Together with everyone who knew her, marlborough.news was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Kennet Valley School’s Headteacher, Emma Russell in December 2022. Emma had been a regular contributor to Marlborough.news. We were in awe of her energy, creativity and the wonderful initiatives she put in place to engage the children in her care and to give them the best educational experience. Now, Kennet Valley School’s Bursar, Suzanne Parnell-Dunn, has written a children’s book in Emma’s memory which encapsulates the legacy Emma left behind.
Suzanne writes, “Everyone at Kennet Valley School was absolutely devastated to lose their wonderful Headteacher, Mrs Emma Russell, suddenly and far too young, last December. However, the amazing Kennet Valley Community have all rallied together to support each other and to try and continue the amazing ethos and family-feel that Mrs Russell had created during her 20 years at the school.
Emma was the most amazing person, who treated every single person she met with exactly the same kindness and compassion, she was incredibly generous, was passionate about teaching and her buoyant, cheerful personality helped bring the school together like one big happy family.
Anyone who met her could also tell that she was unique, not just in her amazing personality and moral compass, but also in the way she was herself – there aren’t too many Headteachers who can pull off crazy hair and sequinned DM boots – but she certainly could!
With this in mind, I decided to try her hand at writing a quirky little story which incorporated Emma’s kindness, her compassion, her humour, some of her famous catchphrases and also some of her unique and marvellous fashion sense! So, ‘Emmetty Swan’ was created!
In this A5 hard back illustrated book, the lovely Emmetty Swan helps out three creatures she meets, who are feeling sad, or lacking self-confidence and helps them to see the best in themselves, before continuing on their journey – just as Emma did.
At the back of the book are four pages for the readers to complete themselves, about what makes them happy, or how they are special, what makes them feel proud and brave. This is to help the readers think about their own good points and grow their own self-esteem – just as Emma would have helped them to do.
The book was written in tribute to the wonderful person Emma Russell was, and reminds us of how to be a good, kind, and quirky person ourselves – we all need to be a bit more like Emmetty Swan! All money raised from the sale of these books is going straight back to the school to be used for things needed by the Kennet Valley children – as this is what Mrs Russell would have wanted.
The books are available to buy from the White Horse Bookshop on the High Street in Marlborough and cost £12, and, although the book is about and for Emma, it is also just a nice little picture book about kindness and self-confidence. Stock of this book is very limited, so if you would like a copy, please visit the White Horse Book Shop early to avoid disappointment!
The Kennet Valley family love and miss Mrs Russell, but her amazing ways touched everyone she met, and the community, in turn, will try to continue to pass on her wonderful kindness.”
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