Bablake Invades Warwick Castle!

Ena Cassidy (Shell LM)

On Friday 26th May, an army comprising 98 of the best historians Bablake could muster (Shells, obviously) set forth to invade Warwick Castle. Equipped with pens and booklets, we stormed up the steps of Caesar’s Tower, the highest point of the castle, looming over the landscape at a staggering height of 40 metres. We then trooped across the battlements, over to Guy’s Tower. We quickly dominated both towers, the pen truly proving mightier than the sword. Not long after, we charged over to observe an interactive show by the bowman of Warwick Castle. He gave us an informative, yet entertaining performance, educating us about the wages of archers and showing our group different designs of bow. We weren’t in battle against him, and a good thing too, as his aim was exquisite. After having our quest for knowledge quenched, we strode off to the Gaol, the original dungeon of Warwick Castle. Learning about the wall stocks was fascinating, yet the mere thought of them left chills down our spines. Did you know they were used to lock prisoners’ ankles in and have them bound upside down?

In contrast to the darkness of the dungeon, we watched an impressive display of birds through the story of the Falconer’s Quest. A vast array of birds filled the sky, from a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest bird in the world, to an Andean Condor, with a wingspan of over three metres. After this remarkable feathered display, we commenced on a journey to the Kingmaker, revealing an exhibit of wax figures etched and carved with meticulous care. Though their appearance was mighty, they were no match for our army of battle-ready soldiers. Having conquered the castle, leaving its residents in fear, we returned to Bablake. All in all, we had a great day!

Fabulous FLAMENCO!

On Monday 19th June, as our traditional end of year celebration, we invited Ana Garcia, a professional Flamenco dancer, and her guitarist, Sam, to Bablake.

Our Lower Sixth Spanish students took part in a one-hour Flamenco workshop, where they learnt the intricate hand and foot movements that make up this iconic dance. The first 30 minutes were spent learning the proper way to stamp feet and move hands, and the group performed an impressive Flamenco routine at the end of the session.

Flamenco, now regarded as Spain’s national dance, was declared World Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2010.

County Competition Success

Further to the last article that you may have read in the previous edition of The Lion, we have enjoyed recent success at the Young Enterprise County Competition, where our team underwent an interview in front of a panel of judges, and gave a presentation in front of all of the other teams.

Through our strong communication and teamwork skills that we have cultivated throughout the year, we were able to achieve the Best Company Award in Warwickshire and Coventry, as well as awards for Best Presentation and Best Financial Management. We then progressed to the regional competition, where, despite winning the award for Best Presentation, we unfortunately did not secure a wholly successful outcome and will no longer continue with further stages in the competition.

The Everlasting team will be the first to admit that our Young Enterprise journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster, however, the newfound friendships, skills and real-world experiences that we have gained as a result have been extremely worthwhile. We are very proud of what we have achieved this past year and of how we have developed as both a team and individuals.