News of our Members
Moved house? Got a new email address? Finished your studies? Newly qualified? Got a new job? Got married? Had a baby? Published a book or just come back from a trip around the world - do send us your news and your photos so that we can tell everyone what you are up to!
Where are they now?
Can you help us to get in touch with Guild members who have lost touch with College? Please go to the new page Where are they now? where you will find 1500 members in three lists spanning 1930-2008, if you can put us back in contact then please email the Guild Office with updated details of the Guild member.
Fringe benefits lead to a New York trip for actress
2007 leaver Alice Bonifacio is dreaming of an acting career
Published Date: 30 September 2008 By John Edwards
BROADWAY beckons for a young actress from Bridlington who is looking for a 'pizza' the action. Alice Bonifacio is used to working at her father's Italian restuarant in the town, but early next year she will be treading the boards in New York.
She is currently studying divinity at Edinburgh University and performed in a production at the city's Fringe Festival
The 20-year-old starred in Eight, a collection of monologues by up-and-coming writer Ella Hickson.
Part of a cast of eight, Alice performed in the four-week run and the company collected one of only 15 Edinburgh Fringe First awards.
It led to an invitation to take the show to London next month and then on to America in January.
They will spend three weeks off Broadway with an all-expenses-paid trip, and Alice hopes this will be the launchpad for a career in acting.
She also appeared in a Stephen Sondheim musical called Company at this year's Fringe and it enjoyed five-star reviews.
Proud mum Merilyn said: "She works so immensely hard and hopefully her story will encourage other youngsters and show them, hard work and focus on what they want in life, can help them achieve so much.
"Alice has worked like the blazes at university and before that she worked hard to get her scholarships at Cheltenham Ladies' College.
"She has a beautiful singing voice and wants to work in theatre and film. She is very versatile. At the Fringe, the tenderness she put into the monologue, about an abused young girl, was just incredible.
"And then in the evening she'd be in a musical."
Alice was born in York and was a chorister at York Minster, as well as being a member of the National Youth Theatre.
A CLC uniform is made to last!
My career in media started in 2002 as a breakfast presenter and newsreader on Cheltenham's Star 107.5FM. After years of 5.30am starts, I thought it was time for a change and so I joined BBC Radio Gloucestershire.
I have taken many roles at the station including presenter, online journalist and producer. I currently 
work as the CSV Action Manager, producing on air social action content and encouraging volunteering through on air promotion.
My relationship with Pudsey Bear started in 2006, when I produced Children in Need for BBC Gloucestershire in collaboration with London HQ. This year presented a challenge when we were asked to wear school uniforms for the day. Could I find my CLC outfit? Would it still fit?!! Well I did, and it did!
I spent a whole day dressed in my green attire reporting live for BBC Gloucestershire and BBC Pudsey from around the county. Having turned thirty this year, I can't tell you how thrilled I was still to fit into my original uniform (save for a safety pin on the netball skirt which I had substituted for the knee length day skirt, on the grounds of more hip room in a flared skirt)! Striped socks, although definitely non-regulation, added comic value!
Just goes to show that Cheltenham Ladies' College is never far from your side!
Camilla Bassett-Smith (1989-1996, St Clare)
Guild Award 2007
We are delighted to report that the Guild Award for 2007 has been awarded jointly to Yemisi Khalidson and Flora Sowerby. The winners were announced during Prayers and they joined the Principal, members of the Guild Executive Committee and last years winners Rosie Edwards and Alice Tudor for coffee afterwards. The prize money was paid to the girls themselves rather than by way of deduction from their school fees, since it was felt that the money might help finance gap year opportunities or even student costs!
In celebration of Dorothea Beale 1831-1906
For reports on the Centenary Debate and Dinner please click here.
Mary Eyre MBE (1929-1942 Day Girls)
Recognition comes in many forms and we are delighted to offer our congratulations to Mary Eyre who was awarded the MBE for services to Sport over the last 60 years in this year's New Year's Honours list.
An audience of over 50 people welcomed Henry Elwes, Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire to East Glos Club on 21 April 2006 to watch him present Club President Mary Eyre with her MBE. The citation read as follows:
"Miss Mary Eyre is a highly respected and outstanding ambassador at all levels of the game having played at club, county and national levels.
She has given a life-long service to hockey and, at the age of 81, still continues to devote her time and energy in a voluntary capacity to East Gloucestershire Club.
She was a major contributor to the well-being and success of the Western Counties Women's Hockey Association where she played for 30 years and was President for twelve years.
She was a formidable goal scorer and was selected to play for England during the 1946-1949 seasons.
Totally dedicated to any roles she undertook, she became a leading international umpire, putting her playing experiences into these duties in a total of 28 internationals, ten of which were played at Wembley Stadium. She also umpired at Wimbledon for fifteen years.
She played for Gloucestershire Women's Hockey Association and was Secretary for 53 years and President for seven years.
She is currently President, Trustee and Executive Committee Member of East Gloucestershire Club and is still organising league and junior teams on a day-to-day basis.
Over the years she has encouraged and supported everyone with whom she has been involved, and has shared her knowledge and experience by coaching and training players and officials at all levels of the game.
For many years she served as player selector and was appointed an umpire selector and assessor. She has coached generations of children in schools and continues to be a very strong supporter of junior hockey, having encouraged many schoolgirls into the game.
She has brought energy, dedication and commitment to all her work and her enthusiasm has been an inspiration to those who had the privilege of receiving her coaching and working with her, where she set high standards for everyone".
Following a lengthy applause, Mary made a short speech in which she thanked East Glos Club and its staff for hosting her investiture. She commented how grateful and proud she was to be receiving her MBE. Mary also paid tribute to her mother, the late Margaret Eyre, her family and Sheila Davson for the wonderful support they had given her over the years.
Oxford v Cambridge Women's Boat Race 2006
This year we are delighted to have three Guild Members rowing for Women's Crews at both Oxford and Cambridge. Congratulations go to Rebecca Patton (Beale 2000-2002), who rows at number four of the Oxford Women's boat, Rose Bosnell (Glengar 1985-1993) who rows as stroke of Osiris, the reserve boat. At Cambridge Kaia O'Hare (Farnley Lodge 1998-2004) rowed at number two in Blondie, the Cambridge reserve boat. Guild is delighted to have sponsored Kaia's seat in the Cambridge reserve boat this year. At the Varsity Race at Henley on Saturday 1st April, Oxford beat Cambridge by half a length and Osiris beat Blondie by 2 1/2 lengths, for Kaia's account of "A Day in the Life of a Cambridge Rower" click here. For further information on the Cambridge boat click here and here for Oxford.