Eve Poole

Wed, May 24th 2023 at 12:50 pm - 2:00 pm

A local Madras girl who has made a mark in her life.

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Eve Poole spoke on the subject of ‘How I got my OBE’, bringing mementos to illustrate her talk. Eve grew up in St Andrews; her father, who taught Latin at Madras, drilled his own children in Latin recitation, a skill useful later in Eve’s life…….. She remembered 1980s judo sessions at the Cosmos Centre, and Brownie leadership roles in Greenside Place. Leaving Madras, an English Speaking Union scholarship took her to the USA (where she scored 146% in the Latin exam!). An aunt sent her to Swiss finishing school -putting on her Tiara, Eve demonstrated how she was taught to repel unwanted male attention(!), how to walk and curtsey, useful later for her presentation to the Princess Royal. A degree from Durham University was followed by different work-placements: in ecclesiastical property management as a ’ landlady for Bishops and Archbishops’; a period with Deloitte included meeting her husband during a consultancy course. Eve’s OBE, to be presented by King Charles in Edinburgh on 5 July, is in recognition of her work in youth leadership and gender equality. As the first woman Chair of Gordonston, the first ever from a state school, Eve was responsible for the appointment of Lisa Kerr, the school’s first female principal in 2016. Greeting an eminent visitor to the school in fluent Latin, Eve gained lots of respect for being able to ‘chat in Latin!’. She used the term ‘Leadersmithing’ to describe training young people in leadership, giving character education, teaching failure as well as success, not to fear public speaking. Eve’s next work will be as Interim Chair for The Carnegie Trust in Dunfermline. Reverend Ian Hamilton gave the vote of thanks.

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