Read here the extraordinary story of Mary Foley, a forty six year old mother of three whose fifteen year old daughter Charlotte was stabbed at a party in 2005 and who went on to forgive her daughter’s killer.

Mary came to speak to a year 11 group at QPCS, our local secondary school yesterday. A group of parents at QPCS bring in visiting speakers and writers on a regular basis, so that students can listen to the experience of adults from a wide range of backgrounds, life experience and work.

For obvious reasons, Mary’s story was of particular interest. You could have heard a pin drop in that class, as she spoke for half an hour or more, and then took questions for another half an hour.

Perhaps the most moving moment was when, in among the searching questions, one of the students said simply and directly to Mary, ” I think we all want to say, we are very sorry for your loss.”