The Social Network Helping alumnae connect

In the pink Shazia’s shaping up

Celebrating 100 years ofInternational Women’s Day

verveThe magazine of the GDST Alumnae Network | Issue 10/11

Welcome to Verve, the magazineof the GDST Alumnae Network

2010 was an exciting time for the GDST. At the beginning of the year we welcomed our new CEO, Helen Fraser, and the last twelve months have been a drive towards truly showcasing what the GDST is about - educating girls. As part of this process there is a new visual identity both for the GDST and the Alumnae Network.

In recognition of the centenary of International Women’s Day, which takes place in March 2011, we dedicate this year’s special feature to celebrating four alumnae who have been pioneers in their field, past and present, including Rose Heilbron, the first female High Court Judge, and the thoroughly modern Dame Stella Rimington, former Director General of MI5 and James Bond movie inspiration! The article begins on page 8.

One thing that makes the Alumnae Network so valuable is the potential for making new contacts, for sharing expertise and, in particular, for students and young graduates to benefit from the experience and knowledge of others. Read our young graduates’ tips on getting on the career ladder and hear more about Sixth Former Katie Barrowclough’s high-speed adventure on work experience with the police on pages 14-15.

Finally, I encourage you to join us for a jam-packed calendar of cultural events, starting in April with a guided tour of one of London’s greatest art gems, the Wallace Collection, through to a visit of the beautiful Deene Park in Northamptonshire, still owned and very much lived in by the Brudenell family. More information can be found in the events calendar on the back cover of the magazine.

On the news pages opposite you can find out more about our exciting programme of professional events being launched this year. Developed in response to alumnae feedback, the new programme features a special series of finance workshops and a glamorous “inspiration” themed event with great guest speakers who also happen to be GDST alums! Book your place online via the website.

With very best wishes, Jennifer GraftonAlumnae Relations Manager

Cover image courtesy of Shazia Awanwww.peachy-pink.com

Materials used are derived from sustainable managed forests

Inside 3 GDST News 6 Young Alums in Fashion 8 International Women’s Day 13 GDST Alumnae Network 14 Career Focus 16 Social Events Calendar

for making new contacts, for sharing expertise and, in particular, for students and young graduates to benefit from the experience and knowledge of others. Read our young graduates’ tips on getting

On the news pages opposite you can find out more about our

GDST NewsNews

Enjoy an evening of inspiration and energy with four very different but equally talented GDST alumnae

guest speakers. This event has been organised in response to an alumnae survey which reported our young professionals want more opportunities to get together and learn from experienced fellow alums. The speakers are the founder of a successful make-up brand; a technology business development manager and social media expert; a leader in IT services rated as one of Management Today’s 35 Women Under 35, and an alum who became managing director at an international investment bank in her thirties.

Date: 24 March, 6.30pm Venue: Central LondonTickets: £10 per person (includes drinks and canapés)

Book now or find out more at www.gdstalumnae.net For all event enquiries contact Natalie Finn at n.finn@wes.gdst.net W

Be inspired in 2011

GDST News | Verve 3

The new look GDST

T he GDST kicked off 2011 with the launch of its striking and refreshing new identity for the Trust and the

Alumnae Network. The new logo and font replaces the traditional Minerva head, offering a clean and modern feel. Amanda Riddle, the GDST’s Director of Communications commented: “The GDST leads the way in girls’ education but we felt that our visual identity didn’t clearly communicate this. We were keen to have a look which reflects our dynamism and the strength of our network and ensure that the GDST name is more consistently communicated across our 26 schools. We think our new identity does that and are looking forward to rolling it out, in time, across all our material.”

The new identity also extends to the Minerva Network, which will be dropping the name ‘Minerva’, and taking on the simpler mantle of ‘GDST Alumnae Network’, to better reflect its purpose and its role within the GDST. During 2011 the Alumnae Network will benefit from a new website, which will not only reflect the updated brand, but will also have greatly improved functionality and access. W

The latest news straight to your inbox

L aunched in Spring 2010, the alumnae e-bulletin has been a great addition to the network

communications. The ezine allows us to regularly share information on upcoming events and news about what’s going on in schools. It also gives us a chance to showcase your stories so please do get in touch if you have any news or if you are hosting a reunion.

Sign up for the ezineAll you need to do is make sure we have your current email address on file, and that your contact permissions don’t opt you out of emails. To add your email address either log-in to the website and update your records, or email us at info@gdstalumnae.net with your full name, address and school. W

F ollowing the success of alumna Wealth Management specialist Sophie Jane Williams’ financial feature in the ezines, we are running three financial workshops

exclusively for alumnae.

Sophie will deliver each session personally to help you get to grips with some of today’s stickiest financial issues in a friendly environment.

12 May, 6.30pm Making My Money Work Harder for Me

22 September, 6.30pm Mortgages

17 November, 6.30pm Planning for your Retirement

£8 per person (includes drink on arrival).

To find out more and to book go to www.gdstalumnae.net

The sessions will be in central London, held in a private room ensuring complete privacy and the group size will be kept small so you will have ample opportunity to ask questions or talk one to one with Sophie.

Sophie is an Associate Partner of the St. James’s Place Partnership, the advisory channel of St. James’s Place Wealth Management. She works in London, and grew up in Bath, attending The Royal High School from 1991-2000. W

What is your top financial priority?Plan for your future Grow your wealth Protect your wealth

GDST NewsNews

Learning for life

I n furthering its commitment to developing student skills, the GDST has recruited a full-time Skills

Development Manager, Kieron Smith, who previously worked as a trainer with Deutsche Bank. With this dedicated expertise in-house, the GDST is able to deliver a range of interactive workshops and focus

on developing a long-term programme of learning for students throughout their time at school. This will help students have a competitive edge when applying for jobs or university places. Oxford High School’s Head of Sixth Form, Rachael Pallas-Brown, commented: “The workshops provide our students with the opportunity to develop important

transferable skills and equip them to fulfil their potential.” Workshops include leadership, communication, presenting, negotiation and financial skills. W

For more information, contact careerstart@wes.gdst.net

ContactGDST Alumnae NetworkGirls’ Day School Trust100 Rochester RowLondon SW1P 1JPTel 020 7393 6666

info@gdstalumnae.net www.gdstalumnae.net

Registered Charity No: 306983

Over 40,000 copies of Verve are mailed to members of the GDST Alumnae Network.

For further information about Networkmembers’ benefits see page 13.

ALUMNAE RELATIONS MANAGERJennifer Grafton020 7393 6666j.grafton@gdstalumnae.net

EVENTSNatalie Finn020 7393 6699n.finn@wes.gdst.net

DATABASE RECORDSAdam Kertesz020 7393 6604a.kertesz@wes.gdst.net

This edition is available as a PDF on thewebsite www.gdstalumnae.net

For additional printed copies email info@gdstalumnae.net

Editor: Jane Millington www.network3writers.co.ukDesign: FONDAPrint: Wellington Press© 2011 GDST Alumnae Network

Please recycle after use.

The opinions in this publication donot necessarily reflect the views ofthe GDST. All reasonable attemptshave been made to clear copyrightbefore publication.

4 GDST News | Verve

Chief Executive reviews her first year

S ince her appointment at the beginning of 2010, Helen Fraser has led the GDST through a significant

period of change, driving forward the organisation and focusing on its goal of being the leader in educating girls. The schools have faced everything from a changing economic and political climate to the challenge of having students and staff stranded worldwide due to volcanic ash, yet they have continued to thrive and excel, with many achieving their best A Level and GCSE results ever in summer 2010. So, just over a year since she took up her role, what does Helen make of her experiences so far? “I have enormously enjoyed the past year, and been hugely impressed by the calibre of the schools, the passion and enthusiasm of the staff, the commitment and engagement of the parents, and most of all by the girls. There is something about a GDST girl - a sort of confidence without arrogance, a kind of bubbling just below the surface exuberance, and a feeling that whatever life throws at her, she will be equal to it - that I have found incredibly impressive. I’ve also loved the amount of laughter in our schools - I think they are very happy places, that achieve an extraordinary amount.

“Some of the most interesting and revealing moments during my time at the GDST have been the opportunities I have had to meet alumnae. The gratitude, warmth and fondness exhibited by so many of you for your former school and teachers

is quite humbling. Our girls’ relationship with their school lasts a lifetime,

not just for those precious years spent there. “Our marvellous network of alumnae is a powerful and a unique resource, not just for one another, but also for the next generation of girls

coming through our schools who have so much to learn from

more experienced women. Former students play a vital role in the GDST

community and the future of our schools and I am very much looking forward to meeting so many more of you.” W

“The GDST is going through a very exciting period of change and regeneration. We want to make sure we are consistently at the leading edge of innovation, are recognised everywhere as the experts in the education of girls...”

schools have faced everything from a changing economic

results ever in summer 2010.

is quite humbling. Our girls’ relationship with their school lasts a lifetime,

not just for those precious years spent there.

coming through our schools who have so much to learn from

more experienced women. Former

Oxford rebuild completed

A £9 million building programme has transformed Oxford High School, delivering a new

school hall, library, drama studios, refectory, lecture theatre, admin and language centres. Vital to the success of the highly ambitious project was the philanthropy that lies at the heart of the GDST. GDST Head of Development Megan Callaway said: “The GDST schools were founded by committed benefactors and philanthropy played a vital role in school development until the 1960s. “That same spirit of giving has now re-emerged as a vital source of support for important school projects and for bursaries.

Oxford High School is very fortunate to have a group of committed parents, alumnae and friends who stepped forward to contribute a substantial amount to the massive rebuild. “This rebuilding project simply would not have happened at this level without the support of these generous donors.” Librarian Elizabeth Sloan is among those getting used to the fantastic new facilities. The library is now a light-filled space with a flexible layout, and boasts a mezzanine level study area for Sixth Formers. “The new library has a bold, contemporary design with an innovative

mix of technological and traditional learning resources,” she said. This mix is key to the success of a modern library, Elizabeth believes. “While the internet is an incredibly powerful research tool, the information must still be evaluated. Traditional and online research techniques both have their place and the new library helps to bring these together.”So, along with a bank of laptops, there are 9,000 books to browse. Elizabeth, who has been at the school for 23 years, reports: “The girls have been extremely impressed with their new library and book borrowing has increased dramatically.” W

The boldly-designed library is just part of the new development

Get LinkedIn with other alumnae

I n November 2010 we launched the GDST alumnae group on the business networking site, LinkedIn.

The group was an instant success with over 300 of you joining within the first week, and the first job posting and group discussion appearing in under 48 hours. This immediate response highlights the huge potential for alumnae to network together, not just to reminisce about old times at school, but as a professional body.

The professional remit of members is very far-ranging, with people working in everything from film-making to engineering; based in London, China, New York, and India, to name but a few. This illustrates the dual potential of the group, as a valuable professional resource and also as a means for people working in the same field, or at the same level, to connect, share ideas and look for advice. W

Join the group: www.linkedin.com/gdstalumnae

Did you know?

W The GDST has had a Trust-wide Alumnae Network since 1994W We have over 10,000 alumnae aged between 21 and 29W There are a further 10,000 alumnae aged between 30-55 in the networkW There are over 1,000 GDST alumnae living overseasW The GDST is educating around 20,000 girls at any one time.

GDST News | Verve 5

Howell’s alumna Shazia Awan (1997-1999) is founder of shape-

wear brand Peachy Pink and a Conservative Party activist. Verve caught up with the 2010 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year to find out what makes her tick.

What led you to launch Peachy Pink?Like most women I have had ‘orange peel’ skin at one time or another and I wanted to find a solution to help banish the problem. I found that all the shape-wear items available in stores were made of really thick and heavy material and I wanted to create a product that was light, wearable and comfortable but that didn’t compromise on control. Peachy Pink products are safe and effective, unlike expensive and invasive surgery often used to get rid of cellulite. I’d been working in consumer/fashion PR and I used all my contacts and experience to help drive my business forward. When we launched Peachy Pink 50 women dressed in underwear marched down London’s Bond Street, capturing international media attention and leading the product to sell out within a week.

Today we sell our products across Europe and in Debenhams and House of Fraser in the UK, and we have got a really

strong celebrity fan base.

All the banks you approached for

backing said no, so you had to

sink your life savings into the launch. Did you ever doubt

yourself?I believe in myself

and in Peachy Pink 110%. Yes, I approached

every UK bank with a 120-page business plan as well as large confirmed orders but I was turned away every time. I wonder where the next generation of British entrepreneurs is going to come from if bank managers cannot see the vision of businesses like mine. Now Peachy Pink has been named in the Start Up 100 list of the best new businesses in the country.

What’s next for Peachy Pink? We have just launched a range of slimming and posture control T-shirts for men called Max-Core, with Peter Andre as the face and body of the brand. I am incredibly lucky to now have a great team in place and be able to focus on growing the business even further.

What is your involvement in politics at the moment? I work with the Conservative Women’s Organisation, which has set up C-WISE to give professional and entrepreneurial women an opportunity to engage with the government on issues that impact their business lives.

What has been your proudest achievement?Launching Peachy Pink was something I’ll never forget and receiving the Asian Entrepreneur of the year award from Home Secretary Theresa May was a really special moment.

What advice would you give to young women interested in politics?A political career is time-consuming yet very fulfilling. Running as a candidate in last year’s parliamentary election was certainly a very rewarding experience. I would recommend anyone interested in politics to join their local political association and work their way up through the grassroots. W

6 Alumnae | Shazia Awan | Peachy Pink | Verve |

Alumnae Young Alums in Fashion

Shazia’s looking peachy

www.peachy-pink.com

www.max-core.com

O xford High School alumna Feng Ho (1990-1999) picked up

the esteemed Ethical Fashion Forum Innovation Award 2010 at London Fashion Week.

Yet the designer, who produces beautifully fluid, sensual womenswear out of sustainable materials including bamboo, soy, organic cotton and hemp, never set out to be an ethical producer. It was only when she learned about the environmental impact and exploitation associated with conventional cotton farming in some parts of the world that she vowed to switch to strictly ethical textiles. Now she sources fabrics developed in the main for the sportswear industry - bamboo, for instance, has natural antibacterial properties - and incorporates end-of-line material into her designs, all hand-crafted at her energy-efficient studios in Oxford.

“It’s taken a lot of research but it is definitely worth it,” says Feng. “Bamboo and soya are wonderful to work with and have a lovely silky sheen.” Feng hopes to bring her message and designs to a wider audience, through events such as Oxford Fashion Week’s first ever ethical fashion show in March. W

www.fengho.co.uk

Photograph by Diana Bai

Photograph by Melanie Barron

Ethical designer wins award

Alumnae | Feng Ho | Ethical Designer Wins Award | Verve | 7

RECOGNITIONCelebrating 100 years of

8 Feature | International Women’s Day | Verve

International Women’s Day CentenaryFeature

International Women’s Day (IWD) was born in a turbulent time when women were finding their voice and coming together to campaign for an end to oppression. At an international

conference for working women in Copenhagen in 1910, supported by over 100 representatives from 17 nations, it was agreed that an annual date should be set on which the world should be called to focus on their demands. IWD was first celebrated on 19 March 1911 (the date became fixed as 8 March some years later) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, when more than one million women and men attended rallies calling for women’s right to work, vote, receive training and hold public office. It is now recognised in developed and developing countries around the world. In Russia, China and many other countries in the east, 8 March is an official holiday when men honour the women in their lives with flowers and small gifts; in others it is equivalent to Mother’s Day. Great strides have been taken in 100 years, with women in many countries now having real choices, their voices heard and their skills acknowledged, so the tone of the centenary will be one of celebration. For details of events, or to get involved, visit www.internationalwomensday.com

8 March 2011 marks the centenary of International Women’s Day, when supporters all over the world will celebrate the advances made towards gender equality. Many ex-GDST students, both past and present, count among the pioneers who have helped open doors to women, and here Verve salutes four of them.

Feature | International Women’s Day | Verve 9

It has long been the nature of many GDST alumnae to succeed and prosper in their chosen path in life, regardless of gender. Mary Donaldson and Rose Heilbron left rich legacies after a lifetime of determined hard work; Stella Rimington and Ilora Finlay continue to make the most of their talents.

Rose HeilbronThe Belvedere

Dame Rose Heilbron blazed a trail for women in law. She was one of the leading defence barristers of her day and became only the second woman to be appointed a High Court judge.

Born in Liverpool in 1914, Rose was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1939. She won her first murder acquittal aged 29. Having just been appointed Queen’s Counsel, she became the first woman to lead in an English murder trial. Her client, Merseyside gangster George Kelly, famously complained “I want no Judy defending me”, but despite being convicted and sentenced to hang he was full of praise for her painstaking defence, which won her the accolade of Daily Mirror Woman of the Year. Many of her cases made lurid headlines, and with her evident tenacity and a fine voice with which she commanded the courtroom, she found herself transformed from a curiosity into a celebrity. Rose was the first woman to plead a case in the House of Lords and in 1956 was appointed the first woman Recorder. In 1972, she made history as the first woman to preside as judge at the Old Bailey and the following year became the first female leader of the Northern Circuit, before her appointment as a High Court judge in the Family Division in 1974. Again her cases filled the newspapers. Her ruling that doctors must drop a controversial plan to sterilise an 11-year-old girl with a rare hereditary disorder, for example, won widespread approval. Perhaps her most famous judgment, in 1987, involved an Oxford undergraduate who wanted to stop his former girlfriend from having an abortion. She ruled there were no grounds for him doing so, setting an important precedent. Rose was also recognised for her contribution to rape law, after heading the independent inquiry which recommended that rape victims should remain anonymous and not be subjected to unnecessary cross-examination about their sexual history. She retired aged 74 and died in 2005 at 91, having seen her daughter Hilary Heilbron forge her own highly successful career as a QC. W

Mary DonaldsonPortsmouth High School

The first - and, to date, only - female Lord Mayor of London in 800 years was Dame Mary Donaldson, a lifelong champion of public service.

She took on her term of office in 1983 in characteristically unfussy style, taking as her year’s theme ‘It’s people that matter’ and confiding to an interviewer that she planned on wearing nothing but her underwear under her heavy ceremonial robes. Anyone who made the dire mistake of addressing her as the ‘Lady Mayoress’ was ‘fined’ £1, paid to the NSPCC. Born Dorothy Mary Warwick in 1921, she was never one to be held back by convention. She left Portsmouth High School at 16 to spend a year in Paris teaching English, returning home to train as a nurse. During World War II she worked in London’s Middlesex Hospital, nursing soldiers evacuated from Dunkirk and the victims of the Blitz. It was here she met her husband, Baron Donaldson of Lymington, Master of the Rolls from 1982-92, when he was visiting his mother, one of her patients. Mary once said she was “never one for playing bridge and drinking coffee”. After her three children had grown up, she decided to stand for election to the City of London Court of Common Council, her local authority. Undeterred by the fact that no woman had ever stood before, she was elected in 1966. In 1975, she was the first woman to become an Alderman, then went on to be the first female Sheriff of the City of London, in 1981 and 1982, before her election as Lord Mayor. Mary also showed considerable interest in health and education. She chaired the Women’s National Cancer Control Campaign in the late Sixties and was a leading figure in a number of cancer charities, as well as sitting on hospital boards. She was chairman of the Interim Licensing Authority for Human In Vitro Fertilisation and Embryology from 1985 to 1991. She also found time to be a member of the Inner London Education Authority and governor of several schools, including Charterhouse. Mary, who was appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1983, showed little interest in retirement, continuing an active involvement in organisations as diverse as the Press Complaints Commission and Council of the Banking Ombudsman well into her seventies. She died in 2003, aged 82. W

defence barristers of her day and became only the second woman to

Stella RimingtonNottingham Girls’ High School (1947- 1953)

Dame Stella Rimington has a trio of firsts relating to her time as director general of MI5: the first woman to head the UK security service; the first to be named and photographed; and the first to publish her memoirs.

What, Verve wonders, does that say about her personality? Stella laughs. “I think it says something about my slightly iconoclastic view - if there is a barrier or restriction I am the kind of person who sets about knocking it down.” This natural grit was inherited from her Yorkshire father and Lancastrian mother and served her well when she held one of the most important and challenging posts in government. But it was also evident as early as her schooldays when she announced she wanted to be an airline pilot, knowing full well that was not considered ‘women’s work’. “I started at Nottingham in 1947 when I was 12, a full year after everyone else, so I was slightly out of it. Maybe that caused me to set about working hard to fit in,” she recalls. “It was a very high achieving school where you had to do the work - not just academically, we did a lot of plays and such like. What has changed is I don’t remember them focusing on careers then. We were definitely encouraged to get into university but there was not much thought given to what happened after that.” And so it was that Stella became an historical archivist at the Worcester county record office, believing a quiet life buried in dusty records was her destiny. But it didn’t work out that way. Recently engaged to be married, she took a job in London at the India Office library, working in the European manuscript section, where she dealt with records from the time of the British Raj - including the fascinating and often tragic diaries of colonial wives.

By complete chance, her husband was then posted to the British High Commission in New Delhi in 1967 and she took on the role of diplomatic wife herself. It was in India that her life took its most momentous turn. “I was approached by an MI5 operative, not that I knew then that’s what he was, and asked if I was interested in a part-time job. I started as a kind of clerk/typist, and found myself sealing up the secret bag going back to London. “MI5 was helping Commonwealth countries with their security. The place was full of spies from the Soviet bloc, the UK and United States.” When the couple returned to Britain, Stella had seen enough to convince her to apply for a permanent job with MI5, and she steadily worked her way up through the ranks in all three areas of the service - counter espionage, counter subversion, and counter terrorism. She was made director general in 1992, a position she held for four years. To start with, combining a job shrouded in secrecy with her life as mother to two girls was not particularly problematic. “When I joined MI5 women were assistants, doing desk work, research, so the difficulties were the same as for any woman returning to work after having a baby at a time when there wasn’t really maternity leave.

“Then the situation for women changed and I started doing more of an operational job.” It was, as Stella rather drily under-states, “no longer nine to five”. The pressure really mounted when the Government decided that the next head of MI5 should be named on appointment, and she got the job.

“Then the situation for women changed and I started doing more of an operational job... It was no longer nine to five.”

10 Feature | International Women’s Day | Verve

Feature International Women’s Day Centenary

RECOGNITIONCelebrating 100 years of

“My daughters knew I worked for the government and couldn’t talk about it, but when my name was announced it was a great shock to them. Sophie, my eldest, was at university and I didn’t have time to warn her - she found out when she saw my picture on TV.” Suddenly the family was plunged into a media maelstrom. They were forced to move house. Their protection at a time when the IRA was a major threat became a serious concern. It was clearly personally a terribly difficult time. Stella was back in the news following her retirement in 1996, when her decision to publish her memoirs was greeted by furious headlines about the threat to national security they might pose.So why did she put herself back in the firing line? “It was almost by chance,” she says. “As I came to the end of my time lots of publishers wrote to me about a book but I said no, I’m not allowed, it’s too secret.

“But I was doing quite a bit of speaking to women’s groups on the question of balancing work and family and realised there was a lot I could say that wasn’t revealing the nation’s secrets. “So I started to write. I quite enjoyed the early bits and when I got to the point where I joined the service I just persevered and monitored myself, as I knew perfectly well what I could or couldn’t say.” The process pointed Stella in the direction of a new career, as the writer of popular spy novels. She admits adjusting to life outside the cloistered world of MI5 was not initially easy, but through the exploits of her fictional heroine, intelligence officer

Liz Carlyle, she is maintaining a connection with her former life from a safe distance. “Imagining the different situations I put her in is much more enjoyable than dealing with the real ones!” she insists. Her own daughters have taken very different

career paths: Sophie is a marionettist and Harriet works for education publisher Pearson, but Stella would certainly

recommend MI5 to young women today.“For the right person, who is interested in the serious security

issues that affect the nation, it’s a very satisfying job.” Actually, there may be another to add to that list of firsts – the first director general of MI5 to be characterised in a James Bond film. Is it true Judi Dench’s ‘M’ is based on Stella? “The first film [GoldenEye] was undeniably based on me,” she says. “It’s slightly breathtaking seeing yourself replicated - she had the same short hair I had then, and very similar clothes. “M’s got slightly more exotic since then, and more front line than someone in charge of the secret service could be. But it’s huge fun and really rather nice to be played by such a fantastic actress.”

Present Danger by Stella Rimington, the fifth novel featuring agent Liz Carlyle, is published by Quercus Publishing. W

“It’s slightly breathtaking seeing yourself replicated - she had the same short hair I had then, and very similar clothes.”

Feature | International Women’s Day | Verve 11

Suddenly the family was plunged into a media maelstrom. They were forced to move house. Their

career paths: Sophie is a marionettist and Harriet works for education publisher Pearson, but Stella would certainly

recommend MI5 to young women today.“For the right person, who is interested in the serious security

12 Feature | International Women’s Day | Verve

Professor the Baroness Finlay of LlandaffWimbledon High School (1953 - 1967)

Professor Baroness Finlay of Llandaff could be described as a champion for us all. As a medical professional and, latterly, as a cross bench life peer, she has led a revolution in the treatment and care of terminally ill people.

She sees her specialist field as giving patients the chance to live well and die well.

This may seem a reasonable enough proposition, but it is one which had no recognised place in medicine when she started out three decades ago. “We were looking after dying

patients so badly. Something had to change,” she recalls.

Ilora - whose husband, son and daughter are all doctors - was the first

consultant in palliative medicine in Wales. Hard work and a fair bit of cunning led to her department growing from a chair in the corner of the medical records office to a purpose-built active support unit with two consultants and six nurses caring for the sickest patients at the Velindre NHS cancer centre in Cardiff, where she is part of the senior management team. The unit is now used as a model for palliative care provision across the UK, and, as professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University School of Medicine, Ilora is passing on her expertise to new generations of doctors. She is also working with the Welsh Assembly Government to help improve palliative care across the nation. Ilora’s experience of caring for the dying is not just professional. She helped care for her father at home as he died from a brain tumour which, in a hideous twist of fate, progressively attacked the areas he himself had mapped out as a leading neurophysiologist.

Later, when her mother was terminally ill, she was able to ensure she received the right medical care which greatly enhanced the end of her life. Both parents encouraged the young Ilora in her ambition to become a doctor, hatched aged three after a long spell in hospital. She also credits her “excellent” education at Wimbledon High School. “It wasn’t the factual teaching; it was the attitude,” Ilora says. “It was school that gave me the confidence to speak out.” In particular her RE teacher, Miss Hunt, with whom she is still in touch today, instilled in her the importance of principles. Ilora was able to draw from these lessons when she was made a life peer in 2001. Of her maiden speech in the House of Lords, on the Tobacco Advertising Bill, she remarks: “Whatever audience you speak to for the first time it’s terrifying. I was terrified making my head girl speech at Wimbledon!” She has been a highly active peer. In 2003 she proposed a bill to ban smoking in public buildings in Wales. “I wrote the Bill for Wales because I knew I couldn’t take on the tobacco companies in England and because I had support in the Assembly,” she explains. “Although the Bill failed for lack of time I’d got a head of steam up and the Government took it on.” The ban came into effect three years later. Her achievements also include sponsoring the Sunbeds Regulation Bill, which she managed to push through the Lords ahead of last year’s general election. “You only have to see young people dying of melanoma to understand why that was so important,” Ilora says. She also chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Dying Well, a vocal opponent of legalising euthanasia, which it sees as promoting death rather than quality of life, believing it to be too dangerous to license dying by appointment. So much has changed in palliative care, but there is still more to be done. “We need recognition at every level of the NHS from the cleaning staff up to the consultant. With every patient they should be thinking, ‘what if this was my mother, or my brother, what would I want for them?’ and make that happen instead of being so risk averse and protocol-driven.” What is certain is that Ilora will continue to make it her life’s work to see that those changes come about. W

She sees her specialist field as giving patients the chance to live well and die well.

This may seem a reasonable enough proposition, but it is one which

change,

daughter are all doctors - was the first

Feature International Women’s Day Centenary

RECOGNITIONCelebrating 100 years of

Alumnae Network | Verve 13

Alumnae NetworkNetworkwww.linkedin.com/gdstalumnae

Help bring lost sheep back into the foldAlumnae Relations Manager Jennifer Grafton wants to shepherd more members into the GDST Alumnae Network - but she needs your help.With well over 40,000 active members, our network community is both broad and effective. Social networking has made connecting with fellow alums easier than ever, yet there are still hundreds of “lost sheep” from every school. Each year we welcome back former students who had lost contact with us, their school or their former classmates, and we would really like your help to increase the number of “lost and found” alums. A female network of alumnae suffers from the usual problems of name changes and relocation, and we rely on your recommendations and referrals to help us reconnect with former students. Do you have friends you’re still in touch with who would like to be kept up-to-date with news from their school? If so, we would love to hear from you, or them! In particular we are keen to hear from alums who left school in the decades since the 1960s, so we can build a more comprehensive network. Getting in touch with us is very easy. We have a short online registration form on the website, or you can email us names and contact details. Once a member, they will be able to receive our quarterly ezine, news updates and this magazine. They can choose which communications they would like to receive. We respect our members’ privacy and do not share anyone’s details with third parties. W

Why it’s good to belongFive reasons to be part of the GDST Alumnae Network

W Network with fellow professionals. Our members work in a diverse range of professions from accountancy to photography. Connect for advice, mentoring, shared business and more.

W Be part of a powerful community. The Network numbers over 40,000 women, who lead active lives and are influential in many different walks of life.

W Stay connected with your school. Rekindle friendships and keep up to date with the latest news from school and GDST.

W Enjoy special benefits. Enjoy preferential rates with professional organisations such the Institute of Directors and the Royal Commonwealth Club.

W Cultural and networking events. Socialise and visit interesting venues. Enjoy evening events with top guest speakers and great networking opportunities. W

For more informationW Website: www.gdstalumnae.net W Email: info@gdstalumnae.netW Phone: 020 7393 6666W Connect: via Facebook or LinkedIn

S arah Stephens (née Wilkinson) turned to the GDST Alumnae Network when she started a new life

in Canada in 2010. “Contact with GDST alumnae provided the first opportunities for friendship,” said Sarah, recalling her first weeks in Edmonton after marrying her Canadian husband, who she met while working in New Zealand. “I met with some of them and we have since kept up contact. I also heard from an alumna in her mid-twenties who had recently moved to Vancouver and had read my initial article in the March 2010 ezine.”

Having a shared bond with these women helped Sarah settle into a new culture. “It is comforting to talk to others who can relate to the differences and who have similarly had to adjust to them.

“One year after arriving, I am grateful to the alumnae for their

words of advice. Canada now truly feels like home.”

Sutton High School (1986-1994)

If you are interested in connecting with any of the 1,000-plus alumnae living overseas contact us on 020 7393 6666 or email info@gdstalumnae.net W

Did you know?In 2010 we lifted all restrictions on membership of the network. If you know of someone who was previously not eligible to join because they left school before Sixth Form, help us get in touch, as membership is now open to all former students of GDST schools. W

provided the first opportunities for “One year after arriving, I am grateful to the alumnae for their

words of advice. Canada now truly feels like home.”

(1986-1994)

It’s a small world for the GDST Alumnae Network

14 Career Focus | Verve

What Katie did

Careerfocus

I would like to say first of all that the article emphatically does not refer to me! This concerns what I have learnt about women’s careers in my 38 years in the world of corporate publishing. During those years I interviewed hundreds of young women (and young men), mentored many and watched them climb the career ladder, and this is what I have learnt.

Cultivate the habit of working hard.This is one for the newly-employed

graduate. Arrive a bit early, leave a bit late, volunteer for any work that is offered; pile in when there is a big group task. Do the tasks you are given really well - not just adequately.

Be charming and make alliances. My experience is that however

senior you are, no one does something because you tell them, or even ask them, to do it. Charm is vitally important and I would say it is very difficult to rise to the top without it. Managing the internal network is vital to getting on.

Be efficient. A habit of ‘doing it now’ and never postponing difficult

tasks pays huge dividends. In business people always prefer fast to slow.

Don’t be perfect. Girls and women just love getting everything right.

‘Don’t be perfect’ is extra important for working women if they become working mothers. Women need a lot of self-knowledge and a lot of patience with themselves and their own ambition. As a working mum, there is a significant period when she won’t be as perfect a worker or mother as she would like to be. Living with that, and understanding that even operating at less than 100% your partner, employer and baby are lucky to have you can be very helpful.

Be prepared to take risks. Psychologists have found that while

there are few verifiable psychological differences between men and women, one that does seem to be consistent is that men seek out risk more than women. In publishing, risk taking is so ingrained in what the business does that after a while it does not become hard. Of course not every risk works and with risk come mistakes. Being willing to take risks (whether to voice an opinion at a large meeting, to go against a crowd view, or to pitch with passion for a course of action) is one of the markers of future success.

Don’t be afraid to claim your successes. One of the greatest

weaknesses of women is they tend to work hard, be efficient and get a great deal done - but they often aren’t good at shouting about it. Modesty I think comes naturally to many women, but to get on you need to be able to say “look at me, look at what I have achieved”.

Be resilient. Finally, don’t let the setbacks set you back. Develop self

confidence and fight back for whatever working life throws at you. If you talk to any CEO, they will tell you about the setbacks and disasters in their career path to the top. So one of the most important things is the ability to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and move on.

In conclusion, providing you are prepared to work hard, charm people, be efficient, cope with being less than perfect, be prepared to take risks, shout about your successes, and above all develop resilience, you should succeed in life generally and business in particular - while trying quite hard! W

7 Habits of Highly Effective Women - or how to succeed in business by trying quite hardBy GDST CEO, Helen Fraser

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Work experience

If you are a GDST student looking for work experience or an alumna who can offer work placements or shadowing to a GDST Sixth Former or young alumna, please email info@gdstalumnae.net W

Careers Uncovered

E very year, the GDST Alumnae

Network helps Sixth Formers wanting to know more about a huge range of career choices by introducing contacts for work experience through the Network. Katie Barrowclough from Northampton High School had a taste of life of as a police officer, and filed this report. I have wanted to join the police for as long as I can remember. Over my summer holiday I was lucky enough to secure two work experience placements with the Metropolitan Police. Initially I thought I would struggle to find work experience, however, after a talk at school about the opportunities the GDST Alumnae Network has to offer, I decided to find out if it was possible. I was thrilled when within a fortnight, two ex-GDST girls who work for the Met contacted me. My first placement was with the Rapid Response Unit in a London borough. I was allowed to sit in the back of a police carfor two 12-hour night shifts with officers attending emergency calls, which showed me the realities of policing. Later I visited London City Airport with an officer who works for the Firearms Unit which polices the airport, and I also managed to organise some work experience with the Dog Section in Northampton. As a result I have witnessed three extremely different aspects of policing which has helped me decide which area I want to go into: being a firearms officer. I would really recommend the Alumnae Network’s help, which I also used to organise university rough guides. It’s been so helpful to speak to people both at the universities that I want to go to and in the career I want to follow - there is nothing more beneficial than hearing first hand advice. W

Emma Broad25 Police ConstableSutton High School (1997-2004)

What’s the best advice someone gave you when you started out?The best advice anyone ever gave me when starting out in my career was my mother, telling me the old phrase ‘never put all your eggs in one basket’. At the time I didn’t think this was relevant to me; I already knew that I wanted to study politics at university and begin a career in that field. However, as time went on I realised that by not being open to other options you may miss out on doing something you truly love, and, as someone who never thought I would go into the police force, I now realise how right she was! If there is something you really want to do then I’m definitely not saying you shouldn’t go for it, but just remember that, if it doesn’t work out, there is a world of choices out there for you and it’s good to be open to new and different things.

What’s the one thing you wish you’d done differently?I have to be honest and say that there isn’t one thing I wish that I had done differently. Of course, sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had picked different subjects at school or gone with my other choice of university, but without following the path I have done I wouldn’t be living the life I am now, in a career that I love.

What inspires or motivates you in your career?I am motivated by helping people and getting results. As a police officer I deal with people from all walks of life, those who are victims of different types of crime and those who have suffered injury or loss. It makes me feel good knowing that I can do something to help these people. If I don’t put my best efforts into something then the outcome will have an effect on someone’s life, so I make sure that what I am working on is done thoroughly. I know that what I am a part of is contributing to the good of society and this is really inspiring to me.

What’s your top tip for getting going in your field of work?There’s always someone in your life who works with or for the police. Ask around to get an idea of what they do. The ‘PoliceCouldYou’ website is useful as a starting point. Having a degree is useful. To pass out as an officer and be promoted there are examinations, and university experience was useful when it came to preparing for these. Degrees in policing and criminology don’t give you much of an advantage. Don’t be put off, the training provided and the experience I gained allows me to do the job I do. W

www.policecouldyou.co.uk

Victoria Ramez23 Trainee ArchitectCentral Newcastle High School (1995-2000)

I am at university studying for a Masters of Architecture (RIBA Part 2). This is year five of a seven year course to qualify as an architect, having graduated with an Architecture BA (Hons) and completed a one year placement in practice as an architectural assistant.

What’s the best advice someone gave you when you started out?Probably not to worry about how long it takes to get to where you want to be. My course is seven years so I’m still a full time student at 23 and will be for a while! I know this can put a lot of people off doing the job they really want to do but it’s worth it.

What’s the one thing you wish you’d done differently?In retrospect I wish I had moved to a new city to go to university; I stayed in Newcastle, and as much as I love it, I think moving away would have been a great experience.

What inspires or motivates you in your career?Seeing a project come together when I’ve been working on something for a long time is definitely motivating. This is more apparent when working in practice but even with a university project it’s always fulfilling to see where all the drawing and designing leads.

What’s your top tip for getting going in your field of work?Be prepared to spend a lot of time working and very little time sleeping! W

If someone had told me…Starting out in a career can be like stepping off a precipice, however well-prepared you think you are. Verve asked two young alumnae fresh to their chosen professions for their advice.

Career Focus | Verve 15

Social Events Calendar

A private guided tour at the Wallace Collection - London

Friday 15 April, 11.30am. £6www.wallacecollection.org

The Wallace Collection, just off Oxford Street, comprises the wonderful works of art collected in the 18th and 19th centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. Displayed at Hertford House, it offers fine art by artists such as Titian, Rembrandt and Hals (The Laughing Cavalier) and French porcelain as well as an impressive armoury. Join us to have the collection’s treasures expertly explained by our personal guide. W

Discover Roman London, a guided tour - London

Thursday 5 May, 11am. £15

Two thousand years ago the Romans established a trading port, Londinium, on the banks of the Thames - and today archaeologists are still uncovering more of its past. Discover The Temple of Mithras, where followers of what was one of the most popular cults in the Roman Empire once worshipped. Trace the steps of the wall, and hear how our ancestors conducted their daily lives. Our London walking tours with expert Blue Badge guide Sarah Fordham always sell out quickly. W

Private tour of Deene Park, with lunch - Northamptonshire

Friday 12 August, 11am. £17www.deenepark.com

The magnificent Deene Park has been occupied by the Brudenell family since 1514, evolving from a mediaeval manor into a Tudor and Georgian mansion. Edmund Brudenell, the current owner, has taken considerable care in restoring the house and gardens to their former glory. Following a tour of the public rooms we shall enjoy lunch, after which guests are encouraged to visit the lovely St Peter’s church on the estate, dating from the 13th century. W

Guided tour of the Fine Rooms at the Royal Academy of Arts - London

Friday 16 September, 10.30am. £9www.royalacademy.org.uk

Famed for its Summer Exhibition, the Royal Academy of Arts has an astonishing amount to offer. Our hour-long private guided tour is of the beautiful John Madjeski Fine Rooms (formerly the State Rooms for Burlington House), not usually open to the public. The tour will focus on selected works from the RA Collection and also give an insight into the history of the Royal Academy and Burlington House. W

A private guided tour of the house at Loseley Park, with afternoon tea - Surrey

Thursday 16 June, 1.30pm. £17www.loseley-park.com

Loseley House’s royal connections began when it was built in the 1560s for a visit of Elizabeth I. It now boasts exquisite panelling from Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace, a gilded ceiling decorated for James I’s stay, and a fine collection of royal and family portraits. The library, one of the first to be created by an English gentleman, has been built up by successive generations of the family. Enjoy all this with our expert guide, followed by the renowned afternoon tea. W

Exclusive tour of Chiswick House Gardens with afternoon tea - London

Wednesday 13 July, 2pm. £14www.chgt.org.uk

Chiswick House’s spectacularly restored gardens promise grand vistas and hidden pathways, architectural delights and a dazzling array of flowers, shrubs and specimen trees, creating a unique oasis in this corner of London. This is the birthplace of the English landscape movement and the inspiration for great gardens from Blenheim Palace to New York’s Central Park. See the fruits of a £12million restoration, completed last year, followed by afternoon tea. W

The quickest and easiest way to book is online, via your account on the website - www.gdstalumnae.net. Alternatively, complete your booking requirements and return along with full payment with your membership update form. Please provide your mobile number and email address when you book. There is no deadline for booking events, but tickets sell out fast so we recommend making your booking as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. W

We hope you will be able to join us on one or more of our social events.

How tobook