Visit to Prep for Gemma Rawlinson CO01 and Family

We welcomed back Gemma Rawlinson CO01 (nee Holt-Young) to Truro School Prep alongside her husband and children recently for a tour. Gemma attended the Prep between 1990-94, before leaving Truro School in 1999 for college in Truro, then university in London before returning to her home county.

Today, Gemma owns Mellangoose Farm Flowers, an independent flower farm in West Cornwall. Born from her passion for floristry and seasonal garden flowers, the business specialises in traditional English country garden flowers and foliage, grown using organic practices for small weddings and floral workshops. Gemma shares her journey through her popular YouTube channel, Simply Six Acres, where viewers can follow her as she embraces a slower pace of life and documents the changing Cornish seasons from her flower farm.

While many buildings at Truro School Prep have changed since Gemma’s time as a pupil, countless happy memories came flooding back as she walked through the doors of Treliske House. Head of Prep, Rob Morse CO89, gave Gemma and her family a warm welcome and enjoyed hearing about her time at School. Gemma spoke fondly of the close-knit nature of her year group, many of whom had joined together from Trescol Vean School, and warmly remembered the teachers who made her school experience so enjoyable.

Gemma is still close friends with Esther Harazi CO01 and was able to identify many fellow Old Truronians when looking at the 1992 school photograph hanging at the foot of the main staircase. She smiled as she recalled Mr Pierce’s lessons, which occasionally drifted off topic into vivid descriptions of trench warfare, and remembered Mrs Stringer’s encouragement during choir practice.

Like many Old Truronians who attended Truro School Prep, Gemma shared stories of adventures in the “side woods” during breaktimes. The tradition of searching for stray golf balls on the School grounds also lived on, with her son delighted to find two while exploring the fields.

On entering what was once Mrs Coglan’s classroom in the main school building, Gemma instantly remembered the view from the window overlooking the former grass tennis courts and the trees beyond, whose changing colours she loved to watch throughout the seasons. More memories resurfaced when approaching the adventure playground and the school’s garden. Despite building a career in flower growing and floristry, Gemma laughed as she recalled finding gardening club less appealing as a child, remembering it mainly for digging and clearing brambles.

We were delighted to welcome Gemma and her family back and thank her for sharing such happy memories with us.