Withington Onwards 2021 by wgs5

W I

T H I N G T O N

O N W A R D S

2 0 2

2 2

Welco Welc Welcome o me Welcome to the 2021 edition of Withington Onwards – your annual publication for Withington alumnae, friends and former staff.

lco o me

There has been much talk in the media of us all adapting to a ‘new normal’ over the last year, but I am pleased to say that life at Withington continues to be anything but normal! We have celebrated the announcement of our inaugural Ad Lucem Alumnae Award winners (see page 5) and our winners, Brenda Milner, Bronya Sykes and Rose Acton, are the antithesis of ‘normal’. Their achievements, outlook and conduct make them exceptional public ambassadors for our school community and an inspiration to all. Congratulations to our winners and all our shortlisted nominees.

MRS LESLEY DOWDALL

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Withington’s Founders broke the norm in their desire to provide girls with an outstanding education, including unusually for the time - in the sciences, physical exercise and practical work. They wanted no doors to be closed to pupils and over 130 years later, this commitment to equality, to the value of learning and to social responsibility is as relevant as ever. Today, we refocus on extending our bursary provision with an aim of supporting one in five of our Senior School pupils, further

N G

O N

O N W A

consolidating our vision and ethos to create a warm community centred on equality and opportunity, irrespective of a pupil’s race, religion, social background and financial situation (see page 7). The positive and life-affirming attitudes and achievements of our alumnae are also in evidence in this edition. If you want to set yourself a new challenge for 2022, you can take inspiration from Sue Thornton’s ‘bikepacking’ adventures (see page 11) and the positive and uplifting attitude of our two alumnae who both turned 100 this year is just incredible (see page 23). Despite not being able to meet in person for much of the last two years we have been thrilled to welcome so many alumnae to virtual reunions. Watching faces light up as you recognised old friends was truly wonderful to see and I hope you enjoyed reconnecting and reminiscing! Please do contact former classmates and add the date of Saturday 11th June 2022 to your diaries for the next Open Reunion. We have several years of celebrations to catch up on. Thank you to you, our exceptional Withington community, for all your help, support and inspiration over the last year; I hope I will have the opportunity to thank you in person before too long.

On Wednesday 7 July 2021, the final day of the academic year, the Upper Sixth, our Class of 2021, came together with their teachers to create a very special event. An event which in so many ways encapsulated the year of 2021 and this exceptional time in which we are living. This was our Founders’ Assembly. Having been unable to hold our annual celebration of the founding of Withington Girls’ School in the Bridgewater Hall due to covid restrictions, we were determined to sustain the traditions of our Founders’ Day and to have an opportunity to mark together the end of another extraordinary year. Our Upper Sixth once again demonstrated outstanding qualities of optimism, compassion, resilience and good humour. It was a pleasure and a privilege to share this event with them and with the rest of the school community as we took time to reflect on all that had been achieved (Read more about the assembly on page 15). 2021, the second year in which we have been living with the pandemic, has once again brought test and challenge for us all and, once again, seen the school community bring immense determination, considerable skill, ingenuity, flexibility and fortitude to the task in hand. The year began with the announcement of the second period of lockdown and the closure of schools. Withington was tenacious and resourceful as we launched our remote learning programme and our key worker school once again. The announcement that GCSE and A Level examinations would not take place for a second consecutive year was very disappointing. It is very much to the credit of our pupils, their teachers and their parents, and a reflection of the excellent team spirit at Withington, that this period and indeed the rest of the academic year for our

pupils in Years 11 and 13, was navigated with such success. The way our senior pupils have approached this year and continued to make such a valuable contribution to school life has been outstanding. As many readers will know, one of the major events of January at Withington is our Senior School Entrance Examination. The organisation of this day had already been significantly adapted so that it could take place in a COVID-safe way. The success of its subsequent move to an online examination, the first in the school’s history, reflects the impressive skill of our staff as a significant team effort swung into action and would continue over the weeks that followed as our interviews took place online, another first for the school.

MRS SARAH HASLAM HEADMISTRESS

Withington’s passage into the first period of remote learning, whilst demanding for all, as any major upheaval is likely to be, was relatively smooth due to the effectiveness of our digital strategy which was already embedded in school life. In this second period of lockdown we were able to adapt once again, building further on what we had learned. Our teachers and all staff were exceptional in their dedication as teaching and learning continued and the wellbeing of pupils and colleagues was supported. Once again, Withington pupils and staff cared for each other and remembered those in the wider school community and beyond, reaching out to alumnae through initiatives such as the Pen Pal project and Withington Connect, and sustaining a range of partnership and community activities. The announcement that schools could return to in person teaching on 8th March was widely welcomed and we galvanised once more to run the lateral flow testing required and, crucially, to support our pupils as they

adapted to being together in school once again. COVID testing, blended learning and year group bubbles remained but the overriding sense was that we could now look forward with growing optimism and we relished the opportunity to resume many activities. As we saw in 2020, when faced with adversity, our school community rises determinedly to the challenge, and 2021 has seen a series of superb events, both during lockdown and since our return to the school building in March, which typify the Withington spirit and also the impressive progress that has been made during this time. The Careers Convention which took place over a period of weeks during the Spring Term was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils and their parents and a wonderful example of what our school endeavours to provide for its pupils – stimulating, inspiring opportunities which broaden horizons and open new possibilities. (Read more on page 21). The breadth of experiences and activities provided at Withington is vast and, familiar as we are with the willingness of our staff, pupils and wider school community to make such opportunities possible, we should not lose sight of how exceptional it is. Despite the constraints posed by bubbles, the restrictions on trips, sports fixtures, musical and drama performances, Withington girls and staff have this year been involved in a wonderful range of activity, much of it the result of creativity and innovation. Our House activities have continued unabated, and our Sports Days were days of great joy, with girls taking part in bubbles but no less committed for that, supported by staff and Sixth Form helpers in a very Withington

N G

atmosphere of commitment, good humour and enthusiastic encouragement. Young Enterprise, Model United Nations and Debating have continued undaunted, adapting to the digital context with flair and skill, and our Music Department, ever determined that the show must go on, embraced technology and produced recitals and concerts, providing a wonderful treat for us all and showcasing our pupils’ impressive talents and musical accomplishments. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, always highly valued at Withington, with the opportunities it provides for learning new skills, volunteering, and developing resilience, in recent years has grown more popular still, with significant numbers of pupils taking part and many achieving their Gold Award. This dedication has continued this year, not least due to the determination of the staff involved, and we were honoured when the school’s April expedition was featured on national BBC News as part of the many tributes to the Duke of Edinburgh. We were so proud that our pupils were given the opportunity to contribute to that special day, and to share their reflections on the significant impact and benefits of the Award (Read more about DofE at WGS on page 25). Withington pupils care deeply about their world and are keen to make their own valuable contribution to it. Their engagement with the themes of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on our Citizenship Day in July was inspiring and many Withington pupils have also taken part in community and partnership activities this year, raised funds for charity, and raised awareness of issues facing our society and our world. We believe that our school’s

O N

O N W A

aim to provide a place where our girls and young women build their confidence, their resilience and their self-belief is as important in 2021 as it ever was. Our alumnae are a vital part of this and this year our inaugural WGS Alumnae Awards have captured the imagination of our current pupils and provided further inspiration as they connect with those who have gone before them. It was a great pleasure to see our Head Girl Team 2020-21 taking a leading role, and all Senior School pupils engaging in this uplifting project – certainly an example of the very best of Withington at work. After the disappointment of the cancellation of public examinations, our Year 11 and 13 pupils and their teachers rose to the challenges of the assessments required, and I would like to pay tribute to all our Year 11 and our Year 13 pupils of 2021. We were delighted to be able to enjoy with them the last day of summer term and the results days which were days of great joy and celebration. They are to be warmly congratulated on their many achievements, not least their outstanding GCSE and A Level results which are much deserved. Very well done to them all. Since the start of the new academic year in September, we have been delighted to host our first in-person Open events since 2019, school trips including the ever-popular Year 7 visit to Ghyll Head, sports fixtures, musical performances, including our second Manchester Sings in Manchester Cathedral and involving seven other schools

from across Greater Manchester, and crucially, day to day and week by week, our school assemblies and extra-curricular activities, modified as appropriate for COVID-safety, but none the less valuable and appreciated as cornerstones of what makes our school experience so special. In December, Withington was once again named The Sunday Times North West Independent Secondary School of the Year – the third consecutive accolade in their Parent Power publication, following last year’s award for Withington of School of the Decade. This achievement reflects the consistent dedication and commitment to excellence both within and beyond the classroom of all in the Withington community – pupils, staff, parents, alumnae, governors, trustees. A fitting end to a year in which, once again, our school has met the challenges of this time and has not been found lacking. In our Founders’ Assembly in July we listened to the School’s Recital of Founders whose words surely have particular resonance this year: " Loving truth, duty and reason, Charles Prestwich Scott and his wife Rachel wished for the school knowledge through difficulty rather than success through ease." A year of COVID protocols, of lockdown, remote and blended learning, selfisolation, the cancellation of public examinations – a year when we missed the joy of being together in person, and much more. But also a year in which so much was achieved and much progress made. Here in school we have seen that there is very little we cannot do when we work together and focus on what really matters – our learning and our humanity. Thank you to everyone in the Withington community for everything you have done to support the school through this exceptional year.

NEWS OF

Former Pupils PADDLING AROUND SCOTLAND Ocean advocate and adventurer Cal Major (Class of 2009) spent the summer paddleboarding her way around over 1,000km of Scottish coast in a never-done-before expedition. Cal’s aim was to highlight the importance not only of ocean biodiversity, but our human connection to the seas and the important role that plays. She was joined by her partner, photographer/film maker and fellow ocean advocate, James Appleton, who documented her entire journey from his kayak. Cal was also raising funds for Seaful, a charity she has founded to help reconnect more people to the ocean for mental health benefits and to nurture a connection to our natural world. During the course of the trip, Cal battled with the sea around Cape Wrath, Scotland’s most north westerly point, rescued seabirds tangled in wire, came across a drowned humpback whale calf that had been trapped in debris, was joined by a pod of whitebeaked dolphins and had a thrilling close encounter with a group of Orca. You can read more on her website www.calmajor.com.

Ad L Lucem uce uc em WE ARE THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE RECIPIENTS OF OUR VERY

Our alumnae are an amazing group of women, excelling in so many different ways and in so many different areas. The Ad Lucem Awards are a way of celebrating some of these achievements, as well as inspiring current pupils. The criteria to be nominated for an Ad Lucem Award was a Withington alumna who has made an outstanding contribution to society, or who acts as an inspirational role model, either in a professional, voluntary or philanthropic capacity, or through their personal endeavours. Their achievements, outlook and conduct will demonstrate that they continue to reflect the school’s ethos and values, making them an exceptional public ambassador for our school community.

her work and contribution to many significant discoveries have paved the way in her field and are still studied by psychologists and students around the world, including Withington’s A Level Psychology students.

Luc uce em Aw wa AD LUCEM ALUMNA AWARD

BRENDA MILNER

Following nominations from the school community and a shortlisting process in which our Head Girl Team 2020-21 were asked to participate, all Senior School pupils were given the opportunity to vote in both categories. We are delighted toannounce that the winner of the Ad Lucem Alumna Award for 2021 is world renowned neuroscientist, Brenda Milner; and the recipient of the Young Alumna Award is rower and Cambridge University student, Bronya Sykes. Both winners embody all the qualities that the award represents.

YOUNG ALUMNA AWARD

BRONYA SYKES

Aged 103, and still active in her field, Brenda (Class of 1936) continues to be regarded as one of the leading neuroscientists of her generation. She is the Dorothy J. Killam Professor at the Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital and a professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University in Canada. Many consider her a founder in the field of clinical neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. Her career spans more than 70 years and her contributions have revolutionised our understanding of how brain structures govern different learning, memory and speech functions. A winner of countless awards,

ROSE ACTON AD LUCEM AWARD

ROSE ACTON

N G

O N

O N W A

Brenda also demonstrates a desire to support and enable others to learn. In 2007, she set up the Brenda Milner Foundation to support a part of the education system that she felt was underfunded: post-doctoral studies. The foundation makes it possible for students who go beyond a PhD to carry on working to become established in a university department. In 2019, a Montreal school for children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities and associated disorders was named after her – l’École régionale BrendaMilner. She is a true inspiration to Withington students, past and present.

Young Alumna Award winner, Bronya Sykes (Class of 2018), has displayed incredible resilience and determination over the last two years. She was part of the winning Cambridge eight in the University Women’s Boat Race 2021. A rower since she was 11 years old, Bronya had originally been selected for the 2020 race which was cancelled at the last minute due to the pandemic. She then had to remain focused on her training throughout lockdown to give herself the best chance of being selected for the 2021 race. This was all whilst ensuring that she also gave her very best to her undergraduate studies in Natural Sciences. Bronya, however, says she employs ‘extreme time management to get everything done’ and credits Withington for helping her to develop her organisational skills. This year, Bronya became the Women's President of the Cambridge University Boat Club. She is a great example to current students that, even given challenging

Awa rds Awards FIRST AD LUCEM ALUMNA & YOUNG ALUMNA AWARDS

circumstances, it is still possible to accomplish your goals and ambitions.

a rds During the course of the shortlisting process, it was decided that we would introduce a third award, the Rose Acton Ad Lucem Award.

Rose, in the words of her school friend, Stephanie Siddall, was, "the epitome of a Withington girl; someone whose intelligence, enthusiasm and energy allowed her to turn her attention to anything".

Rose, from the Class of 2010, died in December 2020. She was nominated posthumously for an Ad Lucem Award by several members of the Withington community, including friends and teaching staff. Not only did Rose make the most of all that school life had to offer, she also achieved a remarkable amount in the years that followed. We therefore decided to create a third, special Ad Lucem Award in her memory. Rose will be its first recipient.

In future years, the award will be presented to a Withington alumna who has displayed the qualities that Rose herself displayed throughout her life and that are valued highly in our school community; qualities such as courage, curiosity, kindness, humour, determination, resilience and a desire to improve things for others. Most importantly, like Rose, future recipients will inspire and support those around them to achieve more than they thought they could. We hope that this award will be a fitting way to remember Rose.

INSPIRING DESIGNS FOR INSPIRING ALUMNAE As well as being inspired by our Ad Lucem Alumnae Award nominees, pupils in Years 7-9 were also inspired by taking part in a competition to design the awards that will be presented to this year’s winners. The competition was launched by the Design Technology Department in the Spring, with all Key Stage 3 classes being set a project to design an entry for the Awards. They were asked to approach this as a full design project and, once back in school after the lockdown, continued this by making preparatory models, as well as submitting design folders. We’re delighted to say that the project was warmly embraced by students, with an array of remarkably imaginative and striking designs. Mrs Cotton, Head of Design Technology, said:

“ Despite COVID restrictions, we knew it was important that Key Stage 3 students had the opportunity to experience the practical aspect of modelling their design ideas. The Ad Lucem Award Design Competition was a fantastic opportunity for this to happen. What we didn’t anticipate was the creativity, ingenuity and beauty that our students would apply both to their design work AND to creating wonderful models of their trophies.” Well done Aleeza and Camille in Year 9 and Mimi in Year 10 whose winning designs are in the process of being made and will be presented at our next Founders' Day celebration.

Congratulations to both Brenda and Bronya who, along with Rose, are our very first Ad Lucem Award winners. We hope that all in our Withington community are inspired by their stories. We would also like to pay tribute to the other inspiring nominees. It goes to show the breadth of experiences and achievements of WGS alumnae and the difference they are making in their chosen fields. They are all wonderful ambassadors for Withington.

Your You r Supp Su p p Su THE BURSARY FUND

u r Su u p po rt Providing bursary support to bright girls who would not otherwise be able to benefit from a Withington education is an integral part of our ethos, allowing us to uphold the principles of social cohesion, diversity and inclusion that we have long held dear. Currently 1 in 6 Senior School students receives means-tested bursary support.

Our vision is to increase this to 1 in 5. This means finding provision for an additional 10 - 12 bursary students. We want to do this in a manner that can be sustained for the long term. To support these additional bursaries in perpetuity will require donations totalling over £2 million.

We are extremely grateful to all who currently donate so generously to the Bursary Fund. It is true to say that all donations, whatever their size, make a big difference to those we support. Farah Akbar (Class of 2021) was a fantastic WGS Bursary Ambassador during her time in the Sixth Form. She has now taken up her place at King’s College, London to study Medicine. Here, she reflects on the impact that her time at Withington has had in helping her move on to the next phase in her life.

my head, urging me to continue to ask questions. Taking part in extra-curricular activities at Withington gave me confidence to join lots of new societies here, gaining new skills and allowing me to meet people from different courses. Learning how to juggle extracurricular clubs and leadership roles with my studies at Withington, taught me work life balance and organisation techniques which I have continued to use at university. This allows me not only to work at my studies, but also to tackle a weekend job and make time to enjoy my first year in London.

"Writing this article for Withington whilst sitting at my desk in my King’s student accommodation is a surreal experience, especially given the uncertainty caused by the past two years. I cannot say that I envisioned studying Medicine from a young age and that I had a perfect plan to help me get there, but I can certainly say that Withington supported my not-so-perfect journey to Medicine and placed me in a position to be writing this as a medical student at King’s College London.

Through meeting a wide range of people at Withington from different socio-economic, cultural and religious backgrounds, I learnt about the differences and embraced them. A key skill highlighted in my very first clinical lecture was that a doctor needs to be culturally aware, with culture being loosely defined; it could be defined as someone’s heritage, what they eat or how they like to spend their free time, and so on. Exposure at Withington to so many people has widened my cultural awareness in all of these aspects, providing not only an essential social skill, but a skill that will be valuable in my career. I am immensely grateful for the bursary funding I received which ultimately allowed me to benefit from an impeccable support network, develop skills, and make life-long friends and memories that I would not have had otherwise. I have always said that a simple thank you will never be enough; bursary recipients will instead show how grateful we are through making the most of these opportunities and going on to make a difference for ourselves and hopefully also having a wider impact.

I started my course well equipped to do so both academically and socially. With Withington’s transition to technology and online resources when I was in Year 10 (pre-COVID), I was used to working efficiently with online resources and creating a space where I could work at my optimum. I have carried these skills into my first semester where we have had online lectures and assessments. Having such a supportive network over the past seven years allowed me to feel comfortable to seek help when required and, although it was initially intimidating when surrounded by 450 other people in a lecture theatre, I remembered my teachers’ voices ringing through

N G

O N

O N W A

To all past, current and future bursary donors, thank you for being a part of our journey and for making a difference."

port po rt WITHINGTON CALLING 2021 – THANK YOU! During the last two weeks of August, a team of 12 callers made up of current Sixth Form pupils and recent alumnae, contacted members of the Withington community, including alumnae, parents, former parents and former staff to connect, share stories and experiences of studying at WGS and, crucially, to invite support for our Bursary Fund. We received many offers of support for our careers programme, another integral part of Withington which helps to inform and inspire current students about opportunities available to them in the future.

467

Over the two weeks of the campaign:

MEMBERS OF THE WITHINGTON COMMUNITY WERE SPOKEN TO

MANY OFFERS OF CAREER SUPPORT WERE RECEIVED

We would like to say a huge thank you to those of you who kindly donated, helping to ensure that Withington can continue to offer educational opportunities to bright girls whose families' financial circumstances would otherwise prevent them from taking up a place here.

175 PEOPLE PLEDGED SUPPORT FOR THE BURSARY FUND

WAS PLEDGED – THE EQUIVALENT OF A FULL BURSARY FOR 4.5 YEARS

Some observations from some of our Sixth Form callers: " Having an engaged alumnae network is definitely a great strength for the school, as it maintains the close community Withington has, even after the pupils leave, and it contributes to the rich history and network of the school."

" I talked to people in their late 80s and people in their early 20s and they spoke so fondly of Withington and of that Withington atmosphere that we still experience today."

" Many of the alumnae that I spoke to over the two weeks had benefitted from a bursary during their time at the school and expressed their appreciation for the support that they had received."

Your You r Supp Su p p Su PARENTS FUNDING FUTURES

THE VERY FIRST WGS 1890 GIVING DAY

u r Su u p po rt We are already so excited about our inaugural Giving Day which will take place over a period of 36 hours on Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd March.

This year, we are launching our Parents Funding Futures initiative. This invites current parents, as part of the Withington community, to partner with us to help transform opportunities for young girls with the same potential as their own daughters.

Giving Day is a fantastic opportunity to unite the whole Withington community in raising as much as possible to support us in our aims to increase our bursary provision to help 1 in 5 girls in the Senior School to benefit from a Withington education. There will be lots going on in school for pupils and staff and we hope that alumnae, parents, former parents and former staff, wherever they may be, will join in. Throughout the 36 hours, we will be setting lots of challenges via our dedicated webpage and social media channels. It will offer everyone a great opportunity to connect in a different way, as well as raising much needed funds.

Parents are being asked to consider adding a donation towards the Bursary Fund to their school fee payment, helping us to support able girls who would otherwise miss out on all that a Withington education offers. For example: • 34 families giving £20 per month (over 10 months), with Gift Aid, would fund the equivalent of a 63.2% bursary (the average level awarded) for a full year. • 14 families giving £500 per term, with Gift Aid, would provide the equivalent of a full, two-year, Sixth Form bursary.

We’d love you to get involved!

WERE YOU A MEMBER OF THE LACRO

“ As parents, we all want to provide the very best opportunities we can for our children, especially when it comes to education, but I know that not all families are fortunate enough to have the same choices that we do. By donating to the Bursary Fund, we feel that we are opening the door for someone else’s child to have the kind of educational experience that we wanted for our daughter.” MR CAMPBELL Parent

SSE TEAM?

STILL CLOSE TO MEMBERS OF YOUR

FORM?

STILL HOUSE PROUD? WERE YOU IN THE ORCHESTRA? How about getting together with some of your fellow alumnae and pledging to raise a certain amount to support the Bursary Fund on Giving Day? Or would you be prepared to act as a Withington Giving Day Ambassador, ensuring others in our community are aware of our Giving Day activities by sharing and posting on social media during the day? (All imagery and posts will be supplied.) If you think you can help, please email development@wgs.org.

FUNDING PARENTS FUTURES

N G

O N

Every amount raised will really make a difference and, who knows, it may well be that there is someone who is prepared to match any amount that you raise, doubling the size of your donation.

O N W A

port po rt Development News NEWNHAM 150TH ANNIVERSARY TREE In November, we were delighted to welcome members from MACUW, The Manchester Association of Cambridge University Women, who visited Withington to mark the planting of a new tree in the Withington grounds. It has been donated by MACUW to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Newnham College, Cambridge - one of three women’s colleges at the university. Two former members of staff, Catherine Bankes, former WGS Teacher of Classics and Honorary Secretary to MACUW, and Ruth Neal, former Teacher of History, were amongst the Cambridge alumnae in attendance. The ceremony was also attended by WGS staff who are Cambridge alumnae: Ms Robinson, Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Bradshaw, Head of Science and Mrs Howling, Head of Classics. They were joined by Mrs Cotton, Head of Design Technology, and Withington pupils representing our Eco Team who had chosen the species of tree to be planted. They chose a Forest Pansy, selected because of its beautiful pink flowers and striking heart-shaped leaves which turn deep red. WGS Governors Martin Griffin and Howard Sinclair also attended. Catherine Bankes gave an address about the background to Newnham College and the gift of the tree before the plaque was unveiled by Sixth Former, Eleanor. Ifra, also from the Sixth Form, then thanked the members of MACUW on behalf of the pupils. In her speech, Mrs Haslam highlighted the longstanding WGS links with the Cambridge women’s colleges of Newnham and Girton, reminding us that WGS and Girton share a Founder in Mrs C.P. Scott who was also one of the ‘Girton Pioneers’.

Y10 ENTERPRISE DAY As usual, the Withington community were fantastic in agreeing to support us on the Year 10 Enterprise Day in June, which had a focus on careers and job applications. Volunteers gave up time to read pupils’ letters of application, conduct online mock interviews with them and give feedback afterwards. This was a great experience for the Year 10 students, giving them the opportunity to gain valuable skills and insights into the job application process. We are very grateful to all alumnae who took part.

Following the unveiling, members from MACUW enjoyed coffee and cake before having a tour of the school with WGS Director of Development, Lesley Dowdall.

Bike Bik Bikepacki e pac pack ki ON A BROMPT

When I was about ten, I got my first proper bike. What a wonderful thing it was. A red shopper with a tartan luggage carrier, probably a Raleigh Twenty, I think. Looking back, I wasn’t the slightest bit interested in the make and model, just thrilled with the fact that I could now go to excitingly distant places - like Bramhall, say - all on my own. It was an absolute joy. I explored every corner of our part of Stockport. And I could see the hills from my bedroom, so I was soon puffing up to the Peak District to go and look around. I was one of the three girls who cycled to school whatever the weather, come snow or shine. And during the holidays, I started to go off further afield, cycle touring with friends, hostelling and camping because it was the only thing we could afford.

her birthday party and I decided to go to the party by bike. Andrea lives in the Netherlands, so I needed to take the ferry from Harwich. If I took a “normal” bike, I’d have needed to book it on board (and pay for it) and leave it locked up down in the car deck. I didn’t really want to do that. I did a bit of googling, and figured out that if I used my Brompton, I should be able to just fold it up and carry it with me into my cabin, like any other piece of luggage. So I put together a minimal load of kit, basically a tent and sleeping bag, and a very small black party dress, and looked forward to the ride.

kepacking As a student, I got into cycle racing too. I was never much good, but I loved it. I rode for a club and worked in a bike shop on Saturdays. In 2006, I pushed it all to a bit of an extreme and did a long-distance solo ride from Hong Kong to London. It was my way of relocating to the UK after working in Asia for years. I wanted to do the journey slowly and see everything on the way, so took unpaid leave and travelled six months by bike. Bromptons are small-wheeled folding bikes. I started riding a Brompton a few years ago, when I was working in London and my Mum was poorly with cancer in Manchester. I would go up and down by train, cycling at each end. Taking a “normal” bike was a hassle, as you had to book a special space for the bike. I got a Brompton so that I could just fold the bike up and carry it on board with me. So far, very normal. Then in 2017, I began touring on my Brompton. That’s not very normal, actually. People think that a Brompton might not work for touring because of its little wheels and because there’s not much space for luggage. But that summer, Andrea Connell Wiggers, a Withington alumna, invited me to

N G

O N

O N W A

But on lunchtime on the day I had planned to leave, when I was supposed to be cycling most of the way across Essex, I was still at home, hot and bothered, battling to get everything loaded onto the bike, and trying to stop the hold-all, into which I had bundled everything, from rubbing on the rear wheel, which it was absolutely determined to do. After trying a lot of other solutions, I thought a wooden rod jammed under the floppy bag might do it. I didn’t have a wooden rod as such, so in desperation grabbed a wooden spoon from the kitchen, wedged it under the bag and set off. It sort of worked. And Hackney to Holland on a Brompton with a wooden spoon was a glorious adventure. Even Walthamstow looked good in the sunshine. The Essex lanes were beautiful. Having set off so late, I didn’t make it to the campsite I was aiming for, so at dusk I pitched my tent in a field. I had never wild-camped in Britain before. Essex is not the most obvious place to start, but it was an ethereally beautiful evening with a huge moon. My folded bike turned out to fit inside the tent porch – its own little garage! Everything was tucked away, neat and teeny tiny. I boiled the kettle, made some tea and enjoyed the quiet and the owls hooting in the tree above me as it went dark. The next morning, I watched the sunrise and a hot air

i ng ing ON!

Susanna Thornton (Class of 1986) worked for many years in Asia, predominantly for Thompson Reuters. She left to become an associate TV producer. As well as her freelance work, she makes films for her YouTube channel, documenting her bikepacking adventures.

balloon floated up into the calm clear skies. The whole thing was heavenly. I rolled into Harwich, folded the bike, and carried it - wooden spoon and all - onto the ferry. On the Saturday, I bowled along the dunes to The Hague, tucked the folded bike under some coats in the hall at Andrea’s house, put on my dress and joined in the party. It was such a fun and easy adventure. So that was the start of cycle camping with a Brompton.

on a bike is about going slowly, doing distances that I can manage without it being a stress, and stopping to look at flowers, birds, a leaf, a view, and have coffee and a bun. I was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 40, and had a bucketload of treatment for that and then ten years later had a huge operation for suspected ovarian cancer. I am basically very lucky to be still alive and still able to ride. Small pleasures are actually not small at all.

After that, I did more trips with my Brompton and my tent, paring down my gear, and finding better ways to carry it. I loved doing small-scale adventures, with minimal kit, travelling slowly and simply and enjoying the scenery along the way. I mainly go on cycling adventures alone. My husband loves bikes, but he’s not keen on camping. People ask if I feel afraid, cycling and camping alone, particularly as a woman. No, I am not afraid. The chance of being attacked by a stranger is low, and I make sure no one sees me when I slip into the woods or along the edge of a field, or up a hill. I pitch my tent quite late in the evening and leave early in the morning, to minimise the chance of being discovered. I am more worried about other risks, such as a tent pole breaking, or cutting myself with my knife, or burning myself, or being bitten or stung, or becoming ill when I am alone. I can’t mitigate all those risks entirely, but I use decent gear, make sure I know how to use it, and then just do my best to focus on enjoying being out there, alone in the countryside, watching the sunset or the moon, listening to the birds and the wind, and being lulled to sleep by the patter of rain on the tent.

I know it is exciting to travel to distant or exotic destinations and, when I was younger, I was lucky to see all sorts of places, especially in Asia. But I really do find that Leicestershire is wonderful, or Essex, or the hills above Stokeon-Trent. Of course, the pandemic and climate change are making us all change our ideas about travel. But even before the pandemic, I already loved just drawing a straight line from where I am to where I want to go – London from Hong Kong was a kind of extreme example of that, but Leicester from London, for example, was a nice trip to go and see my brother and his family. So, I am often in “overlooked” and uncool places, but there are always interesting and beautiful things to see. The two-day ride and wild camp that I did from Stoke-on-Trent to Stockport after recovering from an operation was one of the most glorious trips I have ever done.

I don’t go fast. Back when I was a racing cyclist, of course I tried to go fast. But these days, pottering around the countryside on my Brompton, I don’t push myself hard. I know other people enjoy riding impressively far and excitingly fast. For me, these days, a journey

As people do often think it’s a slightly odd thing, to go off camping and cycling alone, especially now that I am not young any more, I started making films about my trips, to show friends and family why I enjoy it. I realised that the trips I did were different from the kind of adventures that many other people were making films about. Many Youtube adventure films are made by men, and many of them are young men. There are a lot of films that highlight how tough cycling can be, showing people storming through woods on mountain bikes with the dirt flying, that kind of thing, and

Bike Bik Bikepacki e pac pack ki ON A BROMPT

many have a competitive side to them; people gritting their teeth to be the fastest person to do something, riding the toughest pass, or struggling on into the night, riding huge distances and so on.

at the homemade end of things. But I have worked in professional TV documentary filmmaking for about seven years now, and it is useful to at least see what the professionals do. Before I worked in film, I’d been a manager at Thomson Reuters Financial, but left that job to go and work as a freelancer with TV historian Michael Wood and his team, making a series about Chinese history for BBC and PBS. At university, I studied for a BA in Chinese and then a PhD in Chinese History. It was a bit wild to quit a good job and start again at the bottom in a low paid and unstable sector, but I felt very lucky compared to the youngsters working alongside me, and I loved it.

kepacking Of course, that kind of film can be absolutely great, but that wasn’t at all what I was doing. I am not a man, and I am not young, and I wanted to do the opposite: make laid-back films that show that adventure doesn’t have to be fast, or difficult, or competitive. I do between 30 and 50 miles a day, always make myself as comfortable as possible, walk when I feel like it, have lots of biscuits and coffee, and in the evenings, get out my little knife and chopping board and make proper food on my cute little stove. Anyone really, can enjoy camping and cycling adventures too; that was my basic idea. I think there is no such thing as being “too old” or not strong enough. It is simply a matter of adjusting the adventure so that it suits - shorter perhaps, slower - but still exhilarating and beautiful.

Another thing I noticed was that many of the adventure films on YouTube were actually more about kit than anything else, comparing new stoves and weighing up different sleeping mats. I am not particularly interested in kit and am quite lazy; I don’t bother about getting new things unless I absolutely need them. I still use the same Trangia cooking stove that I got when I was 14, now a bit dinted, but works perfectly. And my sleeping bag is about 20 years old. Still works fine. I started making films to show that adventure can be laid back, relaxing, non-competitive, and unmacho, and you can use largely quite a basic kit - a holdall, a wooden spoon, and an ancient camping stove with lots of dints, are perfectly fine. Making films for YouTube is a very different thing from making professional films, of course, and my YouTube films are very much

N G

O N

O N W A

After the project with Michael Wood finished, I went on to work for other TV production companies on China-related projects for different broadcasters. I hadn’t really planned it like that, but the short-term contract nature of the work suits me really well now, because it gives me the opportunity to go off on adventures between projects and to make my own films. My YouTube channel is still at micro-influencer level, but it’s grown hugely over the last couple of years. When people write in and say that my films have encouraged them to try cycling too, I absolutely love it; I’ve heard from other women, older people and from people living with cancer. That makes me very happy. I don’t always ride alone. Last month, I did a three-day ride with another Withington alumna, Lynne Palmer, née Vickers, who sat at the desk behind me when we were in 3X, 11 years old. It is wonderful to meet up and still do the same kinds of things we first did as girls years ago, perhaps a bit slower now than we were then, but still out and about and doing things.

i ng ing ON!

Development News FROM MASKS TO MINIATURES WGS alumna, Ruth Bayley (Class of 1947), a successful illustrator of many children’s books, left a generous gift to Withington in her will and the illustration competition was set up in her memory. The brief for this year’s competition was to design and make a face mask which demonstrated creativity, individuality and personality! We were thrilled that alumna, Charlotte Pang (Class of 2015), agreed to judge the competition. Having studied Art at A Level at Withington and animation in Hong Kong and America, she now works at an animation studio in California. She was very inspirational in her encouraging video messages, and we thank her wholeheartedly for her time and expertise. The overall winner was Third Form pupil, Evie. The Art Department has announced that the theme of this year’s competition will be Miniature Art with the brief being to create a tiny work of art using a match box. For inspiration, pupils were introduced to the work of several artists who specialise in miniature work, including Willard Wigan, Salavat Vidai, Curtis Santiago and Rosa de Jong. The guest judge this year is alumna, Deshna Shah (Class of 2017). Deshna has recently graduated with a First in Fine Art from the University of Oxford. She is currently a graduate intern with Christie’s. Her artwork can still be seen in one of our communal spaces within school and we are delighted that she has agreed to judge this year’s entries.

TABLE TENNIS GIFT Earlier this year, sisters Nicola Avery-Gee (Class of 1999) and Judy Cataldo (Class of 2001 ) decided to make a gift to Withington of two table tennis tables and a year’s table tennis coaching in memory of their late father, Jeff Ingber. Jeff was a keen sportsman, spending many hours practising table tennis using the kitchen table against a wall. He was one of the first ever junior international tennis table players before successfully representing England at senior level in the 1950s and 60s, playing in three World Championships, European Championships and many international matches. Nicola says: “ He was very supportive of our interest in sport at WGS. It is in more recent years that our father’s sporting prowess has really inspired us, with Judy being a regular runner, taking part in a number of half marathons, and I am captain of a parent and teacher triathlon team in London!” The tables are already being put to good use by current pupils and the Juniors are enjoying their table tennis club sessions with coach, David Hulme. Nicola adds: “ Withington was a fantastic school that gave us a tremendous grounding for university and adult life. Inspired by my wonderful Latin teacher, Mrs Bankes, I went on to study Classics at the University of Oxford and am now a lawyer and charity trustee. Judy gained a first-class degree at King’s College London and runs her own recruitment business.” A huge thank you to Nicola and Judy for their donation.

NICOLA, JEFF & JUDY

School New New Ne CLASS OF 2021 FOUNDERS’ ASSEMBLY

ADDING A SHINE TO DINING…

hool Ne ews Whilst we were unable to be together as a school community at the Bridgewater Hall for Founders’ Day, we did find a Withington way to bring the spirit and ambience of our Founders’ Day celebration to a special leavers’ assembly for our newest alumnae, the Class of 2021.

The physical heart of a school building could describe any number of spaces, but there is no doubt that this year’s extension and refurbishment of the school’s dining areas is an investment in facilities that are close to the hearts of all members of the Withington community.

Many of the elements of a traditional Founders’ Day were incorporated. Whilst choral singing was still prohibited under COVID regulations, the Year 12 and 13 Instrumental and Voice ensembles gave a super rendition of Gaudeamus Igitur, recorded in their bubbles and then mixed.

Work has been ongoing on the extension of the existing dining area to accommodate additional seating, upgrade the kitchen facilities and serving areas with state-of-the-art equipment and fittings and modernise the décor and furnishings. The building work also includes a first storey extension over the existing dining room to create a flexible, multi-purpose space and hospitality area, plus new pastoral and learning support areas. As part of the work, the Library has been refurbished, along with upgrading a computer room and silent study room.

The Class of 2021 were present in the Arts Centre, while the rest of the school watched a live stream from their form rooms. The traditional long table bearing the chosen books of the Upper Sixth was there. The books were presented by Ms Robinson, Head of Sixth Form and Ms Wallis, Deputy Head of Sixth Form, with each girl crossing the stage to Widor’s Symphonie No.4 – Movement III.

Alternative dining arrangements have been in place for students and staff while the work has been carried out, and the dining room will be fully open for all students by February half-term.

The recital of the Founders was read out in full by the Deputy Head Girls, followed by the speech from the Head Girl. Natasha picked a theme likening her years at Withington to chapters in an exciting novel. Referring to her final year, the final chapter, Natasha said: “ A s well as the lessons learned from Years 7 to 12, this chapter could teach us life lessons on how to cope with uncertainties and help us become our favourite Withington word - ‘resilient’.” Then it was over to another recording of the Year 12 and 13 ensembles to bring our assembly to a close with, of course, Go Forth with God.

N G

O N

O N W A

ws MANCHESTER SINGS 2021 Music at Withington is very much at the heart of our school, and live music has been one of the most missed experiences from the past 18 months. So, we were thrilled to be able to join together with 200 children from seven primary schools to present the second Manchester Sings at Manchester Cathedral at the end of November. In addition to performing as a massed choir, poetry and creative writing interspersed the musical numbers, written and performed by pupils, including those from Withington. The event also raised funds for local charities, The Booth Centre and Wood Street Mission.

WGS Director of Music and Manchester Sings organiser, Mrs Gilly Sargent said:

“ The songs selected for Manchester Sings tell a story, a story which relates to the issues of today’s society and the importance of community, in particular how communities have come together and supported each other during the pandemic – and still continue to do so. It is a story with a message of hope”.

Six of the seven primary schools had participated in the inaugural event in 2019 and were eager to take part again. “ The participating children benefit so much from this experience. Not only do they learn about music and develop new skills, but they also grow in confidence and self-belief,” said Mrs Sargent. One pupil from Whitefield Community School remarked that Manchester Sings was, "the best moment of my life, so far!".

Destti na Des Destination nattion

BATH

BIRMINGHAM

CAMBRIDGE

DURHAM

EDINBURGH

HULL

LEEDS

LIVERPOOL

LONDON

MANCHESTER

NOTTINGHAM

OXFORD

SHEFFIELD

ST ANDREWS

SWANSEA

WARWICK

BOSTON

NEW YORK

VIRGINIA

POLICE

GAP YEAR

N G

O N

O N W A

n of Lea Leavers Le a ve rs A LEVEL SUBJECTS ART 10

ENGLISH LITERATURE

MATHEMATICS 45

CHEMISTRY 38

FRENCH 03

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY 06

BIOLOGY 33 COMPUTER SCIENCE

DRAMA 04

ECONOMICS 24 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

EPQ 21 FURTHER MATHEMATICS

GEOGRAPHY 08

HISTORY 10 LATIN 01

MUSIC 01

PHYSICS 11 POLITICS 14

PSYCHOLOGY 17

SPANISH 11

DEGREE SUBJECTS

1 ACCOUNTANCY

1 ARCHAEOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY

6 ART/DESIGN

2 CHEMISTRY

2 COMPUTER SCIENCE

3 DENTISTRY/ OPTOMETRY

3 ECONOMICS

4 ENGINEERING

2 LITERATURE

3 GEOGRAPHY

2G LOBAL BUSINESS

2 M ANAGEMENT & POLICY

5 LAW

1 LIBERAL ARTS

3 MATHEMATICS

16 MEDICINE

2 LANGUAGES

1 NATURAL SCIENCES

1 PHARMACY

2 PHILOSOPHY

2 PHYSICS

3 PPE

3 POLITICS

7 PSYCHOLOGY

For more detailed information on the Class of 2021, please visit www.wgs.org/admissions/sixth-form-admissions/ Includes 2020 Gap Year pupils. Courses are grouped by subject area for simplicity.

Studying S Studying AN INCREASING NUMBER OF WITHINGTON PUPILS ARE EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITY OF FURTHERING THEIR EDUCATION IN THE US. THIS YEAR, THREE RECENT LEAVERS HAVE STARTED UNIVERSITY LIFE AT US UNIVERSITIES.

MIRANDA BATE (Class of 2020) - William & Mary, Virginia

dy ying State It feels like the perfect place for me. It’s the second oldest university in the US and has a great community atmosphere. They also offered me a Lacrosse scholarship, which was fantastic. There is a really good balance between the academic and athletic side of things. As well as being a small university, it is a beautiful place.

I was excited and terrified in equal measure to start this new chapter in my life, but I felt at home as soon as I got here. There is a week of orientation before classes start to get to know people, learn about the school and settle into your new life. The sports team feels like a family. In my first week, we had lots of team dinners and socials.

One of the main attractions for me was that I wanted to play Division 1 Lacrosse, the highest level, in the US, whilst also receiving an excellent education. As someone who had many interests at school across many disciplines, including humanities, arts and sciences, I saw the appeal of the liberal arts system which operates over here. Biology is the subject I want to pursue and William & Mary has a great Biology department and extensive research opportunities, with a big focus on undergraduate research.

N G

I absolutely love it here and already have so many highlights – the homecoming American football game, our Biology fieldtrip to Indian Creek and Yorke River, yoga at sunset in the college amphitheatre and rock climbing on campus. The US application process is very different. For a start you aren’t applying for one subject and you don’t have to know what you want to study when you apply. The US application process is all about getting to know you as a person; your struggles, your stories of resilience, how you overcome failures, your dreams and aspirations. I was able to get transfer credits from my A Levels. This means I can skip a lot of freshman classes and take more advanced classes straightaway. Unlike in

O N

O N W A

England, you plan your own schedule and register yourself for your classes across any discipline. For example, I could study Physics and English Literature but go on to med school. I have to fulfil what’s known as coll requirements. These focus on developing the critical skills we need as scholars. For example, I’m taking Race and Music this semester, Integrative Biology of Animals and something called the Ceremonial Vessel project. I am also studying Jazz Piano to fulfil my arts credit. As I progress, I will have fulfilled more and more of my coll requirements and so will be able to take more biology classes. Being a student athlete at the Division 1 level here in the US is a completely unique experience and unlike anything in England. As a Division 1 athlete, I have been training hard and playing lots of lacrosse! My favourite thing so far is working in a research microbiology laboratory. I applied to be a part of the research team and was lucky enough to be selected. I am the first ever freshman to be working in the laboratory. I am helping a grad student with her research and I’m very excited to get my name on my first paper at the end of this year! The life of a Division 1 student athlete is busy and hectic, but definitely worth it. I am having the time of my life. The American system gives so many opportunities and I truly believe my time here at William & Mary will be the best four years of my life.

Stateside States State side HERE, TWO OF THEM SHARE WHAT ATTRACTED THEM TO PURSUE AN AMERICAN UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE AND HOW THEY HAVE FOUND IT SO FAR.

INDIA CLARKE (Class of 2021) - Boston University

es side I have loved the experience and Boston University itself so far. I have been dreaming of attending a US university since I entered Withington Senior School. It definitely requires a lot of commitment, as the process of applying is not easy and moving so far away from home is just as challenging.

It's a very different process from the UK. The majority of universities use a portal called the Common Application. Each university requires the Common Application essay, which is written by choosing a prompt, and most universities also require their own essays and short answer questions. It is a lot more personal, wanting to know about you as a person and the activities you are involved in. The process requires a lot of commitment and hard work, so you have to be very dedicated but, in the end, I definitely believe that it was worth it. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that I was unable to visit the US before accepting my place and travelling to study here but the university held virtual tours and Zoom calls so that I could be sure that Boston was right for me. The system in US universities academically is much more focused on providing a broad education, especially in the first year. In this first semester alone I have taken Writing, French, Politics,

and International Relations classes. The majority of students come into university ‘undecided’ on their major, giving the opportunity to explore what they really want to study before committing. Not knowing what I wanted to study when I left Sixth Form means that this system has been really beneficial for me. Leaving for university is a big step and having to go to a different country alone was definitely hard. However, I always knew this was my plan and the excitement building up overcame all the nerves and apprehension. The first few weeks were definitely a big adjustment but I settled in fairly quickly and made good friends. These first few months, without my family being able to visit, have been the hardest, but it has given me time to adjust fully to my new independence in my own way. Now that I am fully in the swing of the US university lifestyle, I am loving it. The facilities at the university are great, with plenty of study areas, places to eat, relax, play sports and do pretty much anything you want. A highlight so far was ‘Marmon’, which is short for Marathon Monday (the day of the Boston Marathon). It is a Bank Holiday in Boston, so we had the day off to go and watch the marathon. Since arriving, I have explored lots of Boston as there is so much to do and see.

There was recently a club fair, which introduced all of the 450 clubs available at the university! I am hoping to get involved in as many as I can. There are amazing opportunities for internships, volunteering and furthering your academic studies through student organisations. Overall, so far it has been an amazing, immersive experience and I could not recommend it enough to anyone looking for an exciting new step after Sixth Form!

Ca re Careers ree e rs Ne Ne CAREERS CONVENTION 2021

ree re e rs Ne ews

The video series culminated in the live, online forum event on Thursday 4th March during National Careers Week. Students from Year 9 and above signed up to a range of one-to-one and group sessions where they were able to interact with our contributors and ask questions. Whilst we all missed the ‘buzz’ of the live event, the evening was very successful, with contributors taking part from all over the country and as far afield as Sierra Leone. Feedback from students and parents was very positive, with students feeling that they were able to attend more sessions than they would usually.

We knew that our Careers Convention would have to take a different format for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pamdemic. In true Withington style however, Mrs Cottam, WGS Head of Careers, and the Development Team were determined to embrace this as an opportunity to engage with an even wider range of contributors and give our students the chance to explore many more careers and professions.

We were delighted that so many alumnae, parents and friends of the school came forward in response to our request for help in creating a series of videos to shine a spotlight on different careers and sectors. These were released once a week for six weeks for students and their parents to watch before the event. Having taken the decision to be online, we are exceptionally grateful to all our contributors who took the time, in this most exceptional of years, to put together a brilliant series of thoughtful and useful insight videos. Their support was incredible, and, with nearly 80 videos created, we have had more people than ever contributing to the Careers Convention.

“ Very interactive and informative, videos were a good way to provide information about the jobs before the online sessions.” “ The talks in similar areas were at different times, so I was able to attend multiple talks on similar careers. The questions in some of the talks were closer to a more informal conversation which enabled me to gain more knowledge. The speakers were all really informative and interesting.” “ I was amazed by how helpful the speakers were, the positive energy and enthusiasm that was shared for a variety of roles as well as lots of good questions being asked by pupils... It broadened out my daughter’s thinking and exposed her to possibilities... In a time when we know national morale and energy has been at a real low, my daughter left the evening fired up, excited and motivated to experience more.”

Another first was our collaboration with a charity partner. We worked with I Can Be, a small charity that aims to break down barriers to opportunity for disadvantaged children. Their core programme introduces 7 and 8-year-old girls to the world of work, aiming to broaden their horizons and raise their aspirations by helping them explore jobs to which they may otherwise never be exposed. A number of alumnae who contributed to the WGS Careers Convention also agreed to create video resources or host virtual visits for I Can Be, and it is wonderful to see such a worthwhile partner benefiting from the generosity of the Withington community, as well as our own pupils.

N G

O N

O N W A

The WGS community can always be relied upon to pull together when times get tough, and we would like to say thank you for inspiring the next generation of Withington students and for truly embodying the saying, 'we rise by lifting others'.

ews ews

There are many and varied opportunities for alumnae to become involved in our careers programme throughout the year, inspiring and informing current pupils about myriad professions and careers. If you feel that you would like to become involved, please email development@wgs.org.

OXBRIDGE APPLICATIONS

INSPIRING ARTISTIC ALUMNAE

Each year, those who intend to apply to Cambridge or Oxford are supported through a range of activities organised by Withington’s Head of Chemistry and Oxbridge Coordinator, Dr Vilela.

The Arts Awards is an extra-curricular opportunity offered to Year 8 and 9 pupils at Withington. Each award runs over a year and is a portfolio-based qualification. The aim is to support young people to enjoy the arts, take part in the wider arts world and to develop creativity, communication and leadership skills. It encourages individual development and helps young people to define their creative futures. At Withington, pupils work towards their Bronze and Silver Awards. This has involved exploring and researching different creative career pathways and study options.

At the start term, as part of the events programme, we were delighted that ten Withington alumnae, current and former Oxbridge students, volunteered to speak with our Year 13 cohort online about their application experiences and life at university. The alumnae who took part were:

ADI JACOBSON FLORENCE BRADSHAW CATRIN PARRY ELIN DONNELLY JESSICA JAMES ELEANOR POSTON SABRIYAH SAEED SANA KHALIL LUCY HIGGINBOTHAM CHANTELLE FARD

(Class of 2017) (Class of 2019) (Class of 2019) (Class of 2018) (Class of 2020) (Class of 2018) (Class of 2015) (Class of 2020) (Class of 2019) (Class of 2018)

We're also grateful to Lucy Higginbotham for leading an information evening and a Thinking Skills course in preparation for our students' admission tests. Dr Vilela described the alumnae's contribution as "absolutely amazing".

We have had some fantastic support from alumnae this year who have joined Arts Award sessions remotely to give an insight into their creative experiences and areas of work. This has been very inspiring for pupils and given them a real insight into the creative industries of architecture, medical graphic design, fine art and fashion journalism. We’d like to extend huge thanks to the following:

ELLA SLATER (Class of 2018), currently working as an editorial assistant as part of her placement year from her course in Fashion Journalism at Central Saint Martins, London. EVE GIBBONS (Class of 2012) spoke to students about using her scientific knowledge combined with her creative skills in animation, illustration and 3-D modelling as a medical graphic designer. NATALIE SHALAM (Class of 2001), an architect who gave an insightful presentation on some of the projects she has worked on, including Imperial College London and plans for an urban ski mountain in California. DESHNA SHAH (Class of 2017) studied Fine Art at the Ruskin School of Art. She described the impetus behind her work and her passion for communicating through art. She also talked about her plans to study History of Art at the University of Toronto, Canada.

Double C Double Ce e We are always thrilled to hear when an alumna celebrates their 100th birthday, but this year there was double the celebration. Eunice Paul’s daughter, Lydia, contacted us to ask us if we had any pictures or information about Eunice’s time at school as a surprise to help her celebrate her 100th birthday.

Incredibly, in the course of doing our research, we realised that another alumna, Olga Hanlon, also celebrated her 100th birthday, this year. Having asked Olga to share some of her Withington experiences, we could not believe the coincidence when we looked at Olga’s photo of her with her friends and realised it was a photo identical to one that we had received from Eunice - and they were standing next to each other!

uble Ce entu ur EUNICE née Pickup, attended Withington from 1931 to 1940

Eunice (Class of 1940) lived in Burnage and attended Withington on what she describes as a scholarship. Her parents paid 8 guineas for her place each year and because money was tight, she would cycle home for lunch every day. Eating lunch at school was a special occasion. Eunice was very keen on sport, playing cricket, netball and lacrosse. She was netball captain and House Captain for Simon. Other memories of Withington include thinking as a ten-year-old that the Headmistress, Miss Grant, was very scary. She much preferred Miss Bain who introduced lots of extra clubs and was far more friendly.

Eunice, now Head Girl, joined the rest of the school, by then evacuated to Uttoxeter, which Miss Bain described in the 1939 Newsletter.

After WGS, Eunice went on to study French and German at Westfield College, London, which was evacuated to St. Peter’s Hall in Oxford. This was followed by a diploma in education in wartime London. She became a teacher before marrying her husband, Robert, a congregational minister. They subsequently had three children and went on to live in Europe and the United States, before finally returning to the UK to live when her husband retired.

She enjoyed school trips and in 1937 visited Paris, Versailles and Rouen. However, it was her visit to Canada in 1939 with four other Withington students as part of a joint schools' trip that would be the most adventurous. Following three weeks in Canada, they were just setting sail back to England at the beginning of September 1939 when war was declared. The girls had to stay in Canada whilst their parents were consulted to see if they wished their daughters to remain there or to return when possible. Whilst waiting, they heard that the ship that had transported them to Canada just a few short weeks before, had been torpedoed and sunk off the coast of Northern Ireland. Many of the passengers were children being evacuated to Canada. Eventually, three of the WGS girls, Eunice, Anne Dickson and Betty Goodfellow, travelled to New York where they had a bus tour of the city before boarding an American ship, the President Harding. Eunice describes the crossing as "uneventful, apart from celebrating my 18th birthday". Certainly a birthday to remember! Eunice still has her scrapbook with all the menu cards for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On returning to the UK,

N G

O N

O N W A

entury! e ntu ry! OLGA

EUNICE

centre

ry!

Eunice on her 18th birthday

far right

Olga centre, Eunice centre back

OLGA née Betesh, attended Withington from 1931 to 1937

Olga's III Form report from the Autumn term of 1931 says, "Olga has made a very good beginning at school. Her alert and enthusiastic attention in class as well as in every department of school life makes her a delightful member of the form." Throughout her school reports Olga’s conduct is remarked upon as being ‘very good’ and her Summer term report in 1943 remarks that she ‘has never done less than her best’. She was also a very keen on sport at school. In Gymnastics, she was ‘very good indeed’ and in swimming her teacher remarked that, ‘Olga does not give up easily’. She represented

Withington in both cricket and netball, becoming Captain of the team in 1937. She also represented her house, Herford. Having left Withington, Olga worked as a clerk at the Refuge Assurance Company on Oxford Road, now the Palace Hotel. During World War ll, Olga was called up and worked in the wages department at Fairey Aviation Company, an aircraft manufacturer. Following her marriage in 1944, she would help out behind the counter at Christmas time in her husband’s family business, a gentlemen’s outfitters. She also undertook voluntary work, including taking a trolley filled with confectionary and toiletries round to residents in a care home called Newholme, part of Withington Hospital on Nell Lane, now the site of the Withington Community Centre. In addition, she delivered library books to the housebound under the auspices of the Red Cross. Olga is also famous as one of Manchester City’s greatest lifelong fans. Along with her sister, Vera, she was a mascot for the team in 2018, leading them out onto the pitch; Olga being accompanied by Fernandinho. She and Vera enjoyed afternoon tea with the then City captain, Vincent Kompany, as well as being invited to attend the BBC Sports Personality of the Year programme in 2018. Being a Withingtonian has become something of a family tradition in Olga’s family. Her daughter, Val, attended Withington, as well as her granddaughter, Helena, who was Head Girl 1993-94. We would like to say a really big thank you to both Eunice and Olga for sharing their photos and experiences, which are now included in our archive.

Sto St Stories o ries

from the

WITHINGTON'S LONG INVOLVEMENT IN THE DUKE OF

With the death of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in April, we thought it apt to highlight the impact that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award has made on many Withington pupils over the decades.

ries

Arc rch

from the

Initially, the Award was aimed to be an opportunity for young men who had completed their formal education but were yet to enter into the National Service at the age of 18. In 1956, a pilot was launched for the programme and from then the scheme has grown and grown. By the second year, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award was proving so popular that a programme for young women was also made available. The first time that the Duke of Edinburgh's Award was mentioned in our catalogue of School Newsletters, was in the 1967 publication. On page 8, under ‘School Notes’, Ruth Stubbersfield is listed as achieving her Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Her name appears alongside other pupils who were taking part in activities that supported the local community and developed citizenship skills. These included awards in girl guiding, membership of the Young Friends of the Whitworth Art Gallery group, voluntary roles in theatre organisations and fundraising for an array of different charities. During the early 1970s, the awards are tentatively mentioned in a couple of School Newsletters, until we reach 1987 where, finally, there is a full paragraph documenting the events of the scheme. It reads:

" Members have continued to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme at all levels. Bronze hikes have taken place mainly in the limestone, White Peaks area of the Peak District National Park. Whereas silver hikes have taken place in the more rugged Dark Peaks. Those training for gold have been to Church farm weekend in Coventry to prepare for their hikes in open country in Scotland. Two girls did their gold expedition last summer and another four are going in the Summer of 1988. One gold, two silver and thirteen bronze medals have already been gained. In October, award winners were invited to attend a presentation by the Lord Mayor and a buffet meal in Manchester. The Scheme encourages initiative and widens experience by the skills and community service sections. We would like to thank Mrs. Bradford, the other staff and Suzanne Kilgore for all the support given."

N G

O N

O N W A

Archive A rch rc hi ve

MISS HANNAH BROWN

EDINBURGH’S AWARD SCHEME

ARCHIVIST

In the following Newsletter dated 1988, the writer records that the membership of the programme here at Withington is expanding, "This year, more people than ever are becoming involved in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme (little do they know what they are in for!!)". They continue with a recollection that many award holders will sympathise with:

hive ve

" The expeditions, carried out in the White Peaks area, for Bronze entrants, were held in February, May and October. On these occasions we were subjected to good, old, British weather … rain, rain, rain, fog, and rain. However, we would not have had half as much fun, if our walking books had not been covered in four inches of mud, and our breakfast cooked in rainwater! With many activities, both outdoor and indoor, open this year to Duke of Edinburgh members, let’s hope they have as much fun participating in the scheme, now, as we did last year!"

and ‘The Wanderers’, amongst others, and one document is just entitled ‘Group E’s Demanding Journey’! The girls have written up their findings on ‘Human Impact on the Countryside’, ‘River Studies’, ‘A Purpose Project on Stiles, Gates and Gaps’ and ‘Teambuilding to strengthen our friendships’, to name but a few. The article in the 1995 School Newsletter states:

We are grateful to Mrs Lucy Holden, former Head of Classics and heavily involved in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award during the 1990s. On her retirement, she passed over lots of interesting documents to the archive. There are folders full of handwritten reviews, photographs, drawings and printed records that demonstrate our pupils' experiences and reflections following their expeditions. There are hundreds of pages in these files, some written in blue fountain pen on lined paper, or printed off with classic clip art images, fancy borders and the odd blob of tippex! The stories are recounted by groups of girls, known as the ‘Pink Ladies’

" During the hike, we faced many obstacles such as midges and enormous up-hill climbs. We were squashed in tents like sardines in a tin, and felt the consequences of this in the morning as we awoke with aching backs. Cooking with Trangias was a new experience for all of us, but fortunately nobody died of food poisoning. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the hike and we would recommend it to anyone who likes a challenge. It is a good chance for you to learn more about your friends and also, about survival in the countryside. Thanks must be given to Ms Holden who organised our meetings with such enthusiasm and whose little red car became our only view of civilisation while we were stranded in the middle of nowhere."

Sto St Stories o ries

N G

Arc rch

from the

" I have such fond memories of the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. I remained committed to my regular activities of lacrosse and playing the bassoon for my Physical and Skill sections and coached at my local lacrosse club for the Volunteering section. But the best part by far was the Expedition! I can still remember just laughing and laughing throughout the two-day adventure in Derbyshire. Laughter was definitely the best medicine when it came to dealing with blisters, midges and poor navigation!"

O N

O N W A

Another prominent theme is that of cooking and the consumption of food! Fine dining on the hillside consisted of multiple cups of hot chocolate, minestrone soup, ‘boil in the bag’ meals, such as casserole and stews, and the old classic, Angel Delight for pudding! We have lots of digital photographs recording hikes setting off from Marple, Lyme Park, Hope Grindleford and Dawen Rivington between 2006 and 2008. Images that are highlighted in our collection, are not those of beautiful countryside scenes, but photographs that show girls tucking into pot noodles while resting in camp, piles of chocolate bars, packets of pasta sauce to accompany steaming tortellini cooking in pots, sandwiches eaten while leaning against drystone walls, the odd ice-cream and sneaky plates of chips purchased at roadside cafes.

Moving on to the early 2000s, we have more accounts of erecting tents, swarms of midges, heavy backpacks, effective ways of keeping morale high, and the challenges of navigation that ‘proved harder than we expected’. Former pupil and now Teacher of PE and Lacrosse Coach at Withington, Stephanie Roberts (née Barlow), remembers their Bronze expedition...

ries

from the

Archive A rch rc hi ve

hive ve

To achieve their Duke of Edinburgh Award, young people have to show that they have participated in physical activity through any sport. They also need to evidence that they have improved and developed their expertise in a chosen skill. Pupils also need to volunteer and give time to help members of their local community or work to help improve the environment. Our pupils have been assisting charities that support elderly people and those who are partially sighted. Over the years, many have spent time in charity shops, on hospital wards, in health centres and places of worship, and on site here at school helping in the Library and supporting Junior School projects.

Mrs Chantel McGregor, DofE Coordinator Ben Cohen, ex-England Rugby player Mrs Sue Marks, Headmistress The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme continued to go from strength to strength at Withington. In 2016, then Headmistress, Mrs Sue Marks and our then Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator, Ms Chantel McGregor, attended the Diamond Anniversary Gold Award presentation at Buckingham Palace.

Senior School students assisting with the preparation of art portfolios for a local primary school. Last year, 121 girls completed their awards across the various levels. There are approximately 200 girls enrolled onto the programme this year. A record number of 75 students out of 82 in Year 9 have signed up for the Bronze Award. Dr Sue Madden, Assistant Head and Duke of Edinburgh's Award Coordinator (Gold and Silver level) says:

During the Easter holidays in 2021, a crew from the BBC filmed our pupils along parts of their expedition and interviewed some of the girls about their experiences of the award scheme. This formed part of a story that was broadcast on the BBC News broadcast that followed the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh.

" The benefits of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme are endless. Every year it enables girls to develop skills and confidence which will stay with them in whatever career path they choose. They are able to demonstrate commitment, communication, leadership and teamwork, and evidence these in practice. The girls make a difference to other people’s lives and to their communities through their volunteering. They become fitter and healthier, and have memories of the challenges of the expeditions that last a lifetime. It gives me enormous pleasure to be associated with this scheme at Withington." We would love to hear your stories about Duke of Edinburgh experiences in years gone by. Feel free to get in touch via our Archive email: archive@wgs.org

Boat o Race Race THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE - 2021 v 2000

BRONYA

at Race e rs You were selected for the cancelled 2020 event. How did you react to being selected for this year’s race?

What was it like on race day?

The event was based out of the Cambridge boathouse in Ely, and the whole place had been completely transformed. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more like a celebrity than walking out on TV with the music, lights and flames! By 2pm the nerves were definitely starting to kick in a little bit but we had a great team playlist and were just enjoying the moment. It really was the best of Ely that day, it’s so exposed that over winter we normally get some pretty strong winds and it's often bleak and cold. We were very lucky to have such a sunny day with barely any wind!

I found selection more stressful than last year, as nothing is ever guaranteed. In my first year, I had set myself fairly low goals, so getting selected was incredible. This year, I started with more expectations. Initially, my reaction to selection was relief but then the excitement really kicked in. To know that this time we were going to race – I was over the moon.

What about the race itself – it was close for a while – when did you realise that you were going to win? We had a much better start than Oxford so were feeling pretty positive. They were aiming for the centre of the river where the stream is the fastest and this pushed us over towards the reeds and slower water. But our cox did a brilliant job and tried his hardest to give us a clean race. Racing at Ely we expected it to be close as, unlike the Thames, there isn’t a strong stream that the leading crew can use to pull away, or big bends that give one crew an advantage. I don’t think anyone is a hundred per cent confident that they will win until they’ve crossed the line, but when we were up just after the 3km mark I was feeling pretty good about it; we knew we had a good sprint finish if they were to start creeping back on us.

What’s the training like? There’s usually about 12 sessions per week, a mix of water sessions, weights and the rowing machine. During lockdowns, with no water sessions possible, sessions on the rowing machine, plus cross training and bodyweight circuits increased - and I got more lie ins! We kept connected by doing a lot of the workouts together over Zoom, as well as having regular meetings online.

What was the very best moment of the day for you? There are so many moments! The crew were amazing and we got on really well, so just being able to spend the day doing this incredible event with them was the best. Obviously, crossing the line and realising we had just won the boat race was an absolute dream come true. It was also great that the Cambridge men won just as we were getting onto the podium. We were definitely on cloud nine by that point. Due to last year’s race being cancelled it had become a two-year campaign, which made it even more special.

How do you manage to fit the training in with your studies? To fit it all in means 5am starts during the week to get out to Ely and back in time for 9am lectures; and in the evenings there’s land training in the Boathouse in Cambridge, normally with a few options for training times to fit in around studies. On racing or training camp weekends, you have to be very prepared with your work beforehand. There’s some extreme time management to get everything done; I learned good organisational skills at Withington which have definitely come in handy!

N G

O N

O N W A

e rs ers

We were delighted when Bronya Sykes (Class of 2018) was part of the winning Cambridge eight in the Women’s University Boat Race earlier this year. When Clare Wijeratne (Class of 1995) added her congratulations on our Facebook post, she mentioned that she had also been part of the Boat Race in 2000, rowing for Cambridge at number 7, the same position as Bronya. Clare lives in Singapore and is a Global Practice Lead in International Relations and Public Policy for BHP. Over the next pages, they both share their experiences; things have changed a lot, even in the last 20 years!

NEWS OF

Former Pupils Have you always been a rower? What are your ambitions now? I started rowing at Trafford Rowing Club when I was 11. I was introduced to it by my Dad, who is an amazing sculler and who coached there for many years. As a junior, I sculled (which is with two oars) and only switched to sweep (one oar) when I started at Cambridge. I would definitely like to take part in another Boat Race campaign, and hopefully do the other big winter events, such as Fours Head or Women’s Head of the River. I do have aspirations to take rowing further, but we’ll see what happens! Is there anything from your time at Withington that has helped you in your rowing? The staff at Withington were, and continue to be, so supportive of my rowing. When I was lower down the school, Mrs Ferrol (former Head of PE) would let me use the school gym to do some erging at lunchtimes. Although I wasn’t training particularly hard, it helped build a good training ethic. I was also involved with the Music department who are amazing and gave me so many opportunities to gain confidence in myself and my abilities. It is also nice to be able to play still, as a break from rowing and studying. I was worried that Cambridge wouldn’t be my type of place and I wouldn’t have applied without the support from everyone at Withington. It’s incredible to be somewhere that allows me not only to row at this level, but also to get the best academic experience. Bronya is the recipient of this year’s Ad Lucem Young Alumna Award. (See page 5.)

ALESSIA HITS THE RIGHT NOTE In April, Alessia Doyle (Class of 2017) was part of a University of Bristol singing group who won the UK finals of one of the world’s biggest a cappella competitions. Her group, ‘The Bristol Suspensions’, wowed judges with their version of The Heartburn Song by American group, Lawrence. The prestigious competition, the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, was made famous by the Pitch Perfect film franchise. Due to the pandemic, the group rehearsed, filmed and recorded their song remotely from their own homes for the competition, which had to be held online. Normally, the group would have travelled to New York for the international finals but these were also held online in May. In the run-up Alessia appeared on ITV's This Morning, as well as regional television and radio. Alessia, who completed her degree in French and Italian this summer, enjoyed singing and performing whilst at Withington and wanted to keep it going during her time at university. She was absolutely delighted that her group are the ICCA UK champions and to have competed against some of the best a cappella groups in the world at the international finals.

Boat o Race Race THE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE - 2021 v 2000

CLARE

at Race e rs What inspired you to take up rowing?

Did you have goals for rowing once you left Cambridge? I felt a strong desire to race in the Boat Race again and for several years afterwards found myself thinking that maybe I could return to Cambridge and pursue further study, just to give it another go!

I started rowing at university in my first term and I absolutely loved it. I knew from the moment I arrived that it was absolutely what I wanted to do. I had a great first term and very quickly made my closest friends through rowing.

Later, I was posted to Hong Kong with the Foreign Office and whilst there I got back into rowing and learned to skull (rowing with two oars, rather than one). I really loved it and I had a great rowing partner. We did loads of competitions together and that kind of helped. In my heart, however, I think there’s still a tiny bit of me that thinks, ‘Well, maybe I could go back to Cambridge and I could be the oldest person ever to compete in the Boat Race!’ And then I look at the athletes these days and I think that it is so much more professional now.

What made you want to take part in the Boat Race? Unfortunately, I was very ill over Christmas at the end of my first term and had to take time off from rowing. This made me even more determined that I was going to try and get into the women’s first boat, which I did. We had an amazing crew that summer term. I went on in my second year to trial for the university squad and ended up being the ‘spare man’. In rowing, this is actually a bit dispiriting because it means that you do all the training and then you don’t get to compete on race day. My third year was spent abroad in China and then, in my fourth year, I made it my goal to compete in the Boat Race and, finally, I was picked to race at number 7 for the Cambridge boat.

How much do you think things have changed in terms of the Women’s Race? I think it’s still similar in many respects, but there’s a lot more funding behind the Women’s Race these days. I think we fought very hard for a long time for more equality in the way that the men’s and women’s races were funded and for the support available for all the athletes. It took a long time! We had nothing, no funding, no support, our coaches weren’t paid. The year that I competed, there was virtually no sponsorship, it wasn’t televised, there was no media attention around it. The race took place at Henley-on-Thames the week before the Men’s Race. It was still an exciting race day but there were maybe a few hundred spectators, at most.

Sadly, Cambridge didn’t win that day – what was it like afterwards?

We didn’t even have our own boathouse. We trained at Ely, just outside of Cambridge. We had an arrangement with a local marina that we could keep our boat stored upside down on the grass bank at the edge of the river.

Cambridge had won for the previous eight years and afterwards, it was just indescribable. It becomes the only goal that you have and there’s such a tight connection between the members of the crew and so much of the focus in on this one outcome. My parents were there and I remember bursting into floods of tears in their arms. I moped around, not really sure what I was going to do with myself because this date of 26th March had been so fixed in my mind, I had never really even imagined 27th March and what came afterwards.

N G

O N

O N W A

There were no changing facilities. The marina had one little cubicle loo that we could use in their car park. We would turn up

e rs ers NEWS OF

Former Pupils at Ely at 5.30am in the morning in the dead of winter, in the dark, getting changed in the open air. We would brush the ice off our boat, put it into the river, do our outing and then, by that time, be getting changed again in view of the commuter trains going by. I think I’m right in saying that when Newton Assest Management became sponsors for the Women’s Race, their then CEO, Helena Morrisey, was instrumental in bringing the Women’s Race to the same traditional stretch of river on the same day as the Men’s Race. It’s one of the reasons the Boat Race is such a spectacle; it’s a much longer course and on the tideway, making it much more unpredictable and, of course, a great ‘grudge match’. How do you feel about the Cambridge men’s and women’s rowing clubs combining to become one club in August 2020? At last! It’s long overdue. There was so much prejudice when I was competing. In Ely where the women trained, the men had a huge boathouse on the far side of the river. The men’s coaching team refused to allow us even to row in front of it because we might distract the men. They had sports psychologists, physiotherapists, nutritionists, a food subsidy because they had sponsors. We were very definitely the poor relation. It’s probably also true that the standard of rowing wasn’t as good on the women’s side, but it’s not going to be without all that kind of support.

ROYALCOURTPINTERCOMMISSION Miriam Battye (Class of 2013) has been awarded the 2020 Pinter Commission, an award given annually by Lady Antonia Fraser, playwright Harold Pinter’s widow, to support the writing of a new play for the Royal Court Theatre. Initially scheduled in March last year, the awarding of the 2020 Pinter Commission had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court, described Miriam as a writer of ‘extraordinary talent’. Miriam said:

“ I’ve had a year to come to terms with the fact that I’ve been awarded this and it still feels wild. I’m so grateful. I’m really buzzing to write this play.”

So, it’s glorious that they have merged. When you look at professional sport, women’s rowing at Olympic level is just as exciting to watch as the men’s rowing and so I’m just delighted to see that it is like that at university level now as well.

Being Bei ng High High ALUMNA DIANE HAWKINS' OFFICIAL ROLE HAS ALLOWED HER AN EVEN GREATER INSIGHT INTO THE SENSE OF THE COMMUNITY SPIRIT AT WORK IN GREATER MANCHESTER.

Diane Hawkins (Class of 1975) is a Governor at Withington. A retired solicitor, she is a Justice of the Peace on the Bolton Bench and sits in the Family Court in Greater Manchester. She currently holds the position of High Sheriff of Greater Manchester.

ng High Sh It’s been an extraordinary period for all of us over the last 21 months, but for Diane, taking up her position as High Sheriff of Greater Manchester during the pandemic has presented both extra challenges and, as she sees it, extra opportunities to support individuals, communities and organisations in the Greater Manchester area.

The role of High Sheriff is the oldest secular title in British history and among the most ancient in the world, dating back more than 1,300 years. It was even mentioned in Magna Carta and originally, the High Sheriff represented the monarch in the county by collecting taxes and raising armies. Nowadays, Diane represents the Queen’s interests in everything to do with law and order in Greater Manchester while she holds office. In practice, this means upholding the judiciary, the police and law enforcement and the emergency services. Alongside this, and close to Diane’s heart, the High Sheriff supports and recognises all aspects of the voluntary sector.

Ceremonially, it was a low-key start for Diane. Her inauguration took place in her back garden, due to pandemic restrictions, although she was able to celebrate later on at a ceremony at Bolton Parish Church at which Withington harpists were invited to play. At first, all her engagements were on online, but this started to change as lockdown eased. “ Initially, the message from organisations was necessarily ‘we can’t invite you in person’, but as the situation started to improve it has since turned into a tsunami of engagements!” “ There was, and still is, a great deal to do in the way of thanking people and organisations for all the work that they have been doing during the pandemic in so many different ways. As the time has gone on, however, I have discovered the huge variety that being High Sheriff brings with it. The pace is quite high – it’s not unusual to have about twelve engagements in a week. For example, one day I could be dressed for litter picking and the next I could be in full regalia taking part in a service to mark the start of the Legal Year in Manchester Cathedral." She says that the most fun she’s had as High Sheriff was a visit to the Lancashire Mining Museum where she was invited to drive a steam engine in all her finery, “That was a great experience!” Diane acknowledges that being High Sheriff does allow her to have access to, and a greater understanding of, some of the issues and what is being

N G

O N

O N W A

h Sheriff She riff She done to address them. On a recent visit to HMP Styal, she was horrified to discover that they are struggling to supply underwear to the women.

he e riff

" Many women in Styal only have one change of underwear. The new governor at Styal is keen to address this problem and plans to re-open the sewing room in the prison and teach the women sewing skills so that by the end of next year they will be self-sufficient in terms of underwear." In the meantime, Diane has set up a short-term initiative called “Behind Bras”, to encourage people to donate a set of new underwear to help. " Many people have responded, including the magistrates of Greater Manchester, and for a time my dining room was full of underwear waiting to be delivered to Styal!” Thousands of knickers and hundreds of bras have now been delivered to alleviate the problem. Diane is no stranger to volunteering herself. She has had a long-time involvement with Fortalice, a Bolton based charity providing frontline services for people who are, or have been, affected by domestic abuse and violence. She is very aware of the challenges faced by children and young people due to the pandemic. As Chairman of Bolton Scout Trust, she was delighted when pandemic restrictions made it possible to open up their outdoor facility, Bibby’s Farm, to local schools, especially those schools for children with special needs, so that the children could spend time outside. “ We have over 40 acres of land and it was heart-breaking that so many children had nowhere outside to play because of restrictions. It was a way of giving children a sense of normality at a very difficult time. The pandemic has been such a difficult time for many children and young people.”

One thing that she has been impressed by as she undertakes her engagements around Greater Manchester, is the amount of community cohesion and the spirit of co-operation and collaboration that exists between organisations and individuals who work across different boundaries. “ We have far more in common than divides us,” she says. She also says she is constantly amazed at the dedication of volunteers and the time they give to make a difference through their chosen causes. She recently presented 17 groups with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in a ceremony at Gorton Monastery, “ It was a very humbling experience to hear of all that these people had done to make a difference in their communities. Being High Sheriff has given me an opening into the richness of community cohesion in Greater Manchester – there is so much good work going on. It’s so uplifting and provides so much hope for the future.”

Eve Ev Events e nts CLASS OF 1971 REUNION

ANNIVERSARY ONLINE REUNIONS

e nts

We were delighted to welcome the Class of 1971 to school on Saturday 16th October for our first in-person event for 18 months. Alumnae had journeyed from far and wide, including Suffolk and Hampshire, to attend. They were all amazed at the changes to the school, even in very recent years, and were extremely appreciative to be able to get together in person to celebrate 50 years since leaving Withington! A big thank you to Kath Douglass-Furner for getting in touch with former classmates and helping to bring it all together. They are already talking about another event in two years’ time so that they can celebrate their ‘significant’ birthdays together!

N G

O N

O N W A

During the summer, we were delighted to catch up with some of the year groups celebrating special anniversaries in 2021. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Class of 1981, 1986, 1991 and 1996 online. Once again, being online gave us the opportunity to welcome alumnae from all over the world who would not have been able to join us for an event at school. We also welcomed several alumnae who were on holiday but took time out to catch up with former classmates. If you would like us to help arrange a get together for your year group, online or face to face, please email development@wgs.org and we will happily facilitate this.

Events for 2022 We very much hope that this year we will be able to meet many more of you in person, but we have also realised the value of online events in bringing alumnae together who, due to geography or circumstance, might not be able to meet up in person. So this year, we have a mixture of online and in-person events. We’re looking forward to meeting up with you! To register for an event, visit our website or email us: development@wgs.org or call 0161 249 3494.

CLASS OF 1982 ONLINE REUNION

7pm, Wednesday, 26th January

CLASS OF 2002 ONLINE REUNION

7pm, Wednesday, 2nd February

CLASS OF 1992 ONLINE REUNION

7pm, Thursday, 24th February

CLASS OF 1972 ONLINE REUNION

7pm, Tuesday, 8th March

SPRING CREATIVE ARTS MORNING

10.30am – 12.30pm, Saturday 5th March

EMILY SIMON LUNCH

Wednesday, 4th May

NEWS OF

Former Pupils KEA BELL (CLASS OF 2020) In addition to studying Film Music at Leeds Conservatoire, alumna and former Head Girl, Kea Bell, has had quite an eventful year. In March, she was presented with a Young Citizen of the Year Award by High Sheriff of Manchester, Eamonn O'Neal, for her voluntary work in the local community. She was then runner up in the Miss Cheshire final in June, before featuring on BBC Radio 4’s The Listening Project in September. Kea was in conversation with another guest, Geoff, talking about their different experiences of education. Kea spoke highly of her experiences at Withington and of the ongoing support from the alumnae network once students move on from Withington. She also spoke about the importance of bursary provision in independent schools and how, as a WGS Bursary Ambassador, she had had the opportunity to speak to young, bright girls still at primary school and encourage them to think about applying to schools such as Withington.

ANNUAL REUNION AT WGS

11.30am, Saturday 11th June (more details about this event coming very soon)

UPPER SIXTH LEAVERS RECEPTION CLASS OF 2020

Monday, 5th September 2022

UPPER SIXTH LEAVERS RECEPTION CLASS OF 2021

Wednesday, 7th September

If you would like us to help you organise an event to meet up with your year group, sports team, or orchestra, do get in touch as we are happy to help.

Fa rewells Farewells Ms Davis retired after leading the English department for 18 years. She has shared her passion for English with successive cohorts of pupils, inspiring in them a love of language and an appreciation for the world of ideas nestling behind the cover of a book.

rewells

Ms Davies’ knowledge of literature and texts is encyclopaedic. As you might expect, she is an avid reader and writer herself and has published poems, short stories and even contributions to the Dr Who annuals. We have loved the inventive and original pieces

MS CHRISTINE DAVIES HEAD OF ENGLISH

SEÑORA MARIA LÓPEZ HEAD OF SPANISH

BURSAR

Señora López retired from teaching after 18 years as Withington’s first Head of Spanish. She joined the Modern Foreign Languages Department in 2003 and Spanish has gone from strength to strength under her leadership. She has seen the MFL Department through various developments, including the installation of the school’s current state-of-the-art language laboratory and, in 2020, completed a move of Spanish to online textbooks, which served the department well when schools were required to move to remote learning.

Señora López has also always seen the bigger picture and made an outstanding contribution to the wider life of the school. She accompanied the school’s first-ever World Challenge Expedition to Bolivia in 2004 and has also been part of the staff team accompanying groups to The Gambia. Señora López established the annual Spanish Exchange with La Vall School in Barcelona in 2010, with which WGS now has a successful and lasting partnership.

Mrs Senn retired from her role as Withington’s Bursar at the end of last academic year.

the education of the pupils in our care have been unwavering. Involved in many areas of school life, Mrs Senn has been a wonderful ambassador for Withington and is a highly respected colleague.

She has made an outstanding contribution to Withington Girls’ School during her 19 years as Bursar and has played a central role in the school’s ongoing success. Mrs Senn has been instrumental in much significant development and progression in the school. As a key member of the School’s Senior Leadership Team, Clerk to the Governors and to the WGS Trust, Mrs Senn’s strategic vision, innovation and resolute focus on how we can best support

MRS SHARON SENN

N G

Ms Davies wrote each year for the Entrance Examination, encouraging our prospective pupils to read and engage intelligently. Ms Davies has been proud of the creative writing initiatives that have been introduced under her leadership and her oversight of the pupils’ magazine ‘Scrawl’ has inspired the next generation of young writers. Her Sixth Form reading group has introduced students to a world of literature beyond the confines of the syllabus.

O N

O N W A

Highly energetic, multi-talented, kind and compassionate, Mrs Senn is known to many Withington staff and pupils, past and present, not just for her important work as Bursar/Finance Director, but also for her superb musical skills as a pianist, singer and trombonist, which have seen her take part in

This year, we said farewell to the following Withington staff:

MISS FAY DONOHUE

MRS PENNY WILLIS

MRS HELEN STALLARD

MISS OLIVIA SINCLAIR

MISS HANNAH MORSE

MRS ELANOR LEE

MISS MIRANDA BATE

Deputy Head of the Junior School Teacher of IT & Physics

She led the Festival of Spoken English and Drama, ensuring that every pupil had an opportunity to build their confidence and communication skills by performing in front of an audience. She motivated many pupils to study English at university and develop creative careers. Ms Davies will also be remembered with great fondness by her forms, as she has provided outstanding pastoral care for pupils over the years, supporting them with gentle insight and kindness. As a colleague, Ms Davies has been unfailingly thoughtful and supportive. Always able to see the funny side when the occasion required it, Ms Davies led the English team with wisdom, wit and compassion. She is an enormously encouraging, generous and

Head of Psychology

Marketing Officer

Teacher of Physics

Temporary Office Administrator

PE staff member

calm leader, approaching the ups and downs of school life with level-headed assurance – even on the Dr Faustus theatre trip where the fires of hell were recreated a little too enthusiastically and we had to evacuate. Ms Davies may be retiring, but she will continue to be busy in the coming years, maintaining her work for the examination boards. There is also the (small) matter of a novel to write. We will really miss Ms Davies’ warmth, wit and kindness but know that she will continue to be a member of the Withington family for many years to come. We look forward to reading her novel!

MS JEN BAYLIS Deputy Head

Señora López is passionate about her home country of Venezuela, and students and staff learned a lot from the assemblies she presented about the country; how beautiful and varied it is, but also about the political situation and humanitarian crisis there over the last few years. She is also passionate about music and dance. In March 2019, she combined these interests by organising a fundraising dinner and salsa dance event which raised over £2,000 for Ashoka, a charity that supports schools and education in Venezuela.

Whether she is teaching Spanish or Latin American dance, one of Señora López’s greatest strength is the creation of an atmosphere of warmth, fun and togetherness. She has inspired generations of Withington pupils, instilled a love of Spanish and of language learning, been a superb colleague and always brought kindness and compassion to all that she does. She leaves Withington with our warm thanks for all she has contributed and with our very best wishes for the future.

many school musical performances, playing and singing alongside the pupils; her love of all things sporting and fitness; her interest in languages and travel, and her teaching of Finance modules in PSHCE and the Sixth Form Enrichment programme. The Sixth Form particularly appreciated their lessons with Mrs Senn because they were always lively, good humoured and informative.

Mrs Senn will undoubtedly be remembered as a member of the Withington family who has made a significant, genuine and sustained contribution to the history and success of the school. We will always be grateful for her unstinting commitment, multifarious talents and professionalism. We thank her most warmly for all she has brought to Withington.

During her time as Bursar, Mrs Senn has been closely involved in Withington’s Bursary programme and has been been instrumental in the school’s continued development of its resources and facilities. She worked closely on a number of exceptional capital projects, not least the new Junior School and Hub opened in 2015 and the extension to the Sports facilities opened in 2018.

In the Autumn term, she moved into a new part-time role at Withington to oversee the completion of the school’s latest building project, the extension to the dining room (see page 15).

MR IAN MCKENNA Director of Studies

MRS SARAH HASLAM Headmistress

Lives Live ves Rem Rem Re VERA COHEN née Betesh (Class of 1934) Died 6th February 2021

CAROLINE WARNE-THOMAS (Class of 1959)

Died 23rd March 2021

es Re ememb era, who died earlier this year at V the age of 104, was very proud of being a Withington alumna. She visited us with her daughter, Erica (Class of 1967), to celebrate her 100th birthday. She loved sport whilst at school, recalling that she played every day, enjoying hockey, tennis, cricket and lacrosse. “I couldn’t wait for lessons to end so that I could go outside for games,” she said.

Caroline attended both WGS Junior and Senior Schools. Having gained a state scholarship, she progressed to Girton College, Cambridge, to read Natural Sciences.

She was well-respected as an applied psychologist who worked on safety and accident prevention, championing the role of consumers in the development of standards. This culminated in her chairing the consumer policy committee of the International Standards Organization (ISO) from 2002-6.

Vera, along with her sister Olga (see page 23-24), was a lifelong Manchester City supporter. She could recall listening to Manchester City play when she was in the playground at school. She started attending City games in 1932 and became a lifelong season ticket holder. On a memorable occasion in May 2018, she and Olga led the City team out onto the Etihad pitch before the game, something that brought them national and international attention. That year they also attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event.

Her career spanned six decades, beginning at the National Institute of Industrial Psychology. She then joined the consultancy firm, Scicon working on the design of anti-bandit screens for the Post Office. Her subsequent work for the Department of Prices and Consumer Protection, under the then Secretary of State, Shirley Williams, provided a groundbreaking database that provided vital data to improve consumer safety standards for the next 25 years. Leaving the civil service in 1983, she then worked freelance for the British Standards Institute, the Tavistock Institute and as a lecturer in applied psychology, Thames Valley (now West London) University.

Football wasn’t Vera’s only love; she was also a huge supporter of Lancashire Cricket Club, also being a season ticket holder at Old Trafford cricket ground. Indeed, on the day she passed away, she had woken early to watch the Test cricket and was looking forward to watching the City match at her daughter’s house later in the afternoon.

Caroline, who continued her involvement with the ISO as a mentor, also became a magistrate and a trustee of the Child Accident Preventions Trust. She had a keen interest in plants, completely renovated her Victorian home in Lyme Regis and was a member of a walking group that she started with her husband.

In her eighties, following the loss of her daughter Jennifer, Vera became a committed supporter of The Christie hospital in Manchester, making cakes which she sold to raise funds. By the time she died, she had raised over £23,000, an incredible achievement.

Caroline, who was appointed OBE in 2005, is survived by her husband, Godfrey, her two daughters, Charlotte and Verity, four grandchildren and two sisters.

Being a Withington pupil has become something of a tradition in Vera’s family that has continued to this day. It was a real highlight for Vera when her great granddaughter, Jessica, joined Withington as a pupil.

N G

O N

O N W A

* An obituary written by Godfrey was published by The Guardian online, 17th May 2021.

membered memb mbe be e red ROSE ACTON (Class of 2010) Died 2nd December 2020

be e red

ose Acton was the epitome R of a ‘Withington Girl’ – a true ‘multihyphenate’ whose intelligence, enthusiasm and energy allowed her to turn her mind to anything. She excelled in everything she did. Her former boss described her as ‘a polymath, a pioneer and an inspiration to all who knew her’.

It’s fair to say that Rose made the most of everything school life had to offer: she was crowned best delegate at an MUN competition in Paris and led a team of girls at Young Enterprise; she crafted tiles in mosaic club at lunchtime and flew a plane as a youth cadet in the evening. From school, she went on to study History at King’s College London, while tutoring disadvantaged kids at the weekend. Rose didn’t just work hard, she played hard too. She was never one to miss a party or turn down a holiday invitation. If there was fun to be had, she was going to have it. After finishing university, Rose joined the Financial Conduct Authority’s graduate training scheme, where she ended up working in the Chief Executive’s office. While she was there, she was recommended for a secondment to a new charity exploring the link between financial difficulties and mental health problems - the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute. She joined the founding team and co-authored a paper that set the agenda on how fintech could help support consumers. By now a passionate advocate for mental health, Rose wanted to make a difference. She took a risk and joined Zinc, an incubator creating start-ups to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Mission one: women’s mental health. At Zinc, Rose co-founded Adia Health (now Parla), a femtech company helping women manage their fertility. Rose was queen of the side-hustle. Alongside launching a startup, she led 10Today – a programme to get older people active via radio, podcasts and YouTube. This turned out to be exactly what the country needed come lockdown. In 2020, 10Today partnered with BBC Sounds and broadcast the whole series of exercise plans on 5 Live Extra. Rose’s programme reached hundreds of

thousands of people. And if that wasn’t enough, she conducted research on the future of political campaigning and had an (albeit somewhat brief) stint as a fitness instructor – rhythm wasn’t one of Rose’s many talents. Never mind ‘not being one to shy away from a challenge’, Rose would dive headfirst into them. And that energy inspired everyone around her to test their own limits, most notably when she dragged two friends on a 105-mile race across the Scottish Highlands to raise money for the period poverty charity, Bloody Good Period. This can-do attitude to life carried Rose through even after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour – a Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM4) – in the summer of 2019. While many would have been paralysed by the news, Rose embraced it as yet another challenge and was determined to make the most of every day – finding the light, giggling through even the darkest moments, and keeping her friends and family giggling with her. Her first instinct on receiving this awful news was to put it to the service of others, sharing her story within hours and going on to work in partnership with Brain Tumour Research to raise awareness of the disease. Above all, Rose was a loyal, honest and kind friend. She was always busy, but never too busy for her family and friends – she loved them unconditionally and gave herself to them completely. Rose was unapologetically and unflinchingly herself. She never attempted to be, nor wanted to be, someone else. She had strong opinions and could be fiercely stubborn. While you could never rely on Rose to be on time, she was always there when you needed her. Through the unique combination of qualities that made Rose ‘Rose’ – living life in her inimitable ‘Rose-way’ – she taught us all how life, no matter how long or short, can be meaningful. Rose passed away on the morning of Wednesday 2nd December 2020. She was calm, peaceful and comfy, and with her family and her fiancé – surrounded by love. Rose lived her final weeks with the same strength, courage and humour as she did the rest of her life – she has been, and will continue to be, an inspiration to us all.

STEPHANIE SIDDALL (Class of 2010)

Lives Live ves Rem Rem Re PAT RYLATT née Brookes (Class of 1953) Died December 2020

GAIL DAWSON (Head of History 1982 – 2005) Died October 2021

es Re ememb Gail was born at 12 noon on Christmas Day 1944 and her mother always said that she never forgave Gail for causing her to miss Christmas lunch! This was probably one of the few occasions in Gail’s life when she put herself ﬁrst.

Pat left WGS in 1953 and progressed to the University of Manchester where she studied Physics. She later became a teacher of Computer Studies and Mathematics, working at both King Edward’s School, Lytham (now ASK Lytham) and prior to that at Millfield School, Blackpool. According to the obituary posted on the ASK website, Pat ‘was an expert on the use of computers who taught beginners with craft and patience and harnessed the enthusiasm of pupils for the then new technology’. She is survived by her son, daughter and grandchildren.

She had an idyllic childhood in the Cotswolds, always keen to learn and pass on her knowledge and skills. She even taught a local boy to read when she was only six! Her love of the past was sparked by a book with a purple cover which contained the story of Mary Queen of Scots escaping from Loch Leven Castle. She studied History at Royal Holloway College, University of London and was the ﬁrst in her family to progress into Higher Education. She gained a diploma in Education at the University of Durham and it was here that she met Roger, and they were married two years later.

Her teaching career began at Northallerton Grammar School, followed by two years at Harpurhey High School and then Manchester High School for Girls. After the birth of her two children, Andrew and Helen, Gail returned to teaching and applied for a half term of work at Withington covering my maternity leave in 1978. In fact, seven weeks became twenty-seven years until she retired in 2005. In 1982, Gail was appointed Head of History and at the same time, took over the responsibility of organising University Entrance for the Upper Sixth, which she particularly enjoyed. Under Gail’s leadership the History Department thrived and was run in a calm, effcient and professional way. She could ﬁnd solutions to the most tricky problems and always remained warm, kind and witty. Former colleagues agree that she had an unassuming nature known for diplomacy and was a friend to all.

BERYL MALLELEIU née Rushton (Class of 1957) Died May 2020

She was an excellent historian and teacher. With Gail’s encouragement, several girls won the Royal Historical Frampton Prize for the best A Level mark nationally, and many other girls gained one of the top ﬁve marks at GCSE nationally. She inspired her classes with her love of History, brought to life with ﬁeld trips to Fountains Abbey, The National Portrait Gallery, the Bridgewater Canal, Conwy Castle and Helmshore Textile Museum. In partnership with Helmshore, she produced a coursework assignment used not only by Withington pupils but also by other local schools.

Beryl joined the Junior School in 1945. She had fond memories of Withington and stayed in contact with her friends Jenifer Williamson, née Stead (Class of 1958), and Margaret Moseley, née Stokes (Class of 1957). She went on to study Pharmacy at the University of Manchester, along with her friend Margaret. They both met their husbands, also pharmacists, whilst there. For many years, they all undertook annual holidays with other UoM Pharmacy alumnae.

Some of Gail’s other roles included rescuing the school archive, membership of the AQA History Subject Committee, which enabled her to be involved in curriculum development and assessment and History subject consultant for both QCA and ATL. In the 1990s, she was GSA representative on the UCAS North West Regional Consultative Group and made regular visits to universities and colleges, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and information to share with pupils and staff.

The Rushton family has a long association with the school. Beryl’s sisters, Veronica, Jane and Wendy all attended WGS, as did Beryl's nieces and her daughter Sarah Mallalieu (Class of 1982).

N G

On her retirement Gail moved back to the Cotswolds, enjoying a life free from marking and enriched by her three grandchildren. She will be remembered by many for her love of colourful jumpers, her distinctive, elegant handwriting and letter writing skills, and as someone who undoubtedly achieved her goal in life: always to do her best.

JACKIE WALKER (Former WGS Teacher of History) and the Dawson Family

O N

O N W A

membered memb mbe be e red GENEVIÈVE ADAMS (Former Head of French)

WE ALSO REMEMBER:

Died October 2021

be e red Geneviève Adams was a strong and colourful figure in the Withington community throughout her career at the school from 1978 until her retirement in 2004. She joined the WGS French Department with the aim of teaching Sixth Form French to the highest level. Geneviève always revelled in the challenge of teaching extremely bright pupils; indeed, her pride in this aspect of her work was always evident.

In 1985, she became Head of the French Department, which she led with distinction until her retirement. Meanwhile, she had already introduced Spanish to the school (1979) and taken responsibility for the first foreign school trip from WGS (1980). Her tenure of the role of Head of French was equally marked by her capacity for intense hard work and commitment to the school. In 1994, she inaugurated the first of the very successful French exchanges. She also led and accompanied biennial French trips to the four corners of France; her energy and care for the girls' well-being during these expeditions were exceptional. Spanish also flourished under her mentorship; it is greatly thanks to her that girls had the opportunity to pursue this language at A Level. School years would also be marked by many excursions to French films at the Cornerhouse, exhibitions at the Whitworth Art Gallery, French plays at Salford University or in London, and Sixth Form study days held at various venues. Geneviève was tireless in her desire to educate her students, not only in the French language, but also to culture in the broadest sense. She championed the cause of Modern Languages and that of Europe through her nurturing of the WGS Modern Languages Society and attendance at European events; she was

JOY MELLOR

fair-handed in her encouragement of the study of all languages as she valued the civilising nature of international study and travel.

neé Carlton (Class of 1939) Died May 2021

In 1996, she spent the summer term as a Schoolteacher Fellow at St Hugh's College, Oxford, pursuing research into 18th century French women authors. Following her retirement from WGS in 2004, she moved to Oxford and took up a permanent post at St Hugh’s teaching French to undergraduates. At the same time, she also began an academic career at St. Anne’s College; both would last until her retirement in 2018. Geneviève was made an Honorary Fellow of St. Hugh’s in 2021 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the College as Teacher Fellow and later as a lecturer, as well as for her teaching of French to pupils and students for over 50 years.

PATRICIA ROBERTS

neé Sykes (Class of 1948) Died March 2021

EILEEN THIRLWALL

neé Mercer (Class of 1950) Died September 2020

JANE THOMPSON

In January 2019, she had the extraordinary honour of being named a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques, bestowed by the decree of the Prime Minister of France for her ‘remarkable commitment to the service of education’.

neé Robinson (Class of 1971) Died September 2021

Whether at WGS, St Hugh’s or St. Anne’s, Geneviève’s commitment to the teaching of languages and her dedication to her students was evident to all with whom she came into contact. A Parisienne who was passionate about culture and ideas, she believed that learning a foreign language could enrich people’s lives, whatever their age. As a French teacher of unusual character and distinction, she deserves the gratitude of countless former pupils of languages. She also had the gift of making many friends amongst those she worked with and, whilst at Withington, she also inspired friendship amongst many Withington alumnae. As her St. Hugh’s College obituary says, “ Her strength of character, poise, love of life, and dedication to her students and friends will be immensely missed, but never forgotten.”

Printed on Antalis, NAUTILUS® SuperWhite premium ecological paper. 100% post-consumer recycled with FSC® recycled certification.

The Development Office Withington Girls’ School, Wellington Road, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6BL Tel: 0161 249 3494 Fax: 0161 248 5377 Email: development@wgs.org Web: www.wgs.org Registered Charity No. 505207