OLD SUTTONIAN FEATURES
How Time Flies - Where Have 16 Years Gone? Helen Knott (Staff 2002-)
I
n October 2002, I nervously entered the door that many of you will remember as the front door to the housemaster’s house in St Margaret’s. By then, it was the Headmaster’s Study. I was returning to the world of work as the part-time administration assistant for the newly-established Development Office, which was, and still is, in the same building. My apprehension was misplaced, as I was fortunate to be working under the guidance of Chris Parkinson, erstwhile teacher of Business Studies and Economics, St Margaret’s tutor, Westminster housemaster, CCF’s contingent commander and the School’s second master. Chris had been asked by Headmaster, Joe Davies and the Governors, to lay the foundations for, and then launch, a capital campaign that was to fund the School’s most ambitious building project for many years. On his arrival in 2001, Joe had felt that the School did not have a strong relationship with its alumni, something he wished to remedy. At that time, all alumni relations were in the capable hands of another Sutton Valence legend, Colin Shaw. As pupil, member of staff and Old Suttonian Association Honorary Secretary, he had devoted a large part of his life to the School archives and maintaining the association’s links with those who had left the School. Working in an office with both Chris and Colin, I was able to take advantage of their enormous wealth of knowledge and start to build the database that is the foundation of all we do today.
to gather together – to ensure that Old Suttonians are given their rightful place in the Sutton Valence School community. The value of those connections cannot, in my view, be underestimated and both headmasters agreed. You may be wondering why I have chosen to wander down memory lane at this time. Well, after what has definitely been my most satisfying and enriching business role, I have decided that it is time to pass the baton on. I was delighted when Will Radford joined us three years ago, knowing that he would have the best interests of Old Suttonians at heart and would continue to develop the progress made so far. I have also been very fortunate to have had support from many, many OS; Richard Harvey, Des High, David Bunker and Richard West to name too few, but, before I end, there is one I cannot omit. David Pickard, honorary secretary of the OSA and School archivist, has worked tirelessly in support of Old Suttonians and the School. His knowledge is vast, his counsel and friendship wise and kind. I would like to thank him, here, for everything he has done. So, as I head towards retirement at the end of 2018, thank you to you all too. Together we have achieved more than I imagined in the furtherance of relationships between Old Suttonians and between OS and School. My partner and I are renovating a house in Deal. If you are ever down that way, Will can put you in touch. Au revoir!
Once the campaign was over and the School had started building the new indoor swimming pool, the Astroturf pitch at the Preparatory School and the Baughan Theatre, Chris decided that it was time to retire. Fortunately for me, both the headmaster and chairman of governors felt that all the work of the past three years should be capitalised on and asked me to not only stay, but to take on managing the Development Office; an offer I could not refuse! Enter Rebecca Riggs, who was to stay with us for ten years. Whilst my role adapted and grew as the priorities of the department and School changed, it was Rebecca who was the mainstay of the office and the one who OS invariably emailed or called. Without Rebecca’s diligent work, we simply would not have been as successful as we were. During this time, I instigated the Annual Fund, which engaged many Old Suttonians, who identified with the small-scale projects that supported the education of pupils at both the Senior and Prep Schools. Whilst the School had been fortunate to receive occasional legacy gifts over the years, it was something about which I was keen to raise awareness. A sensitive subject, but a ‘cost effective’ way of supporting the School when it may not be possible to do so during one’s lifetime. The William Lambe Society gave us the opportunity to recognise those who chose to donate in this way and the campaign reaped the hugely beneficial legacy that was the foundation of our recent bursary campaign,The 1576 Fund. Over the past 16 years, I have been fortunate to work with two superb headmasters – Joe Davies, now retired and living on the south coast, and Bruce Grindlay. Both were and have been extraordinarily supportive of what we were trying to achieve in the Development Office and always willing to give their time to reunions, sports events and visiting Old Suttonians. It has always been my firm belief that our primary focus should be to build the relationship between School and its alumni and to offer opportunities for OS
Page 11 - The OLD Suttonian 2018