STRUCTA SAXO
ALUMNI AWARDS 2024
The evening was one filled with warmth, connection, and reflection, as we gathered for the Structa Saxo Alumni Awards on Friday (29 November 2024).
The Vallentine Room at the College was transformed with beautiful lighting as a cross-section of people – award recipients, families, friends, current and past stuff, alumni – began filling the room very quickly with laughter, conversation and hugs.
Some of the school’s top piano students, under the guidance of Director of Performing Arts alumna Mary Lin, played for guests as they arrived. While not neglecting their musical duties the students kindly managed to care for a baby bird they found lost out of its nest on the way to the Vallentine Room. It managed to escape their carefully handcrafted cocoon once, with Mary Lin very discreetly and quickly retrieving the delicate patient. The show did go on!
As the awards officially began, the laughs remained through the good humour and stories shared by both the MC Deputy Principal Brenton Joubert – and the recipients themselves. But there was also an atmosphere of reverence and poignancy, with few dry eyes when Rev. Maku Potae, inaugural recipient of the Structa Saxo Alumni Legacy Award, addressed the room.
There was gratitude and humility from all recipients – Rev. Maku, Jessica Sutton (who sent a video message from London), Christy Laurence and Stuart Farquhar.
Alumni Association chair David Wybourne welcomed guests. Pip Eyre of the Alumni Executive presented trophies to the parents of Jessica Sutton and to Rev. Potae. The Eyre family, like the Potaes, were part of the St. Peter’s staff and families living onsite over a number of years. Pip was aged two when Maku started at school and he was chaplain for a good part of her schooling. He went on the baptise her children in the St. Peter’s Chapel.
Alumni Association Board representative Julia Foxley (nee Tait) presented Christy Laurence (nee Ladyman) with her trophy. Julia had been Christy’s dorm prefect in Lippincott House.
Stuart’s trophy was presented by Robin Ball.
Robin (age 89), who travelled from Northland, and Don and Rae Willougby (in their 80s), of Cambridge, were special guests. Along with the late Mrs Florence Ball, they were much-respected teachers at school and Robin and Don played a particular role in launching an athletics programme that grew many a champion, including world class javelin thrower Stuart Farquhar.
Alumni were involved in many aspects of making the event a success, including Alisha Abercrombie of Nourished by Trio catering and talented musician Ben Gibbons who entertained on guitar and vocals. Thanks also to Amore Roses from whom we sourced beautiful rose bushes, providing recipients with a living gift, and to Jeff Andersen of ChocolateWorks for the Christmas chocolates given to guests as they left.
The glass owl trophies – each a bespoke artwork that beautifully captures the light – were made by Cambridge artisan Di Tocker.
There were a few themes that emerged from guests, alongside that it was an enjoyable and fantastic event: heartfelt, authentic, with a great sense of what it means to the part of a truly special wider St. Peter’s community.
To find out more about our recipients:
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