Family for Life - News

With the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31st October - 12th November 2021 we took the opportunity to explore the issues and to learn from Old Fettesian experts who work in this highly important area. 

Tech Entrepreneurs Jonathan Quin (Mo 1991-1992) and Conrad Irwin (Inv-Ca 2000-2007) joined us on 29th September 2021 for a live webinar with audience Q&A to talk Start-ups, Technology and Innovation.

On Monday evening members of the Fifth, Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth forms were joined on Zoom by Old Fettesians with medical and healthcare backgrounds for an informal careers conversation. 

This August marked 25 years since our Head, Helen Harrison, first arrived at Fettes College. We took this opportunity to celebrate all the members of staff who have given 25 years or more of continuous service.

Congratulations to OF Velocity C Airey (Inv-Ar 2000-2009) who has been awarded the highly coveted Sword of Honour at The Sovereign’s Parade.

Over the years there have been many Old Fettesians and Staff members who have represented their country at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. With the Opening Ceremony for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan just 8 days away we are delighted that two OFs will be representing Team GB.

This Saturday 12th June, Scots Guards will troop their colour in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle. For this special event, OF Hugh Dingwall (Mo 2009-2014) will hold the official title of Ensign for Her Majesty the Queen's Birthday Parade.

Award winning Elizabeth Macneal (Inv-CW 2000-2007) has published her new novel, Circus of Wonders. It is the story of a girl who is kidnapped into the circus, her quest to tell her own story, and what happens when her fame threatens to eclipse that of the showman who bought her. 

To coincide with the Fettes College 150^th Anniversary Global Golf Competition, we were delighted that a well qualified group of Old Fettesians were able to join us for a fascinating golf conversation.

Congratulations to OF Katy Dalglish (CE 2012-2017) on her appointment as Athletic Union President for 2021/22 at the University of Exeter. The campaign took place under several COVID restrictions, so it is an even greater achievement for Katy given the difficult circumstances. We heard from Katy shortly after the announcement:

Fettes College is delighted to announce that Graham’s The Family Dairy is helping us celebrate the 150^th anniversary of the College and 50^th anniversary of girls joining the school by sponsoring specially designed sports shirts for First and Colts A Teams in the College and Senior Teams in the Prep, across a range of sports. 

On Wednesday 3rd March Director of Sport Mr Mark Appleson and Head of Rugby Mr Duncan Harrison hosted a light hearted rugby conversation with former international players Ian Robertson (Staff 1968-1972) and George Biagi (Gl 1999- 2004). 

We are delighted to announce Clara J has won the McLean Classics Essay Competition.
 

As we are all Learning From Home, our annual Careers Day for the Lower Sixth has been split into two parts and moved on-line.

As our Upper 6th Form students look to the future and the next steps of their lives beyond Fettes, we are delighted to announce 6 students have achieved Oxbridge offers, 2 for Cambridge and 4 for Oxford.  

On Monday 30^th November, St Andrew’s Day, we hosted three entertaining virtual events. Our aim for the day was to give everyone in the Fettes community the opportunity to join us for at least one of these events, so they were programmed to span different time zones across the globe  We were thrilled therefore to be joined by Fettes folk from all over the world,

OF Alastair Shepherd (Mo 1973-1977) has been appointed as the new custodian of the Scottish Barony Register, effective 1^st December 2020.

As a current partner of Coulters Legal LLP, Alastair is due to retire from private practice in April 2021 after 40 years as a solicitor with Brodies, Henderson and Jackson WS and Coulters. Since qualifying in 1981,

We were treated to an exceptional virtual panel event on Thursday 12^th November in honour of our 50 years of girls at Fettes.  Dame Stella Manzie DBE (Ar 1976-1978), Dr Alison Brown, PhD (Ca 1973-1975) and Dr Jo Twist OBE (Ar 1986-1991) provided a meeting of great minds, giving us their view on the next five years… from Leicester, Colorado and London.

We are delighted to hear that OF Georgina McKenzie Smith (Ar 2011-2016) has been shortlisted for Young Journalist of the Year at the PPA Scottish Magazine Awards 2020. This is a wonderful achievement so early in her journalism career. During her time at Fettes, Georgina won many prizes including the Governor’s Prize for English in her final year. We spoke to Georgina shortly after her nomination was announced: