school. These pupils should be justifiably proud of their success and they will undoubtedly continue to thrive in their further studies.” Adrian Aylward, Headmaster
2013
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The Leweston Society THE LEWESTON SOCIETY IS THE UMBRELLA STRUCTURE UNDER WHICH ALL ASSOCIATES OF THE LEWESTON COMMUNITY CAN COME TOGETHER INCLUDING SCHOLARS, OAs, PARENTS AND FORMER PARENTS, PARISH MEMBERS, PAST AND PRESENT STAFF AND GOVERNORS.
ADRIAN AYLWARD Headmaster MARGO LIDDLE Leweston Society Manager THE LEWESTON SOCIETY PARENTS COMMITTEE Year 7 – Claire Godman-Dorrington Year 8 – Diana West Year 9 – Janie Garnon Year 10 – Lisa Glydon Year 11 – Fiona Maguire Year 12 – Kate Guy Year 13 – Aggela Carpendale GOVERNORS Mary Head (Chair) Nick Bathurst Charles Comyn Mark Hudson Eddy Newton Keith Newton Emma Treichl Belinda Wingfield-Digby
The Leweston Society
Sherborne
Dorset DT9 6EN
Tel: 01963 211015 Email: liddlem@leweston.dorset.sch.uk
www.leweston.co.uk
Thursday 7th November 2013 10.00am to 4.30pm
Leweston Living & Christmas Fair
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