LOOK OUT FOR:   ASA AGM, 1 , I S S U E 2 N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 2 THE ASHFORD SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (ASA), FOR ALUMNI, STAFF & PARENTS Class of 1993 Editorial “Off to university” breakfast  V O L U M E 9th Feb 2013 reunion  Alumni & Development Class of 2008 invite to Founders’ Day INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Editorial 1 Alumni News 1 President’s 2 letter “Off to 2 university” Breakfast News From 3 the School Births, Marriages & Deaths 3 More Reunions 4 Welcome to the Autumn Term ASA Newsletter. I do hope you enjoyed reading the recently published School Magazine, and that this Newsletter gives you more news from our members and of forthcoming events. The ASA Committee meets with Marcus and Fiona from the Alumni and Development Office at least once a term and are in regular contact by phone and email, but we still rely on all our Members to keep us up to date with news, change of address and email details, so please do keep in contact via development @ashfordschool.co.uk. The website is updated weekly by Fiona so please have a look as there will be additional information on there which is not published in the Newsletters or The School Magazine. The AGM next year has been moved to the 9th February due to half term, and I hope as many of you as possible will attend. This is your opportunity to meet the Committee, and see the School. Please don't avoid the AGM just because you think you will be roped into Committee work! However new Committee members are always welcome. Do get in touch with me if you would like further information on what we do! With best wishes for a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Sarah Dean Chairman. Alumni News Bomber Command memorial Val Arends (née Davies, class of 1954) was fortunate enough to be invited to the Bomber Command Memorial Dedication in J u n e o f t h is y e a r . Her father, Flt. Lt. Richard Davies, was killed when his Lancaster bomber crashed after returning from a raid over Berlin in September 1943. The RAF Benevolent Fund paid for her school fees for Ashford as her mother was a war widow with 2 tiny children. Val’s eldest son Andrew accompanied her to the ceremony. Eight Royals attended, including the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. Val was delighted that The Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward) came and spoke to her. “The ceremony was very moving, particularly when the Lancaster flew overhead dropping poppies.” Lunch at Quaglino’s Among the diners in a private room at Quaglino's were six girls (class of 1977) who celebrated 35 years since leaving Ashford School. Tricia Timbers (who kindly got the group together) was joined by Lyn Otun, Diana Webb, Jenny Smith, Barbara Kenney, and Anne Bond. Also present were Carolyn Chamberlain (ASA President), Jo-an Baxter, Sue Coldrey, Rae Sasson, Alison Stowers and Gill Williams. The same room is booked for next year (Saturday 9th November 2013) so please reserve your place as soon as possible. New “lunchers” welcome! Email: Carolyn.chamberlain@ wanadoo.fr PAGE 2 New ASA President’s letter I cannot believe I am now the President of the Ashford School Association! Everything comes to those who wait. It only seems a trice ago that I was knitting doubledusters in the junior com having accumulated a record-breaking 23 stripes in one term!! Nor does it seem that long ago that Mary Reader met me in the Chequers in Loose, soon after our moving there from Sussex, and, after no time at all, gleefully saw me as a possible replacement for her as Hon Secretary! This eventually took place when Mary's last daughter, Vicky, left Ashford and my own daughter, Alexandra, joined the Junior School - then located in my old house, Nightingale. I am still following in Mary's footsteps, and would like to take this opportunity to thank her very much for all she has done for us over the past 35 years as Hon. Secretary, Chairman and, more recently, President. You will have seen her photos in the latest Lunchers outside Quaglino’s Opening of the Simpson Gallery School magazine under the Alumni section, opening the Simpson Art Gallery, named in her honour. This is the first year for many that I am not having to snug up with Howard the printer for two or three days in November to produce your magazine. We are once again an integral part of the School magazine that now goes out in September. Next year I will get all relevant copy to the Editor by June, so if you would like to make a contribution please get in touch with me in the Spring. I apologise for the lack of the usual ASA information this year. We are trying to make up for this in the current Newsletter. I would also like to thank here our archivist, Sandra Noel, who found some gems to put in the Alumni section. Please send her anything you feel should not be lost to memory. She can be contacted at archives@ashfordschool .co.uk. She will give you information of where to send things. And last but not least, as Editor for so many years, I would like to say how splendid I found the School magazine this year. I know first-hand how much effort went into producing it, and I congratulate Liz Leonard, the unsung hero of the production team, (I couldn't find any mention of her name in the magazine!). If I were a parent looking for a good school for my child, I think this magazine could help me decide.... It does a splendid job of illustrating Ashford School's positive approach to education as a whole. I hope all of you reading this will have an excellent Christmas, and we hope to see as many of you as possible at School next year on 9th February. Carolyn Chamberlain “Off to University” Breakfast 2012 Class of 2012 Bacon buns in the Atrium ALUMNI & DEVELOPMENT A good number of the class of 2012 returned to school for the annual “Off to University” breakfast. They gathered in the Atrium for bacon buns, tea and coffee and plenty of chatter. The event is going to be renamed the “Back to University” breakfast, so that it is open to all ASA members who are currently studying at university or college. Many of the ASA members who came to this year’s event promised to come back next year, so it will get bigger and better each year! Photographs by Ashford School VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3 Events The ASA AGM, Saturday 9th February 2013, 10.00am1.00pm, Ashford School. Please come along if you can. Decisions about the Association cannot be made by themselves and it is important that the committee reflects the wishes and suggestions of the members. Please contact the Alumni & Development office (development@ ashfordschool.co.uk) if you are thinking of coming (we need to know lunch-numbers, apart from anything else). Class of 1993 20th anniversary Reunion, summer 2013. The date of the event has not been confirmed yet, but the reunion is for the class of 1993. If you were in the Upper Sixth in the summer of 1993 or are a contemporary who left at the end of year 11 (5th Form) in the summer of 1991 we would love to hear from you! Please email: development @ashfordschool.co.uk Class of 2008 5th anniversary. If you were a member of the Upper Sixth who left in 2008 you may remember that the head of Sixth, Miss Semple, gave you all a piece of a jigsaw of Ashford School. You are all warmly invited to return on Founders’ Day to meet fellow alumni and current staff and pupils. Please email the A&D office if you intend to come. (Bringing your jigsaw piece is purely optional!) CLASS OF 2008 5th ANNIVERSARY REUNION News from the school Caroline Welling (Class of 2011) talk Caroline Welling, Former School Captain, returned to school to tell students about her experience of working on the Obama campaign during her gap year in the US. Caroline did many other things on her gap year including campaigning for human rights and even working on a food truck. She is now starting a Law course at Bristol University. A celebration of the Piano On the 27th of September pianists from both Ashford Senior and Ashford Friars Prep School celebrated the gift of a splendid new grand piano with a concert of sparkling piano music. This included a celebrity performance by upcoming recital pianist, and Ashford School alumna, Jane Wisely Jane Wisely. Births, Marriages & Deaths Caroline Riddel We are very sad to announce the death of Mrs Caroline Riddel, much loved and admired English teacher for over twenty years. She was a wonderful inspiration to her pupils with her enthusiasm for her subject, her wide knowledge and her dramatic personality, qualities she combined with a real concern for their welfare. Two of the many tributes posted on the Ashford School Facebook page seem to sum up what we all felt about her: ‘I have lovely memories of being taught Shakespeare by her in summer 1999, in the garden of her pink house, surrounded by pink geraniums, while she was invariably wearing pink. What a wonderful inspirational teacher!’ ‘Mrs Riddel will be remembered for her ability to inspire, her sharp wit and her scholarly talent. They don’t make teachers like her anymore.’ A memorial service was held in September attended by large numbers of family, friends and former students. More about this and the ad- dresses given in tribute to Mrs Riddel can be found on the Alumni link to the school website. Gordon Reynolds. We were saddened to hear that Gordon passed away at home this summer. Gordon, who was head of Art, joined the school in 1990 and retired in 2008. He was an accomplished artist himself as well as an inspirational teacher who built up the department into the very successful faculty that it is today. The exam results were always first class and the end of year exhibition Caroline Riddel of work was always one of the highlights of Founders’ Day. He introduced many new ideas to the department including life drawing and painting trips abroad. As well as teaching he also helped with marketing, attending many events and designing eye-catching advertisements to showcase Ashford School in the press. The ASA (then the OGA) had good reason to be very grateful to Gordon as he secured an on-site office for us in Refuge when he was head of the Art Department situated at that time in Refuge. This is something we had been wanting for a long time and it made everything much easier for us at the time. Gordon was a dedicated and enthusiastic Art teacher. We all send our condolences to his family. We were also saddened to hear of the passing away of two other former Ashford pupils, Jane Verity Neilson, née Shephard, a 1950’s leaver and Julia Tibber, née Bunge, class of 1972. Our condo- Alumni & Development Office Ashford School East Hill Ashford Kent TN24 8PB Phone: +44 (0)1233 625171 x 388 E-mail: [email protected] www.ashfordschool.co.uk And Finally …...More Reunions !!! Ladies from the class of 1954 meet for lunch Hilary Haxworth (Cranmer), Val Davies, Celia Perham and Bettina (Boo) Dicks, all Nightingale 1954 met up at Val's home in London earlier this month. They had a wonderful time catching up with each other’s news. Bristol Reunion Dinner in Bristol. In October Miss Semple (head of Sixth Form) met up with 3 ASA members who are all studying in Bristol. More university events are being planned around the country. If you want to be involved, or, maybe organise your own local event, please get in touch. We will be able to help you identify fellow Alumni who are studying at a university in your town! Editor’s note: Please let us know if your contact details change so we can keep our records up-to-date. If you do meet up with fellow ASA members, we would love to have a photo! L-R Hilary, Val, Celia & Bettina (Boo) Suggestions for the Newsletter? News for us? Any questions? Email: [email protected] subscribe :