Press Releases
After more than thirty years of inspired service to Dolphin School in Hurst, the Head, Heather Brough, prepares to retire later this year. To celebrate her career and honour her achievements an event was staged by former pupils on the evening of Thursday 29th March to an audience of over 300 former pupils, parents and staff, in the Theatre of Bearwood College. The whole event had been organised without Heather’s knowledge and was a complete surprise. A number of former pupils, all highly successful in their chosen fields, participated in the evening. Matt Allwright, best known as the presenter of BBC’s Rogue Traders, is a former pupil of the school and was Master of Ceremonies for the evening’s entertainment. Matt also wrote and directed a sketch about Heather’s life and career. All the characters were played by former pupils. Simon Crawford-Phillips, a professional concert pianist with credits which include appearances at the BBC Proms, was a pupil in the 1980’s. Simon flew in especially from Sweden where he now lives to perform two of Debussy’s Images as part of the programme for the evening. Blake Ritson was a pupil at Dolphin in the late 1980’s and is now a successful West End and television actor (he played Edmund in ITV’s Mansfield Park). Blake said, “I remember double art being the lessons everyone avidly looked forward to, and I think this was solely down to Heather's wonderfully generous and endlessly creative slant on what an art lesson should entail. From the age of six, I remember the joy of working on projects of ever increasing ambition; painting murals of jungle scenery on the walls, making marble-runs, soldering and making chicken wire crazy golf holes among many other ventures. She was a wonderful teacher who made art an absolute joy, and I know she inspired a number of people to continue to love art, myself included.” Nancy Follett, founder and Principal of Dolphin School, said “Heather has been avery important asset to the School for thirty years and during the last decade as Head has steered the school to its current position of nationally recognised excellence.” There will be other events staged later in the year for current children, staff and parents as Heather will be supporting the new Head, James Baker, during his first term at Dolphin. |
