OLD GIRLS

Committee members and Area Representatives met Trish Woodhouse, the new Headmistress and Honorary President of the Old Girls' Association at Malvern St James on Saturday November 13th.

There was an excellent turnout of Committee members for the second meeting of the year.

Hannah, now Mrs Rice, (and getting used to her new signature!) chaired the meeting very efficiently and a great deal of business was done, planning for the future.

Anne Borrowdale, the Chairman of Malvern St James Council, who had been at the School's termly Open Day the week before, was present, and held a meeting of the Trustees after the full Committee meeting was finished.

Trustees, Charlotte Morrison, Veronica Blackmore, Anne Borrowdale, Judith Pearman, Rowena Westacott

Charlotte had already just arrived back from Rally Med but drove up in her fantastic Aston Martin, which was admired by all, but probably most knowledgeably by Hannah's husband Kersten.

Charlotte, Hannah and Trish

Note the Club Rallye map on the side

It was very good to see the representatives from the 1950s and 1960, Di Cooley and Frankie Williams respectively. It was Frankie's first visit to Malvern St James and there was much joy when she met a young cousin of hers (actually second cousin, once removed, we think) Sara Devereux who is in Year 11 and a boarder in The Mount for the first time. Sara and her friend Sarah and two other ‘Mounties' gave a tour of the School to Old Girls after lunch.

Frankie Williams and Sara Devereux

Tricia Wilkinson, Frankie Willliams and Elisabeth Kennerley

There was a fantastic turn out from Yorkshire, with Margaret Wood, the Treasurer there and Tricia Wilkinson, the Honorary Social Secretary, who also represents West Yorkshire. When the idea of a Reception to meet the new Headmistress was first mooted, it was Tricia who suggested that the Area Representatives be invited also and we were delighted by their support. It was also great to have younger representatives, Francesca Clixby who was joint Head Girl in the first year of Malvern St James and also Alice Porter who was last year's Head Girl. Vice-Chairman Penny Smith, who teaches in the Maths Department at MSJ and is a tremendous support to Elisabeth was present at the meeting. It was very good also that Judith Pearman another Trustee, was able to join us later in the day. Sarah Musgrave, the Deputy Headmistress and Honorary Vice-President of the Old Girls' Association, was present also to welcome the Old Girls.

Area Representatives made the journey to Malvern from literally all round the country and it was fantastic to see them and in some cases their husbands too and give them the chance to look round some of the new facilities at Malvern St James, to meet Trish, Hannah and the rest of the Committee so that ideas could be shared and resolutions be made.

Elizabeth Ticehurst and Jill Vernon came from the north also – Elizabeth is the Representative for East and North Yorkshire and Jill is the Representative from County Durham. We also wanted to hear all about the wonderful reunion Jill had organised for the Group of Old Girls Born 1940-ish who have been friends for so long and had a very special reunion at the RAF Club earlier in the Autumn. Tricia Wilkinson is also the Representative for West Yorkshire and it was great to see her husband John who is such a support to all Tricia does and a regular at the Norfolk Reunion with her.

Elizabeth Ticehurst, Jill Vernon and Hannah

Carolyn Morgan Jones and Frankie Williams

Ann Simpson who represents South Glamorgan attended, with her husband Brian and made the journey again as they used to when their daughter Emma was at Malvern Girls' College. With rather shorter journeys, Jane Mason, the Herefordshire representative, and Carolyn Morgan Jones who represents the West Midlands, attended. Carolyn is a contemporary of Jean Price who is on the staff at MSJ, in the Biology Department.

Elisabeth Kennerley, who represents Cornwall, came all the way from Padstow and she and the OGA Secretary found they had even more in common that how they spell Elisabeth as Elisabeth K remembered Elisabeth R's sisters-in-law from school days.

Lynnsay Flavell has just offered to be the Representative from Somerset and she came to spend the weekend in Malvern with her husband Neil.

Penny Smith, Lynnsay and Brian Flavell, Geoff Smith and Rowena Westacott

Susan Bourne came from Wiltshire and Christine Drury from Kent. Frankie Williams is also the representative from Cambridgeshire. Last but not least the capital was represented by Sylvia Francis, one of the representatives from London.

Anne Borrowdale, Jane Mason, Trish Woodhouse, Ann Simpson

So there really was a super representation from around the country, with those who could not attend sending their regrets and good wishes.

We had a delicious lunch, thanks to the efforts of the Mrs Anita Fisher and the Catering Department and were delighted that Steve Woodhouse and Geoff Smith were also able to attend the lunch.

The full list of Area Representatives appears in the drop down section in the menu for the Old Girls' section of the School website. Please do see who is your local representative and either contact her directly or via the OGA. It would be marvellous if when you were in touch, you could give permission for your mail address to be given to the Area Representative as that is such a brilliant way of getting and keeping in touch.