TAKING A TREK DOWN MEMORY LANE AT ST LAWRENCE’S WELLAWATTE

Melburnians Beverley Pinder OAM and Sally Grero visited their Alma Mater amid emotions and joy.

Bring together two schoolmates at their first school, and you can imagine how many happy memories would come flooding back, interrupted by outbursts of joyful laughter.

This was the scene at St Lawrence’s Convent in Wellawatte, Colombo 6, on Wednesday, May 14, 2024, when Beverley Pinder, OAM, took a trip down memory lane at her alma mater. Having emigrated to Australia with her family in 1968, Beverley has enjoyed a rich and successful life in her adopted country.

Highlights have included winning the Miss Universe Australia title, running a successful PR firm for almost 40 years, serving two terms as a Councillor for the City of Melbourne, and receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia for her support for various charitable organisations.

Beverley released her autobiography, Pride without Prejudice (Barefoot Bookstore, Colombo and Wilkinson Publishing, Australia), last year, and recently visited Sri Lanka to promote it. At the invitation of St Lawrence’s Convent Principal, Sr Mary Dilrukshi, she spoke to an audience of fifty teachers, prefects and past students.

Beverley described her motivations for writing her autobiography, donated some copies to the school library, and reflected on her early education at St Lawrence’s. In addition she pledged donations to fund the education of three students.

“The years have not diminished the love and care I received from this school community. There was one teacher who I would rather forget, but otherwise, all of my memories of St Lawrence’s are fond, happy ones,” said Beverley.

For this visit to Sri Lanka, Beverley was accompanied by her close friend Susan Riley, OAM, a former Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Melbourne; and another long-time friend, Sally Grero. Sally (née Machado) was a schoolmate of Beverley’s at St Lawrence’s. They were re-united some 35 years later when a mutual friend realised each was unaware that the former schoolmates were both living in Melbourne.

Beverley said: “It was wonderful to reconnect with my first school after all these years, and to have Sally there with me. My only regret is that two other old schoolmates who Sally and I regularly catch up with in Melbourne – Sharron Paulse (nee Neydorff) and Marina de Niese (nee Fredericks) – could not also be here.”

“This is an unforgettable experience,” said Sally. “Never in my wildest dreams I would have thought this was possible. Such is Beverley’s generosity.

“Our early years were memorable. Beverley was one bright spark who combined studies and sport and took all of us along with her.”

For Susan Riley OAM, it was a pleasure to witness such a fairytale reunion. “Beverley sure has a way of getting things done. Her resilience in the face of many challenges as a young child in Ceylon (as she refers to it) and her accelerated path from beauty queen to businesswoman to philanthropist is to be admired,” Susan said.

“And every time she speaks to an audience, she offers a range of insights and lessons that are well worth writing down, and considering if we might incorporate them into our own lives.”

Principal Sr. Mary Dilrukshi thanked Beverley for visiting and said: “We are grateful for her time in stopping over to meet our Prefects and Teachers. It is an honour to witness the success of a former student, who, having experienced adversity has risen to meet every challenge that has helped shaped her and is willing to share her story with students from our school community.

“Further, her contribution towards the education of students demonstrates her commitment to the advancement of our children.”