Headmistress’s Lecture with Kate Adie

29 September 2017 -

On Friday 22 September, the BBC’s ex-Chief News Correspondent Kate Adie came to Wycombe Abbey to hold a fascinating talk on the role of journalism, and to tell of her own experiences, sometimes at a hair’s breadth away from danger. She entertained girls, parents and staff alike with stories of her early beginnings in local television and at Durham’s local radio station, starting the now well-worn tradition of phone-in radio shows. Holding a career which has spanned over 40 years, Adie spoke of the mishaps, laughter, confusion, and sheer luck involved in journalism, and the importance of listening to what is being spoken by the figures who matter. From reporting amid gunfire in Tiananmen Square, to sitting on the roof of a Jeep in an Army plane for eight hours, she really brought to life the excitement and unpredictability of news reporting. For those who were lucky enough to have dinner with her, Adie spoke of the importance of journalism in a Post-Trump world, and how we should all ‘hold truth up to power’. I am sure that for everyone in the audience, it was a fantastic experience that they will not forget any time soon.

Lizzie, UVI