By Mrs Collins, History Teacher

Earlier this week our Sixth Formers heard from Emma Cole  about living with HIV. She first came to speak at NHEHS in 1994 when I was in year 13. I remember it incredibly well – it was very hard hitting because she was speaking about living with HIV three years after her diagnosis.

At the time of course this was a death sentence and I have always wondered how things went for her. It turns out she comes to speak to the Sixth Form here every year and she is in good health. Last Tuesday I met her again for the first time in 28 years. It was an emotional reunion. We took the photo next to the Head Girls’ board next to Philippa Ouvry’s name who was Head Girl in 1994 – and all the others since. Fittingly, one of the students at the talk on Tuesday was the daughter of one of my classmates who was also at the 1994 talk.

Emma is inspirational in her story and her impact.