WCIT
NEWS
An Evening with Dame Stephanie Shirley
~ Book Launch between WCIT & Autistica Charities
W
CIT members packed our livery Hall in February for an evening with Past Master Dame Stephanie Shirley to celebrate the launch of her book, called “Let IT Go”. This revealing book relates how Dame Stephanie overcame a traumatic childhood – evacuated from Vienna in 1939 aged five without her parents – to set up a successful woman friendly software company, while doing her best to help her severely autistic son. It also tells how she gave away much of her resulting wealth mainly to autistic charities but also to other causes including a £5m donation to set The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists firmly on its feet. The Master Michael Grant introducing Dame Stephanie Shirley to WCIT members & guests At the event Dame Stephanie explained that this donation to our livery Company embodied her philosophy of constructive philanthropy, where by careful giving the value of a gift can be multiplied many times by combining it wisely with expertise and intelligent delivery systems. members, raising a good sum for Autistica, her charity, at the event, kindly sponsored by her “All the money I have let go has brought me infinitely more joy than the money I have hung publisher, Andrews UK. on to.” she said. Master Michael Grant, recalling the fun that he Dame Stephanie signed copies o ?\???????[??\?X\? H??UY[X?\??Y[? ?\?[?? H??\[?H ?[[YY \ H?[?\?[?Y[[??8?' ?H\?[?[X^?[?? H ?[X\??X?H ??X[?[?H ??H[?[?? \?[8?'K??? ?X?]Y?H ?????[^K??U??\?\??\?[???? ??YY?HZZ?H?[X[\???U]?\?[X[??X\?H ?\?] ???ZZ?K]?[X[\?Y? ???H ? ?YH H?[ ?][? \??\?H [?\?[?]?Y X[ ?? ???[YH?\[?YH?\?^H ???H ?]??UY[X?\??\? ?H ?Y?Y??Y\??\??????[YH?\[?YH?\?^H ?]\?????8?']U???'B???Y[??? H??U?X??]B??B????? \? ?[?[?H [YH \?H^\? ?]?[??? ?]\? [? ?XY[??[? ?X?[? ?\?X\?? ?Y??\? ? ] ?Y[?? H[?\??]\??X??Z[??\]X[ H[\?[? ?[\ ??H??[][?X?][????Y[X?\???[?\?][??Z?H H??U ????\???\[?H\? ?\?H?? [?]H ?]?HH??\H?Y[X?\?? ?? ?[? ?X?X[\?[?\??] ?Y[??\?[?\??\??X?[? H?H? \?K??]]?H[XY?H\?[ Y ?? X?HH ?Y[?Y\??Y?HX??]?\??\?]X?HX?]?]Y\? HY?[]\?[? \?X?[\??[ ??[??\?Y[X?\?????\[?H?[ H?[^H[ Y[]?\? HX\?\??&\??]?YX\?Y\??Y?H?H ?Y[?[?H?[? ?Y]??? \?H ?Y[??[?[?H??\? ?X??]H [?\? H[???X][? X?] ?????] ???Z??] ?????MM ?Y[? [?H\?H?\??[? H???Y\?[?? ?? X?[??[?H ?Y[? ?[\ ??HY[X?\??&\???[][?X?][???]??[?\? H \? Z?\?[?H [YH[? ?\??\??\??H ??[Z?H ??] [?\?[? ]??? \?Y?[ [?H?Y[ \? \H? ?Y[?\? ?[\ ??H [?\? \??\ [?[? [?\??[?[????\???\[?K?X\?H] \???? [?\??YY?X??? H ?X??X??H[XZ[[??[X[?? ??] ???Z??? ?X?]Y?H?X??\??\?\??[?[??\?[???U?Y?H ??