Both Clare and Priya spoke insightfully about the value of kindness, both in school and in wider society, echoing themes drawn upon in the Head Master's own address.
Priya's speech was formed around three lessons learnt at Brighton College: 'it's not the brains of Britain who succeed, it's the organised people'; 'you don't want to be the richest person in the cemetery'; and 'always remember where you came from'. With witty hindsight, she espoused the importance of enjoying life, making the most of opportunities, and staying connected with friends and family:
Life is all about the journey and everyone will be on a different journey. School days are some of the most marvellous days, but we don’t always realise at the time! Make sure you’re enjoying every moment.
Clare's oration was a wide yet nuanced sweep of her varied career and experiences of adversity, ending on an uplifting message of the many forms that success can take.
Jacob focused on mistakes in his valediction to our 2024 graduands, recalling his past follies and ultimate learnings. He expounded his winning formula - weighing up the manageability of 'downsides' alongside the worthiness of 'upsides'.
Priya, a Radiology Registrar at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, is the co-founder of Brainbook, an online educational resource for increasing public awareness and knowledge of neurosurgery. Clare, former Captain of the England Cricket team and current Director of Women's Cricket for the ECB, is also a former Brighton College teacher. Both have shown generous commitment to the Old Brightonians community, with Clare a past OB President. Jacob, a more recent graduate of the College, founded and is CEO of Compound, a sustainable development and investment company in the property sector.
The Old Brightonians office is always delighted to welcome alumni back at the College, sharing their expertise and experiences with pupils and inspiring the whole community. If you would like to find out more about opportunities to help the Old Brightonians of the future, do get in touch.