We were delighted to welcome Caroline back to Queen's as our alumnae speaker at Commemoration last Friday. It was wonderfully serendipitous that she happened to be passing by the school last October and that I was free to offer her a brief tour—an unexpected meeting that led to such a meaningful culmination last week.  Caroline's presence and words reflected everything we value in our alumnae community: a willingness to give back, to offer support in all its forms, and to share what Queen's has meant—and continues to mean—in such a positive and heartfelt way. Thank you, Caroline, for being part of our alumnae network. Once a Queen's girl, always a Queen's girl.

Here is her speech.

The Queen's School Chester Commemoration Speech 2025 Today we commemorate the founding of our fabulous school and celebrate the inspirational teachers and pupils who have enriched its vast legacy. In support of their vision of The Queens's School Chester, our founders, with care and purpose chose two words for our foundation stone motto: Honour, to regard with great respect, Wisdom, the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment. What great words! Ones which I never truly thought about at school, too busy with homework, ponies and boys, but ones that I have reflected upon often and realised that these words and the school's efforts to fulfil that motto have positively shaped me and all my endeavours. Time for reflection is a precious commodity in our fast- moving world and I am so grateful that my chance meeting last October with Mrs Hayley McDonnell, the Alumni Relations Manager, has given me a reason to slow down and do just that. 

On an impromptu tour of the school, I delighted in reminiscing and recounting my schoolgirl stories to her, whilst also marvelling at all the positive changes and excellent facilities now available to enhance your learning today. The Art room, which had always been a particular refuge, literally blew me away. Your displayed work was inspirational, and I wish I had had more time to fully appreciate it. It was a great compliment to be invited to share my story and thoughts today and I hope that my words resonate with some of you. 

My parents, like our founders, believed that a strong formal and nurturing education was the basis to creating 'a great product,' me, who would have the skills and commitment to have success in my own dreams and also be a contributor to society. They were determined that The Queen's School Chester was where I had to be. They knew the single-sex, pro-STEM education would support me in becoming a confident, independently minded, educationally curious, resilient young woman with a strong moral compass. I was not so sure, and in Spring 1982, negotiations began to convince me to take the entrance exam. Terms were eventually agreed, including a full assurance that if successful I did not have to wear the awful itchy blazer. They were right of course, as annoyingly parents usually are, and in Autumn 1982 I embarked on my own Queen's School journey, in a non-itchy blazer and awful fawn socks. What followed was the most consistently joyful 7 years of my life and, as I considered what I could actually write in this speech without getting any of us into trouble, I found myself laughing out loud at the antics my fellow Queenies and I got up to during those years.

 It was an era of leg warmers and stilettoes, and even before entering the school on my first day, I was fascinated by the sixth formers on my bus all changing their high heels to flats at the school entrance. Apparently, Dr Young had worked out the stress levels on the parquet floor and under no circumstances were heels less than 1 inch diameter ever to be worn in the main building. This was science with a purpose! My form presented further scientific facts to Miss Dewsbury during one of our music lessons in the infamous 'frozen tower.' We had discovered that there was a minimum temperature which we were allowed to be taught at and, by pinching a thermometer from the chemistry lab, we were able to negotiate a change of classroom, much to her amusement. However, on reflection, it was Miss Callaway who was the most patient and nurturing of all. We tested her mettle daily, especially in Drama, where we would let our imaginations run riot with all kinds of risqué offerings. In fact, it was our ingenuity and dedication to a task that presented her biggest challenge from us. Supplied only with sandpaper to clean graffiti off our wooden desks, and having realised it was hard work, someone suggested using bleach, which of course we considered a genius idea. After a while Miss Callaway returned to find thirty clean desks and thirty bleach-covered school skirts, so, with a slight air of urgency, she directed us to get into our PE kit while she whisked away our uniforms to try and salvage them. 

I think that was my first role-modelling of calm reaction under stress. She was our hero that day! My fellow pupils were comrades-in-arms and we stuck together for the greater good, no matter what. Whether finding short cuts through the Grosvenor Arcade when running the city walls, arranging an unsanctioned ski race resulting in my fractured leg, or diving under our desks when Dr Young exploded a syrup tin in the science lab, school days truly were the best fun. As I pondered how we not only came out unscathed but with a toolbox of excellent life skills, I realised it had been done subliminally by awesome teachers, through excellent mentorship, nurturing of often hidden talent, and allowing us to challenge with confidence. 

It is now 36 years since I sat here as a sixth former for the last time and I imagine, like some of you today, I was not concentrating on speeches or hymns, but worrying about my imminent exams, which were the gateway to achieving a dream I had had since the age of 4. I had a passion and knew I would get there with hard work. I would qualify as a vet, specialise in horses, become partner in a practice, get married and have children. My life's path was very clear, or so I thought! It started well, and on graduating from Liverpool Veterinary Faculty in 1994, I spent six years honing my clinical skills within the equine veterinary sphere. I was blessed with my jobs, even working for the Queen at Buckingham Palace, however I no longer saw becoming a practice owner as a good option. I wanted to save animals and make a difference not worry about rotas and client debt. Looking outside the box, I applied for a job with an equine charity that worked in Africa and the Middle East, and in 2000 I became the veterinary director of SPANA. The only drawback was that I had to speak French again, my most hated subject at school. I now felt I was making a difference for animals on a larger scale, not just by administering treatments but through education and investment in people. Breaking down language and cultural barriers became the norm; I saw it as my duty to champion working women through respect and hard work, a cause that came naturally to me as a Queenie. It was during this time that I discovered the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, and, as I had already veered so far from my original plan, I thought, why not join the army? 

So I did! I was commissioned as a professionally qualified veterinary officer into the British Army in 2003, and simultaneously returned to fulltime practice work. It appeared that by joining as a Reserve I could have the best of both worlds, and for the next 3 years I worked a very full diary, balancing civilian and army. I had lots of fun with the military working dogs and ceremonial horses in London. I also became a navigation and ski instructor, and I even looked after an army band. Eventually, I was encouraged to take a Command and Staff route and began extensive leadership training to stretch and challenge me, expand my self-awareness, and aid the mentoring and nurturing of others. 

After 22 years of service, promoting from Captain to Colonel, commanding both a University Officer Training Corps and a Field Hospital, I now have the privilege of being Deputy Commander Reserves at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where we train the next generation of British Army officers to 'serve to lead'. Like all successful leaders, I am on a lifelong journey of improvement, on which I strive for excellence and use every experience as an opportunity to show up as the best version of myself. 

This journey began here at the Queen's School Chester, thanks to an amazing group of educators and fellow students who recognised, nurtured and tested my own hard-wired traits of integrity, courage and resilience. I am incredibly proud to say I went to Queen's, and I hope that my achievements, like those of Queenies before and after me, will reflect positively on the school. 

I would like to conclude with a few top tip for you, the talented trailblazing Queenies of the future. Don't ever panic about your academic choices. I was lucky throughout school, as my vet dream made choosing subjects easy. However, I could never have imagined where that choice would take me, and you can see from my story that nothing in life is fixed. Plans can alter and new choices can be made. Adaptability is key; change is the only constant. Be grateful every day for the gift of a great education, and specifically, thank your parents for giving this to you. Always do the right thing, not just the popular thing. At times this will be hard, and also take great courage, but it will always pay dividends. Finally, but most importantly, be kind, because it is through even the smallest act of kindness to both self and others, we help the world become a better place for all, and in doing so, truly Honour Wisdom. 

 Thank you. 

 © CSJ WHITTLE