Laura of course was from Liverpool and her northern spirit never left her. She had both the northern directness and the characteristic attendant kindness. There were few pupils who were not recipients of her care - her husband Peter told me that on many occasions pupils who had forgotten their bus money would be saved by Laura reaching into her purse to ensure that they got home. I never knew this as she never mentioned it to me – typical of the self-effacing nature of her actions - or if they had lost something, Laura would speed around the school visiting every nook and cranny (which she could do more quickly than anyone else) until she had found whatever it was that was missing.

As Registrar she was generally the first person that anyone saw when they came to visit and I have received many emails and messages from parents to say that the face they first met in the school was one of kindness and warmth.

I would like to quote a wonderful letter that was sent to me by one of our parents as it seems to me to sum up Laura so well.

“Sometimes God places people in our path whose kindness reaches further than they could ever know and we find ourselves filled with the lasting sense of gratitude that our paths crossed. For our family, Laura will forever remain the very first face of hope in the United Kingdom. Laura literally changed the destiny of our family by opening that school gate for us at a desperate moment. She helped people not because it was her job but because genuine care was an intrinsic part of who she was.”

Talking about people who work in schools, during the course of Cathedral Assembly this morning, I asked pupils what the lesson conveyed by the reading from St Luke’s Gospel. It was the moving passage of The Rich Man and Lazarus. One boy from Form 2 gave an immaculate and sophisticated answer which was beautifully and fluently expressed. “Gosh,” I said “You sound as if you should be the teacher. Are you planning on becoming a teacher.” “Yes!” he shouted with great enthusiasm. What a heart-warming response. Nothing could be better than a future teaching in schools and how impressive to know that at the age of 7! Anyhow let’s see what happens….

Very occasionally, when I’m out on Brewer Street and there is no one about, I take the opportunity to try to answer a quick email or two on my phone. Sometimes I try to use the dictation tool which I am finding increasingly helpful as I realise how much quicker it is than my rather cumbersome type writing. Earlier this week a car appeared half way through a message. I forgot to turn the microphone off. A little later when I looked back at my message, I saw a whole string of greetings that had been recorded. “Good morning! Hello. Yes I’m fine thank you. How are you? Hello. Good morning. Yes what a lovely morning it is!“ Though I have always thought that greeting people and discussing the weather are much more important exchanges than many people give them credit for, as they help to oil social wheels and confirm relationships, I was rather appalled by the lack of engaging contributions on my part. I want to say, therefore that I am so sorry if I don’t provide you with more stimulating communication in the morning and so I will try to be more engaging! I hope, in the meantime, that you have a good weekend – the forecasters tell us that sun is on its way at last. Oops sorry – I’m back to talking about the weather again…. Anyhow do enjoy it!