As part of the request to speak today I was asked to perhaps share some anecdotes of my time at Queen’s. It is probably testament to how much fun I had that none were appropriate to share with current students! Especially as I am parent to one – Gigi in Year 13.  I like to re write history as and when it suits me and as my recollections would not inspire you all in a way not desired by Mrs WW – I turned to a former headmistress.

When I joined Queen’s in 1985 (to save you the maths that makes me 32!) Miss Farra was headmistress. Not renowned as a barrel of laughs but, as it turned out, a head who knew her stuff and gave me some long-lingering advice. I want to share with you today that advice. She talked about two people who would be with us at Queen’s and in fact stay in our life beyond. She suggested to ignore them as much possible – rather opposing advice to usual inclusive approach. In fact, you will also know them - everyone and no one. Parents know these two as well – “Everyone is going to the party” “No one is getting picked up that early” “Everyone has skirts this short” “No one else must leave their phone downstairs overnight.”  Miss Farra’s advice was more for us as individuals. Not being ruled by their opinions and boundaries – reflect on any given situation and make your own choices.
Being a Queen’s girl gave me choice.
You may feel sat there that you haven’t been given much choice – perhaps in being at this school, no choice but to do your homework, attend class or more immediately sit in cathedral listening to some old girl drone on.
But I wanted to talk to you today about the toolkit Queen’s gave me and is giving you – quietly, without you noticing.  I want to tell you how this toolkit of a really sound broad education, capability of independent learning, role models, a voice practised in class and on stage, qualities of reflection and above all that infamous Queen’s girl air of confidence (even if inside you are squirming) has given me choice through my career and personal life.
Like me you may only recognise this toolkit the further you get away from Queen’s, from Chester, from the UK even. The empowerment of the arsenal of a good education and the choices it offers.
So, to my choices –
Choice number 1 – Mrs Entwistle our careers adviser was very focussed on directing us gals into medicine, law or engineering. I felt these were not for me – even her more maverick modern languages route didn’t appeal. I wanted to read social policy. In fairness even now my parents, husband, children and close friends still have very little clue what that is. I read it at Bristol University, and it was a legal, political and economical study of social policies. Of UK and International Governments approach to education, housing, health care, penal policy and beyond.
Obviously, I have never used any of these insights and certainly didn’t get the memo that I was meant to leave University with a job or plan of a job – but I had an amazing time and enjoyed my degree. Good choice Laura!
So big choice number 2 – a job – a career. I decided Marketing & PR was the way forward – very 90’s and it what would be first of my eclectic roles I joined a Canadian paper company launching recycling business in UK. It seems strange to think homes and schools need a programme to explain what recycling was – why it was important and how to do it. A fantastic job with massive range of the marketing mix.  However, everyone was in London. I know! “Everyone!” But, actually, this was everyone who was fun and so I wanted to be in London too.
So big choice number 3. This time I decided IT was the thing. Not based on any ability or propensity for technology but I spent 10 years working for a Californian technology company that was the world’s largest memory manufacturer. So having seen the first at-home recycling bins – I helped launch first usb pens and drum roll the launch of a 12b8mb memory capacity. My roles were centred on client management – managing multinational clients – largely in the finance sector. Working closely with their senior management, large banks such as Credit Suisse, Lehman’s, Bloomberg, Microsoft and PWC. My part was to add value through IT to complement their commercial strategy. I enjoyed years of all that you hope The City might offer. High living, expense accounts, corporate hospitality great suits, and really long hours.
So eventually this prompted big choice number 4.
To stop. To get it right at home. I had nearly 10 years being at home, extending our family. I think it’s so important to point out that the education you gain and choices you have don’t all have to lead to stellar careers or world domination. They just need to be right for you. The measure of success is different for everyone
So actually, big choice number 5 reflected this. I wanted to go back to finish my career. Probably stung by helping Gigi with a homework. Filling in her booklet on her family, her pets, what her parents’ names were – what they did. She happily filled in “my daddy is a lawyer” and then got to “my mummy is” and said – I’ll just leave that blank. Ouch!
Having now left London, having had a large career break, I knew I would have to start over – or at least go back a little to go forward. I joined a FTSE 100 company, in a division providing Outsourced procurement for MRO as a strategic partner manager. Again, not sure any of us really know what that means but to break it down a little…
Managing a portfolio of three large manufacturing clients I am responsible for delivering £85m of revenue to my company. Managing an international team over 100. This is by providing a service of procuring – buying all their engineering spares. So Mrs Entwistle may have been more visionary than I gave her credit for.
Some of you may already know your plan and road ahead. Others of you won’t have a clue. Like me you will play it by ear. But the Queen’s tool kit works for both. Start with your choices. It’s not a magic wand that can make everything perfect – you still feel shy, have to work hard and face what will come. Sometimes choice will feel like choosing a rock and hard place. Not everything is a big choice- constant small choices make all the difference too
And when next in assembly – look for Miss Farra’s portrait (although I believe it’s on the move) -and know you have choice. And particularly Gigi and crowd. You know the drill - make good choices!