Non Nobis Newsletter Autumn 2014

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ISSUE 22 | AUTUMN 2014 - NON NOBIS

Nobis

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ST CATHERINE’S ASSOCIATION

celebrating the th 10 anniversary of our association

www. stcathe rine s .info

Diary Dates 2014/2015 NOVEMBER Thu 6

19.30 – 22.30 St Catherine’s Presents. . .

Swingles Singers

Thu 13

19.30 – 21.45 String Sectional Concert

Tue 18

19.00 – 22.00 Fourth Monkey Performance of Elephant Man

Fri 21

19.30 – 22.00 St Catherine’s Day Gala Concert (Parents only or listen via live stream)

Fri 28

19.30- 21.30 PTA Lecture with JoAnn Deak

Sat 29

19.30 – 23.00 PTA Christmas Party

DECEMBER Tue 2 Wed 3

13.00 – 15.00 (Tues), 9.00 – 11.00 (Wed) Prep School Nativity Performance

Mon 15

19.00 – 20.30 Association Carols by Candlelight, Chapel

JANUARY Fri 23

19.00 – 22.30 David Shepherd Wildlife 30th Anniversary Event

Thu 29

19.30 – 22.00 St Catherine’s Presents. . .

Opera Unmasked with Jonathan Viera

FEBRUARY Wed 11 Thu 12 Fri 13

association day

On Sunday 7th September, a beautiful sunny day at the start of term, former staff and pupils enjoyed the annual Association Day. For many, the chapel is the most memorable building at school and the day started with a service there, taken by the Rev Dr Benji McNair Scott who talked on a theme of ‘Celebration’ to tie in with the 10th Anniversary of The Association. Hattie Lucas-Clements, Choir Prefect, directed the Scratch Choir of boarders and alumnae most ably. The retiring collection raised funds for Afghan Connection.

After morning coffee there was more music on offer in the chapel from a talented group of current pupils, organised by the Music Prefects Charmaine Chan, Laila Sticpewich and Holly Calder. The mini concert was warmly applauded and thanks must go to all involved.

The lacrosse match between the school and the alumnae teams was well supported and resulted in victory for the alumnae. Emily Fitzsimons (2013) and Nancy Day (2014) had kindly put the alumnae team together.

Association Day is open to all members and their families and this year we were particularly delighted to welcome four groups of alumnae having mini reunions from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1980s. For many of them it was the first time they had returned to school since leaving and the highlight of the school tours was the new Speech Hall Library where enthusiasm for the transformation of the Old Speech Hall was voiced by many.

Over a delicious roast lunch, we heard about the travel experiences of Caragh Bennet (2013), Annie Cole (2014), Jacinta Jackson (2013) and Katie Standen (L6) who had benefited from generous Association travel awards.

19.30 – 22.00 Whole School Musical Return to the Forbidden Planet (Online booking details to follow)

MARCH Sat 14

19.30 – 22.30 St Catherine’s Association Choir Concert, Holy Trinity Church, Guildford

MAY Thu 7

19.30 – 21.30 Guildford Classical Association Lecture

JUNE Sat 27

Round The Island Race, Isle of Wight

To book tickets for St Catherine’s Presents, either visit the School website (www.stcatherines.info/st-catherinespresents) or contact the Foundation Office on 01483 899692 or association@stcatherines.info.

Prospective Parents’ events Senior School Friday 14th November 2014 Thursday 29th January 2015 Wednesday 11th March 2015 Friday 1st May 2015 Prep School Friday 7th November 2014 Monday 19th January 2015 Monday 2nd March 2015 Thursday 30th April 2015 For further information contact: Senior School Registrar Judy Corben 01483 899 609 judy.corben@stcatherines.info Prep School Registrar Sally Manhire 01483 899 665 prepadmissions@stcatherines.info

Old Girls Online This online tool is like a mini Facebook or LinkedIn account where you can share your news and contact details with the school and other alumnae, but it is a secure site that can only be accessed with a username and password. Please contact the Foundation Office at association@stcatherines.info if you require your login details.

It is a great way of letting the School know about a change in your contact details or any other news like your degree results, marriage, births, a new job, travel news or finding a friend. You will find a link under the Association heading of the website or go directly to Old Girls online at stcatherines.web-intouch.com.

Once you have entered your username and password you can update your own details, add photos and make your contact information visible to other users. You can look at a year group or find specific friends or old girls living in a particular town or city. If they have made their contact details visible you will be able to contact them directly; if not, please ask the Foundation Office to pass on a message for you or help you find unlisted friends.

Our email address is association@stcatherines.info or call 01483 899692.

www. s t c a t h e r i n e s .i n fo

St Catherine’s

hasPresented...

2014 Sixth form lecture was given by Baroness Susan Greenfield. The Baroness was an inspiration to the audience and quite a role model as the first woman to be invited to give the Royal Institution Christmas Lecture and a leading contributor to government reviews on how women can excel in scientific careers.

MAGGIE, JOHN, TONY AND ME ...

Elinor Goodman (1965) spoke of her life as a political editor for Channel 4. She started as a secretary before moving into newspapers where she faced prejudice about how secretaries could not be reporters. In addition, she revealed she is dyslexic but this had not held her back, but made her more determined to succeed. She recalled great anecdotes and photographs including staying next to the Grand Hotel Brighton in 1984, Margaret Thatcher’s annual photo shoot in the countryside, Tony Blair’s surge to power in 1997 and fox hunting legislation.

Through the use of a metaphor tracing our lives from the womb, through childhood to older age; Baroness Greenfield explained many scientific thoughts and principles, specifically focusing on brain cells and their function.

She reflected on the advantages of technology, such as the iPad, when used in an intellectually stimulating environment and the disadvantages of overdependency on gaming and social media where evidence suggests a link to addictive behaviour and reduced interpersonal skills.

She encouraged us all to believe in our own capabilities and aim high! Let us go on …

She also touched on her recent role in the Leveson inquiry.

The transition from reporter to political editor is difficult, as it limited what she could say due to time restrictions and ensuring she was impartial.

Her greatest regret was not to have probed politicians further during interviews. When asked if she missed the job, she replied ‘most of the time no, but with the outcome of the Scottish referendum tomorrow, I would love to be doing it all over again!’

From Atlanta, Georgia . . .

Helena Worrall (2009) writes: It does not seem very long ago that I was sitting in a classroom at St Cat’s preparing for my A-levels. Back then, I could never have imagined that several years later I would be studying in the ‘deep south’ of the USA all because of a golfer called Bobby Jones. Let me explain how this came about…

Itching to travel, my gap year took me to Perth, Australia and Mexico City for six months with Youth With A Mission and I started at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, in September 2010. My wonderful, passionate geography teachers at school inspired me to pursue geography as a degree and over my four years as an undergraduate it morphed into sustainable development. The combination of my academic studies and travels in East Africa, during my student vacations, served to crystallise my growing interest in international development work. I no longer just wanted to study sustainable development; I wanted to do it, practically.

In my final year at St Andrews I came across an opportunity for a two-year full scholarship to study a Masters in Development Practice at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia. As an almost-geographer, I’m ashamed to say that I actually had to pull out a map to locate Atlanta!

This scholarship is known as the Robert T Jones Fellowship which is given to one St Andrews graduate each year and is the joint initiative of the University of St Andrews, Emory University and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

Robert T Jones, or Bobby Jones as he was known, was the most successful amateur golfer ever, playing competitively in the 1920s. He frequented the golf courses at Augusta, near Atlanta, and St Andrews.

He himself studied at Emory University and when he died after many years in a wheelchair, as a result of syringomyelia, his friends established a trust in his memory. This trust enables students from two of his favourite places, St Andrews and Emory, to participate in an exchange.

Thankfully, golfing ability is not a requirement!

So, here I am in Atlanta. Two months in and I am still pinching myself when it feels too good to be true! This Masters is the perfect way for me to pursue further academic studies, while also allowing me to benefit from carrying out practical development training in the field. The 10week summer placements overseas are something I am particularly looking forward to. I intend to return to East Africa where I will be able to gain experience working with non-governmental organisations, which ultimately I hope will develop into a career.

coffee anyone?

At the end of the summer term, our lecture was given by Priscilla Daniel, a multilingual coffee trader at DR Wakefield, introduced to us by current parent, Simon Wakefield. While at business school, Priscilla spent some time studying abroad in Costa Rica, where she first encountered coffee trading. Clearly this trip greatly inspired her and I think it illustrated to us how influential and beneficial travelling abroad can be, particularly when developing a language. Priscilla spoke about the importance of never giving up on a long-term goal, but also recommended flexibility in the short-term, taking advantage of any opportunities that may arise. Priscilla’s job sounded varied, exciting and stimulating but she did also mention some of the challenges she faced as a woman, in a male-dominated industry. It was great to hear about the work which she is involved in with companies such as Café Femenino that encourage ethical trade and help support communities of coffee growers throughout the world. Overall, Priscilla gave a really interesting and inspiring insight into an industry which many of us had not considered as a career path, despite the fact that coffee is such an important part of our lives!

www. stcathe rine s .info

rising to the challenge Channel Swimming Sisters Caroline Steel (2012) writes: Last year my sister Helen and I set ourselves the challenge of swimming the channel in July 2014 to raise money for Diabetes UK – our chosen charity because our dad is diabetic and we can therefore see what excellent work it does.

We were slightly nervous about this challenge: not only would we be trying to swim across the busiest shipping lane in the world, but we would also have to swim some of the course in the dark and it would be chilly!

A year of challenges by tamsin powell My challenging journey started at the end of 2013 as I was sitting in front of an open fire contemplating my resolutions and how I desperately wanted to change my weight and my lifestyle, which consequently meant my health and fitness. I realised that saying it and doing it are two very different things so I didn’t allow myself a thinking period and signed up for the Surrey Half Marathon which was in March 2014. I have always had a decent level of fitness because I love sport and still play both lacrosse and netball, but running is just not something that either enthralled or excited me – I just didn’t do it!

In February I took part in my first competitive race which was a 10 kms cross-country run involving a hill which was barely walkable, let alone runnable! However, the running bug had bitten me and I knew I wanted more. I set about signing up for challenges to ensure I had an event every month for 2014.

In March I completed the Surrey Half Marathon; April was Tough Mudder – a 12-mile obstacle course which pushed me both physically and mentally; May was the Moon Walk – 26.4 miles overnight dressed in a bra to raise awareness and money for Breast Cancer UK. This remains my hardest challenge to date. I completed the feat in 6hrs and 40mins averaging 4 miles an hour – I was broken! In June I competed in a Triathlon; in July I swam pier to pier in open water between Bournemouth and Boscombe; in August I competed in the Nuts Challenge and September saw another half marathon in which I improved on my previous time and felt decidedly brilliant at the end!

The challenges continue but I now know what I enjoy and what I really don’t (my time of half marathons is over) and I will now focus on smaller runs and triathlons with an end goal of competing with the leaders.

Plans don’t always work and we had to swim separately. Helen (current U6) swam in a very rough July storm as part of a five- person team called Are We There Yet? comprising three women and two men.

The waves were enormous, everyone was very seasick (including the medic) and her first swim in the dark was grim. The second swim was much better and she was enjoying herself in the sun when she noticed that her team-mates were pointing at something behind her. Then she got a nip on her foot.

PANIC! No, not a shark but a baby seal whose mother was very big and in protection mode. Luckily, her fast swimming helped her to escape. During Helen’s third swim she encountered loads of jellyfish but she did really well getting through them without being stung. Or so she thought. When she climbed back on the boat she brought another team-member firmly attached to her leg. Seventeen hours after leaving Dover, she was the lucky team-member to touch down on French soil.

Now I, Caroline, was a lot more nervous about my swim after Helen told me, “It was the best and worst day of my life”. The September weather was good and Team Tidetastic were fighting fit. All the swims went “swimmingly well” until the end. To complete the swim you have to keep within a certain swimming boundary and at the start of the last swim we were perilously close to a boundary with the tide pushing the swimmer towards it.

Potential disqualification loomed. Luckily the last swimmer was our strongest and he made it but the pain was so intense he said that if he had been a solo swimmer he would have given up. We completed the swim in 14 hours and there is a video on Youtube.

We are delighted to say that our efforts paid off and in total we have raised £5,500 for Diabetes UK. Thank you to everyone who supported us.

Vega Family race for life

On 11th June 2014 my two sisters, Philippa (2009) and Katie (U5) and I (Abi 2012) completed the 5K Race for Life in Battersea Park in memory of our Dad who sadly died of cancer in 2008. It was going to be a family affair as Mum had been training with us but unfortunately due to a back injury she could not run on the day. However, not to be out done a few weeks later she did manage to complete the 5K Race for Life in Victoria Park with Pip and Katie at her side, I had already left for my summer job with Camp America. Thank you to everyone who sponsored us we raised a fantastic £1,562.

www. s t c a t h e r i n e s .i n fo

sarah leaps into volunteering Sarah Robson (2012) leaps into action as a Games volunteer Sarah writes: After a great experience as a London 2012 Gamesmaker within the Venue Communications team, I applied to volunteer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I was lucky to be selected as a Field of Play team-member at the Gymnastics, my all-time favourite sport. The role mainly involved stewarding the gymnasts from the warm-up hall into the competition arena, and then from one apparatus to another when they were performing – we truly had the best seats in the house! We also provided general assistance to the gymnasts while they were training, or relaxing in the athletes’ lounge, and were also used as stand-in medallists for Victory Ceremony rehearsals.

My personal highlight was being on the floor to see the English girls finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the individual all-round competition; the atmosphere in the arena was incredible and I even featured in the background on television a couple of times! Although it was sometimes strange to be one of the few English voices amongst a sea of Scottish accents, one of the other perks was being surrounded by so many people with the same interest in gymnastics as me, because all my fellow team-members had a background in the sport through competing, judging and/or coaching.

The overall experience was unforgettable, and I hope to return to Glasgow next summer to help at the World Gymnastics Championships. Unfortunately, I am not so sure I’ll be able to justify volunteering at the next Commonwealth Games, as they are to be held in Gold Coast, Australia!

It’s a family affair In 2006 Penny and Patrick Fleming, along with a number of other trustees, set up the Garden Route Children’s Trust (www.grct.org.uk), a charity whose aim is to alleviate poverty amongst children in South Africa through the provision of food and education. Penny has several links with St Catherine’s. Her daughters were both boarders at school; Kathy (2002) was Head Girl and Ali (2003) was Musgrave House Captain. Penny also taught English and Latin at school for several years. Both girls are also keen trustees of the GRCT. Musgrave House has been delighted over the last few years to fundraise for the GRCT and has been able to donate in the region of £1000. The house has thoroughly enjoyed several visits from Penny when she has talked about how the money has been used and shared photos of her visits to South Africa showing lots of very happy well-fed children who have benefited from the charity’s work.

Two thousand and fourteen has been a very busy year for Penny and Patrick as daughter Ali got married to William Lewis in August and Kathy also announced her engagement, to Jordan Platt, and plans to marry in May 2015. The wedding photo shows Ali with some of her St Catherine’s friends.

moon walking staff Lesley Taylor, PA to the Prep School Headmistress, and Maria Titcomb, Payroll Administrator, both completed the Moon Walk for Breast Cancer Research in May of this year. Seventeen thousand women and a few brave men strode out in their “best bra” walking through London at night in support of the charity.

Rachel Folley with her walking buddy, Jenny Kay

Rachel Folley writes: Inspired by Ashcombe Fundraising, courageous colleagues and friends, my retirement Bucket List included doing the Moon Walk for Breast Cancer Research. I applied for 2013 but was too late and did a half marathon instead, which was just a taster. This year I was in and made the ‘Pink Team’ . Although Frank, the Folley retriever, was more interested in chasing rabbits and squirrels, 15-minute miles became a comfortable pace and promised a 7-8 hour marathon on the night.

The high points included a beautiful view of Big Ben in the moonlight, rushing for the bushes in Green Park, camaraderie along the Embankment and wonderful costumes. As the cold of very early morning and damp drizzle slowed us down through the glamorous areas of central London, we questioned the wisdom of the route planners, who made us walk uphill for the last, and seemingly very long, one-and-a-half miles.

Back at Clapham Common, the marathon completed and pledges to do it again, once we had thawed out, there was no need for an ice bath!

The generosity of my family and friends meant that I raised over £1,500 so thank you to everyone.

Maria writes: The English weather was not on our side as we started our 26.2 mile challenge.

Despite not crossing the start line until 12.45 a.m. and encountering early bottlenecks across the River Thames, we were optimistic about what lay ahead of us. Seeing the historical sights of our capital city at night was quite breathtaking at times, especially the Houses of Parliament, the Globe Theatre and the London Eye. Thank you to everybody who supported and sponsored us. We raised a total of £1,700 towards a cause that is close to both of our hearts. [Maria was diagnosed and treated last year and Lesley’s mum underwent treatment six years ago.]

www. stcathe rine s .info

celebrating 10 years at the association ball The Midsummer Ball took place on Saturday 28th June in a beautifully-dressed marquee in the school grounds and was a great success, thanks to the Ball Committee’s hard work. The Ball marked the 10th Anniversary of the launch of the St Catherine’s Association which was established to bring current and former pupils, parents, staff and governors, as well as friends of the school, together.

Over 300 guests enjoyed the champagne reception sponsored

by Lanson before a delicious meal.

The St Cat’s Jazz Band entertained us with live music on arrival and after dinner and were followed by a great DJ – there was a lot of dancing! The casino tables provided a fun alternative for those who needed to catch their breath or did not wish to dance the night away.

All the prizes and the 12 lots in the Silent Auction were generously donated by friends of St Catherine’s and we were delighted that, on our 10th Anniversary, we were able to give an incredible £10,000 to Shooting Star Chase in memory of Lachlan Armitage. Ian Armitage gave a moving speech after dinner about his son who would have been 10 this year; sadly, he passed away on his third birthday. The remainder of the sum raised went towards the School’s Development Fund to assist with the new entrance to the Centenary Building and refurbishment of the Lecture Theatre which will be open shortly.

It was wonderful to mark this very special moment in the history of St Catherine’s School with a really enjoyable and memorable evening. Thank you all very much indeed for your support.

THE BALL COMMITTEE (L-R) Dawn Pilkington, Tyrone Smith, Tara Lawrence, Fiona Haywood, Anne Howard-Smith, Ben Mayhew, Rachel Roome, Louise Jones, (and not in the photo) Helen Richardson

www. s t c a t h e r i n e s .i n fo

Mr Ian Young, Mr Andrew Vaughan and the Jazz Cats

www. stcathe rine s .info

welcome to pippa ....

Fund. She is delighted to be joining the St Catherine’s community and has already enjoyed talking to alumnae as far afield as South Africa and Canada. She brought her own girls to enjoy Association Day in September and was fascinated by the stories of parents, alumnae and past staff all of which have helped her start to find her feet and absorb a little of what makes St Catherine’s unique.

We are pleased to announce the arrival of Pippa Carte as our new Development Director. Pippa takes over the thriving Association and growing fundraising effort from Jo Dowling. Jo successfully introduced St Catherine’s Annual Fund and developed our Bursary and Hardship Funds.

She supported Dawn in growing the ‘St Catherine’s Presents …’ events and actively supported the local community of Bramley, welcoming them to St Catherine’s to make use of our wonderful facilities. Jo has now headed to New Zealand to a new life and new job – this time in a university environment and we wish her all the best.

Pippa has a marketing and fundraising background, most recently working as Director of Fundraising at the World Wildlife

In her words: “I am so pleased to have joined St Catherine’s School - a vibrant and forwardlooking community. I am excited to be continuing to develop the history of giving to the school – from the initial gift of £4,000 that founded the school in 1883, the gift of £1,000 that allowed the chapel to be built in 1893, to the amazing contributions of alumnae, parents and friends to the Anniversary Halls which were opened in 2011.

As the Association nourishes alumnae, teachers and friends of the school by sharing news and stories and helping to make connections, so too your financial gifts nourish the school. The generous support of alumnae, parents, Governors, Trusts and Foundations and other supporters allows us to invest in exemplary new facilities for the girls; offer Bursaries and a Hardship Fund; purchase specialist equipment to support learning and also protect and maintain our precious historic buildings such as the chapel. These gifts provide lasting benefit to present and future generations of girls fortunate enough to join you in being part of the St Catherine’s community.

Thank you so much for your support Your generosity towards the St Catherine’s Annual Fund has given the girls the following: A Digital Weather Station

£692

Much anticipated - science and geography classes are going to be really enriched. Girls will be able to read and download trend data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, wind chill, rain, barometric pressure, moon phases, and more!

Base and Keyboard Amps

£606

The music department are thrilled to have amplifiers and the power of sound!

Dance Studio multi-purpose flooring

£2,515

Tap, modern, ballet, musical theatre, en-point – the dance studio is in constant use by girls 4 to 18! This special flooring particularly enhances en-point ballet.

Around 340 girls are using the Studio weekly and there is even a group of ‘Crazies’ who take all six classes a week!

Video editing equipment

£2,300

To complement the ‘mini TV studio in a box’ bought with donations from 2013; this editing equipment will allow the girls to create HD quality productions which we can broadcast globally.

Thank you too for your donations to the Bursary and Hardship funds which enable us to change the lives of children with extraordinary ability but limited means.

“An oasis of peace and calm in the midst of a busy world.”

Rev’d Dr Benji McNair Scott, Chaplain at St Catherine’s School I am always struck by the comfort and constancy alumnae find when they visit the chapel. The chapel was built in 1894 and has changed little in comparison to the rest of the school.

When alumnae explore the school and marvel at the wonderful facilities the girls enjoy today and the incredible breadth of teaching that fires the girls’ imagination they still treasure the chapel. Why? Because it offers today what it always has. It welcomes and enfolds you with its warm red brick and richly-coloured Kempe stained glass. It is a space for reflection; a place to draw breath. The singing, accompanied by our wonderful organ, uplifts and sustains us. Whether it is the weekly services for all year groups, the House Communions, evening prayer and Compline for the boarders, the Confirmation service or whether it is that place of calm to get away to in the midst of a busy day, the chapel offers the St Catherine’s community so much.

I know we are entrusted with a treasure but I’d love to explore what the chapel has meant to St Catherine’s girls throughout the decades. I’d be delighted to hear from you with your reflections, recollections and memories of chapel life. Why did you love chapel? What did you appreciate about the chapel? What do you remember about the services? Did you gaze at one particular window at each service? Do you remember a particular Chaplain or sermon? I would love to hear from you so do please send your memories to association@stcatherines.info

www. s t c a t h e r i n e s .i n fo

Kenyan Mission 2014

as were hundreds of children in the three rural parishes visited. A new kitchen was provided for one of the schools, and a number of classrooms were given new cement floors and also freshly painted.

John Peters writes: We have been interested in Kenya for several years and made our third visit there last April. Thirty-five of us converged on the Kenyan Children’s Project [KCP], a home for approximately eighty children in Kakamega, in the Western Province of Kenya.

A fortnight of relentless, though extremely rewarding, activity followed. It involved visits to three remote rural parishes to treat children suffering from jiggers, (which for some people leads to considerable pain and physical disability), providing a lunch for street boys, a lunch for widows, several visits to a local supermarket for a short service of worship and prayer, and a number of visits to homes where the children are deemed to be ‘vulnerable’ for a variety of reasons.

Kenya is beautiful but it also has significant social, moral and political needs and challenges. There are over a million orphans, over a quarter of a million street boys, many with AIDS, almost all of them glue-sniffing and all desperate for food. Very few street girls are visible in Kakamega because they are either in domestic slavery, have been ‘adopted’ by a patron or sponsor or are in the sex trade. In addition, the police are not sympathetic and the streets are brutal and dangerous.

The children at the KCP are fed, housed, protected, educated and – crucially -

John and Elisabeth Peters introduced to the love of Jesus in ways that are restorative and transforming. Many of them have come from desperate backgrounds where every day is a struggle merely to survive.

Two home situations are permanently etched on our consciousness. A young disabled woman of 18, raped at 16 and barely able to rear her twins, is to be brought into a house for widows where she can be taught fresh coping skills in a supportive atmosphere.

In another isolated rural house there were five children with ages ranging from four to four days. The mother and father clearly had problems. There was no food in the house and the outlook was extremely grim. The intention is to place the mother and children in a house where the mother can be taught coping skills and strategies. Both these families were fed,

In addition, hundreds of people were prayed with, and many miracles of healing occurred including a grandmother who had been badly beaten by her son but who, after prayer, could walk away without her stick; another lady who regained much of her sight; deaf ears were unblocked; stomach pains disappeared, and very high and potentially dangerous temperatures were significantly lowered.

There was only one unpleasant experience during the whole mission when a local man demanded to be seen by the doctor and, when politely turned away, returned wielding a machete. The team retreated to the church only to observe him returning with two machetes. The crisis was, however, soon over, and the afternoon continued calmly.

The unity between the team members was an important part of the outreach, as was the whole-hearted and enthusiastic support of the Mothers Union and the Anglican Church, and the enthusiastic cooperation and help of the older boys and girls of the KCPO. We are so grateful to our gracious and loving heavenly Father for involving us with such wonderful humanitarian work in Africa.

John Peters, English teacher from 2005 and Head of English 2006 - 2008.

Much ado about… drama Lizzie Schenk writes: When I was at St Cat’s (2002-2009) my involvement in drama began with the house plays (I have very fond memories of playing Christopher Columbus one particular year!). By the end of sixth form I had had a few smallish roles in the main plays and sixth-form musical but my main focus had been helping out with accompanying music for the shows. I left St Cat’s to do an art foundation course and, perhaps bizarrely, found myself spending most of my time working on plays and musical theatre, which eventually led to me taking a degree at Cambridge in Education with English and Drama. In my second year a dramatic friend, Charlie Bindels, and I set up Strung Up Theatre Company and, by lucky coincidence, stumbled across Clemmie Reynolds (2006) and her theatre company BurntOut during our research for an Edinburgh Festival Fringe show. As essays trundled by and final year exams loomed, I found myself back in Surrey auditioning for Clemmie's summer production of Much Ado About Nothing, and before I knew it I had graduated and raced back to start rehearsals. I was playing Ursula, a watchman, the messenger and the Sexton. With Judith Hilvert as associate director, Ian Young as leader of the band, Romy Wilkin as assistant stage manager, and Clemmie herself it felt like a rather strange and wonderful school reunion!

The production was brilliant fun - performed outside at various locations in London and Surrey for the RADA Festival and Guildford Fringe. An incredible experience and I would recommend checking out BurntOut's website for their upcoming productions!

After a summer Shakespeare course at LAMDA to brush up on acting as many of the bard's works as possible(!), I have now started work at the Yvonne Arnaud theatre in Guildford. My role as 'Youth Theatre Apprentice' lasts for a year and enables me to spend a couple of weeks in most of the theatre departments whilst assisting with several

production groups each week. So far I have spent a few days in operations learning about front of house and ushering duties and I have also spent two weeks touring local schools as an actor with Off the Level. This is a play produced in collaboration with Network Rail to raise awareness of the dangers of railway lines, especially level crossings.

The play is followed by a workshop including Q & A, Forum theatre and discussion. During the run we visited 12 schools and performed to over 3000 children. The response was amazing and it was fascinating to learn more about theatre in education. This show, and other productions and workshops the Yvonne Arnaud take out to schools, are continually being booked up so I am really hoping to be involved in more whenever possible. In the meantime, I have a couple of weeks in the tech. department to look forward to before the first few shows of this academic year kick in. It looks set to be an incredibly exciting year!

Then I will have to start finding my own way...

www. stcathe rine s .info

Brunch down under Melbourne branch of the St Catherine’s Association Fiona Thomas, who was Deputy Head of the Prep School, now lives in Melbourne and got in touch with St Catherine’s, Bramley Association members who also live there. On a grey and drizzly morning (well, it was officially the first day of winter) a small, but chatty and cheerful group met for brunch on 1st June 2014.

Sheila Punjabi, Kim Bowden, Claire Gozzard, Monica Middleton and Venessa Koo

1984 Reunion

Venessa Koo writes: It seems surreal to me that I left St Catherine’s 30 years ago. If not for your kind reminder in connection with Association Day this year, I would have thought it was only 20 years ago that we were causing trouble at school.

Although we could not all meet this September my key ‘partners in crime’ from St Cat’s days met last year in London, and I had not seen a few of them since leaving! The years fell away and we talked and laughed all evening. I hope I will be able to visit St Cat’s soon.

VISIT FROM ACROSS THE SEAS On 17th September 2014 Sylvia Ferrara (Hutchins) (1975) and her sister Annie Bradfield (Hutchins) (1974) came back to visit school for the first time since moving to America. They were amazed by the transformation of the Speech Hall but delighted that many areas, including the Chapel, were as they remembered.

The Exchange between the two schools was a great topic of conversation. We heard that two former St Catherine’s, Melbourne pupils Amelia Hamer (now at Oxford) and Caz Hamer (about to begin at LSE) credit the Exchange with making them aware of the possibilities of further education abroad. Conversely, look out for Susie Lowe as St Cat’s, Bramley’s first Olympic hopeful rower who was inspired by the Melbourne exchange.

The St Catherine’s, Melbourne staff members, Sue Collister , who initiated the Exchange Programme and is currently Director of Boarding Services, and Tamara Andrews, who is the current Trips and Exchange Coordinator, are both keen to further the links between the two schools. They plan to write about the Exchange programme, and all its benefits, for one of their school publications.

The group were unanimous in agreeing to meet again on Friday 21st November for a ‘St Cat’s Day Down Under’ (even though it will be a few hours earlier than the companion one in Bramley). However, with the help of the Techno Wizards in Bramley, we may be able to enjoy listening to the Gala Concert via a live audio link.

Back left: Kat McMaster (with son Ewan in front), Tamara Andrews, Sue Collister, Fiona Thomas. Front left: Ewan, Rachel Collister, Emma Collister, Pauline Ryan

st catherine’s prep school Charity Fun Day On 29th June, Iain and Charis Armitage, parents of Isla in Form 1, hosted a Family Fun Day at Loseley House in Guildford in aid of Shooting Star Chase, the hospice service for children with life-limiting diseases.

Iain and Charis lost their son, Lachlan, aged three, to a rare genetic disease and they decided to dedicate this year - the year that he would have turned 10 - to organising a series of events to raise money for the Guildfordbased hospice that helped care for Lachlan. They and their friends have climbed mountains, cycled huge distances, and run marathons all in aid of this local charity.

The signature event of the year was the family day which, alongside fun activities, such as bouncy castles, carousels and circus skills, also saw many of the 600 attendees take part in the “Challenge of 10”, a 10 km run or walk, and a 10 furlong run for children, which was led by double Olympic medallist, Roger Black.

Twenty girls from St Catherine’s fifth form, the Community Challenge Group, volunteered to help support the day by taking charge of face painting, nail painting and the balloon release. The day was also attended and supported by many St Catherine’s families and staff, who undertook the ‘’Challenge of 10’’, as

well as enjoying the day and raising lots of money for Shooting Star Chase. St Catherine’s School also generously donated a significant amount of the money raised from the auction and casino at the Association Midsummer Ball.

Iain said, “We were humbled to have the generous support of St Catherine’s on our special day, which raised over £50,000 for Shooting Star Chase”. Shooting Star Chase are extremely grateful for all the money raised and support shown by the Armitage family, the school and the local community who pulled together for this wonderful charity.

You can read more about Lachlan’s story and the charity at www. lachlan10.co.uk

www. s t c a t h e r i n e s .i n fo

Now we are 70....

Chris Todman (1962) writes: On a very sunny 24th June 2014 as many of us as we could find (and were able to make it) had an informal reunion to celebrate our 70th birthdays, or thereabouts. This involved Old Girls who had joined the Senior School in 1956 - what a totally different age that was!

We had a perfect day and a perfect spot in the “Noah’s Ark” at Lurgashall, West Sussex to celebrate.

L-R: Jeni Arnold (Dudgeon), Margot Dale (Bushell), Jenny Gillies (Thornton), Ann Clerey (Guy), Jane Norman Blackmore (Blackmore), Gill Bainbridge (Davis), Viv Canning (White), Joanne Geoghegan (Hawes), Sue Shakerley (Tamblin), Brenda Essex (Spratt), Charlotte Thubron (Rolfe), Trish Kruger (Wheeler), Pam Fairfield (Spratt), Jane Haigh (Eldridge), Ruth Hulton (Parsons)

1987 Reunion in Northchapel Lucy Strong (Derby) writes: It was such a lovely surprise when an email suddenly popped up earlier this year suggesting a get together of our year group as Alex Lynch and a couple of others who live abroad were going to be in England for the summer. It soon morphed into a chain mail with a Facebook page and lots of us very keen to come along to the reunion, which Baz (Amanda Baker - née Barrow) had kindly offered to host at her house in Northchapel. Then followed a string of photos so that we could be recognised after all this time! It was fantastic that so many managed to work their holidays around the date so that they could be there. Twenty-four of us turned up on the day: Holly came from Guernsey, Diana from Spain, Eva from Switzerland, Dina from Canada, Alex and Zarina from Hong Kong to name but a few! The day was wonderful and so exciting and we needn’t have worried as everyone was easily recognisable! We drank champagne in Baz’s gorgeous garden surveying Sussex fields on a beautiful summer’s day and it was non-stop chatter for hours! The party continued all night with a dinner at a nearby hotel for those who had

Christian Aid benefit from first Hort-Eco-Itural Show There is nothing quite like the pleasure of growing your own vegetables, baking your own food and appreciating the beauty and wonder of the world we live in.

As Harvest Festival approached, Prep School staff launched a new initiative to encourage pupils to grow their own vegetables, learn about the environmental benefits of local produce and celebrate the beauty of Autumn – the first Hort-Eco-Itural Show.

The competition was open to all ages at the Prep School and included opportunities for the girls to grow their own vegetables, bake cakes, take photographs on an eco theme, polish their skills in flower and vegetable arranging, garden design and create craft items.

We seem to be a most delightful bunch of people who have mellowed very nicely; we have St Cat’s to thank in part for that! It was amazing how easily we settled in as a group, with such a sense of affinity, and enjoying each other’s company although we had not all seen each other for a very long time and some had not met up since leaving school. Old Girls had come from far and wide and had gone to considerable trouble to be there - one even bouncing straight off a plane from Boston (USA) and looking as fresh as a daisy. come from afar and then finished up with Toppy showing a few of us around St Cat’s on the Monday morning to see all the changes and to reminisce over old times. A huge thank you to Amanda, Mitch and Toppy who organised this very special event, to Lucy for her INCREDIBLE cake to mark our reunion and to Titch, who has invited us all to her house in France in two years’ time – can’t wait!

Judging took place on Friday 12th September after which many of the items were sold at the Autumn Welcome Picnic, which welcomes all of the Prep School girls and their families at the start of the new school year. The funds raised were donated to Christian Aid in order to help those in need to grow their own gardens and to provide food for hungry families.

Katriona Field, St Catherine’s Prep School’s Eco Co-ordinator said, “We are thrilled to see how many girls entered this event and the wonderful display of produce and artistic creations from our talented young girls.”

Isy aged 10 said, “I really enjoyed designing my miniature garden. I used a seed tray for the base and made a little shed out of lolly sticks.

The garden had a bug hotel, some little plants growing, a pond and a bird bath. I really enjoy caring for animals and being in the countryside.”

SLOWEST RACE ON RECORD ON THE LONGEST DAY As in previous years, school parent Paul Narraway chartered four boats to race under the St Catherine’s banner in the 2014 Round the Island sailing race. A band of 40 pupils, staff and parents met on Friday 20th June to bond and practise on the Solent.

We divided into four teams - Girls and Staff, Dads - Starboard, Dads - Port, and Mums. Needless to say, there was great competition between the sexes.

Race day dawned with a stunning sunrise with very little breeze. This year, 1585 boats of all sizes started the race, and the view was breathtaking.

Our well-oiled teams performed magnificently in very trying conditions because, as temperatures rose, the wind dropped to almost nothing. With the many tides running in the Solent, we had the surreal experience of seeing some boats actually going backwards.

Clearly, the St Catherine’s teams were a determined lot and we all sat firm, unwilling to concede defeat although it was not much good telling ourselves Let us Go Onward without any wind!

As the sun set, we were four of the 715 boats which eventually made it to the finishing line. Out of the St Cat’s boats Port Dads were 1st, Starboard Dads 2nd, Girls 3rd and Mums 4th. The girls, many of them new and inexperienced sailors, performed brilliantly, and kept their spirits up (and their tans), and the mums blamed their slightly slower performance on the sheer weight of delicious home cooking on board.

The weekend finished with a barbecue and prize giving ceremony. Jonathan Cocke gave a short speech of thanks to Paul and Lynn Narraway for all their hard work in organising the 4th St Catherine’s RTI race and, after a welldeserved snooze, the teams returned to the mainland on Sunday after a great weekend.

If you would like to be part of the fun on 27th June 2015 please contact the Association Office.

Limited Edition Prints for Sale Following their unveiling on Speech Day in July we are delighted to say that limited edition prints of the two paintings, commissioned by Mrs Phillips and Miss Bartholomew to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of The Association, by artist and school art technician Duncan Palmar will be on sale from the school shop shortly. The original paintings are now on display – one in the Prep School and the other in the Senior School.

st catherine’s association rock choir

Nobis

non

This light-hearted choir and band were launched on 26th February 2014 following on from the success of the Association Choir. Nick Tudor, our musician in residence, led the choir and Ian Young, Head of Percussion and Contemporary Music, was in charge of the rock band which accompanied them. After only eight weeks of rehearsals the choir and band, made up of 46 members, gave two performances of Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi. They opened the Bramley Village Fete on 17th May and opened the second half of the Rock and Jazz concert at school on 23rd May. There were a few wrong notes but the singers and band-members more than made up for these with their enthusiasm. It was such a great success that we hope to repeat the experience again next year.

Non Nobis Domine!

Not unto us, O Lord, The praise or glory be...

The opening of the school hymn Rudyard Kipling

share your memories of Chapel at St Catherine’s Please do share your recollections however small – of singing in the Choir, playing the organ, late night Compline, Christmas carols or perhaps the smell of the candle wax and floor polish!

I’d like to gather these as a record of what Chapel has meant to girls over the years. We promise to share some of your memories in the next Non Nobis.

I was at St Catherine’s from:

to

You can post back your thoughts via the free of charge pre-paid envelope enclosed with the newsletter. Just in case you are mailing from overseas the address is: The Association Office, St Catherine’s School, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey, GU5 OBR Or feel free to email us at: association@stcatherines.info

Thank you so much for your contribution.

Chaplain Rev’d Dr Benji McNair Scott

‘Be still, and know that I am God’ Psalm 46:10