On Saturday 18 May we were delighted to welcome back over 100 Old Girls and their families to Heathfield
Fellowship Day dawned chilly and damp but happily this did not deter the arrival of our Old Girls together with husbands and children.
We were delighted and privileged to welcome back so many and as ever our Old Girls brought happiness, spirit and fun to our 120th Celebration Day. With so many returning after several decades, emotions ran high as we witnessed happy reunions.
We were inundated with stories about life at Heathfield from the past 50 years mostly hilarious, well peppered with misdemeanors, high jinx and eye-opening pranks. However, the most powerful message of all was the obvious strength and depth of the friendships created while they were pupils at Heathfield and these had endured throughout their lives. A testament to the Old Girl network and their ability to support and depend on each other through the decades no matter what. Chapel remained at the heart of the day with many spending time looking for their engraved names on the pews and talking about being Chapel Prefect!
The following piece was sent from one of the Old Girls after Saturday and sums up the pleasure of the day for us here at School and everyone who attended.
We were so beautifully looked after from start to finish. Drinks on the lawn in the sunshine was lovely, followed by a delicious lunch with a vast array of yummy goodies! It was all a real treat and a far cry from the food I remember! The tour of the school with such a charming group of happy, smiley girls was wonderful and I loved seeing all the changes and how modern and comfortable it had all become, as well as the new science labs and great improvements to all the teaching facilities etc. We all adored reminiscing and laughing at those shared memories of our very happy years at Heathfield. It will always hold a special place in my heart and the friendships I made there have been one of life’s pure joys that I am forever thankful for.
The highlight for me was the service in Chapel. The chaplain’s words were spot on and the school is clearly very lucky to have him. The school may have changed dramatically in some ways, and rightly so to keep up with the times, but Chapel remains the same. It is the constant in the midst of everything else and the beating heart of the school. It smells the same, looks the same and brings back a million memories.
A million more thanks for such a very happy day – I loved it!
Millie P
