CONGRATULATIONS !
Congratulations to FR. PETER HACKETT S.J. who celebrated the Golden Jubilee of his ordination as a Jesuit priest on 31St July. His youngest brother Fr. MARK HACKETT S.J. came over from Zimbabwe and joined with other priests in concelebrating Mass at Corpus Christi Church. The church was full and afterwards there was a reception in the Parish Centre, which was attended by some of the friends made by Fr. Peter throughout the years, and parishioners.

DOROTHEA KLYNNE, celebrated her 90th birthday early in September. Dorothea is the longest attending Parishioner at Our Lady Queen of Peace church in Southbourne, over 70 years.

SISTER JOAN KULLANDER will be 91 on 23rd December. Sister Joan is remembered by TONY & JOHN LEESON for her kindness and understanding during their years as boarders at the Convent. After the firm for which she worked re-located to another area, BARBARA ATKIN-SPIVEY set about finding a new career; she fulfilled an ambition when she studied for and qualified to work with PreSchool Children.

Congratulations BARBARA; when she received her certificate she said that it was her 18th presentation of an award; well deserved for her hard work and perseverance.

JENNIFER DANVERS (SHAW)'s 1st Grandchild, Juliette Emma is a great joy to her. Congratulations.

JOHN & GAY DONLEVY (BROWNING)'s 9th grandchild, Audrey Marguerite, was born to their daughter Emma on 16th November in Sydney, Australia.
Congratulations.

NEWS FROM NEAR AND AFAR.
The BROWNING FAMILY enjoyed a visit from PAT BARR (BROWNING) from Western Australia, she was here from mid July to early October. It was so good to have her with us & to see how well she has recovered from her illness last year. PAT would be interested in news of PEGGY ROBINSON & GILLIAN KAUFMAN (ROBOTHAM).

PAM BRIGDEN (BUTLER) is a great correspondent and keeps in touch with several of her old school friends, one of whom is ELIZABETH NEEDHAM Mason).

It was Pam who gave me the news of BETTY LIDDLE (WEATHERLEY) and SHIRLEY (GIBBONS). We are grateful to her.

PAM is an Ecumenical Minister for the Bournemouth area from The Sacred Heart Church; whilst taking Holy Communion to a 93 year old lady, former Sister Tutor Mary Connell, Pam met SHEILA ELLIOT who was visiting the same lady who was an old friend of her mother. Pam also takes Communion to JOAN HARRISON (HACKETT).

ANNE STARBUCK (MANNING) recently met VALERIE ISGAR. Does anyone have news of MARGARET CLEMENTS, please?

TOMMY BROWNING met KATE REEVE (KITCHER ) and ANGELA FISHER (HUTCHINGS), who is a teacher of Special Needs. They both live in the Southbourne area. Some of their contemporaries are THERESA KENNEDY (WARD), the ALUM family, especially ANNE - MARIE and GAY DONLEVY (BROWNING).

SHEILA HART (DANAGHER) keeps in touch with MARIE TARRANT (BROWNE) and BETTY COLLIER (HENDERSON).

We are grateful to GERALDINE NICHOLLS (MAHY) who is very good in supplying news. During August she had met VERONICA SKERMAN (BURTON), who had enjoyed a Mini Reunion, a few weeks previously. 14 were hoping to attend, 9 actually met together.

They were: VERONICA SKERMAN (BURTON), DI MOORE (HEAPS), SUE BINGHAM (WATTON),from London, PAULINE WILKINSON (HAMBLIN), from Bristol, ANNE MARIE CAKE (BLANE), from Parkstone, LINDA PLACIDI (PEGORINI), from Dorchester, SHEILA WALKER ,from Poole, VIVIENNE STASI (PELOSI), flew in from Italy ! ERICA HOLLAND (RAMPLOY), from Cambridge.

That was quite an achievement, it must have been a great occasion. MARGARET SIMPSON (ATKINS) recently met CLAIRE SOUTH (HAPGOOD) at a barbeque at Claire's home in deepest Dorset, it was organised to raise money for a much needed incubator in a clinic run by LSU Sisters in Cameroon.

Claire's sister MARGARET was also present and they enjoyed brief reminiscences about schooldays and some warmly remembered Sisters of Christ they had all known.

Although sorry to miss this year's reunion, MARGARET enjoyed competing at Hampton Court Flower Show. Unfortunately, her design did not `catch the judge's eye' but some thought it should have been awarded a prize for topicality at least because the title of her exhibit was ` Singin' in the Rain'

HEATHER KNIGHT (LINTER), who was a pupil from 1956 to 1968, was delighted to find the School website and congratulates its creator, Glenn. She found many names of people whom she remembers.

From time to time Heather has made contact with CATRIONA ROSS ALLEN. She would love to hear from CLARE WAUGH; if anyone has news of Clare I could put you in touch with Heather.

ANGELA DOWSON (WILLOUGHBY - MEADE) has been in touch with SISTER RUTH MARY BROWN; Angela and her husband stayed in the Guest House at the Convent on the Isle of Wight. Angela has been a music teacher and at one time was teaching at Ampleforth College.

DIANA HICKS (DENNETT) has happy memories of the time she spent at the Convent in the late 1940s, they moved from Southampton for a while, as did others in the war years.

I received a photo from Tony, the son of CATHERINE RUMSEY (JANSEN), he asked if it could be put on to the website. It is a group taken in about 1945 of, MARY SMITH, PEGGY ROBINSON, STEPHANIE deCHARMOY, CATHERINE JANSEN, SHELAGH McCARTHY, MOLLY ORPIN, GABRIELLE BOND & ANGELA KING.

I forwarded it to GLENN EDGELEY -LONG and he has put it on the website. CATHERINE lives in France for part of the year but has had to return to England for radiotherapy for breast cancer. Some news gleaned from the Reunion - HILARY ENDERSBY(SMITH) has moved back to Bournemouth with her two sons, who are at St. Peter's School.

She completed a BA (Hons) History Degree in Plymouth last year and has just finished PACE Teacher Training Course 11 -18 years at Exeter. She is now looking for a post in the Bournemouth area. Her parents are still living in the same place. Hilary would like to hear from anyone who remembers her. I have contacts for her.

JOSEPHINE JANSEN (LIDSTONE) has lived just outside Glasgow since 1987. Before that they lived in a caravan for 18 months; prior to that they were in Guilford for a few years ; Yeovil, where she was an O. H. N. at B. Hovercraft for 3 years. Before coming to the Convent in Boscombe Josephine went to the Convent in Ryde, Isle of Wight. Her two children went to Springhill Junior School when SISTER MARGUERITE COWERD was Head Teacher.

CHRISTINE THACKRAY (BROWNING) gave news of HAZEL DAWKINS (HUMPHREYS), who was arriving from the USA later in July. She would stay with her brother JOHN near Fordingbridge. Chris was planning a gettogether with Hazel and maybe TESS MASON (LAMB).

FELICITY HOPKINS had a total knee replacement in March, all was going well and she hoped to return to work in July. She is looking forward to retirement in April 2008.

SARAH HOWCROFT has had a busy year, she is enjoying working with her ex Convent School friend FLISS HOPKINS, as a Health Visitor, qualified at last, no more studying 1 Sarah has a worrying time with her mother and sister both in hospital. A 2nd grandchild is due in December.

JUDITH HARRISON (ELLARD) wrote about her sister CHRISTINE MORRIS (ELLARD), who lives just outside Chicago, she has 2 daughters. CHRISTINE trained as an ice skater at the Westover Road Ice Rink; she travelled widely with different ice shows.

In Chicago she worked for the British Consulate General on the Visa section for over 20 years and also carried on as a teacher and judge of skating. Christine has now retired from the Consulate and has opened her own children's nursery with her elder daughter, who is qualified in child care. She still teaches skating and has a Formation team, which does very well in competitions. JUDITH keeps in touch with MARGARET CRISP & MAUREEN BARRETT(McCORMICK).

CHRISTINE was in the same class as ANITA HARRIS, VALERIE ANDERSON & DALE HUMPHREYS. Judith & Christine manage to meet a couple of times a year.

Their cousin LINDA CHIVERTON also went to the Convent and although none of them are catholics they loved their years at the Convent. A new free magazine LIFETIME, which is local to Dorset, featured FRAN GODFREY on the cover of the 1st edition, she was talking about `Working with Wogan'. As you probably know FRAN works on Radio 2, frequently with Terry Wogan.

She began her Radio career with Bournemouth's 2CR radio station, where she stayed for 7 years. In 1990, when music replaced the talking programmes Fran moved to BBC Radio. She still visits the area as her father lives in New Milton and she has friends around Poole. Fran mentions being educated at the Convent.