Old Girls' Union

Building connections – uplifting women

The Abbotsleigh Old Girls’ Union (AOGU) was founded in 1908, by the School’s first Headmistress, Miss Marian Clarke. Miss Marian Clarke recognised the strength of the connections and friendships formed at Abbotsleigh and founded the AOGU when the School only had a few hundred students.  The AOGU now has close to 12,000 members. In addition to facilitating regular year group reunions, the AOGU and Old Girls Office organise a number of regional reunions and events throughout the year to connect Abbotsleigh girls with each other and the current school community.  

To further support Abbotsleigh girls in their meaningful endeavours, the 110th Anniversary Grant was established in 2018 to recognise the value that Old Girls add by being contributory members of their local and world-wide communities. By building the incredible network of Abbotsleigh women we are also helping to build a stronger future for all women.

The AOGU Committee is a volunteer group of Old Girls that works on behalf of its members to sustain, support and grow the Old Girls community. The AOGU Committee is supported by the School through the Old Girls Office.  If you have any questions, please contact the Old Girls Office or phone +61 2 9473 7740.

Purpose

The objectives of the Union are to:

• Maintain and hand on tradition of the School and to promote its interests;
• Unite past members of the School with the present; and
• Keep past members of the School together and promote their interests

Membership

Life membership is available to anyone who has completed at least four terms of schooling at Abbotsleigh. All Old Girls who finished Year 12 at Abbotsleigh during and after 2006 receive life membership of the AOGU on leaving the School. Life members can vote at meetings and are eligible for election to the Committee and to the position of executive officer of the Committee.

Notice of the Annual General Meeting 2022

We welcome all Old Girls to attend the Annual General Meeting to be held on Wednesday 23 November at 7.30pm in the Global Learning Centre and via Zoom. There will be an overview of the year’s work and the Union’s financial position, before the new Committee and Officers are voted in. 

Please RSVP here by 7 November so we can organise catering or send you the Zoom sign-in details according to attendance preference.

Should you also be interested in joining the AOGU Committee, please also find below a copy of the Nomination Form for the 2022/2023 AOGU Committee to be returned by 14 November 2022.

Committee

The AOGU Committee is a volunteer committee of Old Girls. All Old Girls are eligible to be nominated as a member of the General Committee with appointments taking place annually at the AGM. The term of service is one year with unlimited eligibility for reappointment. Office bearers are also appointed annually at the AGM.
The AOGU Committee meets twice a term at 7.30 pm at the Senior School. A schedule of meeting dates can be obtained through the Old Girls Office. 

The 2023 Committee

Office bearers

President Sarah Franks (1991)
Vice-President  Lucy Shilling (Lyle, 1987)
Treasurer  Belinda Burton (Tjeuw, 1991)
Secretary  Fiona Hobill Cole (Armstrong, 1981)

Members of the General Committee 

Rebecca Baillie (1989)
Kim Boniface (Anderson, 1985)
Carly Bull (Mansfield, 1991)
Bronwyn Cooper (Ross-Jones, 1980)
Suzie Evennett (Taylor, 1984)
Sarah Hornery (1986)
Margaret Jordan (Thiel, 1986) 
Karen Love (1987)
Niki Nojoumian (2017)
Caroline Rigby (Miller, 1984)
Catherine Twyman (Gorfin, 1990)
Ziqing (Alex) Zhao (2015)

Boarder Parents' Representatives 

Anthea Fagan (1989)
Lil Harding (Stevenson, 1989)

Honorary Life Members

Annabel Baxter (Marr, 1965)
Sarah Hofman (Dowsett, 1986) (Foundation Representative)
Anne Mitchell (Macfarlane, 1964) (War Records Coordinator and Marian Clarke Society Representative)
Margaret Sachs (Coburn, 1965)
Melissa Slattery (Walsh, 1977)
Elizabeth Tomlinson (Mills, 1960)

Emeritus Life Members

Robin Archer (Horwitz, 1959)
Sue Cross (Jacobs, 1949)
Jenny Davies (Holman, 1963)
Robin Kench (Hobart, 1951)
Kathleen McCredie AM (1945)
Jacqueline Rees (Selosse, 1969)

Council Representatives

Bronwyn Matthews (1982)
Belinda McGuinness (Wilson, 1987)
Michelle Vanzella (1987)

Events Sub-committee

Carly Bull (Mansfield, 1991)
Belinda Burton (Chair)
Bronwyn Cooper (Ross-Jones, 1980) (Chair)
Suzie Evennett (Taylor, 1984)
Fiona Hobill Cole (Armstrong, 1981)
Sarah Hornery (1986)
Jacqueline Rees (Selosse, 1969)
Caroline Rigby (Miller, 1984)
Lucy Shilling (Lyle, 1987)
Catherine Twyman (Gorfin, 1990)

Finance Sub-committee

Belinda Burton (Tjeuw, 1991) (Chair)
Sarah Franks (1991)
Sarah Hofman (Dowsett, 1986)
Margaret Jordan (Thiel, 1986) (Immediate Past Treasurer)
Bronwyn Matthews (1982)
Kate Nicholls  (Hall, 1985)
Ziqing (Alex) Zhao (2015)

Communications Sub-committee

Rebecca Baillie (1989)
Kim Boniface (Anderson, 1985)
Fiona Hobill Cole (Armstrong, 1981) (Chair)
Jacinta Lin (2018)
Lara Lizzio (Dawson, 1996)
Lucy Shilling (Lyle, 1987)

Governance Sub-committee

Rebecca Baillie (1989)
Belinda Burton (Tjeuw, 1991)
Sarah Franks (1991) (Chair)
Margaret Sachs (Coburn, 1965) 
Melissa Slattery (Walsh, 1977)
Elizabeth Tomlinson (Mills, 1960)

110th Anniversary Grants Sub-committee

Belinda Burton (Tjeuw, 1991) (Chair)
Rebecca Baillie (1989)
Karen Love (1987)
Anne Mitchell (Macfarlane, 1964)
Kate Nicholls (Hall, 1985)

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