Rosamond Mahony (neé Adams, Class of 1977 [double check], Channing alumna and daughter of the author Richard Adams, visited Channing to meet pupils who have been reading Watership Down and to talk about the book, which her father wrote while she was at Channing.

Watership Down is the classic tale of a group of rabbits who go on an epic journey to establish a new warren. It began as stories told to Rosamond and her sister Juliet on long car journeys and was eventually turned into a book after the sisters insisted that their father write it down. It was initially rejected by publishers but finally published in 1972 to critical acclaim, winning the Carnegie Medal. It was also a commercial success and inspired many adaptations. The book is still read by adults and children today.

Ros told us this story and answered our questions about the book and being a Channing pupil from 1964-1977. She told us that the uniform used to be a scratchy tweed suit, which could only be dry cleaned once a term! And she admired the new buildings and gardens.

Ros also visited two Year 8 classes to talk to pupils who had been reading Watership Down in their English lessons. Niki, Lola and Emilia in 8EHi and Lucy, Aenea, Astrid and Rose in 8LW did a great job of interviewing her. When asked about her current reading, Ros replied enthusiastically, recommending In Memoriam by Alice Winn, which she described as a phenomenal and heartbreaking debut.