PARENTS

Mrs Prophet, Housemistress of The Mount, The Head Girl, Deputy Head Girl and four Year 10s were most fortunate to be invited to attend the Observance for Commonwealth Day 2011, held in Westminster Abbey in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal HighnessThe Duke of Edinburgh . This is the UK's largest annual multi-faith gathering and includes inspiring testimonies, readings and performances from accomplished Commonwealth citizens and artists.

The theme of the service was ‘Women, Agents of Change!' Around the Commonwealth there are some worrying statistics: out of 54 heads of government, only three are women; over two thirds of people living on less than one US dollar a day are women and among the 24 million people living with HIV, more than half of all newly-infected adults are women. In 2011, the Commonwealth is taking a female focus as it believes that by investing in women and girls they can accelerate social, economic and political progress. When girls and women are empowered to contribute to their local and national economies, they can help to lift these societies out of poverty.

Mrs Prophet explains, ‘To be in the presence of such distinguished and influential speakers will, I hope, inspire our girls further to understand and to spread the word themselves; Education is the key and educating girls especially. The life and experiences of the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar MP have shown what can be achieved and the other ‘key-note' speakers demonstrated the importance of the Commonwealth as an agent of change.The girls and I thoroughly enjoyed what can only be described as a truly Memorable Day and one which we will hold in our hearts and minds for years to come.'

A Commonwealth Blessing for Girls, by Carol Ann Duffy CBE

Here are the gifts we wish and the wishes
we gift to new girls born, Antigua to Zambia
breathed blessings at cradles, from Canada
to Trinidad, sent out by song, poetry, prayer
to Bangladesh, Gambia, Jamaica, Kiribati, Tuvalu,
to fall as rain on good crops or fill a cup
with water, a toast to each bright daughter -
health; the soul-wealth learning brings;
friendship's dancing rings in Cameroon, Guyana,
New Zealand, Pakistan; equality, a girl half
of the whole of the harmed world, healer; the joy of choice;
a boy-loud voice; her life a loved light in Britain,
India, Malaysia; lastly we wish she gives
back in return to us her blessings, her unique gifts.