Anne Clark (née Stables), Christine Hardy (née Wilson) and Yvonne Simmons (née Moorby), who left St Anne's in 1971 and 1973, returned to the school as part of a reunion with eight friends from their year group. While Anne and Christine still live locally, Yvonne travelled all the way from London to be part of the gathering.

As they walked around the campus, memories came flooding back. Every corner seemed to spark another story, with plenty of laughter as they reminisced about teachers, school traditions and the mischievous antics that kept them entertained during their school years.

Among the many tales were memories of trying to sneak sweets, collecting order marks, peeking into the staffroom to discover what they had been given for, and colourful recollections of familiar members of staff including Miss Hill and the legendary cook, Jack. Their stories painted a vivid picture of boarding school life in the early 1970s—a world that, by today's standards, was incredibly strict. The group reflected on how different school life was then, remembering the many rules and restrictions that shaped their experience. While they joked that it often felt "more like a prison than a school", their stories were shared with warmth, humour and the perspective that only fifty years can bring.

One particularly special piece of history emerged during the visit when Anne shared that her father was the architect who designed Crampton Hall. It was a wonderful connection between her family and a building that remains at the heart of the Browhead campus today.

What stood out most throughout the afternoon was the enduring friendship between the group. More than half a century after leaving St Anne's, they were still sharing stories, laughing together and creating new memories on the campus where so many of their old ones began.

We were delighted to invite the group to consider holding a future reunion at the school, where we'd be more than happy to help organise refreshments and welcome even more former classmates back to Browhead.

Visits like these are a wonderful reminder that although the school has evolved enormously over the decades, the friendships formed here continue to stand the test of time.

If you're thinking about organising a reunion with your fellow Stannites, we'd love to hear from you. Whether your memories are from St Anne's or Windermere School, we'd be delighted to help you reconnect with old friends and revisit the place where so many lifelong friendships began.