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This year we are celebrating 150 years of St Mary's Calne. It has been a wonderful opportunity to bring together all the communities past and present associated with St Mary's, and to celebrate 150 years of friendship, experiences, ambition, and positive social change for all those connected with us.
During 2023, we have celebrated the people who have shaped the school over the past 150 years. Our aim has been to ensure the St Mary's Calne Community of parents, former parents, alumnae and staff are included in the celebrations - and it's been the perfect time to reconnect with each other and the school.
Many events have been hosted and more details can be found below.
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The Anniversary Ball, Central London: Friday 27th January 2023. To launch this landmark event, the PGSM hosted a Black-Tie Ball at The Landmark, London NW1. The event was open to everyone and was a great opportunity to gather friends and family and enjoy a wonderful dinner and dancing.
Please click here to read more.
In the February Donaldson week, students went back in time to the founding of St Mary’s Calne.
LIV enjoyed an extra special day with local actors, from Knapsack productions, learning all about Victorian life, with a particular focus on the founding of St Mary’s. In the first session, pupils were dressed as Victorian school girls doing lessons that the girls would have studied in 1873 with the first ever Headmistress, Miss Richardson, taking their lesson!
Later in the same week, the whole school engaged in a quiz based on the history of the school. Students were encouraged to explore St Mary’s past via a series of eye-catching boards, displayed throughout the campus during the first week of February. A multiple-choice quiz took place in Chapel with company points up for grabs plus prizes for top student answers.
Please click here to read more.
The White Horse Sculpture Project was held just before February Half Term and celebrated our Wiltshire heritage. Art scholars, alumnae and members of our local community were invited to create clay maquettes of the Cherhill White Horse.
An exhibition of the pieces was held in the Library and the winning entry will be made into a large bronze sculpture, kindly sponsored by the CGA, for the school grounds. We will also create 20 mini limited edition bronze sculptures which will be auctioned off to raise funds.
Please click here to read more.An Archive Exhibition was held at the Calne Heritage Centre from 1st March until the end of April. We hosted a Coffee Morning on Wednesday 26th April for Calne-based former staff, local families and friends of St Mary's to attend. Please click here to read more
Handel's Messiah was performed at the University Church, Oxford as part of our Spring Concert on Thursday 16th March and included our current choirs and orchestras. Please click here to read more
The 150th Anniversary Garden Party was held in the beautiful Lime Kiln Gardens. Please click here to read more.
Regional Drinks' Parties/Coffee Mornings are being held around the country hosted by parents, alumnae and past parents. These will be wonderful opportunities to reconnect, share stories and celebrate St Mary's. Please click here for more information
The Head's Lunch took place on Saturday 20th May for former Headmistresses, Head Girls, Governors and senior OGA & CGA members. Please click here to read more.
An extra-special Sports' Day took place on Saturday 10th June. An opportunity for all to get involved and celebrate the important place sport has at St Mary's.
Please click here to read more.
A Whole School Picnic took place on Sunday 25th June in the beautiful grounds of Bowood House and and replicated the many picnics and trips that past pupils and staff took. An outdoor service was led by Fr Jonathan Beach to replace the normal Sunday evening Chapel Service. Please click here to read more.
A Celebration and Thanksgiving Service took place at Salisbury Cathedral, in October, to embrace all members of the St Mary's Calne Community. It was a wonderful event, please click here to read more.
The London Art Exhibition was held in early November, at Gallery Different in London. It was our fifth exhibition in London and a celebration and showcase of St Mary's art, sculpture, textiles and mixed media. As usual, we will hosted a private view and also a small online/live auction of the to raise money for the Chysalis Campaign. Please click here to read more.
The Sound of Music will be the finale to the year and be performed on 30th November, 1st and 2nd December 2023. More information to follow.
Eco School Award - As part of our 150th celebrations we are also working to achieve our Eco-School Green Flag Award. This will acknowledge and celebrate the ecological achievements of our pupils and school. Please click here to read more.
In this special year have launched an ambitious and genuinely transformational bursary programme which embodies the school’s aims and values. Our Chrysalis Campaign - to build a strong and sustainable bursary fund - is aimed at changing lives for the better, opening doors to opportunities that never seemed possible and creating brighter futures for many more girls at St Mary’s.
The 150 Society recognises those supporting the Chrysalis Campaign with different tiers of membership. To find out more, please click here.
We are delighted to recognise the generosity of our 150 Society members in a variety of ways, including invitations to events, recognition in Calne Foundation Trust publications and on 150 Benefactor Boards (unless you choose to remain anonymous).
Our inaugural event is on Friday 1st December for Drinks in the Head's Study before watching the all-school musical - The Sound of Music.
Further events are planned for 2024 including a Garden Party in May and London Carol Concert in December.
Regular updates on Chrysalis Bursary recipients will be sent to members.
