OVER SEAS Journal of the Royal Over-Seas League Issue 2, June –August 2010 Namibia special A woman’s worth Make it a date ROSL on film Looking to the past, present Kamalesh Sharma strives Book ahead and fix dates in How the commemorative and future as the ROSL- for equality; and we profile your diary with this issue’s DVD was made, from the Namibia project celebrates the Commonwealth’s most Events section, featuring planning stages, through its 15th anniversary influential women the centenary events filming, to post-production OVER SEAS 16 From the Chairman; Editor’s letter . 4 Centenary OVER SEAS ‘From a woman’s ISSUE 2 June-August 2010 standpoint’ . 5 The Royal Over-Seas League is a self-funded The popular Overseas column from 1929 Commonwealth organisation that offers clubhouse facilities to members, organises Commonwealth An equal footing . 5 art and music competitions and develops joint Adele Smith’s ‘History’ on ROSL’s inclusivity welfare projects with specific countries. Overseas editorial team Editor Miranda Moore The making of the Deputy Editor/Design Middleton Mann Assistant Editor Samantha Whitaker Centenary DVD . 6 Thailand’s top talent . 24 Tel 020 7408 0214 x205 Polly Hynd looks at the challenges Meet the new Young Musician and Young Artist Email [email protected] Display Advertisements Melissa Skinner Tel 020 8950 3323 ROSL Annual Report 2009 . 25 Email [email protected] World Royal Over-Seas League ROSL world . 26 Incorporated by Royal Charter 15 years on… . 8 The Chairman’s tour, and other branch activities Patron Her Majesty The Queen Vice-Patron Her Royal Highness An overview of the ROSL-Namibia project Princess Alexandra KG GCVO Turn of the centenary . 28 President The Rt Hon the Lord Luce KG GCVO DL Chairman Sir Anthony Figgis KCVO CMG* Reaching higher . 12 Report on the year’s events so far Deputy Chairman Mrs Marilyn Archbold* A closer look at Commonweath scholarships Hon Treasurer Mr Simon Ward FCA* Books . 29 Over-Seas House, Park Place, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LR Ashes to Ashes . 14 Reviews of the latest publications by members Tel 020 7408 0214 Fax 020 7499 6738 Oli Broom cycles on, through Sudan and Syria Web www.rosl.org.uk Email [email protected] Over-Seas House, 100 Princes Street, Edinburgh EH2 3AB Tel 0131 225 1501 Fax 0131 226 3936 Closing the gender gap . 15 In the UK Kamalesh Sharma explains what the Central Council Miss Farah Amin, Mr Graham Archer CMG*, Mrs Commonwealth is doing to support its women My secret garden . 30 Shirley Barr*, Mr Ralph Bauer, Mr Clive Carpenter*, Sir Discover a hidden delight in London’s Hill Garden Roger Carrick KCMG LVO, Prof Monojit Chatterji, Nik Raof Daud, Mr Paul Dimond CMG, Mrs Patricia A firefighter’s work is Farrant*, Mr Simon Gimson LVO, Ms Diana Gray, Mr never done . 16 In London . 31 Robert Gregor MBE, Mr Peter Hamlyn, Sir James Hodge KCVO CMG, Miss Maureen Howley MBE, Mr Why women are putting out Australia’s fires Memories and recommendations from Chris David Jamieson, Mrs Anne de Lasta, Miss Sheila de Souza; plus this summer’s best shows MacTaggart LVO, Dr Edmund Marshall, Mr David Newman, Mr Ian Partridge CBE, Mrs Doreen Regan*, Influential women of the Mrs Lindsay Ross, Mr Geoffrey Thompson OBE, Mrs Commonwealth . 18 Festival of cultures . 32 Pamela Voice *Executive Committee From the worlds of science to politics, we Top picks for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Director-General Robert F Newell LVO profile 15 of the most important women today Tel 020 7408 0214 x201 Director of Admin and Finance Shakil Tayub Tel 020 7408 0214 x209 Events Director of Public Relations and Development ROSL news Margaret Adrian-Vallance Tel 020 7408 0214 x204 Email [email protected] What’s on: Edinburgh . 33 Director of Arts Roderick Lakin MBE News and views . 21 Tel 020 7408 0214 x325 Email [email protected] Membership Sec/Asst. to DG Fatima Vanicek The latest from the London clubhouse Food and drink events . 34 Tel 020 7408 0214 x214 Email [email protected] Catering Director David Laurance Tel 020 7408 0214 x331 UK première of Pianorama . 22 Members’ events . 35 Email [email protected] The 53-piece project comes to Over-Seas House Edinburgh House Manager Alan Chalmers Email [email protected] ROSL ARTS . 36 Scottish Development Officer James Wilkie Younger Members . 23 Print Broglia Press Tel 01202 621621 Music, food and love. A round-up of this Discussion Group and The journal is published by the Royal Over-Seas League, Over-Seas House, Park Place, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LR. Any views winter’s Inter-Club events London Group . 38 expressed in editorial and any advertisements included are not necessarily endorsed by the Central Council. ISSN 00307424 Front cover: A pupil and family on their way to Katora Primary, whose ROSL bursary recipients feature in the Centenary DVD June –August 2010 OVER SEAS 3 OVER SEAS From the Chairman Editor’s letter y wife and I spent four weeks in Australia and New Zealand in ommonwealth Day February and March, introducing ourselves to the membership this year coincided there, and joining in celebrations to mark the ROSL centenary. with International MIt was a marvellous experience. Many of those we met were CWomen’s Day, looking forward to visiting London for the centenary reception and creating the perfect conference in early June. opportunity to discuss the In Australia, we visited Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Sydney, position of women in our Canberra and Brisbane. Our excellent and imaginative programme was societies – and what still coordinated by the Australian Chairman, Jason Ronald. All the Australian needs to be done to support them. In the UK, the branches looked after us with warmth and generosity wherever we set foot day is barely noted by most people, but when I – we’re hugely grateful to them. The same was the case in New Zealand, visit my in-laws in Mexico, I am struck by how where the director, Lyn Milne, and the branches in the South and North much it is celebrated there. Living in Britain, it is islands overwhelmed us with kindness. We were bowled over by the wide, easy to forget how far women are from equality, rugged beauty of Australia and New Zealand, and by the friendliness we yet they make up two thirds of the world’s poor. encountered everywhere. Highlights included a Commonwealth Day A day dedicated to gender issues – and to Service in St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne, an unforgettable day at a cattle celebrating women – is, therefore, still extremely farm near Brisbane, a performance of Tosca at the Sydney Opera House, a pertinent. It was with this in mind that we trout-fishing expedition to Lake Coleridge, near Christchurch, and a visit to a decided to run this issue’s Focus on women, with gannet colony near Auckland. There were many good discussions about an overview of the good work being done by the ROSL, its past, its present and its future. Secretariat, by HE Kamalesh Sharma (page 15). We called on the Governors-General in Canberra and Wellington, and on We also celebrate Australia’s female firefighters the Governors of the Australian States. All are ROSL patrons, and some are (page 16) and profile some of the most influential members. All were as welcoming as could be, and not only well-informed women in the Commonwealth today. Choosing about ROSL, but also full of appreciation of its activities worldwide, which people to feature was very difficult, so we especially the many things we do that benefit the young. They asked selected names from a variety of fields and pertinent questions about our plans for the future; I said that the countries. You may have different ideas as to who conference in June would set us on the right path for the next 100 years. should have been included; turn to page 18 to The Governor of Queensland, the Hon Penelope Wensley AO, put her finger see if your latter-day heroes made our final pick. on another aspect, referring to ‘enduring fellowship’. That, I think, is the This issue’s Centenary section shows how thing that struck us most: the sense of family, of coming home in an Overseas took on gender issues in the early 20th unfamiliar land, of a welcome far beyond simple politeness. The trip made century , with the anonymous ‘From a Woman’s us proud to have been sent across the world in the centenary year – to find Standpoint’ column, which began while the ROSL so much appreciated, and in such efficient and generous hands. Suffragette movement was in full swing (page 5). For branch reports on the Chairman’s tour, see ROSL world (page 26). It also includes a ‘Making of…’ account of the hard work that went into putting together ROSL’s Sir Anthony Figgis special, commemorative DVD (page 6). Its narrator – the former Radio 3 presenter Chris de Souza – shares his memories of London, as well as his favourite haunts, on page 31. ROSL’s centenary year got off to a fantastic start. The launch event was a great success (page 28) and, as the celebrations continue, this summer’s events programmes should be a must- read for all members (page 33-38). Miranda Moore WARM WELCOME: (l-r) Australian President Jason Ronald, Lady Figgis, Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Sir Anthony Figgis www.rosl.org.uk CENTENARY From a woman’s An equal standpoint footing The June 1929 instalment of this popular Overseas ROSL has always column, which began in 1917 welcomed women members.