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School news OC sports stars inspire current Churcherians During the Autumn Term, it was not possible to have any sports matches against other schools due to COVID restrictions. To enable the pupils to experience competitive sport, the PE Department established the Churcher’s Champions Festival. The festival was the highlight of the internal sporting programme, with more than 400 Churcher’s pupils taking part in competitive rugby and hockey matches in their year group bubbles with winners’ categories including individual outstanding performers, and team
awards for matches and overall year group achievement. The students competed for teams inspired by Old Churcherian sporting alumni: Calum Chambers (13), current Arsenal FC player, Fiona Pocock (07), former England rugby union international, Joe Atkinson (10), current Bedford Blues rugby union player, Georgina Tuffin (12), the youngest successful swimmer to cross the Channel in 2011, Margaretha Pedder (98), former Olympian and British record holder for both 100m and 200m butterfly, George Cairns (12), former England U16 & U18 hockey
player and Will Cairns (10) former England U18 hockey player and 2014 Varsity Man of the Match. The team representing Joe Atkinson were thrilled when a tweet from the Sport Department announcing their victory was picked up and replied to by Joe. We can safely say he has a few more young fans as a result! Louisa Taylor, Director of Sport, said at the time: “The Churcher’s Champions Festival is a great opportunity for pupils to experience a competitive sporting atmosphere and show off their abilities after a busy term of intra-
