QAS Alumnae of 1960 gather for their 62nd reunion

On Saturday 1 October we had the pleasure of hosting a very special reunion event for a group of 27 QA Society members. Having left QAS in 1960, these ladies have kept in touch with each other for over 60 years and wanted to celebrate in style!

Originally planned as a 60^th Anniversary celebration, the pandemic caused plans to be changed but our girls were not giving up that easily and with real QAS grit and determination, a 62^nd reunion gathering eventually took place.

Upon arrival, our guests gathered excitedly as familiar faces were spotted amongst the group and they were warmly welcomed to QAS by Elaine Purves. A short chapel service conducted by the QAS chaplain Rachel Ross Smith, gave everyone a chance to reminisce and say a few goodbyes to friends they have lost over the years.

A quick photo session on the front lawn was followed by a delicious luncheon in the Taylor Hall. Our guests were pleasantly surprised by the high quality and presentation of the catering remarking,

“The lunch is delicious and bears no resemblance to school food in our time at QAS!“. Clean plates all round, another commented, “You ate what you were given in our day – or you went hungry!”

Lunch was followed by a tour of the school facilities and grounds and everyone remarked how impressive the school was, “What lucky girls to have all this at their finger tips”. As we walked across the quad, many reminisced, “We all used to love whizzing around the quad area on our skates – it wasn’t grassed in the 1960’s”.

A quick visit to the Space and a couple of boarding houses left our guests in no doubt as to the high standards of the QAS facilities, “You really have thought of everything for the students – it’s amazing”. Our guests thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of the current students during their tour of the school, “The pupils are all charming and clearly enjoying their time at QAS”.

Before long, it was time for Afternoon Tea and the inevitable goodbyes. As one of our guests left, she gave us these wise words for our current pupils; “When asked what did I gain from my time at QAS my answer is, ‘I hope I am articulate, but above all I have a lovely bunch of friends with whom I am still very much in touch’.  Tell your current pupils to treasure those friendships, they are irreplaceable”.