Truro High School’s annual Speech day will see Lieutenant Colonel Lucy Giles, the first female College Commander at Sandhurst, take to the stage to inspire as guest of honour.
Lieutenant Colonel Giles is an officer in the British Army’s Royal Logistics Corps and made headlines when she became the first woman to be made commander at Sandhurst New College Military Academy in its 300-year history.
She took command of New College at the world famous military institution and has been hailed as a role model for other female members of the armed forces. Lieutenant Colonel Giles is responsible for the training of young cadets over the course of their 48-week spell at Sandhurst.
Since her history-making appointment in 2015, she has been humbled to receive an entry into the Debretts’ People of the Day in 2016 and was the winner of the ‘Inspirational’ and ‘Woman of the Year’ awards at the inaugural Women in Defence event in the same year.
The school’s celebration of the 138th anniversary of its founding will also champion the incredible achievements of women today with award-winning photographer and founder of the First Women Project Anita Corbin welcomed as guest of honour.
Anita will offer a fascinating insight into her unique collection of 100 portraits which captures women in the UK who were “first” in their field of achievement. The portraits aim to provide inspiration and insight for a new generation of women seeking an understanding of their own roles in a rapidly changing world in which equality is still an issue.
Anita began her photography work in the early ’80s with her now internationally acclaimed Visible Girls series. A graduate of the Royal College of Art and finalist in the Sunday Times/Nikon scholarship of 1981, she then spent 15 years covering “human interest” stories for The Sunday Times and The Observer magazines. The National Portrait Gallery in London has, to date, purchased 20 of her photographs for the national archive.
She will offer the school’s community the rare opportunity to find out more about the stories behind the collection, which is set to be revealed in full this year to mark 100 years of women’s suffrage.
Founder’s day will take place on Thursday 22 March at 2.30pm whilst Thursday 5 July will see the school celebrating Speech day. Don’t forget to save the dates and come along to celebrate the importance of putting ‘girls first’ in everything they do.
