in we Broadstairs Kent CT10 20G | t: 01843 862991 | f:01843 602068 Panysss ¢:offce@wellesieyhouse.net | w: wnwivellesleyhouse.org Dear Old Welleslian from the Headmaster STPO'Malley MA (Hons) PGCE Happy 150" year! What a year it has been for all of us - thank you for your tremendous support, whether attending events, writing letters, your donations (in particular a very generous one for the Library), your goodwill messages and more, Please see the ‘highlights sheet’ attached for a more detailed summary of the year’s commemorative events. Other highlights (full details of which are in the magazine, but which deserve special mention here), include radio contact with British astronaut Tim Peake (we were the only prep school in Britain to have earned this privilege); the most ever scholarships awarded in one year and, continuing the theme of the last few years, the appointment of a Head and a Deputy Head Boy at leading senior independent schools — this time, Tonbridge and Rugby. Well done Oscar Pullen and Theo Lindsay. My abiding hope is that this year will prove to be the beginning of things in many ways rather than an end in itself and to highlight this I want now to draw your attention to the foundation of the Old Wellestian Society which I referred to at the Mansion House dinner. It is our aim to bring together, on a permanent basis, all OWs. We want you to continue to share in the life of the school, beyond an annual mailing such as this, and to initiate events in which OWs can participate whether at school, in London or elsewhere, OW and Governor, Camilla Burge (nee Smallwood) has accepted the role as lead ambassador in bringing this all together with the help of archivist, Victoria Nielson, (viotoria.nielson@wellesleyhouse.net) as secretary. Tessa Sale has been appointed Patron, In addition to the existing OW section on the website, there is now an OW Facebook page which we hope you will use fully. Please share your news, photos and suggestions and in doing so continue to build and renew the contacts that have been made this year. We, in tum, will use social media wherever possible to communicate with you all. Looking ahead, we expect there to be annual events, including an OW day at the school next year (probably the first weekend in July), and other events such as a golf day, drinks parties and dinners, the first of which we hope will be in October 2017 for those of you who left in. the 1990s and the 00s (a’ Nineties and Noughties'party). I hope you will also want to organise events of your own. Now, we need your help . Please reply, without delay, via email, to the school office (office@wellesleyhouse.net) in order that we have your dates at Wellesley and your current email address. Thirteen hundred copies of this letter have been sent by mail as we have fewer than two hundred of your email addresses, despite having asked for these in the past. ‘The success S society depends on you; this is a call to arms! Ba Siepeot— wellsey House and st. Peters Cour Edveationsl Trust Ld, Sat Tse Regltored Charly No. 307052 | Company No. 68223There will, of course, be OWs whose addresses we do not have and others which are out of date. If you are aware of anyone who has not received this mailing, please impress upon them the importance of making contact with us. Unless they do so, we cannot contact them, ‘You should also realise that this mailing is sent to OWs and not their parents (unless they happen to be OWs themselves). There will be times therefore when we would like invitations to be extended to them, and we would ask for your support in this by alerting parents to such events when we ask you to do so. Please note that in the first instance when someone leaves the school, we will be writing to them as an OW care of their parents’ address and will continue to do that until directed otherwise either by them or their parents, We will not know new addresses unless we are informed of them, Thope you will appreciate the emphasis on this particular area, but it is so important for future communication, and, quite simply, without your help, and the email you are about to send, we will not achieve our goals. ‘The archives are still being updated. Please continue to supply us with information. Your comments are very welcome. Wellesley has always been a school that has consistently punched well above its weight and the good will of OWs, former parents and staff has made the setting up of the Old Welleslian Society such an important part of our future. We all hope that the society will further increase your engagement with your contemporaries and play a major role in the development of Wellesley over the next 150 years. Please do visit the dedicated area on the school website — it is specifically for you; we have a growing following on Facebook and Twitter and I encourage you to ‘Like’/*Follow’ us. Thope that you will enjoy this year’s ‘Welleslian’ which highlights in great detail and colourfully the many varied achievements of the school this year. My thanks to Peter Budden who has been able to compile news of former pupils missing from last year's edition. The front cover of the magazine depicts Wellesley children gazing at the moon from inside an astrodome that was set up for our “Tim Peake Space Extravaganza’. The new Latin motto ‘a scalis patulis ad astra’ superimposed across the face of the moon could not be a more appropriate ambition “from stairs broad (Broadstairs) to the stars.” Katy and J have had eleven wonderful years here and are handing over a school in great heart to Gavin and Claire Franklin. We know they instinctively understand the nature of this really special place. There will be opportunities in the new year for you to meet the Franklins and wwe are delighted to be handing on the baton to such a fine couple. Katy and I look forward to seeing many of you over the next two terms. Please em: now. Best wishes and thank you for all your support, ee na