Gemma Wicks – OBA President 2022-23
Gemma Wicks (OB 1991 – 98)
I am sure you will join us in welcoming Gemma as our President for 2022-23.
A message from Gemma:
I am very proud and honoured to be President of the Old Bancroftians’ Association for 2022-2023.
My first memory of Bancroft’s is being about four years old and driving past the school on our way home. My parents told me that I used to say:’ that’s my school’, and seven years later, with determination and the help of an assisted place, it was.
I was a proud member of West House (West is best!) and I always appreciated the opportunity I was given with that assisted place. I threw myself into school life, taking part in sports, music, choirs and technology – with varying degrees of success! The commitment of the staff was amazing and the School provided some amazing opportunities that I would have never had otherwise, including winning a national technology competition and a sports tour to South Africa.
When I moved back to the area in 2006, I wanted to take the opportunity to give back and edited the OBA newsletter for the next ten years and became a member of the Educational Fund Committee, which helped me when I was at school. From 2012-2016, I came back to Bancroft’s as its first Director of Development to raise money for means-tested scholarships for children who, like me, would not otherwise have had the opportunity to attend the school.
I’ve been so fortunate to get to know many fantastic OBs during my association with the School, and I would also encourage you to think about what you got out of your time at Bancroft’s and how you might give a little something back to the School. Please do get in touch if you have any ideas for events, would like to help the School’s developing careers programme or any ways in which we can involve many more OBs from all generations to stay in touch with each other and the School.
I’d like to recognise Steve Dodd as our outgoing President and thank him for his long-standing commitment to the Association.
I look forward to meeting many of you in the year ahead. Floreat Bancroftia!