Greetings to all Alumnae! I hope that as 2022 progresses, you are all experiencing a return to the rhythms of life that are familiar to us, and perhaps living out some new resolutions and ways of being, hatched from the periods of reflection that accompanied lockdowns and periods of isolation.

Thank you to Departing ESA Committee Members

We have had a couple of Committee members resign after many years of service to the Committee of the Association. My heartfelt thanks to Janneke Chudleigh and Penny Smith for your generous devotion to the work of the Association over many years. Janneke served as President of the Association for 2 years and Vice President for 4 years, and both Janneke and Penny have given more than a decade to the work of the Association. Whilst we will miss you both on the Committee, we look forward to seeing you at many events in future and are thrilled to know that your children and grandchildren will be the beneficiaries of the time that you have now freed up from your duties on Committee!

125 Year Celebration

The 125-year celebrations are well underway and commenced with the 125 Years Celebration of the Eucharist, “Moments In Time”.   Congratulations to Kerry McCullough, Spirituality and Liturgy Coordinator, Lauren Kirkby and the whole Events Team on a magnificent thanksgiving and celebration and of past, present, and future at Loreto Normanhurst.

Open Day

Open Day was held on Saturday 19 March and despite a few of us going into isolation with COVID (me included!), the Ex-Students’ Association stall was cheerfully womanned by Camilla Cuming, Jane Parker, Hayley Mein and Suzanne Nash. Thank you all for welcoming the next generation of Loreto girls and their parents and reconnecting with Alumnae that paid us a visit on Open Day.

Loreto ACT Region 2022 Lunch

On the same day, the Loreto ACT Region 2022 Lunch was held in Canberra. Congratulations and thanks to Riz Jarvis on organising such a wonderful event and to all the Loreto Alumnae who attended. Enjoy the article in the newsletter!

Generations Morning Tea

On 1 April we enjoyed the Generations Morning Tea, a beautiful morning at the School where Alumnae with daughters, nieces and special friends currently attending Normanhurst gathered together for a Communion Service and morning tea. There were many stories shared among Mums and daughters, as well as Grandmothers, Aunties, and special friends. It was a beautiful way for Alumnae to reconnect, make new connections and celebrate the generations of women who have followed each other in the very special Loreto Normanhurst spirit.

Women of Influence

On International Women’s Day we enjoyed an inspiring panel of speakers at the annual Women of Influence evening. There were more attendees online than onsite, with our speakers travelling from across Sydney in torrential rain!

Clementine Churchill (’07), Penny Graham (’84), Marea O’Donnell (’95) and Margarita Playoust-Colley (’87) shared their diverse experience and wisdom, and the ways in which their Loreto Normanhurst education has influenced their lives and the ways in which they mentor other young women.

If you were not able to make it on the evening, please enjoy the video here at any time.

Thank you to all the speakers for their generosity in sharing their inspiring stories, and frankly, for their bravery in making it through the storm. Women of Influence is always an event which raises funds for the Bursary Fund. This year $4,900 was raised for Bursaries at Normanhurst. Thank you to all who donated.

If you have a desire to share your wisdom, experience, and networks with other Alumnae, please consider mentoring at Loreto. You can sign up anytime on Normo Network – Mentoring at Loreto.

Music Festival

The Music Festival was a very special celebration this year, 50 Years of Music Festivals at Loreto Normanhurst! The performances were magnificent and the high spirits amongst the girls were just as I remember them in the 1980s. Music Festival truly is a little bit of magic each and every year.

The Archives team have charted the 50 Years of Music Festival in this nostalgic piece, which includes a video “In Conversation with Sr Deidre Browne IBVM”, the beloved founder of our Music Festival in 1972.

Also in celebration of 50 years, a LN 50 Years of Music Festival Spotify playlist was curated of 50 memorable choir songs. They’ll hit you right the in the feels. Enjoy!

If you would like to purchase a 50 Years of Music Festival Commemorative Pin, there are still some available for sale here. 

Spring Fair 2022 - Calling all green thumbs!

We are keenly anticipating the Spring Fair to be held on Sunday 30 October, and the Ex-Students’ Association will be hosting a stall resplendent with flowers and potted plants of all kinds. Are you a green thumb? Are you busy propagating over autumn and winter, or sowing seeds for herbs and annuals in spring? Would you like to gift some of the spoils from your garden to the Ex-Students’ Stall? If so, please contact me at exstudentspresident@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Here are some video guides to propagating and sowing seeds from Gardening Australia, showing you how easy it is to propagate!

How to propagate plants | Gardening 101 | Gardening Australia

Softwood, hardwood and semi-hardwood cuttings | Gardening 101 | Gardening Australia

How to propagate Indoor Plants | Gardening Australia

Happy propagating!

If you or a family member are involved in the horticultural of floristry industries, we would love to hear from you! We would be very grateful for any advice or support you are able to offer the Association in supplying and stocking our stall at the Spring Fair.

I’d be thrilled to hear from you at exstudentspresident@loretonh.nsw.edu.au and don’t forget to advertise your business on the Normo Network Business Directory. The Normo Network now has 800 members, that’s 800 loyal and supportive members of the Loreto Normanhurst community to advertise your business to!

twoface LABEL

I’m preparing for Mother’s Day as I write this and have just received my order of the beautiful Bursary Cardi from twoface LABEL!

Paulina Bartucciotto (del Rio) and Christina Halugin (Wehrhahn), from the Class of 1995 launched twoface LABEL, creating knitwear grounded by ethical and sustainable beliefs, creating quality craftsmanship made using Australian fibres with a Luxe Vintage Sportif aesthetic.

Paulina and Christina have created a special Bursary Cardi, pledging to donate 40% from each purchase of the design to the Loreto Normanhurst Bursary (Welfare) Fund. This is a very special initiative of an Alumnae business giving back the precious gift of a Loreto education to a girl who otherwise would not receive it. I can attest that the cardi is sumptuous quality, in 100% Australian Merino wool with 100% silk pockets. I can’t wait to gift it to Mum on Sunday! Thanks again Pauline and Christina for your generous initiative.

Paulina and Christina have shared their story with us on Normo Network. The cardi is available to LN Alumnae at a special price, please click on the link above for details of their special offer.

A New Boarding School for Loreto Normanhurst

I would like to draw to the attention of Alumnae to the recent launch of the “Help make this place our Home” Appeal for the Building of the new Boarding House at Loreto Normanhurst. The beautiful 1897 Heritage Building has housed generations of Boarders, but the time has come for a purpose-built modern Boarding House to accommodate the Boarders with the modern facilities required by students in the 21st century.

I encourage all Alumnae to give generously to the Appeal, so that we can support the next generation of boarding students and families to have a home away from home with the facilities to support their learning and development into the future.

https://www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au/supportus

Please watch the beautiful video in the link above. It will tug at the heartstrings, and especially for Boarder Alumnae, will probably produce a tear or two.

Reunions

Over the past weeks, several reunions have been held, some carried over from 2021 lockdowns. I hope you enjoy all the photos and stories in the newsletter!

A special mention to the Class of 1972 who are celebrating their Golden Jubilee, 50 years since they graduated from Normanhurst. To kick off celebrations, on 17 May they will be enjoying their first Loreto, Lunch & Lyrics Event - a special annual celebration for our Golden Jubilarians who are Loreto Normanhurst Alumnae who finished prior to and including 1972. It is a much-anticipated event where our Golden Jubilarians are entertained in the Chapel with beautiful music from the talented Senior Music Students They then enjoy lunch in the Reception Room, where they have the opportunity to relive special memories and renew friendships that have lasted more than 50 years.

Please do advise the Community Engagement Team if you are hosting a reunion. Liane Giuliano and Lana Huntley can assist you with the contact details of your class members and provide advice and support for your event. It is always a joy to see photos of reunions and we’d love you to keep in touch by updating your contact details on Normo Network so we can all share the joy of reconnection.

Liane and Lana can be contacted at:

Liane Giuliano: lgiuliano@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Lana Huntley: lhuntley@loretonh.nsw.edu.au

Happy 125 Years to you all and I hope to see you at an Alumnae event sometime this year!

Kindest regards,

Sam Wegner (Ward ’89)