College News Autumn 2014
Making rowing history Henley Royal Regatta
Renowned OC returns to College Film producer, Tim Bevan, offers tips to students
An astounding year for Science Cheltenham Science Festival and a newly modernised Science building
War and peace poetry inspired art WWI commemorated with student gallery
125 mile international race College boys canoe from Devizes to Westminster 1
Tim Bevan Visit Cheltenham College was delighted to welcome back one of their former students, Tim Bevan, co-founder of Working Title Films, one of the world’s leading film production companies.
Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster
Academic achievement and charitable contribution
Working Title Films have made over 100 films including: Les Misérables; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; Love Actually; Atonement; Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’ Diary to name a few. They have won 10 Academy Awards, 36 BAFTAs and numerous prestigious prizes at the Cannes and Berlin Film Festivals. During his day back at College, Tim Bevan led a number of workshops. Pupils worked in small groups with each group pitching their film ideas. Suggestions ranged from suspense thrillers to romantic comedies. Pupils discussed plot twists, who they would cast and estimated production costs. Tim gave fantastic feedback and everyone soon learned that producing a film was a very
expensive business that often takes years to complete, from the initial idea to your film making it into the cinema. The afternoon was followed by Q&A sessions with a group of keen Upper College students. Tim shared his experiences, from leaving College to making his first film, and stressed how three things were really key in getting him started. Firstly, the breaking up of unions during the 1980s led to the film industry being such a closed shop. Secondly, the arrival of music videos (which is how he started) and thirdly, the arrival of Channel 4 with an emphasis on supporting fresh and independent film-making. Students received plenty of practical advice including specific degree courses to look into and how to gain experience in the film industry. Tim also shared some great anecdotes from many of the film stars he has worked with in a long and successful career. The day concluded with a dinner for parents and OCs. Guests were treated to a fascinating talk about Tim’s career so far and had the opportunity to ask questions.
We start this term and academic year extremely buoyant and with a great sense of pride, having taken stock of some excellent GCSE and A Level results this summer. There were many outstanding performances across both GCSE and A Level. However, it is the value added results that I feel most heartened by with students achieving results they would never have believed themselves capable of a few years ago. College celebrated its best ever GCSE year, with two thirds of grades at A* and A, and a third of the cohort achieving five A*s or more. At A Level, half of all grades were at A* or A and over three quarters of the pupils went on to Russell Group and other elite universities. These results are testament both to the hard work of our pupils and the dedication of our teachers. At the same time breadth of education remains the hallmark of the College’s ethos. Pupils here learn to balance their many commitments and the following pages give you a flavour of that breadth. With this in mind, we have extended the coverage of this edition to include many of the sports and activities taking place during the summer months. We are particularly proud of the charitable work that many of our pupils have been involved in and the great initiative that they show in organising this. It is so important that our young people are aware of the opportunities they have in life and show a willingness to support and raise money for good causes, both at home and abroad.
Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster
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Double Success This year College celebrated yet another strong performance at A level and its best ever GCSE year, with over a third of results gaining top A* grades. However, it was particularly special for six pupils. For the first time in history College witnessed three sets of twins collecting results on the same day.
Georgina (5th, Ch) and Neil Hacker (5th, H), Daniel (5th, S) and Edward Brown (5th, S) and Anthony (5th, L) and Alexander Gordon-Eales (5th, L) all shared this special day. Neil Hacker commented: “I’m really happy with my results. I guess there is quite a bit of competition when you have a twin, but it is also really helpful, because there is someone to revise with.”
Biology Challenge Success During an award ceremony held in London, College students celebrated impressive results in the 2014 Biology Challenge. The competition, run by the Society of Biology, consists of online multiple-choice questions, testing pupils’ knowledge of Biology and their enthusiasm for the natural world.
One of the top Biology Challenge winners was Cheltenham College pupil Alexander Thorpe (4th, BH). In total, 32,500 students from across the UK competed, with Alexander finishing in the top 40. Alexander commented: “Competitions such as the Biology Challenge are not so much about what is studied in lessons, but about the context of certain topics on a far broader spectrum, from wildlife and disease, to physiology. It is not possible to know everything in the paper but it is the practical application of knowledge, gleaned from teaching and general knowledge that makes such competitions both educational and rewarding.” The ceremony’s guest speaker was Professor Alice Roberts who gave a fascinating lecture on how our development as an embryo echoes earlier stages of evolution. “Biology is one of the most relevant subjects to today’s school curriculum”, says Mrs Isabella Mech, Head of Science “Our students are going to have to cope with global problems such as climate change and providing food for an ever-growing population. Ethical issues such as the use of stem cells for
Cheltenham Science Festival 2014 Cheltenham College continues a strong association with the annual Cheltenham Science Festival, supporting a well-attended discussion and hosting the annual Cyber Security Challenge. On the opening day, Dr Alex Peterken introduced a fascinating discussion with Graham Farmelo and Philip Ball entitled Science and War: Working for Hitler and Churchill. In a far-reaching discussion with a lively Q&A session, Farmelo and Ball helped enlighten the audience on some of the ethical issues facing scientists during the Second World War and the implications of their decisions. Farmelo and Ball have both published new works that respectively look at how scientists worked for Churchill and Hitler on the nuclear bomb.
Speaking after the event, Dr Alex Peterken commented: “We are delighted to be supporting this year’s Science Festival. Cheltenham College has a long tradition of strength in the Sciences. Of course, as part of the wider community we are also keen for our students to explore the ethical dilemmas often faced by scientists.”
Men in bright orange vests greeted us all at big electric gates. The security was very efficient and we had to hand in identification before the men allowed us to pass through. Once we were inside, we were greeted by people who worked there. A big room with lots of different drugs, fake passports, suicide bombers’ backpacks and languages was set out. People who specialised in the various areas were ready to answer any questions the competitors had. We were a bit early so it meant we had more time to ask detailed questions on each topic.
The Biology Challenge is a junior version of the British Biology Olympiad and is organised by the Society of Biology’s UK Biology Competitions Special Interest Group. Both competitions are made possible through the dedication of volunteers and are supported by funding from the Biotechnology and Biological and Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). After the ceremony Alexander commented: “The lecture was particularly enjoyable to me as it gave a real insight into our existence and how fascinating the process of conception is as well as the profound significance of evolution and how our understanding of these has changed and improved over time.”
“These Cyber Games events are hugely important for both the pupils involved and in the wider context of opening up cyber security to a new generation”, says Brian Higgins, Schools Programme Manager at the Cyber Security Challenge UK.
Following this great introduction to the festival, Cheltenham College was delighted to host the Cyber Security Challenge Final. Situated in the Upper Common Room, the College team, including Elliot Lau (U6, BH), Chai Tephabutra (U6, BH) Clement Hathaway (L6, Xt) and Nicholas Liban (L6, Xt) competed against three other teams and were challenged with cracking encoded systems and freeing a hostage trapped within a secret location in College. The Cyber Games 2.0, organised by Raytheon and the Smallpeice Trust, is the final of a programme backed by the Cabinet Office that aims to raise awareness within schools of the exciting careers in cyber security.
Innovators Competition When our team arrived at GCHQ there was a sense of apprehension and excitement in the air; we were so keen to do well and present our pitch effectively.
research will also need debating. Biology provides our students with the tools necessary to deal with these issues. Competitions such as the Biology Challenge inspire students to read beyond the confines of the curriculum and stimulate lateral thinking, a vital characteristic required for the scientists of tomorrow.”
This part of the visit was particularly interesting, as we learned so much about the type of work GCHQ does. After a while the doors into the pitching room were opened. There were some introductory speeches given by the judges and they showed us a clip on how GCHQ was founded. The first pitches were interesting and it was amazing to see the types of ideas we were up against; there was a watch that could tell you where your friends are and a household app that would turn off your lights. Then, it was our time to present. I felt like we needed to do well and give it our best shot possible after all the hard work put in! Hands trembling, I introduced our pitch saying “Good afternoon, we are PCSS…” After the pitch had come to an end we were rewarded with great applause from the audience. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be on the day, with the winning school
achieving top honours with a glove that was used as a computer mouse. However, we believe we did our best to aim high and reach our full potential. Overall, the day was a fantastic experience and an adventure for us all!
Daisy Wildman (3rd, Ch)
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Big Band Jazz Festival
On Saturday 3 May College’s Big Band delighted a large audience of jazz enthusiasts and supporters at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
They entertained the crowd with Mancini’s A Shot in the Dark and Ray Charles’ What I’d Say. An original composition by local musician Philip Mercer called Funk Ya Stuff featured many superb soloists: Alex Hall (L6, L), Fergus McNeile (4th, NH), Rebecca Perry (L6, A), Ed Johnston (4th, L),
Charlie Holloway (4th, L) and Charles Bond (L6, S) on saxophone; Luke Knudsen (4th, NH), Harry Steel (5th, Xt) on trumpet; Harry Byrne (4th, Xt) on trombone; Chai Tephabutra (U6, BH) on piano; Cameron Logan (L6, BH) on guitar; Ed Robbins (L6, L) on bass guitar and Jamie Orme (4th, S) on drums. James Lloyd-Smith’s (U6, S) smooth vocal performance of Mr Bojangles was a highlight with rapturous applause from the audience. Overall, a fabulous and entertaining performance!
Evensong in Gloucester Cathedral On Wednesday 23 April the Chapel Choir were privileged to sing Evensong in Gloucester Cathedral. The Choir included Laurence Pemberton (U6, S) and James Lloyd-Smith (U6, S), both former choristers in the Cathedral Choir before joining College.
Chapel Choir Tour The Chapel Choir toured Tuscany at the beginning of July and were met with an enthusiastic reception. The tour formed the last of a grand series led by Gordon Busbridge and it was therefore fitting that the Chapel Choir gave the opening recital at the 33rd International Music Festival at Corsanico under Gordon’s direction with organist Alexander Ffinch. Other venues included the Church of San Michele in Florence and the Cathedrals of Lucca and Volterra. It was a magnificent tour and a fruitful trip was enjoyed by all.
Gordon Busbridge’s Final Recital Amongst a plethora of performances to celebrate Mr Gordon Busbridge’s tenure as Director of Music this year was the magnificent organ recital he gave in Chapel on Thursday 12 June. Mr Busbridge is of course no stranger to giving recitals and right from the start we knew we were indeed fortunate to have one final chance to hear him play works close to his heart. We heard pieces by J.S. Bach and a collage of works from the 20th century French school represented by César Franck, Marcel Dupré and most notably Louis Vierne. The organ was put through its paces, sounding very well in the resonant acoustic. Then Mr Busbridge treated us to a definite highlight with a free-style improvisation, demonstrating not only range of colour but also wonderful agility and breath-taking versatility. We were smoothly transported from the crystal clarity of J.S. Bach, through Franck’s lyrical developments and the dramatic splendour of Dupré, to a majestic finale of Vierne’s famous Carillon de Westminster (based loosely upon the Big Ben chimes). It was a grand celebration that will not be forgotten, reminding us how lucky we were to hear Mr Busbridge play.
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College News Autumn 2014
Cautionary Tales This year, for the first time, the Lower College Play was an entirely original work devised by our cast and crew of over 40 Third and Fourth Formers. Our highly talented cast spent three months in workshops and exploring ways to stage Hilaire Belloc’s darkly humorous Cautionary Tales. This process culminated in them staging, a highly innovative reworking of the poems, effectively incorporating puppets, mime, narration, physical theatre and ensemble work. As the play opened we met the wilful and naughty young Tommy being put to bed by his mother. As he begged her for a bedtime story, she seized the opportunity to teach him a lesson about what happens to disobedient little children, thus beginning Tommy’s journey into the world of The Cautionary Tales. Our talented cast then re-enacted these stories as they might play out in an imaginative little boy’s mind in the dead of night. The pupils learnt so much during the process about crafting effective drama that we hope this will be the start of a tradition of quality productions, written, directed and devised by our students.
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British Wildlife Photography Awards: Philip Edwards
This year, Philip Edwards (4th, S), a very keen amateur photographer, entered the British Wildlife Photography Awards with four different photos. The images he entered ranged from a wild rabbit in the undergrowth, a swan preening itself, to a portrait of a large heron. Following his entry, Philip was delighted to receive confirmation that his picture of a Hummingbird Hawkmoth had been shortlisted for the Wildpix 12-18 year old finals. According to Philip, the photo had been taken whilst he was on a day trip to Burford, Oxfordshire
where he visited the Cotswold Wildlife Park in order to see if he could take some exciting images of animals. He saw a Hummingbird Hawkmoth feeding on some flowers and spent time following its flight, until it came to rest briefly and feed on a flower. Philip said “I was delighted to receive this news, it is my life long dream to become a wildlife and landscape photographer. I am even considering the possibility of moving to America to attend SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) where they have a specialist Degree course in wildlife photography.”
War and Peace Exhibition
All pupils from the Third Form were involved this Summer Term in producing an individual piece of artwork inspired by poetry from WW1. Students had free range regarding the poem they selected to inspire them, the design of the artwork and the techniques and materials they employed to create their work. Their final pieces were displayed in College’s ‘White Gallery’ alongside professional artists/ printmakers from the Gloucestershire Printmaking Co-operative (GPC). Phoebe Janes (3rd, W) whose design won the competition, depicts a box-construction of a miniature stage set of a bleak battlefield, viewed fully only by peering into a peep hole 6
College News Autumn 2014
at the front. The interior and exterior of the box were surrounded by the charred black remains of skeleton trees built in wire and a verse of her selected poem was printed and incorporated within the internal space.
The GPC were so impressed with the design and execution of Phoebe’s piece that she was awarded a prize - a weekend print workshop at their studio in Stroud. Mrs Tricia Henry, External Exhibitions Director, from the GPC said “The concept of a 3D piece of work incorporating mixed media so impressed us - it conveys a real understanding of circumstances in the trenches where periscopes were used to get a stark view of ‘No Man’s Land’ at ground level. The verse from the poem she based her work on, ‘He Fell Among Thieves’ by Henry Newbolt, carries a potent line about burying the dead, an apt issue during and after WW1. It was a moving piece and very well executed”.
The Racing Set Earlier this year, racing talent Jamie Chadwick (5th, Ch) featured in the CBBC programme The Racing Set. The Racing Set is a fast-moving 5 x 15 minute factual series following the fortunes of four teenage racing drivers as they battle on the track in the Ginetta Juniors Championship. As the only female, Jamie not only faces the challenges of competing with often older male rivals, including brother Ollie, but also has the added pressure of bringing the car back safely, avoiding costly repairs after travelling up to 120mph. The programme concludes with Jamie racing at the world-famous track Brands Hatch, coming off the back of winning top rookie in the previous race. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be, with Jamie not finishing the race after contact with a fellow competitor, having been running in a respectable fourth place. Jamie is again competing in the Ginetta Junior Championship this year, and with more experience under her belt as a second year driver, she is making regular appearances on the podium and hopes to be pushing for wins going into the second half of the season. To view Jamie’s profile, please visit: www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/clips/p01xd3kw
Vegetarian Week On the week commencing 19 May College celebrated National Vegetarian Week. In support of the campaign College Catering Department organised a competition where students were asked to create a dish or a recipe which could appear on the Menu for that week. There was a fantastic response from the pupils and the vegetarian dishes included main courses from all around the world. The winning dishes included: Mozzarella and Tomato Puff Pastry Galettes (Harry Steel, (5th Xt)), Vegetable Korma (Saskia Blumer, (U6, Ch)), Sweet Potato Falafel and Pitta Bread (Miranda Bruce-Smith, (L6, Q)), Stuffed Roast Peppers with Moroccan Cous Cous and Feta (Rebecca Perry, (L6, A)), and a Lentil and Roast Vegetable Casserole (Thomas Lushington, (U6, L)). Mr Mike Rooke, Executive Head Chef commented: “We chose these because of their flavours and the variation which would suit all pupils. The chosen dishes proved to be very popular.”
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Henley Royal Regatta The Cheltenham College 1st VIII qualified for Henley Royal Regatta with Isobel Salmond Smith (4th, A) at age 15, becoming the first girl in the history of Cheltenham College to cox a crew at Henley Royal Regatta.
The team, coached by Mr Tristan Mayglothling, was drawn against Dulwich College for their race in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup late in the afternoon of 3 July. In glorious sunshine the eightman crew and their female cox took an early lead in the race, although they were unable to sustain
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College News Autumn 2014
their lead and lost to Dulwich by two lengths. At the end of a gruelling race, the boys and Isobel have vowed to be back again next year.
The goal for the coming year will be to have teams representing College at both Henley Regatta and Henley Women’s Regatta.
Girls have been attending Cheltenham College since the 1970s, but this is the first time in almost 175 years that a girl has coxed the Henley crew. For Isobel, who was a Fourth Former at the time, to maintain complete control over a boat of mostly Upper College boys, requires a certain amount of ruthlessness and unwavering commitment to the boat.
Mr Richard Jones, Head of Rowing, commented “The crew really gave it their all today. They have worked incredibly hard all season and deserved their place at the Henley Royal Regatta. We plan to be back next year at what is, without question, the premier rowing event in the British rowing calendar. Rowing is a major sport at College and we aim to qualify both boys’ and girls’ teams next year.”
Rowing is a major sport at College with over 120 pupils, girls and boys, involved in the Boat Club.
International success Morgan Williams (L6, H) rowed for Wales at the Home International Regatta. He becomes College’s first rowing international since 2006. Morgan was a key member of College’s 1st VIII, which successfully qualified for Henley Royal Regatta at the end of June. He came through a tough trialling process to win his place in the coxed four, along with boys from Shrewsbury and Monmouth Schools. Mr Richard Jones, Head of Rowing, said “I’m absolutely delighted for Morgan to have the privilege of representing his country at rowing. It is quite some time since College had a rowing international and Morgan’s success is a testament to the hours of hard training he has put into the sport.” He becomes College’s first rowing international since 2006.
Photo courtesy of Chris Williams.
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Twenty20 County Cricket This summer College were pleased to host, and enthralled to watch, a Gloucestershire County Cricket Twenty20 match against Warwickshire County Cricket Club. Taking place before the annual Cheltenham Cricket Festival, this game presented a wonderful opportunity to see top-level cricket on our doorstep. The game itself provided the usual fast-paced, high adrenaline action, including some big hitting from both teams, with Gloucestershire coming out the victors by two wickets.
Stonar Inter-Schools One Day Event After an early Sunday morning rise on a beautiful May morning, we arrived at the Stonar Inter-Schools One Day Event in Wiltshire. We walked around the cross-country course being guided by Mr Robert Buck (stable owner and instructor) and Mrs Jenny O’Bryan. The course consisted of 18 jumps, two of which had a water composition and a bank to jump up. We began with dressage and Alastair Llewellen Palmer (Year 8, Prep) riding Spice, went first in the group, closely followed by me, riding Sadie, and then Tom O’Bryan (Year 7, Prep) riding Tyger. The dressage went very smoothly with everyone scoring well to get us off to a good start for the rest of the day. Next was show jumping with a well-constructed course. Alastair flew round and gained no penalties. However, Tom and I sadly
Track and Field For the second year running Cheltenham College entered the U16 English Schools’ Athletics Association Track and Field Cup Competition (ESAA); taking 26 Third Form pupils to the Prince of Wales Stadium in Cheltenham for the first of a three round competition. Despite not having any prior training for the event this year because of various time constraints, the athletes performed very well – the boys came 4th and the girls came 6th. The highlight of the event was winning the 4 x 100 metres relay for both boys and girls by a comfortable margin. Along with some superb individual performances, the pupils were great ambassadors for College.
IRB Junior World Rugby Danial Davidson (U6, Xt) was selected for the IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy representing Hong Kong. The tournament was staged in Asia for the first time when it kicked off at the Hong Kong Football Club in April. Hong Kong’s under-20 side lined up with the future stars of world rugby from Canada, Georgia, Japan, Namibia, Tonga, the United States and Uruguay.
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College News Autumn 2014
gained 8 vital penalties from a knock and a refusal. It was soon onto the cross-country, which, personally I think was the highlight of the day. Alastair started strongly followed by Tom and then me. We all had a super round and didn’t add any further penalties onto our scores. Prize giving came bearing our results. Tom came 15th and I came 9th in a class with 44 other horses and Alastair came 3rd in an equally large class. Just to add to our amazing day, as a team representing College we were placed 4th out of 22 other school teams. There were only 5 penalties between us and the winning team – it was a very close competition! Thank you very much to Mrs O’Bryan for the amazing organisation, to Mr Buck for looking after the ponies so well and to Mrs Vigne, Mrs Buck and Mrs Llewellen-Palmer for great support. It was a truly amazing day!
Ellie Jones-Perrott (4th, A)
Player of the Year Kwik Cricket Hattie Bevan (L6, A) won the GHA Junior Female Player of the Year. This award is a true testament to Hattie’s dedication towards training and her commitment to excel in hockey. Hattie has been a member of the 1st XI for the past 4 years and now follows both of her older sisters in becoming captain. To be recognised in this very strong hockey community as the top female athlete for her age is a true reflection of her abilities. She has combined her studies with her hockey commitments at College, as well as taking on the extra commitment of playing club hockey.
This summer College hosted the final stages of the Gloucestershire Kwik Cricket competition. More than 200 children from 24 primary schools took part in the event after winning district festivals held at cricket clubs all over Gloucestershire. On the day, selected College Yearlings supported the event, umpiring across all ages. Gloucestershire Cricket Board (GCB) projects and programmes manager Chris Munden said: “Kwik Cricket finals day is the highlight of our schools coaching programme and it was a wonderful day. Seeing more than 200 children playing cricket on the famous Cheltenham College ground is a magnificent sight and one that I am sure will live long in the children’s memory.”
Golf County Champion Harrison Ottley-Woodd (3rd, S) was named the Gloucestershire U16 County Champion. On a very windy day at The Gloucester Golf Club, Harrison recorded a superb round of 77 to take the title by just one shot. The event included the best under 16 Gloucestershire players, including two fellow England squad members. Harrison, at just 14 years of age, took the U15 Championship as well as the main event. Harrison qualified to play in the West of England U16 Open Championships and South West Counties U16 Championship.
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Gloucester and England Rugby success Ollie Thorley (L6, BH) was part of the Gloucester rugby squad that successfully defended their Premiership Rugby 7s title with a 12-5 win over Newport Gwent Dragons. This is the culmination of an outstanding twelve months for Ollie, having also represented the England U18 squad in South Africa this summer. Photo courtesy of Martin Bennett, Gloucester Rugby www.mbennettphoto.co.uk
Athletes Charlotte Woodman (L6, Q) was selected to join 26 athletes to represent Gloucester at the National Athletics Championships in Birmingham this summer. Charlotte gained a huge amount from the experience and is determined to retain her selection.
Jumping, eventing and tetrathlon This summer Harry Stevens (5th, Xt) competed in show jumping, eventing and tetrathlon competitions.
Congratulations to the 2nd XI who won the ISHL South 2nd XI title. The team played 7, won 6 and lost 1. 25 goals scored with conceded 7. Highlights of the season included an 8-2 win over Eton and, on the last day, a 5-1 win over Marlborough to secure the title.
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Harry finished 8th in the Tetrathlon Nationals and has been chosen to represent the England team. Harry has benefited from mentoring sessions at the Pony Club Tetrathlon Nationals with the modern pentathlon Olympic bronze medallist Kate Allenby MBE.
South Africa Rugby Tour This summer 28 boys and 4 staff embarked on what was to be a memorable rugby tour of South Africa. This year’s trip included five matches, a trip up Table Mountain and a visit to the breathtaking Cape of Good Hope. The rugby was a great success with three wins out of the five games; a fine effort considering three of the five schools were in the top twelve rugby playing schools in South Africa.
On the route up to George, boys had the opportunity to whale-watch before watching our very own Ollie Thorley (L6, BH) play for England 18s against France 18s; a special surprise for the tour party. Away from rugby, the boys had the chance to experience a walk around Langa township and visited the pre-school they raised money for; a particularly humbling day for all of involved. Mr Thomas Richardson, Head of Rugby commented: “It was a fantastic trip and the boys were amazing ambassadors for College. Each boy played with passion and desire throughout and worked hard in every training session. I was very proud of each and every one of them and the comaraderie shown throughout the whole incredible journey.”
Off the field, boys had the opportunity to take in a game at the famous Newlands rugby ground, where Western Province played the Blue Bulls.
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CCF RAF The RAF section this year has undertaken a varied programme, consisting of Drill, Flight Theory, Field Skills, Map Reading, First Aid and Comprehensive Leadership Training. The Winter Field Day was at RAF Brize Norton and the cadets had a chance to see a working station in action and explore some of the aircraft. The second Field Trip was at Nesscliffe in North Wales, where the cadets were trained in Camouflage and Concealment, Basha building, 24 hour ration packs and a ‘Search and Rescue’ Command Task. The weather was awful, causing trees to be blown over all around the training area. However, the cadets all kept high spirits and thoroughly enjoyed the day.
phase down in Woolacombe, Devon. On Monday the cadets completed a 10 mile walk along the north coastline in the sweltering heat, putting the navigation skills they learnt earlier in the year into practice. On Tuesday the cadets went out for a surf and paddle, although the lack of waves prompted team building exercises and wrestling on rafts made out of foam surf boards. The flying phase of Summer Camp was conducted at RAF Colerne in Wiltshire. The cadets all had two flights each in a Grob Tutor (a twin seat aircraft) with an experienced RAF pilot. The cadets each had a chance to pilot the aircraft and learn about reading the instruments and aircraft handling. Some cadets were bold enough to attempt some aerobatics, which resulted in a few seeing their lunch for the second time! A great week all round with a strong year group who have shown real commitment and progress all year.
Mr Edward Kirby
This year’s annual camp was a huge success. The week began with the adventurous training
CCF Army The highlight of the training year remains the Army Summer Camp at Longmoor in Hampshire, where the combination of training and competitions makes for an exhausting week. With a varied programme of paintballing, mountain biking, section attacks, building clearance, clay pigeon shooting, ranges, drill and bushcraft it was a fast-paced week with something for everyone. At the final prize giving Cheltenham College won the best full bore shot (Harry Stevens (5th, Xt)) and also completed a clean sweep with 1st and 2nd place in the blue ribband March and Shoot competition. Sjt Humphrey Bodington (L6, BH) led his team to the fastest run time by 90 seconds and the best shooting score, while Harry Steel (5th, Xt) encouraged a Fourth Form team into second, beaten only by two points. The all-girl team led by Jana Bourhill
CCF Royal Navy Weymouth Camp The Fourth Form Naval CCF cadets and Leading Hand Dmitrii Usynin (5th, NH) spent an enjoyable and productive week at the Sea Cadet Centre on The Nothe at Weymouth.
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(5th, Q) registered the 5th fastest march, beating 10 boys teams from other CCF contingents. As befits our close knit CCF community the prizes were awarded by Old Cheltonian Brigadier Andrew Hughes MBE, (BH, 1976-81). On our return to College Freddie Foster (4th, NH), Jack Burns (4th, NH) and Ben Adams (4th, BH) were awarded top male cadets, Jemma Robson (4th, W), Theresa Schäff (4th, Ch) and Ellie Jones-Perrott (4th, A) were awarded best female cadets and Beth Adams (4th, A) top overall cadet 2014. They were all promoted to Lance Corporal on return to College.
All cadets completed a RYA level 1 or 2 certificate in either sailing, wind surfing or power boating. When the weather was too windy the cadets completed an activity day of indoor climbing, mountain biking and leadership tasks. Congratulations go to the 14 cadets who have completed Naval CCF courses during the summer holiday. Courses included: Power Boating, Ocean Diving, Leadership, Sailing, CCF Band and Lifeguard at Plymouth, Portsmouth and Dartmouth.
Athelings tour to Canada In July, Mr Jonathan Cload (Commandant) and Miss Sarah Proudlove (Adjutant) took a team of 18 cadets from all over the UK to compete against the Canadian Cadet National Rifle Team at Connaught Ranges, Ottawa. Christopher Bowring (U6, S) was a member of the UK team, and featured strongly in the individual and team matches. Chris showed strong tactical awareness and ability, coaching in all six of the team matches against Canada. His coaching skill secured his 14th place in the Cadet Grand Aggregate (17th highest team member).
Provence trip
Romania
26 pupils and 4 members of staff attended the Classics and French trip to Provence. From aqueducts to amphitheatres, pupils visited a range of architecturally impressive and culturally significant Classical sites: the famous Pont du Gard, the theatre at Orange and the Maison Carrée temple were particular highlights.
24 pupils and 5 staff returned tired but elated after an extraordinary week with the children of the Residential School for Children with Special Needs in Bradet, Romania where pupils and staff played, laughed, cuddled, sang and danced - not to mention hokey-cokied - for five happy and challenging days!
Pupils took advantage of opportunities to engage in French culture and language, whether touring the Palais des Papes, singing in French on the Pont d’Avignon, or requesting the price of a kilogram of potatoes au marché. Many also managed to prove themselves stalwarts at bowling, air hockey and swimming pool relaxation along the way.
by College) were in use - brimming with tomatoes, cucumbers, flowers and herbs. It was a wonderful and transformative week, for which College is indebted to the support from our Romanian partners, Adi, Simone and Razvan.
While in Bradet, the wooden play fort and other play equipment was rebuilt with funds donated by College and the poly tunnels (also donated
Cookery School During the final week of the Summer Term, 14 Fifth Form students took part in a week’s cooking course at Foodworks Cookery School.
sausage plait, scones and a victoria sandwich cake. During an Indian-inspired day students also prepared onion bhajis, a baked curry and indian spiced biscuits. The students thoroughly enjoyed the week and all learned a great deal.
The budding chefs were swiftly introduced to the principles of cooking including key knife skills, bread making, using spices and the intricacies of baking delicate sweet treats. Each day they prepared a mid morning snack followed by lunch and then afternoon tea. During the week the students made many delicious recipes including a full roast dinner,
Salamanca During Activities Week, 30 Third Form pupils travelled to Salamanca for 5 days of cultural and educational immersion in the Spanish way of life. On the first day, after travelling by plane, we arrived in Salamanca and were warmly welcomed by our host families; all of them were so friendly and easy to talk to! In the morning we went to school, where we met our teachers and settled down for a morning of lessons. After some lunch with our host families, we enjoyed some free time shopping in the main part of town, and were then taken on a guided tour around Salamanca by one of the teachers from the school. It was very interesting to see the Cathedral and the some of the features we had studied in class, like the astronaut! In the evening, we went back to our families for a typical Spanish supper. The next morning we had conversation and language lessons and in the afternoon it was very interesting to visit the bull-fighting museum and find out about the history of this sport. I think that the Salsa lesson was one of the best activities - even the boys really enjoyed it! On Wednesday, after lessons there was a trip to the Lido and then tapas in different places where we ate lots of different types of yummy Spanish food, followed by a photo hunt around Salamanca, which was great fun. After our last day of lessons in the morning we drove to Madrid for our flight back. It was a fun trip and we learnt lots of Spanish!
Grace Wackett (3rd, W)
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In support of College’s chosen charity SANE, a number of fundraising events took place during the year. Mr Simon Brian, Director of Studies, continued College’s fundraising efforts when he completed a Half Ironman in June.
Ironman Hairy Hikers 40 Mile Walk – The Plod On a sunny weekend in June, the Cheltenham College Bursars - with a combined age of 206 - took on the challenge of ‘The Plod’ to raise funds for Action Medical Research for Children. Starting at midnight, 34 four-member teams made their way over the hills and dales of the Cotswold Way stopping at checkpoints along the way before staggering over the finish line at Cleeve Hill.
Womble Marathon I first got into marathon running in my mid-twenties and completed the London Marathon six times between 2001 and 2010. After a decade of regular evening runs, I had lost a little enthusiasm for running, but, after I competed in the Cheltenham Half Marathon in September 2013, I decided that I’d like to return to training and try for a seventh marathon.
Mr Brian commented before the event: “Over the last couple of years or so I’ve learned how widespread mental health issues can be amongst teenagers so I’ve decided to try to raise money for SANE by doing a middle-distance triathlon. It is much longer than anything I’ve done before (2km swim, 90km bike, 21km run). If it’s a good day, I should be able to do the 113km on June 15 in 5-6 hours. On a bad day, I’ll drown within minutes! Either way, it’s for an excellent cause”.
Mr John Champion, Mr Stephen Friling, Mr Andrew Hailes and Mr Kirk Steel completed the 40-mile route in just over 16 hours, finishing in 5th position, ahead of many younger teams! What started out as a physical challenge when the four first discussed the walk at the beginning of March quickly became much more for the group. Mr Hailes commented: “By the end of the walk we all realised that we had taken on something much more important than walking 40 miles. The real challenge was raising funds for the charity.”
College News Autumn 2014
“I’m not particularly good at any of the three disciplines, but I found that I can be fairly average at all three. The swim in open water has always frightened me - it was just a big sloshing of arms and legs all over the place as hundreds of people set off around the lake together. The bike ride took in some lovely scenery in the Cotswolds, probably where I felt most relaxed. Then running a half marathon at the end was hard work and hurt quite a lot.” With strong support from colleagues, friends and family Mr Brian has raised over £500 for the charity SANE which works to improve the quality of life for people affected by mental illness.
but for the more outdoorsy types that made it more of a challenge. Not everyone made it and some of the slower teams were finishing at 7pm on Sunday, so they went through a lot of pain to raise money for us. We’d like to thank everyone who took part and the people from the Cotswold Way who helped us put on the event.”
To date the ‘Hairy Hikers’, as the College team called themselves, have raised close to £5,000 for Action Medical Research for Children. David Graham who works for the charity commented “The teams set off at midnight on Friday. The weather was a mixture of beautiful and biblical I have never been a natural distance runner, as I’m physiologically much more of a sprinter, but I had managed a personal best of 3.5 hours in 2005 through following a rigorous training regime. After almost a decade off, I knew that I couldn’t run at the same sort of pace any more, so I thought that I would try fancy dress, as an excuse not to run a fast time! Some years earlier, when I was running seriously, a colleague of mine had run the London Marathon in a womble costume for the Jesuit Missions charity. The Jesuits raise funds for educational projects in Latin America and Zimbabwe: a cause for which I have a natural affinity. I therefore used my link through my former colleague to get in touch with the charity. The Jesuit Missions are based in Wimbledon, hence the wombles link. For more than twenty years, with the blessing of the Wombles’ creator, Elisabeth Beresford, the charity has entered 3 wombles in its team of 20 or so runners, and the 7-foot costumes are well known among the marathon’s spectators. Surprisingly, my offer to run in a womble costume was snapped up; I found out afterwards that nobody ever does it twice – for reasons that would become obvious. I was a little worried that the charity refused to give me the costume in advance. Once I’d put it on, I realised why: firstly, it would be dangerous to run in it on the open roads in Cheltenham as I couldn’t actually see very much; secondly, I would never have agreed to run the actual race if I had tried it in training! I collected the costume from the charity the evening before and made some small alterations to make it a little more comfortable: a piece
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After about six months training and lots of hard work, Mr Brian managed to finish in a time of 4 hours and 34 minutes coming 63rd out of 700.
of polystyrene in the head was invaluable in cushioning the ‘ride’. On Sunday morning of 13th April, I headed to the start line at Greenwich Park with the costume under my arm, attracting a good many pitiful looks from fellow runners. The day was an extremely warm one. Even at 9am, an hour before the gun, I was baking hot without having taken a single step! I started at the very back of the race, but made good progress. The response of the spectators was amazing throughout. Some of them mistook my Great Uncle Bulgaria costume for Orinoco, but I had thousands of supportive shouts all the way along the course. I must admit to having enjoyed the response of some of the runners that I overtook on the way: “I’ve just been overtaken by a womble”. I really enjoyed the first 19 miles, where I managed to keep running throughout. Unfortunately, as I left Docklands, my quad muscles started to give way. I had done the training, but the weight of the costume had had its effect on my body in a way I couldn’t have anticipated. I managed to hobble through for a couple more miles, but I ended up walking from mile 21. Despite the support of several colleagues in the final section, the last 5 miles took me 90 minutes, and I ended in 5 hours 17 minutes. Thanks to very generous sponsorship, I raised just over £2000 for the Jesuit Missions. Needless to say, my response at the end was that I would never run in fancy dress again, but who knows?
Mr Duncan Byrne, Deputy Head (Academic)
Star Day Challenge and Charity Walk
During June and July, four pupils set out to raise awareness and valuable funds for The National Star College (NSC), as part of the Star Day Competition as well as completing a challenging 104 mile walk.
Alexander Cove (4th, Xt) entered the Star Day Competition on behalf of Cheltenham College and helped raise awareness by creating an impactful star design. Alexander decided to focus his entry on Edward Wilson, explorer and Old Cheltonian, as a symbol of inspiration. Following Alexander’s entry and one week later, Harry Steel (5th, Xt), Jana Bourhill (5th, Q), and Orlando Giuseppetti (5th, BH) set off from Chipping Campden to walk the Cotswold Way in their attempt to raise funds and awareness. Their walk took them from Chipping Campden to Bath, covering 104 miles in 6 days. All three started the long walk aiming for the village of Greet for the first overnight stop. Day 2 took the walkers down to an overnight stop at NSC. During this day the group had the pleasure of taking in spectacular views of the Cotswolds from the vantage point of Cleeve Hill, and took a welcome stop at Jana’s house for a meal and a shower. Day 3 was a long walk of 18 miles and ended near Stroud. Here the walkers were fortunate to have a night with family friends of Harry Steel and they enjoyed a long hot shower, a good meal and a very welcome
Devizes to Westminster Race Easter weekend saw two College boys participating in the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race (DW). This year Cameron Logan (L6, BH) and Willie Weston (L6, BH) took on the challenge of the 125 mile course. The DW has been held annually since 1948 and is considered one of the most demanding endurance events of its kind.
Cameron commented: “When I decided to take part in the DW race, I didn’t quite appreciate the enormity of the challenge which is taking place at a time when I am also preparing for my AS Level exams. However, the difficulties presented by the training, the conditions and the amount of effort exerted by my team mate and I have provided the drive and inspiration to complete the challenge in order to raise as much money as possible for our chosen charities.”
(in order to avoid any significant hills!) and our early departure meant that we made good time, encountering very little traffic. We cycled into a beautiful misty dawn, and arrived at the Eurotunnel at 4.45am.
On 11 May, my wife (Cat) and I lost a baby at 20 weeks. In his memory and to raise money for the SANDS charity, who support and research neonatal death, we decided to undertake a suitable challenge!
We were unable to move our pre-booked crossing time, and eventually started the 190 mile ‘French phase’ of the cycle at around 9.00am. The weather was perfect for holidaying, but perhaps not for a long distance ride, with blue skies and
After some 100 mile practice rides to harden the body and soul, we set off for Trafalgar Square with our support crew and co-rider. The plan would be to rendezvous with the support team to take water and food every 30 miles or so. In order to make our departure out of London and into Paris a little more straightforward, we opted to begin the ride at 1.00am. Our route was well chosen
Walking on sore feet, with a daunting 20 miles to go until the final stop in the Compass Inn in Tormarton, the walkers set out early, but with excellent weather and high spirits, the day flew by, and they were soon in their resting place enjoying a good meal. What was supposed to be a short final day, only 15 miles, culminated with the three walkers staggering into Bath, desperately looking for the end, and then piling into a local ice cream vendor for some well-deserved treats. Their trip finally ended with a train ride back to Cheltenham. What had taken 6 days to complete was now seen through a train window in 45 minutes, however the group had time to reflect on a challenging 6 days and the purpose of their walk. The NSC is a great cause and the money raised will go a small way to continue the excellent work completed by all the staff there. If you wish to support the pupils, here is the link to their fundraising page: www.justgiving.com/CCCWHike. In preparation for the DW Cameron and Willie started training in November 2013 and completed two training races.
Willie commented that his challenge this spring was “passing my AS levels and completing the DW – this is a gruelling four day race – 125 miles long, with 77 portages for locks and the last 17 miles in the tidal part of the Thames.”
London to Paris bike Ride
Cat and I are both keen cyclists (although Cat is rather better than me!) and Cat decided that a non-stop London to Paris 275 mile cycle would be fitting.
resupply of rations. Refreshed and replenished, the group set off for North Nibley on Day 4 and 15 miles later they arrived at Nibley House. The weather held for the first four days and a healthy tan was being developed.
temperature rapidly rising to around 30°C. We made great progress through the day - all thanks to our support rider, Jason, who set the pace perfectly at around 17mph average. The stops at 30 miles were greatly anticipated as the day progressed, and we managed to consume an awful lot of water and pineapple juice! The weather deteriorated as daylight drew short, and we unfortunately got rather wet. The combination of wet gear, physical and mental fatigue and confusion over the GPS route took its toll, and the last few hours of cycling were rather hard work, with a puncture thrown in for good measure! We eventually found our way to the Eiffel Tower at around 1.45am. We had achieved 275 miles in 16 hours and 29 minutes. To date we have been incredibly humbled by the generosity of the sponsorship we’ve had, and have comfortably exceeded our goal of £1,000 raising almost £7,000 for SANDS. We’re leaving the Just Giving site open for a while longer, just in case anyone would like to sponsor us for this amazing charity! www.justgiving.com/catcload.
Mr Jon Cload
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Heritage Lottery Fund Application Success
‘Old Cheltonians go to War; 3,540 served but 675 gave more’ In the Spring Term, many days were spent putting together an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund’s First World War: then and now programme. Amazingly, and despite strong competition, we heard in June that our bid was successful and we had been awarded £9,100. The project, entitled Research and Exhibition: Old Cheltonians go to War; 3,540 served but 675 gave more, is just part of College’s First World War commemorations throughout the centenary. It aims to: • digitize College’s 13 First World War Memorial Volumes, comprising photographs of most of the OCs who died • locate and digitize photographs of the remaining OCs who died • create handling copies of all the photographs • support pupils and community volunteers to research the OCs who served, and College life before and during the War • gather anecdotes and documents about OCs who served • accession, and preserve for future generations, new archive material that emerges, plus the research notes and exhibition displays created by the project
• use the above to create resources that help people understand the War and its effects on College and the wider community by: - a free public exhibition, including a ‘growing wall’ of images of OCs who died, with QR codes linking to further information, leaflets, a guide, and talks for visiting schools and groups - a ‘real time’ daily blog featuring entries from an Old Cheltonian’s War diary - Key Stage 3 curriculum resources - public musical performance featuring memories of the conflict
necessary between now and then. If anyone would like to volunteer to help (much of the research can be done at home), please get in touch: c.leighton@cheltenhamcollege.org.
Mrs Christine Leighton, College Archivist
Although there will be an exhibition each year of the centenary, the main focus for this project will be the 2015 exhibition. Needless to say much research is
Duke of Edinburgh Gold Expeditions The start of the summer holiday saw several groups of students undertaking their Gold expeditions. On account of the practice expeditions being postponed, due to poor weather, there was the additional challenge of completing the practice and qualifying expeditions back-to-back. The D of E Gold walkers group had to complete their mandatory Practice Expedition in the Brecon Beacons during the summer holidays due to terrible weather conditions earlier in the year rather then embarking on ‘the real thing’ in Snowdonia. The girls and boys threw themselves wholeheartedly into the expedition and performed superbly over the three days. At the end of June the Gold D of E horse riding group embarked on their Practice Expedition also
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College News Autumn 2014
in the Brecon Beacons. This was held over two days and the group of girls completed two circular routes from the riding centre at Cantref, Brecon. The Qualifying Expedition which followed was held over four days of riding and three nights camping. The girls had to take all they needed with them including tents, clothes, food, sleeping bags etc. which were packed into saddle bags on the horses. When stopping for the night, the girls had to attend to the needs of their horses before they could pitch their tents and cook their food. Both expeditions were a complete success; a challenging but enjoyable experience for all involved. At the end of the Summer Term, a group of ten Lower Sixth Formers departed for their cycling Practice Expedition in mainland Scotland before immediately embarking on their Qualifying Expedition on the Isle of Mull. The luxury of clear skies and low winds from the practice expedition was soon replaced by strong winds and heavy rain for the four day qualifying quest. Two teams
cycled the same route but in opposite directions and completed the 160 mile journey in high spirits. Impressive efforts all round and the week was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Finally, the sailing Practice Expedition involved 245 nautical miles and nine hours of night sailing. The boat used for the Gold expedition had a huge square sail which had to be hoisted up the mast by hand, as well as two head sails. Being on this type of boat meant that if it rained the two Lower Sixth Formers were able to go down below to change into oil skins, prepare food and sleep in the sea berth (taken in 30 min shifts while sailing). It was an immensely rewarding week.
It is not just the four days of being completely self-sufficient, journeying for at least eight hours each day and pursuing an aim whilst on expedition, but the many months of training and preparation that are necessary in order to succeed, that makes the D of E Gold Expeditions so special.
Third Form Camp In the last week of the Summer Term, when exams are complete, the Third Form have the opportunity to spend a week together outside of College. They are able to choose from a handful of wonderfully different experiences, including an exciting outdoor pursuits trip to the Forest of Dean. For several years running, the Forest of Dean has been a popular choice for many Third Form pupils, with over 50 pupils and staff attending. This year they began their week with a 12-mile hike along the Cotswold Way, from Broadway Tower to Winchcombe. Following this, two days were spent canoeing down the river Wye to their destination, Biblins campsite.
The Biblins campsite is one of the best places in southern Britain for young people to enjoy outdoor education in spectacular scenery. On site, pupils enjoyed navigating a high ropes course, orienteering and mountain biking through the woods, as well as taking part in a fantastic climbing tour. Beyond the activities and thrill of camping, the trip allowed pupils to put into practice skills learned over the year in weekly Third Form Challenge activity slots. Skills include how to plan meals and use the trusty Trangia stoves. As with all outdoor activities and camping, the weather makes a huge difference to the enjoyment of the experience; luckily it was on their side and many pupils left suitably tired and with a healthy tan.
Diving Trip
Golf National Finals
On Monday 23 June, an excited group of budding divers set out to achieve their PADI scuba diving qualification as part of activities week.
On Friday 4 and Saturday 5 July, the College golf team took part in the National Finals at Luffenham Heath near Uppingham School. Having qualified for the event by winning the South West Regional Final, this presented an opportunity to play against the top golfing schools in the country.
The 5-day course consists of a combination of classroom theory, exploring the basic principles of scuba diving, as well as practical skills in the College swimming pool and at Slickstones Quarry, South Gloucestershire. Thankfully the weather stayed fine and water temperature reasonably warm (if you can call 10 °C warm), allowing everyone to partake in the necessary skills at approximately 15 metres and complete the course. On the final day, all took part in a fun exploration of the site in search of Great Crested Newts, as well as a submerged aircraft cockpit and telephone box.
The College team had a excellent day and, for many, the highlight was Doug McEvoy’s (U6, S) and Harry Brothwood’s (U6, L) performance. With a combined handicap of +16, they were victorious against a strong Loretto pairing, with a combined handicap of +4.
BBC Radio 3 visits Chapel This August, BBC Radio 3 visited Chapel to record a Choral Evensong. The service was sung by the Eton Choral Course Choir and directed by Ralph Allwood, with College organist Alexander Ffinch. It is the fifth year that College has hosted the Eton Choral Course and the first time BBC Radio 3 has broadcast from the Chapel. This recording represents the fourth of this year’s Eton Choral Courses recorded by BBC Radio 3 and features music by Tallis and Howells, as well as Nicholas Maw’s stunning anthem, ‘One foot in Eden still, I stand.’
Wisden on the Great War College Chapel provided a stunning backdrop this summer for a television interview with Andrew Renshaw, author of Wisden on the Great War. The interview represented part of an emotive film commissioned by Sky Sports remembering Colin Blythe and AEJ Collins - two cricketers who lost their lives in the First World World. The film was aired during the lunch interval, day three of the third Investec Test Match against Sri Lanka.
The pair managed a creditable fourth place in the Tankard Stableford.
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Melinda Letts officially opens Westal During a well-attended evening in April, guest of honour Melinda Letts OBE (OC), one of the first girls to attend College in the 1970s, officially opened Westal in front of guests that included pupils, parents, staff, donors, planners and developers.
Melinda began life as a Classicist, reading Literae Humaniores at Oxford and subsequently worked as Research Assistant to Professor Keith Hopkins, with
whom she collaboratively authored a chapter of his book Death and Renewal (1983). Following this she decided to pursue her other major interest, voluntary action for social change, and worked in the not-for-profit sector for two decades, including five years with Voluntary Service Overseas, where she became South Asia Regional Manager, and fifteen years in patient advocacy as Chief Executive of Asthma UK, Chair of the Long-Term Conditions Alliance, a member of various Department of Health advisory bodies, and Chair of Parkinson’s UK. During a fascinating and inspirational speech, Melinda praised the co-educational ethos of College and urged the pupils to make the most of the wonderful opportunity afforded to them by an education at Cheltenham College. “Cheltenham College believes that school is a preparation for life, and life is co-educational. Learning to live, work, interact and socialise with members of both sexes is all part of the challenge of adolescence. Co-education is fundamental to the interpersonal and social development of all children. Developing leadership and life skills is far more meaningful in a co-educational environment. “ Dr Alex Peterken, Headmaster, speaking during the opening evening stated: “40% of College’s pupils are now girls, and we can be proud to call ourselves a truly co-educational school, rather than a boys’ school with some girls allowed in. The completion
of Westal means that Cheltenham College is now at the forefront of co-educational schools. Heath Avery Partnerships have designed a fabulous building that will surely become the standard that all boarding schools will aspire to in the future.”
Westal, named after the family home where artic explorer Edward Wilson (Old Cheltonian) grew up, initially opened in September 2013 to a cohort of 50 girls, Third Form to Sixth Form, including 12 Fourth Form Founders’ Scholars. The project has surpassed aspirations and was completed 1 year ahead of schedule and under budget, a fantastic achievement for all involved. In September 2014, Westal became home to 70 girls achieving its full complement. Lauren Bennett (L6, W) who joined College in September 2013, commented when asked about the facilities: “Westal is lovely. The common rooms are really good because we can all spend time together and make friends.” The £3.6 million building, which sees younger girls in small dormitories of four, Fifth Form pupils in twin rooms and Sixth Formers in en-suite single rooms, is part of a continuing programme of development and refurbishment at College which started with the £1.5 million refurbishment of the Chatfeild-Roberts Library and Big Classical Theatre in 2011.
Refurbishment of the Science Building College has a long tradition of strength in the Sciences. As with all the great public schools of England, College led the way in the introduction of science to the school curriculum in the nineteenth century and many Old Cheltonians have gone on to make an impact in their specialist scientific areas on the world stage. We are committed to building on this success and have embarked on a programme over the last couple of years of modernising our science facilities. The Biology Laboratories were opened in 1973, Physics in 1982 and Chemistry in 1983. The facilities have changed little since then but, in the last two years, College has been able to start a rolling refurbishment programme through some generous donations.
We are delighted to have been able to modernise the remainder of the Science Building, both inside and out, during the summer holidays. This has included refitting the remaining laboratories with up-to-date equipment to mirror our ideal of producing high calibre science students of the future. The new labs allow students to undertake exciting experiments and investigations beyond the scope of the curriculum.
If you would like more information regarding a number of opportunities to name a particular laboratory and spaces within the new Science Building, please contact our Development Director, Christiane Dickens on 07881 850206 or at: c.dickens@cheltenhamcollege.org
As well as the inside, we have also improved the exterior of the building, including a completely new roof, doors and windows, to create a building that looks and feels brand new but at a much-reduced cost. We were delighted to receive the generous offer of a £500,000 match fund by one of our OCs, effectively doubling any donation received towards the Science Building refurbishment. We have already raised £150,000 but are still working towards our main target.
Dates of Autumn Term 2014
Note from the Editor
Start of Term: 20.00 Monday 1 September
As always, I would like to thank all members of the Common Room and College pupils for their contributions.
Exeat: 13.05 Friday 19 September – 21.00 Sunday 21 September Half Term: 11.00 Friday 17 October – 21.00 Sunday 23 November Exeat: 13.05 Friday 21 November – 21.00 Sunday 23 November End of Term: 11.00 Friday 12 December
Andrew Hussey, Editor T: 01242 265 600 E: A.Hussey@cheltenhamcollege.org www.cheltenhamcollege.org Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD