Cordelia O’Neil
1. When you were at Brighton & Hove High School, and what is your fondest memory of school?
I started in UIII in 1994 and did my A Levels in 2001. I have so many great memories – mainly of times spent dissolving into fits of laughter over nothing with my friends. I loved the House competitions – particularly the inter house quiz and house plays and had a cosy corner in the library I used to enjoy escaping to to read.
2. Who was your favourite teacher and why?
Absolutely Mrs Ashdown. She is one of the single biggest positive influences in my life. She introduced me to so many wonderful books and ideas, taught me to think and was the first person who made me really believe in myself. I still use her “three pronged attack” almost every day. She is a very special person
3. What were the benefits of being in an all-girls school?
There were no implicit notions about things that you could or couldn’t do as a girl – and when you spoke people listened. When I went to University I was pretty shocked when I opened my mouth to speak and a boy would cheerily talk over me.
4. What did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?
I loved politics and writing and always wanted to be a journalist – my aim was to edit Marie Claire magazine.
5. What do you do now, and what are the most rewarding and challenging parts of your job?
I went on to Oxford to read English and then spent ten years in journalism, covering news and politics – latterly in Scotland in the run up to the 2014 Independence Referendum. I always wanted to make a difference and had a long-standing passion for women’s rights, and was lucky enough to land a dream job at Scottish Women’s Aid in a campaigns role, helping them communicate with politicians and media. I now work for a range of brilliant charity, arts and public sector clients, helping them tell their stories and secure support for their work – and I get the chance to write features on social issues too. I love it. The most rewarding thing is bringing about positive changes. I am also deeply interested in everyone and everything and love the chance to meet new people and hear about their lives. It’s a real privilege. Challenges? It is fast paced and you need to think on your feet and react quickly to changing situations.
6. What are you most proud of so far?
So many things! Securing a policy change from the UK Government, exempting domestic abuse refuges from housing benefit changes was something that literally saved lives. I also helped secure funding for a brilliant charity that changes lives through music in Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas, which is making a difference to 4,000 children every year.
Outside of work, I have run three marathons and – to everyone’s surprise – managed to run the fastest mile in my age category in Scotland a few years ago. I hated PE at school but finding the joy in exercise has been magical. I recently took up swimming and have ambitions of taking on some open water challenges soon.
7. What was the best piece of advice you were given whilst at Brighton?
A teacher editing the school magazine once told me I was “all mouth and no trousers” after I hadn’t written something I said I would. Not so much advice, but I have always delivered everything I promised since!
8. What advice would you give to your 18 year old self?
Don’t be afraid to ask a stupid question. Don’t compare yourself to other people, spend time with the people you love and build real connections with people.
9. What book, film or piece of music would you recommend to your younger self and to your fellow alumnae?
To my younger self, The Hours by Michael Cunningham for this line: “I remember one morning getting up at dawn. There was such a sense of possibility. You know, that feeling. And I… I remember thinking to myself: So this is the beginning of happiness, this is where it starts. And of course there will always be more…never occurred to me it wasn’t the beginning. It was happiness. It was the moment, right then.”
I have recently become deeply enthused about Britain’s Lidos and am trying to swim them all so I would recommend Janet Wilkinson and Emma Pusill’s Lido Guide to my fellow alumnae.
10. How would you like to be remembered?
There is only one person whose memory of me matters and that’s my daughter. I’d like her to remember me as someone who loved her, made her feel safe and made life fun. And if I could teach her one thing it would be to stay curious and ask questions.
