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THE VINES SOCIET Y NEWSLETTER / 2019-2020

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THE VINES SOCIETY

DEAR VINE

Before the pandemic changed life so dramatically,
our children were enjoying another carefree
Vinehall year, rich with concerts, productions,
educational outings and an exciting and
innovative curriculum. There were huge successes
on the sports pitches and individual rewards at the
Hastings Music Festival.
When the guidance came to close the school in
March, staff devoted themselves to preparing
brilliant online lessons; they embraced new
technology, realised previously untapped skills
and were inspired and inventive in their provision.
We have seen online concerts; a Year 8 film
replacing the traditional musical, with combined
snippets of footage from pupils all over the world;
a socially distanced Sports Day; an hilarious girls’
cricket match from their own back gardens; as well
as a rich timetable of first-class interactive lessons
and activities.
In June we were allowed to open our doors, in part, and our dedicated support staff rallied admirably to prepare the site for the
children’s return. A highly enjoyable and desperately needed last few weeks of the summer term were achieved, with a rotation of
activities across our grounds enabling much longed-for social contact in bubbles.
The summer term saw an incredible clutch of scholarships to an enormous range of senior schools – Battle Abbey, Bede’s,
Benenden, Eastbourne, Harrow, King’s, Sedbergh and Tonbridge – in academics, drama, music and sport. Our Year 8s missed
their usual leavers’ rites of passage, but we did our best to provide alternatives and a fitting end to their Vinehall careers.
September brought fresh challenges as the school was transformed into zones and bubbles to enable a full return. SMT worked
hard to ensure the safety of our community whilst returning to as much normality as possible.
This term’s productions have had to be filmed; the Carol Service beamed into homes for families to enjoy together; some teachers
have had to provide a mix of virtual and present lessons for isolating pupils; trips out have become exciting and unusual activities
at school; and our sports fixtures have been replaced by tournaments in year groups over a range of games – The Vinehall 5s.
Pupils continue to think of others and have organised fund-raising events and awareness campaigns on site.
We have missed the daily contact with parents but have arranged Zoom parents’ evenings, increased personal email contact and
done a lot of smiley waving on the drive instead. This has been hard for our large number of new families, many of whom came
to us following the closure of Bricklehurst Manor, but these children have integrated incredibly well and are settled and happy.
Through it all the children, parents and staff have remained positive and cheerful and I am pleased to report that the school
continues to go from strength to strength.

Joff Powis

Gilbart Travel Bursary Sophie Orr, Lucy Wylie-Carrick, Ralph Yeats-Brown, Hannah
Follett, Katie Orr and Kieran Sassone.
At the Annual General Meeting in 2006 the Chairman Vines planning a Gap Year are invited to apply for the bursary.
announced a proposal by the Committee to set up a bursary In the first instance you should register your interest with
in memory of Tom and Carol Gilbart, who came to the school the Vines Society Honorary Secretary, Malcolm Gordon, at
in the 1940s, helped to create the Vinehall that we know today, [email protected].
and were a formative influence on generations of Vines. Tom Applications should be submitted by 31st October in the year
Gilbart died in 1975 and his widow Carol sadly passed away prior to the year of travel, although late applications may be
in 2006. considered, and will be examined by a subcommittee of the
It was decided to create the Gilbart Travel Bursary, to be Society. Applicants should be aged under 25 years on that
awarded annually to a Vine or Vines planning to undertake date. The successful candidate(s) will be advised as soon as
a Gap Year project between school and university, or after possible thereafter.
completing their education up to the age of 25.

The first bursary recipients were selected in 2007. The awards Following completion of their project, the successful
were presented formally at Vines Day 2008 by Andrew Gilbart, candidate(s) will be expected to report back to the school
son of Tom and Carol, to Will Thoms and Jack Thomson. They on their experiences, and to provide an article to appear in a
were followed by Vicki Goldsack and Magnus James, Pierrot future newsletter.
Lee, Frances Mavor, Eliza Elliott, Josh Powell, Dodie James,

2 THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019 - 2020

Boarding at Vinehall

www.vinehallschool.com/boarding

“I cannot tell you how
helpful flexible boarding

is for commuting
parents.”

BOARDING
SPECIALS

“Thank you for taking such good care of our son. FOR CHILDREN OF VINES
We really appreciate it and we know that he has been
so happy and had such a good experience with you CONTACT
all.” - Boarding parent [email protected]

FOR MORE INFOMATION

3T H E V I N E S S O C I E T Y N E W S L E T T E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8

VINES’ LIVES

MARTIN MOORE UNITED KINGDOM DEFENCE ADVISOR

Martin Moore (Vinehall 1976-81) is currently the
United Kingdom’s Defence Adviser at the British
High Commission in Singapore.

He joined the Royal Navy in 1991 after being
sponsored through Buckingham University where
he read Politics, Economics and Law.

A Warfare Officer, he has served in Destroyers,
Frigates, the Ice Patrol Ship and Mine Countermeasure
Vessels employed on operations from Antarctica to
Russia and Peru to Borneo.

In Singapore he is a defence diplomat and is
responsible for the bilateral relationship between
the United Kingdom and the Republic of Singapore.

Martin would like to take this opportunity to thank
Lorna Lambourne for all she has achieved and
contributed during her ‘Vinehall years’. “There will be
generations of Vines that have wonderful memories
of your contribution and for you being there as they
started their journey. Thank you for all your support
and we wish you all the best in your next chapter –
you will be missed.”

My late brother, the artist and poet It is available in paperback (£6.99). The
Michael Glendening, was a former second book, ECHOES, is a lavish, 292
boarder at Vinehall in the 1960s - while our page, large format coffee table book that
father was busy being a District Officer in charts his life and his development as an
Northern Rhodesia (Zambia). (From 1954 artist. It contains over 100 poems (from
to 1970). four collections) and over 150 paintings.

As Michael was a former pupil, I thought His academic record included a 2.1 Hons
that Vines might be interested in what I’m in Biological Sciences from Nottingham
doing to mark the 25th anniversary of his University. I think he was two years into
tragic death. He had been born with a his Masters when he gave it all up to be
hole in his heart and just as he was on the a poet and artist!
cusp of success with his art and poetry,
aged only 37, he died suddenly in Lewes. For more information on Michael,
his life and his works, please visit
To celebrate his life, art and poetry I have www.mdg-artist.com
published two books. The first is called
TANGIER, a novella about an ill-fated trip Jonathan Glendening
he made to Morocco in 1984.

4 THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019 - 2020

SOPHIE PETZAL SCREENWRITER

Vine Sophie Petzal went on to study screenwriting at
Bournemouth University. During her time there she secured
a place as a BBC Production Trainee. Her script Sanctioned
won the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award at the
International Emmys.

Following a trainee placement at CBBC in script editing, she
started writing for several CBBC shows, including Wolfblood,
Hetty Feather, The Dumping Ground and Danger Mouse. She
subsequently moved into hour-long drama, writing episodes
of Jekyll and Hyde (produced by Foz Allen, who was also the
producer on Wolfblood and Hetty Feather), Medici, The Last
Kingdom and Riviera.

In 2018, Petzal’s first original TV drama series Blood, starring
Adrian Dunbar and Carolina Main, aired on TV3 and Channel 5.

Her script for Blood won Best Long-Form Drama at the
Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards. It was renewed for a
second series, which began broadcasting in April 2020. It was
announced in February 2020 that Petzal was writing a new
four-part thriller for ITV, Hollington Drive

AT SCHOOL
by Michael Glendening

I understood, sub-consciously, after all
Little was really knowable at all.

School - rote learning and regurgitating
The teacher, authoritative, instructing
And not encouraging close challenging
questioning.

By repeated disciplining
He hollowed out a hollow space:
Learning days and dates kept us in our
place -

55 and 54 BC; 1066 and 1653 -
Christmas; All Soul’s; Anniversaries -

Monday; Tuesday.... Infinity!

I began gradually wondering when I’d
see
The future in the word,
And in the celebration of the continuing

Present.
For I knew, somehow, after all
Little but life was knowable at all.

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019 - 2020 5

VINES’ LIVES

RIDLEY NELSON

Vine Ridley Nelson recently published a
memoir in America, ‘Echoes From Far Lands
- stories on cultures, farming, and life’.
It covers a travelling life, living in seven
countries and visiting about ninety-five; the
author describes working on agricultural
development, mostly for the World Bank.
He writes mainly about Australia, England,
America, Africa and India; also wildlife and
fly fishing among elephants.
There are a few pages about Vinehall. The
final chapter is a philosophical retrospective.
Reviewers of the book have found it
interesting, funny and unusual.
The book is available worldwide in paperback
from Amazon and as an eBook on Kindle.
The book blurb is on Ridleynelson.com
(through which he can also be contacted).

Left: Ridley Nelson’s book Echoes from Far Lands
Top: Ridley on safari
Above: A group of Vinehall boys lined up to do the long jump.
“Just look at the shorts!”
“From left to right I think the photo shows Raw, Nelson,
Hutchinson, Paish, Van Rossom and Swire?”

6 THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / DECEMBER 2018

MEMORIES

NICHOLAS LANE

In November 2020 we heard from Gavin Lane, son of
Nicholas Lane, who was at Vinehall from 1939 to 1944
with his brother, Tom, who was two years younger. They
came to Vinehall via a connection to founding head
John Jacoby and his family. Gavin shares his father’s
story below.

“I can only remember him talking fondly about the
school and, because Killerton Park became a National
Trust property, he was able to visit it years later and
found a tree with his name carved in it. He also thought
it deeply ironic that they were evacuated from Sussex
to Devon. I think Sussex escaped the worst of the
Blitz but Exeter (7 miles away from Killerton Park) was
bombed severely in 1942 and Dad remembered being
able to see most of it from his dormitory window!”

Nicholas sadly died in 2014 and his brother, Tom, a
year later. While clearing out her attic, their sister Alice
Everard (Gavin’s aunt) discoverd a number of letters
that Nicholas had written home during World War II,
when Vinehall was evacuated to Devon.

A wonderful piece of history that we were thrilled
to receive.

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / DECEMBER 2018 7

FAREWELLS

LORNA LAMBOURNE

sisters of existing pupils. We started getting lots of enquiries for
younger children and it was decided to open a Pre-Prep; it was so
popular that we built a bigger building for double the numbers,
so we could accommodate 136 children. During the hurricane
of 1987 the old Pre-Prep building was hit by a falling tree and it
looked as though it had been sliced in half like a piece of cake.
This building then became the Music School when the new Pre
Prep was built.

When I first came to work here there were no new buildings
either side of the drive. The Chaplin Theatre was the first to be
built and I helped Sally Chaplin’s father to fund-raise. There was
no art and DT room, no sports hall, no library and no De Beer
block. The present cloakroom used to be three classrooms.
The staff room was a tiny room off the corridor which is now the
furthest part of the pantry. In those days it had a lovely open fire
and a trolley was wheeled in on which was a loaf of bread and a
toasting fork so that staff could make their own toast.

Upstairs there were dorms for 120 boarders. The houseparents’
flat and the laundry were both dorms then. We had a lot of
boarders whose parents were in the armed forces, children from
diplomatic families and children whose fathers were posted
abroad. At the beginning of each term there was a flurry of
excitement as boarders and their parents arrived with their
trunks and went upstairs to inspect the dormitories.

I first had dealings with Vinehall when we decided to send our In 1984 when I joined, we had no Bursar and no bursary
son here in 1978. In 1984, Mr Chaplin appointed me as a junior department. Mrs Selmes used to write out all the bills by hand,
secretary to help Mrs Selmes, the original secretary who carried sitting at her knee-hole desk in the front office. David was the
on working until she was 84! I was put in the little office at the Headmaster, Bursar, decorator, play producer and teacher of
front of the school (it used to be a music practice room). It was maths and English. At the end of each term he produced a play or
perishingly cold and Mrs Selmes used to call me in to the front musical and hand-wrote 400 reports! He was a very easy man to
office to warm up at coffee time. I had a rickety desk which get on with, although he sometimes got rather distracted during
wobbled every time I typed and a very uncomfortable dining term time. He was sometimes a touch demanding - “can you
chair to sit on. I had no contract and ten years later I reminded get me a choreographer” or “can you get me a groundsman”. I
David Chaplin that I was still on trial! would ask him how long I had to find them and he would say “by
When I arrived each morning Ted, the caretaker, was on his knees the morning”. I remember one summer holiday David was up in a
lighting a coal fire and Oscar, the one eyed cat, would be asleep cherry picker, wearing his overalls, painting the front of the main
on the hearth. Mr Chaplin, who had a perfectly good study of his building and he would often be seen painting the white lines on
own, preferred to sit in a small armchair by the fire; he enjoyed the the rugby and football pitches.
general hubbub of the front office and liked spying on prospective
parents to see if they passed the car test (if they drove a Volvo “They are talking about something called
they could afford our fees!) email I said. ‘It will never catch on’ was
At one time, there were three of us in the front office, with three his reply!”
telephones, all talking at once. At some stage during the early
years Mr Chaplin asked if I would like to become Admissions I remember one day David sent me to Tonbridge School to a
Secretary. Until then he had used a large foolscap piece of paper, secretaries’ meeting. When I got back he asked me what I had
folded in half as his admissions book! I asked if I might be allowed learnt that day. “They are talking about something called “email” I
to purchase a proper book but he thought that would bring bad said. “It will never catch on” was his reply!
luck! We have had our fair share of excitement over the years. One day,
When David realised I could do shorthand, he decided to dictate two boys decided to run away! It was summer but it was dusk
letters to me. However, one day, he said he had a gift and and they couldn’t be found. We had to phone the police who
presented me with a dictaphone. He spent all of one evening sent a helicopter to find them and I remember Pat Webster, the
dictating letters to me in different accents according to the name Houseparent, running over cornfields trying to find them. Needless
of the person to whom he was writing! I sat at my desk giggling at to say, they were in big trouble when they were found!
all these different accents and soon mastered the new equipment. Vinehall has very much been a family school for me. Apart from my
When we sent my son to VInehall there were ninety boarders son being here, I have also had seven grandchildren at the school
and only five day boys but we set a trend in Robertsbridge and (only one left now) and my daughter Kate has been the nurse since
very soon we had lots of day boys and then opened up places for 2002. My late husband was the school Chaplain when he retired
from being Vicar of Salehurst and remained working here until his
8 THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019/2020 death in 2012.
I have made many Vinehall friends over the last 37 years and will
miss it enormously.
Lorna Lambourne

Left to right: Gia Selmon (Financial Secretary); Pat Webster (Housemother and Teacher); Heather Howorth (Front Office); Judith
Harmer (Head of Music); Lorna Lambourne; Ruth Close (Senior Matron and then Front Office); Sally Chaplin (in front).

“This picture shows ‘The Vinehall Girls!’ We were ’Lorna’s Team’ for so many years and are still “It has
the best of friends, meeting up often and remembering happy days together at Vinehall. been my enormous
Lorna always knew everything that was going on, was great on communication, humour honour to work with Lorna
and empathy, and did her best to make everything run smoothly and calmly!” for the last seven years since I
Sally Chaplin joined Vinehall as Head’s PA.

Chaos with a capital ‘K’! Lorna embodies the school’s motto, always
doing her best for the benefit of others but with
For many years Lorna was undoubtedly the Queen of the Front Office and an enormous amount of charm and always the
she often presided over chaos. Indeed, in the early years we had an open fire biggest of beautiful smiles. Lorna loves Vinehall –
which Mr de Leslie used to light each morning. Mr de Leslie was the school its children (past and present), staff, parents, ethos,
handyman and not generally of a cheerful disposition. I was reliably informed
he suffered from wind. As he scrumpled up the newspaper he would regularly traditions and very fabric.
pronounce ‘Chaos with a capital K’. It was, I am afraid, his assessment of the way I am delighted that Lorna intends to maintain
in which the school was being run.
her involvement in the work of the Vines,
but I wish her the happiest of retirements

and thank her for all the support,
enthusiasm and wisdom she
has shared.”

Like all good sets for a farce, the Front Office had two doors, through which the Mary Alderson

comings and goings were numerous and confusing. At one moment Mr Harman
would appear to rescue Lorna from a scroll lock, just as the man from Danish Bacon
arrived with 300 loo rolls. Mr Whitehead was often there, the telephone in one ear and a
pencil in the other (to keep out extraneous noise) whilst he discussed the merits of Borodin
over Tchaikovsky with one of his forthcoming artistes. We did not have a photocopier in those days,
but rather a Xerox duplicator which required Lorna to don rubber gloves to effect the necessary repairs. The machine used
to ooze a purple fluid which smelt suspiciously like chloroform and which may have explained my tendency to fall asleep after
lunch. Occasionally children would appear to ask for a ping pong ball, unleashing deafening Banshee howls from the Front Hall
where they used to play “round the table” during break time.

The office boasted two alcoves which were curtained off to hide the muddle that lay behind them. Every now and again a
difficult parent was spotted approaching the office and the Headmaster used to hide behind the curtain. Poor Lorna had to
explain to the irate parent that the Headmaster was otherwise engaged even though she could see his shoes sticking out from
under the curtain.

Through all this Lorna was remarkable for her calm and cheerfulness. The truth is she loved children and enjoyed company and
was the perfect person to be at the hub of a busy school. Through her many years at the school she was unswervingly loyal and
dedicated, and greatly loved by generations of pupils and staff.

David Chaplin

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019-2020 9

FAREWELLS NICK BUTCHER

Nick joined the staff at Vinehall in September 1982 as a general subject teacher for a Year 5 class and coach for boys’ sport.
He had a passion for running and brought some youthful vigour and routine into school
running, with weekly Friday runs and competition entries, beating all the local schools
and coming second in the Prep Schools XC National Competition. With wingman
Jon Newman (known as Andy Runswell in event reports), Nick (aka Ivor Stitch)
organised a Frostbite XC competition and hosted the regional and southern
round of the English Schools XC cup.

In 1984 Nick became Head of Sport; in 1985 he took control of the Geography
Department and he was appointed to the leadership team in 2002 as Senior
Master. Nick described this role as being extensive in its brief – he did what
no one else wanted to do and the list was long!

After eight extremely busy years, Nick retreated to the relative calm of the
Geography department, with sustained input in sports. He continued to promote
cross country and athletics and Vinehall rose to some dizzy heights, with National
success on a regular basis. Three years ago, Nick reduced his hours and input into
sport, focusing on match days and concentrating on his beloved Geography. Nick’s 38
years of dedicated service to Vinehall have been phenomenal and he will be greatly missed
by staff, pupils and parents. We know he will enjoy a hugely busy and active ‘retirement’, mostly whizzing round Sussex and
beyond on one of his many trusty bikes.

JON NEWMAN

During a glittering 31-year career at Vinehall Jon has had his fingers in lots of pies! Prep
School teacher, sports coach, Joint Head of Cross Country and Athletics with his dear
friend Nick Butcher, cover teacher across the school, sports day organiser, even
cleaner and minibus driver! He reports teaching in excess of 3000 lessons in every
subject and to each age group.

Jon’s highlights have included 17 Year 8 trips to the Lake District; the rugby
tour in Ireland with our much-missed colleague Ryan Mitchell; unbeaten football
teams in 2016 and 2010; enormous success and a clutch of medals at the
National Athletics competitions; and reaching the English Schools Cross-Country
finals. Jon hopes that his legacy will be to have inspired many children along the
way and we are confident he will be remembered as a very caring, loyal, versatile
and steadfast member of staff by the entire community. We wish him a very happy
retirement, though he maintains contact with the community on his minibus route.

LOUISE PAYNE

Lou joined Vinehall as a Music Teacher in 2012, with great talent, wonderful enthusiasm
and boundless energy.

She was soon promoted to Head of PSHE, devising the excellent Life Skills curriculum
and sharing her expertise across the school. Lou’s dedication to the wellbeing
of Vinehall’s pupils was boundless and she worked tirelessly to support each
and every child, introducing various committees to give pupils a louder voice in
their own development.

As Assistant Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead, Lou’s knowledge
of Safeguarding procedures was immense and the school’s policies are second
to none.

She also assumed responsibility for Juniors, establishing excellent transition procedures
and pastoral care. Not confining herself to pupils, Lou focused also on staff care,
implementing many new measures to support her colleagues.

Hugely involved in all areas of the school, Lou will be greatly missed but we wish her every success in her new career supporting
schools across Sussex and Kent.

10 T H E V I N E S S O C I E T Y N E W S L E T T E R / 2 0 19 - 2 0 2 0

EMILY BIDWELL

Rarely has there been a member of staff with such a long and close association with Vinehall.
Emily enrolled as a pupil in January 1990 in 2nd year (Year 4). Then, after a year on the
Isle of Barra, in 1991 she returned to Vinehall and spent two years in Mr Whitehead’s
class. She describes getting full colours in Netball as one of the proudest moments
of her life and maintains contact with many of her peers! Both her parents were
employed at the school - her father as groundsman and sports coach and her
mother as a TA – and no less than eight siblings or cousins were pupils over time.
As a pupil her favourite memories include Jazz with Carina Everist, all the theatre
productions, camp building in the woods, music lessons and the Carol Service,
field trips, midnight feasts and swimming in the river.

Emily returned to Vinehall as a Year 2 teacher in Pre-Prep, also working alongside the
brilliant Debbie Gearey in Year 4 for a year with the current leavers. She reports still
possessing a ‘Book of Excuses’ made by a pupil for assistance in getting out of all the
things she didn’t want to do! Returning to Pre-Prep she enjoyed wonderfully memorable
and innovative topic projects and was an inspirational and enormously creative teacher. So
much so that she was promoted to Head of Pre-Prep in 2015; sadly ill health meant a period of
absence and a return to the classroom and she has enjoyed working in Nursery.

Emily has been a model pupil, dedicated Vine, wonderful colleague and truly dynamic and much-loved teacher. She leaves to
take up the headship of a small primary school on the Island of Muck; the next exciting adventure in a glittering career in which
she has always held Vinehall close to her heart. We will miss her greatly, but look forward to tales of her Scottish experience and
frequent visits.

HARRIET PARKIN

With three lovely children working their way through the school, Harriet has been
hugely involved at Vinehall for some years, first as a Pre-Prep class volunteer.

She has been an invaluable parent costume mistress, supporting many productions
with great flair, astounding organisation and creativity. Vinehall was then fortunate
to secure her services on a short-term contract to take responsibility for one of
our Reception classes.

Her pupils very much enjoyed a wealth of exciting topics and made excellent
progress in her very capable hands. We are delighted that she will continue to
offer supply cover when needed.

SALLY KING

Sally has found it hard to stay away from Vinehall for too long! She was a teacher
in Year 2, left, came back into Reception, left and came back for a year’s contract
in Year 2.

Hugely popular with staff and pupils, Sally is enormously creative and inspiring
and the children have blossomed in her class ready for the big step to the Prep
school.

She is off to exciting new pastures in Southern France, but we hope to see her back
again in the future.

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019 - 2020 11

FAREWELLS

KORNEL KOSSUTH

Kornel Kossuth took over the reins of our thriving English Department in
April 2019. He has been instrumental in reviving Vinehall’s bee-keeping and
introduced fencing as an optional activity.

His love of literature has been infectious and he has assisted pupils with
debating, poetry and public speaking initiatives. Kornel has taken this
opportunity to return to the state sector and we wish him every success
and happiness.

ALICE ROBERTS

We said farewell to Alice at the end of her contract last year and were so pleased
that we were able to retain her services for a little longer.

Alice has been a much-loved member of the Junior team, teaching a range of
subjects with characteristic calm and serenity; she has decided to pursue various
interests in counselling, private tuition and alternative therapies. We look forward
to hearing great things.

12 T H E V I N E S S O C I E T Y N E W S L E T T E R / 2 0 19 - 2 0 2 0

NEWS

RWANDA ACTION

A letter from former Vinehall Headmaster, David Chaplin (1977 – 2002)

What troublesome times these are! I do hope that the anxieties better reflects the way in which we work, that is in partnership
and uncertainties that beset the world are not weighing too with the community and the government, and delegating much of
heavily on you and your family and friends. the day-to-day work to our excellent team of Rwandan managers.

Sally and I have tried to be sensible: for the most part we are We have also prepared a new website and we would be delighted
only mixing with family and friends in limited numbers and in if you were able to find a moment to explore it:
open spaces. That said, we have been surprised by the arrival
of an unexpected and rather unwelcome house guest at the www.rwanda-action.org
Old Cottage.
Our mission to empower communities to reduce poverty is even
Sally generally refers to this person as “SOMEBODY” but I think more critical in the wake of this pandemic and we remain wholly
he must be a man as he is proving a perfect pest. He leaves the committed to that task.
fridge door open, traipses muddy footprints across the carpet
in the sitting room, goes to sleep with the light on and generally It occurs to me that there may be some of you who would be
has a cavalier approach to good order. The last straw was when interested in helping with the work. Quite a number of Vines have
SOMEBODY managed to pull a light socket off the wall when been out to Rwanda in person, and I think they would all say the
attempting to replace a light bulb. Sally is longing for Boris to lift experience was memorable, perhaps even life-changing: this is
the ban on evictions and travel, feeling that SOMEBODY would what Sam and Katy Humphry-Baker wrote after spending their
do well to spend a few months in Rwanda. honeymoon working with us:

We are still heavily involved in Rwanda and take great pride and “What will we take back from Rwanda? Besides many fond
pleasure in the wonderful support that we still enjoy from Vines memories, new friends and what we call our ‘10 Rwandan
and Vines’ parents. We are also really glad that four current pupils resolutions’ – one of which is to volunteer again – we will try to
of the school are serving on the Rwanda Action Youth Association. keep in mind how content people can be when they are ‘stuff-
poor’, but rich in time, supported by friends and family and part
Inevitably the recent lockdown has caused all of us at Rwanda of a strong community.”
Aid our fair share of frustration, but it has also provided us with
the opportunity to think very carefully about what we are doing, Do please let me know if you would be interested in helping in
and we have valued this. any way – [email protected]

One decision we have reached is to change the name of the With our warmest good wishes
charity from Rwanda Aid to Rwanda Action. We feel this new name David and Sally

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019-2020 13

DEAR VINE

As we all know, this has been a year like no other and the plans made at our November Committee meeting were stymied by
the growing Covid-19 pandemic. The usual May coffee morning for Vines’ parents could not take place, nor could we invite
Vines back to the school for Vines Day at the end of June. Most recently the London Reunion, planned for this November, also
had to be cancelled.
Since we could not meet at Vinehall the Society’s Committee, in common with many other organisations, has held virtual
meetings by Zoom, on Vines Day itself and also our usual November meeting. So that we could complete the necessary formal
business, we also held a virtual Annual General Meeting on Vines Day.
The School meanwhile has been doing marvellous work throughout the lockdown period, under the leadership of Headmaster
Joff Powis, with remote lessons being provided for all and, for the past term, face to face lessons for all at school. However,
for this year’s leavers in Year 8 the usual end of term arrangements sadly could not take place, although we were able to make
arrangements for the Tom Stuart Menteath and Anniversary Cups to be awarded later.
All Vinehall leavers now become members of the Society automatically, but we are also anxious to stay in touch with all former
pupils. For this we need up-to-date postal and email addresses and specific consent to contact you under the Data Protection
Regulation.
Another indicator of the value of the Vinehall “family” is the growing number of members of staff who have completed ten
years’ service and become eligible for honorary membership of the Society, now numbering more than 100. This enables us to
keep in touch with those who have moved on or retired after many years at the school.
A casualty of the pandemic was the annual cricket match between the Vines and the Headmaster’s XI. We lost an exciting
match on Vines Day 2019 and had hoped to regain The President’s Cup this year. We hope to do so next year. Joff Powis thinks
otherwise!
Unchanged are the Society’s aims to promote good fellowship among Vines and to maintain links with old friends, teachers
and past pupils of the School. We hope that we will be able to hold, and you will be able to join us on, Vines Day in 2021 on
Sunday 4th July. From time to time we arrange reunions of Vines, when Vines and their guests come together with staff to share
reminiscences, renew old friendships and forge new ones. We hope to repeat this some time next year. By keeping in touch you
can make sure that you will receive news of such events.
Online the Society has a webpage at www.vinessociety.org.uk with links to the Vines’ pages on the school’s website. These will
be kept updated with the latest news for Vines.
Best wishes from The Vines Society Committee.
Malcolm Gordon
Honorary Secretary
[email protected]

14 T H E V I N E S S O C I E T Y N E W S L E T T E R / 2 0 19 - 2 0 2 0

HONORARY VINES

10 -15 YEARS OF DEDICATION TO VINEHALL

Carol Allen Jim Gatherum Tanya Osborne-Brown John Webster
Katherine Ault Deborah Gearey Peter Page-Mitchell Pat Webster
Carol Gilbart (deceased) Mary Parker Elizabeth Wells
Jo Baker Laura Percy-White Elizabeth Westgarth
Ian Barnes Sue Glossop Jackie Perry (deceased)
Louise Barrett Derek Guy Sally Phillips Geoffrey Whitehead -
Louise Bateman Juliet Hammond Wendy Pickerill Vice President (2009)
Kathryn Beer Mark Harman Jenny Pepper Daniel Willard
Penella Bingham Judith Harmer Catherine Pollitt Phyllis Willard
Diane Burgess Louise Hawtin Paul Ralph Will Willard
John Burgess Zöe Hayward Margaret Radford Charlie Wilson (deceased)
Joyce Burgess Stephen Hollamby Brenda Ray David Wilson
Martin Burgess Alan Hooper Margie Redstone Amanda Winn
Nick Butcher Geoff Hiett Andrew Rennie Maureen Youdale
Nigel Butler Colin Higgins Tessa Richardson Non-Staff: Alison Gordon
Linda Callard Ellen Hill – Vice President Helen Ridout Honorary Vines - 10 year
Terry Cameron (deceased) (2003 - 2009) Julie Robinson - Vice Governors as at July 2019
David Chaplin Yvonne Hopkins CJT Bateman
Aileen Cheevers Heather Howorth-Bramwell President (2009 - 2015) HM Boyd (deceased)
Jenny Chishick Hilary Humphry-Baker Mark Robinson DW Chivers
Ruth Close Donna Hunt Clare Ruddle FBC de Beer
Karen Cooper Jim Ingram (deceased) MJ Gammell (deceased)
Rachael Craddock David Jarratt Angelique Sander-Humphrey E Goodman
Barbara Cramp May Johnson Funda Sapolyo JM Hammond
James Cruttenden John Lambourne (deceased) Gia Selmon PJ LeBrocq
Karen Croft Lorna Lambourne Alison Sigsworth
Bridget De Havilland Richard Larkin Rob Simmonds S Ling
Jenny De Meza Clive Lee (deceased) Alison Skilbeck A Monro
Sue De Vine Gerry Lenaghan C Moore
Sarah Denman Kate Mannion Elsie Smith (deceased) P Redstone
Joanna Dix Barry Marshall Karen Stenton P Rice-Oxley
Oliver Dorman Carole Marshall Terry Stevenson J Staples
Alison Earls Margaret Middleton Gerry Taylor WJC Wade (deceased)
Lynn Edwards Gail Moffat Chris Teesdale T Haynes
Carina Everist Mary Moore Nicola Towner
Margaret Flinn Annabel Newcomb Dalene Viljoen
Richard Follett John Newman Karen Walker
Lorraine Ford Susan Norman
Elizabeth Waters
Sally Waters

Richard Watson

STAY IN TOUCH

To ensure you keep up to date with Vines information, please email [email protected] with the subject “Mailing”
confirming that you are willing to be contacted for Vinehall purposes. Please include the following:
• Full name while at Vinehall (and now, if different)
• Year of leaving
• Postal address
• Email address
If you have supplied your email address in the past, please do so again, as this will ensure that it reaches the same database
as the rest. Under the General Data Protection Regulation, implemented in May 2018, it is essential that we have your specific
consent for us to contact you.
I am very grateful to Mrs Lorna Lambourne and Ms Emily Pettit, who assemble all your news and keep the database up to date.
‘Lost’ Vines
There are a substantial number of Vines with whom we are no longer in touch, because they haven’t advised a change of
address or email. If you have friends who haven’t heard from us recently, please encourage them to update their records by
emailing us as above, or writing to the Society, care of the school.
I very much look forward to catching up with your news.
Best Wishes
Malcolm Gordon

THE VINES SOCIETY NEWSLETTER / 2019-2020 15

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