We Are Habs
Bringing the School to you
Spring 2020
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Congratulations to our pupil photo competition winners
Featured in this issue...
Green Flag Award
Aske Project Assembly
Dragons’ Den Grand Final
Sports Review
Prep Football Tournament at Watford FC
Find out how Old Haberdashers are doing their bit
The Headmaster’s
End of Term Letter
Dear Parents, When term started after the Christmas break, no one could have anticipated the way in which it would end. It is no exaggeration to say this has been the most unusual, complicated and challenging term that I have ever experienced. It would be very logical to bemoan the many exciting events that we have missed out on; major concerts, HabsMUN, an array of Easter trips and so much more besides. But recent events have given us a very different perspective on just about everything and have served as a powerful reminder to be grateful for all we have. I hope therefore that you will enjoy reading the following pages, which celebrate many of the wonderful activities and achievements this term and will perhaps remind us all of simpler and happier times. There have been any number of opportunities for our young men to improve and test their intellects. One highlight of every Spring term is the celebration of the Sixth Form Aske Projects, and this year’s cohort delivered some truly exceptional, individual work. Our senior pupils also enjoyed success in the Senior Team Maths Challenge National Final and in multiple Science Olympiads. Sharp minds were very much on display in the final of the Dragons’ Den competition, in which our boys and, for the first time, girls tested their creative and entrepreneurial thinking against a starstudded panel of ‘Dragons’. Our chess teams came tantalisingly close to national success, before circumstances denied them, whilst our bridge team had just enough time to regain the Bridge Schools Cup, the ninth win
in eleven years for Habs and a remarkable achievement. The Spring concerts and the Prep production may have fallen by the wayside, but we witnessed a number of smaller recitals and musical contests over the term, and the Junior House Drama competition showcased an array of young theatrical talent. The term also saw a string of sporting achievements: a busy and successful hockey season; a silver medal for our U16 gymnasts in the Trio National Finals and victory for our U14 team in the East of England Regional Floor and Vault Championships; a national title for our tennis team in the LTA Schools Team Tennis Competition; and deserved acclaim for our U15 rugby squad, who lost in an enticingly close national quarter final. HabsDash enjoyed a growing following from the Girls’ School and welcomed boys from our Prep School for the first time; undaunted by the bitter winter wind, they ran in vast numbers. Two personal highlights were seeing our boys camping at Ampthill and setting about ‘scrub bashing’ at Croxdale Road. That same sense of service drove our Student Council to secure the Eco-Schools Green Flag Award. This must rank as one of the proudest achievements of the academic year and one must not underestimate just how hard the students worked for this, nor how quickly they managed to secure this highest accolade. I have been every bit as proud, however, seeing how the School has adapted to our current new reality. This has been far from easy, but the staff and students
alike have demonstrated their resilience, determination, flexibility and creativity – as well as that strong sense of community and service which sits at the very heart of what it means to be a Haberdasher. John Vincent, CEO and founder of Leon, one of our former School Captains, continues to lead by example, with a commitment to staying open to serve discounted takeaway food to NHS staff. He has been joined in his endeavours by Matt Lucas, another Old Haberdasher, as they aim to get 6,000 meals a day, supplied by Leon, into London hospitals for critical care staff. I know only too well that countless Old Haberdashers and countless Habs parents are serving in the front line of the NHS every day. On behalf of a very proud School, I send them heartfelt thanks and warmest best wishes.
Gus Lock
Headmaster
Awards and Achievements Aske Project Prize Winners Assembly 2020 On Wednesday 29 January, the School was delighted to celebrate the considerable academic endeavour and achievements of our Aske Project prize winners at a special assembly held in the Bourne Hall. With academic enquiry that readily reaches far above A level standard and even into original research, our students explored questions of anti-zionism in orthodox Jewish communities; identifying fake news using machine learning; campaign finance reform and the thoughts of John Locke; curing heart disease using C-Cure; an analysis of circadian rhythms and the school day, and the geometry of circles, to name but a few. The Aske Project requires that students independently research a question of their own choosing over a period of six months. As verified by our external markers and viva examiners, our students achieve undergraduate standards of research and their projects demonstrate their curiosity, innovation and critical thinking, all framed within high standards of research methodology. The process, alongside their A Level studies, prepares them exceptionally well for university. All our Lower Sixth students undertake an Aske Project and, with the guidance of an advisor, they present work that makes logical and judicious use of a wide range of sources to which our Library team provides extensive access. Many also undertake primary research or produce original pieces of writing or multi-media presentations. We are very proud of all of our students, both for their commitment to academic enquiry and for the stunning results that their hard work achieves. Many congratulations to them all.
Awards and Achievements Green Flag Award The School is delighted that, with the help of our Sixth Formers, Habs has secured the prestigious Green Flag Award for dedication to conserving the environment. From the hundreds of species of flora and fauna to the vast expanses of open green land on our School campus, we value the conservation of the environment. At a time where tackling climate change has become more vital than ever, the School strongly believes that as individuals, everyone has an important part to play in rehabilitating ecosystems. Last year, the School embarked on a journey to become increasingly eco-friendly. Habs is taking a three-pronged approach towards this aim; awareness, proposal and action. Through student-led assemblies, pupils have raised awareness about water scarcity, plastic pollution and the impacts of climate change on children across the globe. Within the student body, a group of ten pupils has formed the ‘Eco-Committee’; a think-tank that meets bi-weekly and formulates ideas and concepts that will make the School greener. In an effort to implement these proposals and drive positive climate action, three students, Gabriel, Akash and Ishaan, have been in regular discussion with Habs Senior Leadership Team. They have championed changes to make Habs a greener place, including reducing plastic usage and implementing a pen recycling scheme to ensuring waste is properly collected. Individual choices can make a difference to the environment and it is hoped that we can encourage other schools and students to help drive climate action in their communities. Simultaneously to these initiatives, Habs has been working towards an Eco-Schools Award. The School is pleased to announce that Habs was recently awarded the highest of honours, the Green Flag Award for dedication to conserving the environment. Thank you to the whole School community for working together as a team to make this achievement possible.
Awards and Achievements Bridge Schools Cup Winners On Saturday 7 March, Habs sent three teams of four bridge players to the Schools Cup. After being delayed by heavy traffic and having to find a late replacement due to illness, the teams arrived slightly late, but Habs A team, which included Kavinthan, Aniket, Ben and James, remained calm and proceeded through the qualifier to the semi-final. A comfortable victory over St Paul’s meant that the team met last year’s winners, Loughborough, in the final. In the first hand, Loughborough took an early lead, but the boys remained composed and focused. They played some outstanding bridge to come from 0-10 down to win 38-10. This is the 9th win in 11 years for Habs. Ben and Kavinthan were also in the last team which won the competition two years ago. The boys in all the teams thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Chess Success Shortly before the end of term, the School’s A and B chess teams played each other in the Regional Final of the ECF U19 National Schools Chess Championship in a round of tense, long play games in Aldenham House. These pupils have been honing their skills for years, often against each other, under the tutelage of International Master Lorin D’Costa. In a spirit of cordiality, they played strong and elegant games. Unsurprisingly, the final score was 2.5-2.5. The rules dictated that Habs A won on ‘board count’. Nonetheless, the B team qualified for the finals through repechage. However, the ECF has suspended future games in the tournament until further notice. The finals, if they had been held, would have been played at Eton and Uppingham School this June. The teams’ mastery on the chess board is formidable and they deserve every success. Moreover, their courtesy, humility,
sportsmanship, drive and enthusiasm have been unfailing and impressive. They have worked hard and stepped in for each other when necessary for the good of the team. Congratulations go to Ethan, Leo, Savin, Alex, Vishnu, Ezra, Shobhin, Niall, Kian, Avi, Aman, Benny, Pranav, Lukas, Alan and Madhav for representing the School so successfully.
Awards and Achievements Senior Team Maths Challenge National Final In the Senior Team Maths Challenge, a team of four Habs mathematicians, came 27th out of 88 teams in the national final, and overall 27th out of over 1,200 teams. After winning the regional final, the students, including Josh (Upper Sixth), Daniel (Lower Sixth), Akira (Lower Sixth) and Krish (Lower Sixth), had a chance to challenge the best teams from all around the country in a series of maths challenges. These included making a poster related to structure in chemistry, various pair and group questions, and a final relay round involving a lot of running around. The School would like to thank Mrs Brock and Mr Haring for accompanying the students and helping them prepare over the past few months for the regional and national finals.
VEX IQ National Finals The Habs VEX Club competed in the National VEX Finals in Telford over the course of two days, Sunday 1 and Monday 2 March. Habs Boys had two teams competing and we were joined by one team from Habs Girls.
teamwork and 16th in the skills round. Well done to all involved!
After an energetic, fun and intensive two days of competitive robotics against 60 teams from across the UK, the Year 9 team (Habs SciClones) won the VEX Sportsmanship Award. They also finished 12th in the individual skills round and 14th in the teamwork round. The Year 8 team (Habs Dynamics) won the VEX Build Award. They also finished 8th in
British Physics Olympiad Following their success in this year’s British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) and the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiads (BAAO), James and Josh (both Upper Sixth) have both been invited to Easter training camps for their respective Olympiads! Josh received gold at the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad, and the invitation to the training camp in Oxford could lead to potential selection for the UK team for the International AAO. James was also invited to an Easter training camp after receiving gold at Round 2 of the British Physics Olympiad. He will have the opportunity to be selected for the UK International Physics Olympiad team. Well done to both James and Josh!
Awards and Achievements HabsDashGO! Mr Broadwith and the HabsDash committee have introduced HabsDashGO!
run or walk along with screenshots of the time and distance covered to Mr Broadwith.
This newest form of HabsDash will continue to run, as long as Government advice regarding outdoor exercise and journeys permits. At the time of writing and in line with the Prime Minister’s announcement on the evening of Monday 23 March, people may leave their homes for ‘one form of exercise a day - for example a run, walk, or cycle - alone or with members of your household.’ NB This guidance is correct at the time of publishing this piece.
The School is delighted to see so many from across the Habs community remaining involved with our much loved HabsDash.
HabsDashGO! has already received an overwhelming response, with 78 members of the Habs community participating in the first ‘phase’ alone. Participants have also been sending in photos of themselves out on their
If you want to get involved, simply download a running app onto your device and run a distance of 3.5km on a route of your choice. After hitting 3.5km, you may send a screenshot of the app to Mr Broadwith. The screenshot should include the distance, date and time covered. Please note that the School will continue to follow Government guidance, making necessary adjustments to HabsDashGO! accordingly.
Awards and Achievements
Awards and Achievements Schroders Prize 2020 Rohan (Upper Sixth) has been named as this year’s winner of the Schroders Economics Prize. This is an essay competition open to all economists across the Haberdashers’ family of schools – entries are typically written by Lower Sixth students over the summer holiday prior to the Upper Sixth. This year’s essay title was: ‘Fiscal policy is the only ammunition authorities have to combat a global downturn given the current level of interest rates. Discuss.’ Mr Catley received 10 entries and chose essays by Rohan, Aniket and Edward (all Upper Sixth) as the top three to submit for external judging. During a lunch at Haberdashers’ Hall on Tuesday 21 January, Rohan received first prize, whilst Aniket was named joint runner-up.
Success at Land Rover 4x4 Competition On Tuesday 28 January, five teams across Years 8, 9 and 10 competed at the Land Rover 4x4 in Schools regional final. The pupils had to design and build a remote control 4x4 vehicle to tackle the challenging Land Rover test track, as well as give presentations to several Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) Engineers and face a ‘scrutineering’ panel, where their engineering was put to the test. Our team from Year 10, Team Explorer, is through to the National Final and has been
invited to the Jaguar Land Rover Factory in Castle Bromwich to compete against the other regional finalists. The top prizes from the National Final include a fast track through the JLR application process and graduate scheme, should the pupils want to pursue engineering in the future – a fantastic opportunity! Many thanks to Mr Teague and Miss Harrison for accompanying the trip and giving the students advice and support on the day. Thanks must also go to Mr Roncarati and Mr Hughes-Caley for helping the pupils in the design and construction of the shells.
Awards and Achievements Year 8 Reading Lesson
Mr Dunne’s Year 8 English lesson, on Tuesday 24 March, went ahead as usual with the students sending in some wonderful photos of them reading their books!
French Drama Festival Congratulations to Yohaan (U6), Leandro (Y11) and Jonathan (L6) for their success in the French Drama Festival at King Alfred School. They won Best Group Performance for their hilarious sketch ‘Dans les bouchons avec les enfants’ (Stuck in traffic with the kids).
Events Habs welcomed star-studded panel for Dragons’ Den 2020 “I strongly believe that what I have witnessed at The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School is the type of thing that every school in Britain should be doing.” - The Lord Bilimoria CBE, DL On Wednesday 4 March 2020, the School hosted the grand final of its own Dragons’ Den competition. Having been inaugurated in 2016, this was the first time that the competition had run in partnership with our neighbours, Habs Girls.
As in previous years, the School encouraged teams of pupils to explore their entrepreneurial instincts and submit a business idea. Ten teams were selected to pitch to a specially invited panel of Dragons in two after-school heats; after which four teams were invited to pitch in the grand final. The teams of students, all in Years 10 and 11, pitched their ideas to a star-studded panel of judges comprising Claude Littner, successful entrepreneur and celebrated aide to Lord Sugar on BBC’s The Apprentice; former TV Dragon Nick Jenkins, Founder of Moonpig; Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE, DL, Founder and Chairman of Cobra Beer; and Shivani Shah, UK General Manager of cosmetics brands Maybelline, Essie and NYX Professional Make Up. The event was once again introduced and chaired by television presenter Sonali Shah, who expertly kept proceedings to time. After four excellent pitches, the judges were unable to pick just one winner. HydroClean, made up of Athavan, Anish, Keshav, Erekle and Yash in Year 10 from the Boys’ School, and Pedal Power’s Phoebe and Tanya from the Girls’ School were declared joint winners.
HydroClean proposed a solution to clear seas, rivers and lakes of plastic by collecting the waste in a mobile bin system. Pedal Power devised a system whereby kinetic energy from riding a bike, as well as solar energy, is used to charge a mobile device. After the event, all finalists were lucky enough to be able to not only network with the judges, but also receive one-to-one informal feedback and take some photos with them!
Nick Jenkins said: “The event was great fun. This sort of thing is a truly important exercise and encourages entrepreneurial spirit. I was very impressed by the willingness of the pupils to pitch in front of a jam-packed Bourne Hall full of their peers, parents, teachers and the ‘dragons’. What’s also impressive is that all teams had some element of a social mission. It is evident that the teams had really thought about their ideas and had conducted an abundance of research.”
Events Shivani Shah said: “Habs Dragons’ Den is a brilliant initiative. I’m very passionate about supporting young people to be successful as individuals, particularly in business. The pupils were composed under pressure and really held their own – they acquitted themselves incredibly well. It was great to see that the Girls’ School was involved in this year’s competition. I grew up close to Habs, but never had this sort of opportunity when I was at school. Habs is very forward-thinking and has a stunning campus on which to learn and grow.” Claude Littner said: “I must congratulate all of the teams. It is clear that the Habs pupils have worked tremendously hard. They have surpassed my expectations and certainly are all winners to me! Huge congratulations to all at Haberdashers’ for putting on this fantastic event.” Lord Bilimoria said: “I strongly believe that what I have witnessed at Haberdashers’ is the type of thing that every school in Britain should be doing. It builds key skills such as creativity and innovation. I really could not believe that these pupils are only 15 or 16 years of age, but then again this is Habs. The Schools live up to their reputation – they are all very bright pupils and excel academically, but they are also so well-rounded and take advantage of all opportunities on offer to them. It’s astonishing! Well done to them all.”
This competition is the vision of Khilan Dodhia, an Old Boy himself and Partner at Encore Capital. Khilan explained the reason why he wanted to help organise the event for the third time: “It’s important that students and their parents think about a broader range of careers. There are new opportunities out there. This year we were delighted to welcome the Girls’ School to the event. We used the popular Dragons’ Den theme again to engage the younger audience into being passionate about business. We’re delighted to continue to inspire entrepreneurship. The ‘dragons’ were tough and the pupils were excellent and composed in pitching and answering all of their questions. The quality and confidence on show from the Habs pupils was unbelievable.” The School is extremely grateful to Khilan and his colleagues at Encore Capital for their ongoing support with this exciting competition. Immense thanks must also go to the judges for giving up their time to attend the event, as well as to those at the School who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the competition yet again.
Events Live Well Week Habs has built the idea of ‘Live Well’ into the last week of half term, welcoming the lengthening days with a celebration of food and talent to boost wellbeing. Mindfulness Art ran during the entire week, with the ‘Calm and Cakes’ proving popular! There was also the brilliant pop-up kitchen show from the School caterers. Year 7 and Year 8 learnt about nutrition and the joyful theatre of cooking as two teams of boys competed in red and green brigades to produce meals fit for critiquing by their peers! The fun continued in the Medburn Centre, with the ‘Smoothie Bike’ being a big hit, with the pupils pedalling and blending their choice of fruit and yoghurt. HabsDash became Live Well Dash for the day and there was the excitement of the Prep School running for the first time in the event. More focus on food was provided by Executive Chef Graham Ogden in his terrific assembly to
the Sixth Form on Viking Cuisine. He also gave a talk to our Pre-Prep classes, as they joined in with Wellbeing Wednesday. A superb day of activity in the Prep featured the planting of bulbs up and down the North Drive, yoga classes, art and design tasks, and alternative outdoor games. The highlight for many was the assembly from Jamie Knight, a world class freestyle footballer, who performed with outstanding skill and took workshops all afternoon.
Wellbeing Week - RAAG Concert On the last day of Wellbeing Week, several students took part in an Indian charity concert. It was called ‘RAAG’, which means ‘beautiful melody’, and was an exciting fusion of Asian music with a Western taste. The concert included numerous Bollywood songs, a cover of Shape of You by Ed Sheeran with an Indian twist, and traditional Indian classical music. The talented team included sitars, tablas, harmoniums as well as vocalists all coming together for a wonderful concert. With the help of Dr Frances Shepherd - who runs her own Music foundation and has a PhD in the ethnomusicology of India - students organised this entertaining School concert. RAAG was a fundraiser for charities, with the money this year going to Veerayatan - a charity in India.
Events Mock Super Tuesday Presidential Debate 2020 2020 is a US Presidential election year. To coincide with the contest, the Politics Society held a mock Presidential debate, a tradition that has been going as far back as 2004. The pupils arranged their debate to take place on Tuesday 3 March, which in the US was Super Tuesday. No fewer than 14 US States held their primaries that day, including the two most populous: California and Texas. Over 120 students, teachers and support staff from both the Boys’ and Girls’ School attended the debate at lunchtime in the Boys’ School library. It covered several issues including the US economy, women’s rights, gun control, climate change, impeachment and healthcare. The School congratulates the students who took a leading role in the debate for a lunchtime of high-quality political discussion and argument.
Dame Minouche Shafik visits Habs On Friday 31 January, the Habs Economics Society was delighted to welcome its first high-profile speaker of the decade, Dame Minouche Shafik. Dame Minouche, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, former Vice President of the World Bank and current Director of LSE, visited Habs to speak to students from the Boys’ and Girls’ Schools. The talk began with the Chairman of the Economics Society asking a series of questions to Dame Minouche about various aspects of her career. The audience was then invited to ask questions to Dame Minouche, where she offered insightful and thought-provoking responses to some interesting and challenging questions. These questions were based on an array of topics including climate change, gender equality in financial and economicsrelated professions, Islamic financing, and her work on the Oslo Peace Accords. A huge thank you to Dame Minouche for taking the time out of her busy schedule to visit Habs, and we look forward to inviting her back to the School to talk again soon.
Events Red Hand Day Assembly On Wednesday 12 February, students marked Red Hand Day with an awareness-raising special assembly. Red Hand Day is a universal day recognised by the United Nations, dedicated to promoting positive social change with regard to using children as soldiers and for labour. The sad reality is children are often used to fight in wars. According to international human rights law, no child under the age of 18 can be recruited into the armed forces, whether by a government or by militias and gangs. Despite this, according to the International Labour Organisation, the average age globally for a child to become a soldier is 12 years old. In order to tackle this issue, reintegration is essential. This is what Third Hope, our school charity, does in Uganda. Third Hope’s aim is to build training centres for people who have been freed or have escaped from a life where they have been kept as child soldiers. They provide a home, education and community, alongside healing therapies for victims. Third Hope is building a village in Northern Uganda, where ex-child soldiers can find a place to learn, train, heal and rediscover hope: hope for their future and hope for the restoration of their communities. Please visit Third Hope’s website to learn more about the situation: http://thirdhope.org/
Hearing Dogs for Deaf People Assembly The Junior School was visited during their assembly on Wednesday 11 March by Liz Arendt and Rufus. Liz spoke to the students about her experiences of being deaf and the support she received through the organisation ‘Hearing Dogs for Deaf People’. Dogs such as Rufus are a lifeline and the Junior School has been raising funds for the charity. The School would like to thank Liz and Rufus for taking the time to provide a warm, engaging and informative assembly.
SCS Refugee Workshop As part of the SCS activities on Friday 6 March, the School partnered with Give Together and the Barnet Refugee Services to facilitate and provide an interactive and engaging workshop to introduce the topics of refugee migration, displacement and the power of the youth community in supporting the challenges faced by refugees. Pupils heard stories about the journeys of refugees from different conflict zones and had the opportunity to meet refugees who have undertaken just such journeys and are now living in England. The pupils then worked in smaller groups, led by youth facilitators, to encourage discussion and reflection.
The day concluded with the students giving their time to create a collective canvas artwork which will be displayed at the Barnet Refugee Services Head Office.
Events Inter-Faith Panel Discussion Over 150 students and teaching staff gathered for an ‘Inter-Faith Panel Discussion’ led by six Lower Sixth pupils on Thursday 12 March. Chaired by Jay, Sam (Judaism), Charlie (Christianity), Abbas (Islam), Saihaj (Sikhism) and Ishaan (Hinduism/Jainism) answered a number of challenging and thought-provoking questions based on religion and faith.
ultimately, despite varied beliefs, it is possible for us all to live in unity. The School is extremely fortunate and grateful to have students from such broad cultural, religious and non-religious backgrounds to share their beliefs and thoughts.
The panel discussed the essence of their religions, how their beliefs contradict or intertwine with science, as well as collectively expressing how it is vital to respect all people regardless of their beliefs. They then responded to a handful of questions from the audience. One of the panel members stated: “We can see a clear link here between all the religions being represented today; they are all expressing teachings of truth, love, forgiveness, peace and service to others.” This perfectly describes the aim of the panel, which was to uphold religious harmony, diversity and inter-faith respect between all at Habs. The panel was a showcase of how
Eve Kugler visits Habs on behalf of March of the Living to Birkenau. Students and teachers from the Boys’ and Girls’ School attended the lunchtime Jewish Society event to hear the important story of Mrs Kugler and her family and their escape from the Holocaust.
The School was honoured to have the incredible Eve Kugler come in to speak on behalf of March of the Living, which is a six-day educational journey in Poland culminating with an international event that brings people from all over the world on to march from Auschwitz
Mrs Kugler was born in Germany and was seven years old in 1938 when Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, took place. Her entire family was torn apart by the Nazis and her parents miraculously survived several concentration camps, with her younger sister forced into hiding. Mrs Kugler and her other sister managed to escape to America, where they lived in a foster home. Remarkably, Mrs Kugler was reunited with her parents and younger sister in 1946. Mrs Kugler is a huge inspiration to us all and the School is extremely grateful to her for her time and educating us on such a harrowing, historical event.
Art, Music and Drama A Level Drama Performance As theatres in the UK and across the globe went dark last week, the School’s A Level Drama group pulled out all the stops to get their devised piece, an adaptation of a short story by Maxim Osipov called ‘Objects in the Mirror’, ready for performance – well ahead of schedule. It was an inventive, highly engaging piece of theatre and was enjoyed by around 20 Year 9 pupils, seated well apart. We look forward to returning to the Drama Studio soon, full of creative energy and with new stories to tell.
Actor Lewis Doherty performs at Habs Students, staff and parents alike were treated to the show BOAR on Monday 20 January.
The second show in a trilogy, devised and performed by Lewis Doherty, BOAR takes us into an epic fantasy world with a nod to Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. The students were captivated by Lewis’ incredible performance skills and the brilliant sound and lighting design. Their questions afterwards revealed their engagement and delight. It was inspiring for them to see how a story can be told clearly and playfully with just a stool, two bike lights and one performer playing a vast range of characters. Demi in Year 11 commented: “I genuinely thought I was watching an epic film.” The School wishes Lewis the best of luck in his forthcoming performances at the Vault Festival. Thanks must go to Lewis and his technical team for bringing such a fantastic show to Habs, answering the many questions and demonstrating his beat-boxing skills to the delight of Year 8!
Art, Music and Drama ARTiculation Prize Regional Heats Manav in the Lower Sixth took part in the ARTiculation Prize regional heats at the MK Gallery in Milton Keynes. He competed against six other students from a variety of schools, including Lord Wandsworth College and Magdalen College School, Oxford. Manav was second to present, with his talk titled ‘Finding Reality in Rothko’. All the presentations were adjudicated by the MK Gallery Director, Anthony Spira. Anthony concluded the event by saying that he was in awe of all speakers and could not himself have achieved such eloquence at such a young age. Anthony also specifically praised Manav for his dynamism and personal story, adding that the presentation was ‘strong, moving and fantastic’. The School is delighted to announce that Manav won these regional heats.
Habs Jazz Podcast
The Habs jazz community has been busy during the first remote learning week, sending in incredible audio clips of their work progressing at home. Music staff have selected five of the best submissions, which have been collated in the first Habs Jazz Podcast. It is hoped that this podcast will continue every week during term time. To listen now as you read the rest of Skylight, visit https://soundcloud.com/ user-502479741.
Sport Tennis Champions On Thursday 12 March, the School’s Senior tennis team was victorious in dramatic circumstances in the final of the prestigious LTA Schools Team Tennis Competition. The team, consisting of Arjun (Upper Sixth), Joe (Lower Sixth), Freddie (Lower Sixth) and Joseph (Lower Sixth) were crowned champions after an epic journey which started back in September with over 80 schools in the draw. The morning semi-final saw the team battle past Eastbourne College winning 4 matches to 2 after initially going 2-0 down. The afternoon final pitted Habs against a strong Bradfield College team. After the initial four singles and two doubles matches, they were all square at 3-3 after superb wins for Arjun, Joe and Joseph. Arjun and Joe then bravely stepped up to play a final shoot-out tie-break up to 10 points. They held their nerve superbly to win 10-4, hitting some outstanding winners under immense pressure. The great sportsmanship and integrity displayed by the boys throughout the day was second to none.
Senior Golf Tour 2020 The annual golf tour went to Portugal during February half term. The golfers spent a week enjoying fabulous sunshine and glorious golf courses. The four courses were all in exceptional condition, and the two new venues of Quinta do Lago South and Laranjal were excellent additions to the itinerary. Ethan (L6) ended up as the winner of the week on 130 stableford points, narrowly edging out Sacha (Year 9) by just a single point after the latter made a final day charge. The tour party were brought back to reality with a bump at a grey and windswept Luton airport on their return!
Sport Habs succumb to agonising defeat
Our U15 rugby team produced a performance that will go down as one of the finest in the School’s recent history, pushing Marlborough College to the absolute limit in the quarter final of the NatWest Plate competition. Prior to the match, it was generally considered that the strong wind, allied to heavy underfoot conditions, would suit the stronger Marlborough forwards - and as the teams ran out there appeared to be a distinct size difference that would surely favour our visitors. However, Habs soon proved that you can’t measure the size of someone’s heart as they tore into their illustrious visitors with gusto. They dominated the contact area and made huge inroads when carrying the ball down the middle of the pitch. This early pressure was rewarded when the elusive scrumhalf, Jesse, dummied and sidestepped his way to the try line to make it 5-0 to Habs. Marlborough, as one might have anticipated, were soon stung into action. The opposition scored a try of their own, before Josh made it 10-5 with a forceful run down the
left flank after a series of strong carries by the Habs forwards. A late try by Marlborough on the right wing made it 10-10 at the break. We had dominated possession and expended a lot of energy in keeping the ball in hand. It looked as if Marlborough were going to make Habs pay for failing to use the wind effectively, as they scored two tries in quick succession by kicking for position and exerting pressure. And with 15 minutes to go, it looked certain that the tenpoint deficit, alongside an ever-strengthening wind, would be too high a mountain to climb. But, under the leadership of the outstanding Malcolm, assisted by several senior players, Habs somehow dragged themselves off the canvas to unleash a sustained final assault that was so fierce and determined that it came within a whisker of changing the outcome of this titanic tussle. With five minutes left on the clock, Max scored from a lineout drive. This was superbly converted by the impressive Keelan. Two
Sport minutes left. Habs carried the ball deep into Marlborough territory after line breaks by James and Malcolm. Then Habs were awarded a penalty after Marlborough illegally used a hand in the ruck. We were five metres out, slap bang in front of the posts. The three points from the kick would have drawn the game, but would not have seen Habs go through to the semi-final, so the players needed to run the ball. Alas, the heavy conditions under foot resulted in a slip and the chance was lost. A desperately disappointing end to a quite magnificent effort from the boys in the blue-quartered shirts.
Despite the result, the U15 rugby team has provided the School with a genuine sense of excitement and anticipation throughout its cup run. The boys played as one body: united and together, they have extolled the virtues of selflessness, effective leadership and perseverance over the course of the rugby season. Very many thanks to Mr McIntosh for his expertise in bringing out the best in the boys this year - and for reinforcing the values that underpin the game of rugby and those of team sport in general. Written by Mr Metcalfe
Year 8 Cross Country Success The Habs Year 8 cross country team started the new term in impressive fashion as they powered to team victory at the prestigious Bedfordia event on Tuesday 14 January. Bedfordia attracts some of the strongest school cross country teams in the country and this victory demonstrates the talent and dedication to training that is present amongst this year group. Peter produced an exceptional performance in his favoured cross country conditions and led the team home. He was pushed all the way by a fantastic run from Jordan, who has made great progress this year. Max did remarkably well to finish the race in a prominent position after he rolled his ankle in an early fall, whilst Rafi finished strongly and showed the benefit of his recent training. Camran, Elijah and Rafi worked extremely hard and fought for every place, which made sure that the entire team had finished within the first 30 positions and gave the team a commanding victory.
Sport Acrobatics Success
U14 Gymnastics Success
Jacob (Year 6) and Sam (Year 11) have been competing in numerous acrobatic competitions across the country. The School would like to congratulate both students on their fantastic achievements. Jacob has won silver in the Youth Men’s Pairs at Spelthorne Acrobatics and Sam won gold at Bristol International Acrobatics competition with his partner.
The School is delighted to announce that the U14 Gymnastics team won the U14 East of England Regional Floor and Vault Championships at Chelmsford Gym Club. The team, involving Jobe (Year 9), Sudais (Year 9), Chris (Year 9), Joel (Year 8), Alex (Year 6), topped a strong field of six schools from across the region. The competition was tough, but the boys held their nerve to stick their last attempts under pressure! The School would like to thank Ms Burman, who has taken on the coaching and massive congratulations must go to the boys for all their hard work and perseverance. They were great ambassadors for the School.
Sam and his partner have been selected as reserves for the World Acrobatics Championships in the 11-16 age category for Team GB. Well done Jacob and Sam!
Trio National Finals The U16 team competed in the Trio National Finals at Fenton Manor in Stoke. The team was made up of three Year 9 boys (all competing two years out of age). Chris, Jobe and Sudais competed on individual floor, vault and group floor. Despite competing against boys two years older, they held their nerve under pressure to finish in the silver medal position. Sudais perfected his thru vault, outscoring the others despite his being a lower tariff
vault. Chris was very clean with his solo floor performance, as he completed a routine with high levels of precision. Jobe’s was generally more challenging and included a well-executed Russian Lever. As a trio, the boys worked well in unison and impressed the judges, despite giving up one or two years on other competing teams.
Trips Senior Ski Trip
During February half term, 40 boys from Years 10, 12 and 13 went to Serre Chevalier in the French Alps. Six days of mostly sunny conditions meant the pupils were out all day every day improving their skiing. The trip culminated in an awards ceremony with the ESF ski instructors. The pupils commented that it was one of the best trips they had been on! A special mention must go to the Upper Sixth who were exceptional role models to the younger boys, taking responsibility willingly. The School would like to thank Mr Hardman, Mr Bartlett, Dr Hobbs, Mr Teague and Mr Lee for accompanying the boys on the trip and to all the staff behind the scenes for making the trip happen.
Lower Sixth Politics students visit the Houses of Parliament Every year, Habs Lower Sixth Politics students undertake a trip to the Houses of Parliament to assist their A Level studies. The current cohort of 19 students visited the Palace of Westminster on Tuesday 14 January. They received a tour of the outside of major government buildings in Whitehall from Mr Clark, followed by a tour of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and Westminster Hall led by a guide from Parliamentary Education Centre. The pupils were able to watch the House of Commons in action from the Strangers’ Gallery, including urgent questions about the airline Flybe crisis, questions to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab about Iran and a Queen’s Speech debate between Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and the Shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner. They were welcomed and addressed by Baroness Deech of Cumnor, a Crossbench Peer, who told them about her role and the work of the House of Lords. Later in the afternoon they watched Lords’ Question Time from the House of Lords Gallery and the start of a debate on the historic EU Withdrawal Bill. The School would like to thank the Parliamentary Education Service for supporting the visit, as well as Mr McLarin and Mr Llewellyn who accompanied the group.
Trips Habs students participate in MUN Conference at John Lyon School Fourteen Habs boys participated in the MUN Conference at John Lyon School during the first weekend of February. The students represented the nations of Cuba, Nigeria, the Philippines, the USA, Pakistan and South Africa. Debates included topics such as the environment, the economy, human rights and disarmament. Excellent teamwork was displayed by everyone, and friends were made over the weekend with students from the other six schools. The School would like to thank Mr Cooper and Mr Simm for accompanying the students on their trip.
Year 7 visit The Globe Theatre Our Year 7 visited Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, where they had an opportunity to learn about the theatre and explored the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ through an exciting drama workshop. They also visited Haberdashers’ Hall, where they learned about the history of the Haberdashers’ Company and enjoyed a treasure hunt activity. The School would like to thank all the staff who accompanied the pupils and helped to make the trip a success. The pupils enjoyed it immensely!
Forty Hall Community Vineyard Trip Mr Catley, Mrs Edwards, Mr Thompson, Mr Vincent, Mr Hamshaw and Mr Amlot accompanied 46 Lower Sixth students to Forty Hall community vineyard during Field Day on Friday 6 March. The vineyard is an awardwinning social enterprise that champions quality, sustainability, health, wellbeing and community involvement. The pupils threw themselves into the various tasks. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and appreciated the fact that their work was benefiting the local community. The staff at the vineyard were extremely impressed and grateful for all the valuable
work that was carried out. The School would like to thank all the staff that accompanied the pupils on this trip, as well as Mr Simm, Mrs Adams and Mrs Tyerman for organising it.
Trips Outdoor Leadership Trip to Brecon The Year 10 Outdoor Leadership group made its way to the Parkwood Outdoors Centre in Dolygaer, South Wales on Thursday 5 March. On the first morning they woke up early and set about making breakfast using Trangias. They enjoyed two activities that day: caving and gorge scrambling. The next day, they had a 15 km hike, which provided amazing views of the lakes, mountains and rolling hills of Wales. Thanks to Mr Teague, Mrs Hanlon, Miss Von Truchsess, Mr Roncarati and Mr HughesCaley, as well as the instructors at Parkwood Outdoors Centre for providing such a wonderful opportunity. The School would like to thank Mr Bowley, Mr Charlwood, Ms Gomez and Mrs Miller-Smith, who were all essential to the success of the trip, along with Mr Simm, Mrs Goldberg, Mrs Mensah and Mrs Clay for their behind-the-scenes work on the pre-trip preparation.
Trips Habs Maths Masterclass On the morning of Thursday 30 January, three Lower Sixth further mathematicians accompanied Mrs Harte to Radlett Preparatory School as part of the Habs Maths outreach programme. Charlie, Akira and Jay spent the morning working with Year 5 students, leading them through activities based on mathematical topics the pupils had studied. The students were guided through various group tasks, all of which had been developed by Mrs Harte, in a fun and imaginative way. Jay commented: “It was a wonderful opportunity returning to my old school and seeing some of my old teachers and friends. It was nice to give something back to my old school. Mrs Harte really does something special for the children and it was so encouraging to see them actively taking part and enjoying every moment of the morning.”
Lower Sixth History Pupils Visit Oxford On Friday 6 March, as part of Field Day, 11 Lower Sixth History students went to Oxford, accompanied by Dr St John, Mr Simm and Mr Clark. The morning was spent on a walking tour of central Oxford with Mr Clark pointing out buildings of historic and contemporary interest, such as the Examination Schools, the Sheldonian Theatre and Balliol College (where the Prime Minister studied). Dr St John was able to show the group the Divinity School, the oldest surviving university building in the world, with its famous elaborate vaulting dating back to 1485. Dr St John guided the group around a number of sites connected with his own current research about Pusey, Newman and the Oxford Movement. The morning concluded with the group spending 45 minutes in the Ashmolean Museum, looking at its superb collection of antiquities, artefacts and European Art.
After lunch in Cornmarket, the group walked down the High Street to Magdalen College School for the second Blackwell’s A Level History Conference. They heard superb lectures from Professor William Doyle (University of Bristol) on “The French Revolution: the pivot of modern history” and from Professor Michael Broers (University of Oxford) on “The Rise and Fall of the Napoleonic Empire.”
Year 9 Classics Trip to the Museum of London On Tuesday 3 March, the Classics department led a trip to the Museum of London. This was accompanied by four members of staff: Dr Joyce, Mrs Pfeffer, Mrs Turbett and Mr Wheeler. The pupils were acquainted with ancient artefacts and other archaeological remains which help historians to understand the prehistory of Britain before the arrival of the Romans. Pupils received an excellent talk on Boudicca’s Revolt (AD 60-61) which resulted in a terrible defeat for the Iceni tribe and its local allies. They were asked to make up stirring speeches to fire up the British rebels to revolt, and the Romans on the other side to crush the rebellion with all their military force. They were also given an excellent handling session by Mrs Gordon, a Habs parent, who introduced the boys to Roman antiquities and talked in depth about the use of archaeology as an important historical tool.
Trips Army Section Field Exercise On Thursday 5 March, the Cadets of the Habs CCF Army Section (along with RAF Upper Sixth and Year 11 Cadets embedded) deployed onto RAF Barnham training area in Norfolk. Events began with a thorough and inspiring Orders Group conducted by CUO Ayaan (Army Scholar), in which he assigned all Year 10 and 11 cadets to platoons and sections, assigned leaders and gave the Lower Sixth their training assignments. The Year 11 cadets then deployed tactically to establish a patrol harbour in woodland, under their platoon commanders, Cdt Cpls J. Cobb and E. Levin. The platoons then engaged in reconnaissance patrols of an area of known enemy activity, in advance of a planned ambush the next day. Sentries were set and the boys settled down for a chilly but dry night. Friday brought an exciting programme of activities. Year 10 engaged in a wide programme of training, including a paintball close-quarter battle lane, a navigation stand and other activities against an Upper Sixth enemy. The highlight of the Year 11 training was the planning and execution of a platoon deliberate ambush. Thanks are due to the Upper Sixth cadre who put on an outstanding programme of training, and especially to Ayaan, our outstanding under officer. Thanks also to all the officers of Habs CCF, as well as to our visiting cadet volunteers, Miss Woodall, Mr Sidford and Capt Hamnett.
Royal Navy Ampthill Expedition On Field Day, the entire CCF Navy enjoyed the great outdoors and undertook a range of teambuilding activities. The group set out on the afternoon of Thursday 5 March, broken into small groups who were to be dropped off at various locations in the Bedfordshire countryside and tasked with navigating back to the campsite. With visibility low, the sun setting fast and a group of hungry Year 10s and 11s, it was quite a task for the Sixth Form to lead the cadets to their distant rest. However, having expected nothing less from the well trained and experienced senior cadets, everyone made it to the campsite safely and in good time to set up their tents and cook their dinner. The cadets were greeted by our very own Headmaster, Mr Lock, who had joined the group for the evening. The older cadets then organised several teambuilding exercises the next day for the younger cadets. Thanks go to Lt Chapman, Lt Cdr Hardman, SLt Redfern, Lt Hall, Miss Willows, Mr Cooper and Mr Lock for enabling the trip to go ahead.
Prep and Pre-Prep Our Prep Wellbeing Week Following a successful Wellbeing Week, Luca (Year 5) and Chijioke (Year 6) reflected back on the impact of wellbeing week in the Prep School. Wellbeing Week was fantastic again this year and I loved every part of it. It kicked off with 5EF telling us all about wellbeing in their class assembly on Monday and along with the wellbeing sessions each morning, Rev Brandon’s assembly on Friday and, the highlight, Wednesday’s Wellbeing Day, I learnt so much. For me, I better understood the importance of looking after our mind, body and soul. This means being inclusive so that everyone feels welcome and valued in our community. We must keep our body healthy with nutritious food, exercise and keeping our minds active. I now know the value of relaxing by enjoying our pets, music and sport and how important this is in having balance in our lives. On Wellbeing Wednesday, I couldn’t wait for the exciting activities it held in store for the boys in the Prep School. For Patricks, we started off with a calming, soothing yoga session taken by Mr Lipscomb and Mrs Pullen. We focused on our core muscles and the yoga awakened muscular tissues which I had never used before. Next, we could relax our abdominals and traced Olympic events onto multicoloured rings which would soon make a collage to be hung around the school. Afterwards we took to the mud, worms and insects in planting bulbs next to the North Drive Car Park. Toiling with the ground, we unearthed many worms and managed to plant five bulbs without irritating them. We soon jumped into fun games and activities taken by Mr Emery and were exhausted with games such as Evolution, Mr Emery’s favourite, and Space Invasion. During lunch, we took part in the PrepDash which was two laps around the School. Usually, I am averse to cross country running but this time, it made me feel better afterwards and proud that I completed it alongside my friends. After lunch, we were all anticipating the best as we were having an assembly taken by football freestyler star Jamie Knight – one of the top ten in the world. He started off by displaying his skills and then called some of us up to try and do some of his tricks. Following that, Patricks indulged in a silent disco for an hour and time flew away like an eagle. Subsequently, we had our own session with Jamie Knight and tried some of the tricks for ourselves. Lastly, we ended with a relaxing piece of colouring with Mr Thomas which I probably enjoyed the most as I sat with my friends and we were allowed to chat freely. I loved Wellbeing Day and it taught me so much, not only about having fun with my friends but, most importantly, about looking after myself now and in the future.
Prep and Pre-Prep Sixth Formers Volunteer with Prep Boys In recent weeks, members of the Sixth Form have been volunteering at Prep School classes and clubs. Sixth Formers Jonathan, Daniel G, Jamie, Fahad, Daniel G and Atharv have been involved with the Year 6 ‘Maths is Fun!’ club and the Year 3 ‘Thinking Skills’ club. Other Senior School members Daniel M, Alex, Aaren and Abbas attended Year 6 double maths lessons for the whole year maths activity in the Prep Hall. This included a multitude of fun activities for the Year 6 pupils which tested a variety of mathematical skills and their ability to work together in teams.
Pupils Take Part in the Inaugural PrepDash As part of Wellbeing Week, 185 Prep boys completed the PrepDash course alongside their Senior School counterparts. All the boys ran with great courage, in very windy conditions, and it was brilliant to observe the perseverance and resilience that the boys demonstrated. One moment in particular stood out: a Senior schoolboy supporting a young Prep boy on the last leg of his run. It is what makes our community at Habs so special. Well done to all the Prep boys who ran and thank you to all of those who created such a fantastic atmosphere.
Prep and Pre-Prep Eco Awards The recently formed Eco-Council has been working very hard since the beginning of the year. Habs is pleased to announce that as a result of their efforts, they initially achieved the bronze and then the silver award for the Prep School. They went a step further and went on to achieve the coveted ‘Green Flag’ status as an eco-friendly school – this was achieved on Wednesday 18 March! Well done to all of the Prep boys for their support.
World Book Day at Prep and Pre-Prep Beverley Naidoo visits the Prep
Josh Lacey delivers assembly at Pre-Prep
On Thursday 5 March, World Book Day, the School was very fortunate to have the famous and award-winning author, Beverley Naidoo, visit the Prep. After a special introductory assembly, Beverley delivered a variety of workshops to all year groups. Thanks must go to Beverley for coming into the School – the Prep boys very much enjoyed her assembly.
The Pre-Prep had fun celebrating World Book Day! The boys came into School dressed as their favourite book character and enjoyed writing about them. Our visiting author, Josh Lacey, delivered a special assembly sharing excerpts from his Dragonsitter series. The boys were inspired in their workshops to create their own fictitious character and write letters describing their character’s antics. They were then treated to a special tea party lunch and much fun was had!
Fencing Success for Prep Pupils Earlier in the term, pupils took part in their first Hertfordshire School Fencing League against St Hilda’s School, Harpenden. Om, Yixing and Dylan (all in Year 4) represented the School and performed brilliantly. Throughout the match they were required to display values of courage, teamwork and resilience and were able to apply their training to a competitive situation. Through a tough fought match, they came out victorious winning 45-29! It was a great performance from the boys.
Prep and Pre-Prep Primary Stars Football Tournament at Watford FC The Prep School’s U11 A team were hugely excited during their preparation for a trip to the Watford FC training ground on Friday 31 January. They participated in the Primary Stars Football Tournament and their excitement was successfully transferred into positive performances on the pitch as they went unbeaten in their first three matches. This left them second in a group of eight teams. After a short lunch break, attention turned to the sideline as a number of Watford FC players and manager Nigel Pearson (pictured) made their way around the teams, pausing for photos and offering support to the boys. While results didn’t go in the boys’ favour to allow them to qualify for the semi-finals, their spirits were not dampened, and they ended the day with a convincing victory. It was a great experience for the boys that will certainly stand them in good stead for the rest of the term. Well done to all who took part!
Cross Country Meet Well done to the Year 3 to Year 6 cross country teams who took part in a meet at Highgate recently. Overall, the School came second. Standout performances came from Jacob in Year 6 who came fifth – and Jacob in Year 5 who came second. Francis and Xander in Year 4 came first and second respectively, while Taha in Year 3 came fourth. Well done to all the boys in the team in what were very tricky conditions: brilliant resilience and perseverance evidenced throughout.
Prep and Pre-Prep Prep Musician of the Year On Friday 6 March and Tuesday 10 March, 45 finalists took to the Seldon Hall platform to perform in the Junior, Senior Ensemble and Senior Solo categories of Prep Young Musician of the Year. We heard music from the early 1700s, pop songs in the current charts and everything in between: Handel, Nirvana, Mussorgsky, Bon Jovi, Miles Davis, Tchaikovsky – the list goes on. Whilst the levels of difficulty and challenges varied, one quality was consistent amongst all competitors: the dedication to performing at the very highest standard possible. Thank you to all the boys for creating an unforgettable couple of afternoons. Special appreciation to Mr Osmond, Director of Music, and Mr Ian Hope for their well-judged, informative and encouraging adjudication. The winners in the Junior Category Audience Award: Ben (Year 4, singing) Prize for performance with most promise: Benjamin (Year 3, acoustic guitar) Young Musician Ensemble of the Year: Samih (Year 4, flute) The winners in the Senior Ensemble Category Audience Award: Luke, Keshav, Aaryan, Alex, Richard (Year 6 Band: K.A.L) Prize for performance with most promise: Ravi, Jacob, Luke (Year 6 Band: The Watermelon Men) Young Musician Ensemble of the Year: Joe, Harrison, Zac, Noah, Shayan, Luke (Prep Jazz Band: Jazz Rules) The winners in the Senior Solo Category Audience Award: Aaryan (Year 6, singing) Prize for performance with most promise: Rahul (Year 4, acoustic guitar) Prep Young Musician of the Year 2020: Timo (Year 6, violin)
Prep and Pre-Prep Science Championships A group of Prep School boys visited the Science Museum in London to represent Habs in the National Inter-School Science Championships on Wednesday 29 January. The competition required teamwork and tactics in addition to a broad understanding of many scientific topics. Well done to all the boys for their outstanding efforts.
Pre-Prep Healthy Eating Day The Pre-Prep had lots of fun creating edible art in healthy eating workshops. Using the Hungry Caterpillar story, the boys took a closer look at the food we eat, where it comes from and the nutritional superpowers it can bring to our lives!
The Habs Community Pre-1970 Reunion The evening of Monday 2 March witnessed possibly the largest gathering of Old Boys ever to grace the School’s Elstree site, for the unique occasion which was the ‘Pre1970 reunion’. Of the 175 attending, some were never taught at the site, others actually helped the School move from Westbere Road to Elstree, while even more formed part of the first cohort of Old Boys to have spent their entire school career in Hertfordshire. Old Boys coming from as far away as Australia and San Francisco (and Radlett…) were given tours of the School by current pupils and treated to a performance by our very own Habs Big Band in the Seldon Hall of the TW Taylor Music School. Then, following a formal welcome by the Headmaster, Mr Lock, all retired to the Aske Hall for more refreshments, glorious conversations and the rekindling of many a friendship. It was a truly memorable occasion and one that will linger long in the memory.
The Habs Community Old Haberdashers ‘Feed the NHS’ In these challenging times, it is wonderful to hear about the many members of the wide Habs community who are doing their bit to ensure that society copes as best as is possible with the effects of the Coronavirus. While it is unfair to single out anyone in particular, we are especially pleased to note the fundraising campaign initiated by John Vincent (OH 1990), Matt Lucas (OH 1990) and their actor friends Helen McCrory and Damian Lewis. Simply titled ‘Feed the NHS’, the campaign aims to get 6,000 meals a day supplied by John’s LEON restaurant chain into London hospitals for critical care staff. To achieve this Matt, Helen and Damian are attempting to raise £1 million through crowdfunding and at the time of publication had successfully raised 60% of that total. In addition, Matt has updated his 20-year-old ‘Baked Potato’ song from the TV series ‘Shooting Stars’ to include advice about avoiding Coronavirus, and having been watched 3 million times on Twitter for the last week, he is now releasing the song with all proceeds going to Feed the NHS. For more details of Feed the NHS, please visit the following two links: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/feednhs https://leon.co/
The Habs Community
Momentous season for OHRFC 1st XV Old Haberdashers’ RFC has just enjoyed its best season ever. In keeping with its 100% amateur ethos - they don’t train or have any formal coaching set up - the Blue, White & Magenta continue to defy gravity in London 1 North, or the sixth level in English rugby. At the time the season was so unfortunately curtailed, the 1XV sat in 3rd, only one point from a play-off place and a record high in terms of finishing position for the club. As well as keeping it amateur, the team is renowned for its champagne rugby style of play, evidenced by the 16 Try bonus points earned from the 22 matches played (second only to the runaway league leaders). The club is also growing, with three full squads put out on three Saturdays in the season; the first time that has happened for over 20 years. Haberdashers run through all teams with ten OHs regularly starting for the 1XV and AXV (2XV). The Extra AXV is bolstered by some proper old boys with the front row’s combined age being as high as 170 years. Onwards and upwards the mighty BW&M! Written by Paddy Hughes (OH 1984)
Scrub Bashers Clear Old Haberdashers’ Association Sports Ground The fine weather allowed the Scrub Bashers to tackle the bramble and hawthorn surrounding the Old Habs sports ground at Croxdale Road, Borehamwood. 24 boys and seven staff equipped with shears, loppers and rakes threw themselves into the activity with some impressive results. There was a great spirit amongst the pupils, who worked well within their groups to clear a very large area. Breaks were short and few, and everyone stuck to the task at hand. ‘Best Basher’ award went to Mr Handley who worked
through the first rest break! Many thanks to Miss Biggerstaff and Mrs Tyerman for organising the trip and to those staff who supported it: Mr Coleman, Mr Bown, Dr Krishnadasan, Mr Hardman and Mr Charlwood.
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J Suchak and T Lunn - April 2020