A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SKOOL DREAM
'Zut alors. I af not a clu wat zat was all aboot.' Unfair! It was crystal clear… love was in the air, alongside a heady mix of confusion and pollen. Once again Mr Lawrence gave a contemporary twist to William's bon mots to create something simply champi(gn)on. Year 8 (the multilingual portion of it) entered into the spirit with reckless abandon (while retaining a high degree of dignity – no mean feat) to give the audience a real cheesy treat. With something to enjoy for everyone in the audience, actually a great deal to enjoy, the evening's remarkable blend of slapstick, wordplay, literary criticism, farce and tragic intensity (poor Pyramus, poor Thisbe… poor Wince!) left everyone joyously cheered, and absolument no one cheesed off. It was a marvellous effort from Heads to HODs to Bottom of the class, from Royalty to servants, from fairies, teachers, taught and fraught; congratulations to front and back of stage, house and wall.
400 PUPILS GO LARGE FOR SCULPTURE
Many of you will by now have seen some of the six large colourful board sculptures that are situated across our three school sites.
They have been made by the 400 pupils from each year group from Reception at Queen’s House, through The Abbey and up to Year Eight. They all worked collaboratively on the sculptures to celebrate and mark our school’s 350th anniversary. Inspired by American Pop Artists Jasper Johns and James Rosenquist, they have chosen themes to reflect school life, 350, their initials and popular culture.
Each pupil made a small maquette and then worked together to develop the final six full size sculptures. Mr Tebbutt, our Head of Art, said “It is an extraordinary testament to the creativity, imagination and skill of the pupils. There is such a pride in what they have achieved, a real sense of ‘I did that!’ for all the children from four to fourteen”
The designs include stencils, drawing, painting, words and letter forms. Overhead projectors, printing and good old fashioned painting techniques were used allowing the children to express themselves on a big scale. Renowned artist and award winning photographer John Roberts from Woodbridge said “Colour, daring, tradition and sheer exuberance gloriously celebrated at the school: after 350 years, creativity is still safe in their hands.” Bravo to our budding artists and designers.
WSPA WIMBLEDON AT WOODBRIDGE
Part of the 350th Anniversary Day of Sport on Sunday 9 June as advertised recently to your inbox…
Just a word extra on the tennis element to this feast of activity. Those of you who have attended before will know that this entertaining competition demands two things in particular: a relaxed attitude (to help you to cope with my complex instructions), and a modicum of competence! As usual the event is aimed at enthusiastic amateurs and occasional players as much as at 'experts'. It is open to all ages, but tends to find most favour with the ‘older player’, so sons and daughters should be confident enough to play with adults; and remember: everyone is out to win (whatever they say)! Don't forget to bring your racquet…
WSPA COFFEE AND CROISSANTS
The next WSPA coffee and croissants is all set for 8.30-9.30am on Wednesday 5 June, in the Master’s Study at The Abbey – not the Seckford Theatre! Please note! All parents are, as ever, very welcome.
THE ABBEY PRIZE GIVING YEAR 7 PUPILS
A message to Year 7 pupils from The Abbey: Please return all cups, trophies and shields that were awarded at last year’s Abbey Prize Giving to The Abbey Office, polished and engraved, by Friday 7 June at the latest. Thank you.
KANGAROOS
Many congratulations to our second-national-round mathematicians (entry earned thanks to exceptional performance in the National Mathematics Competitions): Madeline Lord excelled to earn a merit in the Year 9 Grey Kangaroo, while Robin Hawes and Alice Fisher fell just short of merits in the Year 11 Pink Kangaroo.
ATHLETICS
The boys' and girls' junior and intermediate teams of Years 7 and 8, and 9 and 10 took part in the ESAA English Schools Track and Field Cup recently, competing impressively against fifteen other schools in the first regional event (eight compete on each of two days). Both the junior and intermediate boys’ teams won, qualifying for the A group regional finals in June. Ben Harrington scored 27 points (team totals are created this way, rather like heptathlon or decathlon) for his 200m time of 41.8s and 13 points for the shot 9.11m. Close on his heels was Sam Gilfedder and then Sam Davis. Hugo Kelleway was the top junior boy with 22 points for a discus throw of 21.69m and 14 points for 800m run in 2.40s. Close behind was Felix Kibble. The girls’ intermediate team, beset by unavoidable absences, still managed to finish second on the day to earn themselves a place in the B regional finals. Laura Graham with 29 points for her javelin throw of 31.76m and 8 points for 54.2s in the 300m, and Georgina King with another very impressive points tally were the two leading lights. Impressively, it was the Year 7s who blazed the trail in the junior team. Top scorer Georgina Harrold secured 19 points in long jump with a personal best of 4.25m and 17 points in 100m. The three equal behind her were Madeline Hall, Sophia Ogilvie and Year 8 Josephine Pryor. The team finished fifth over the two days, just missing out on qualification.
More recently, Year 9 represented the school brilliantly in the six-school Year 10 competition at Northgate. With our Year 10s in exams, it fell to the younger age group to rise to the challenge. Twelve season personal bests say it all! Laura Graham won the javelin, with Alex Lillywhite in second place; Freya Cooney came second in A triple jump, with Laura Lindsay Smith placed first in the B string; Tristan Hilger won the discus, with James Bellhouse second; Ben Spence won the javelin; and both Lorna Hill and James Bellhouse won their respective B 300m. Overall, the boys finished third and the girls fifth, fine preparation for this week and their own age-group competition.
CRICKET
The under thirteens played their part in a brilliant game last week away at Orwell Park on a chilly and very windy Wednesday afternoon. At first our bowlers simply had no answer to a strong opposition opening pair which laid the foundations for an imposing 175 off 25 overs. At 12 for two in reply things looked grim, but Tom Lomas (31) and Felix Kibble (30) steadied the ship before Oscar Beardwood really began to take the game to Orwell Park. He demonstrated that, with a positive attitude and a straight bat, any total is achievable. James Meakin (19) cleverly ensured that the strike was rotated at vital moments with several quick singles. With man-of-the-match Oscar finishing on 61 not out, Woodbridge completely stunned its opponents by reaching the target with four balls to spare to win by six wickets. This was not only a fine victory, but a great way to come back from earlier defeat to Norwich by seven wickets in a game which had escaped early after a total of only 102 (Oscar, man of the match again, scoring 23) had left the boys with too much to do. Tom Lomas (two for 26) did his best, but it was not to be.
ROUNDERS
Congratulations to the U14A and B rounders teams for their wins against Thomas Mills, the A team by 23-6½ and the B team by 11-10. Magic moments for the A team included Laura Graham’s throw from deep directly in to Alex Lillywhite on fourth post who caught the ball with one hand and stumped the player out, and multiple huge hits by Laura Graham, Katie La Vergne, Freya Cooney and Millie Overy-Owen. Meanwhile, for the B team Lucy-May Turner, Lauren Monk and Ella Jerman-Riddell were the top scorers, and excellent fielding from Frances Poulter and Amy Weir-Simmons in particular secured the advantage.
LOCAL CYCLE EVENT
The Eve Appeal hosts its 15-mile cycle through the lanes of Suffolk via Loudham, Campsea Ashe, Blaxhall and back to Ufford (start and finish: The Ufford Crown) on Thursday 27 June departing at 7pm. Your donation of £10 can be paid on the night, but please register in advance with Mr Nick Apperley (nj.apperley@btopenworld.com) for more details.
350 GRAND BALL: LOST PROPERTY
For viewing at the Senior School Reception: one long black, beaded necklace; one long earring, with red, glass stones. It would be wonderful to return them: please contact reception if you think they might be yours.
THE MISSISSIPPI CHALLENGE
On 5 June Sam Norman, Matt Fraser and Harry Hogg will start their epic journey down the Mississippi river from source to sea by kayak. This 2400 mile journey will take three months of non-stop paddling and will be completely self-sufficient. The main purpose of the trip is to raise money for the fantastic charity Help for Heroes. For information on the adventure, the personalities and how to get involved please explore the website and find out more! http://themississippichallenge2013.weebly.com/. Alternatively, the best place for live updates, pictures and videos will be the Facebook page 'The Mississippi Challenge 2013' https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mississippi-Challenge-2013/157997484311756, although everything will move to the website pretty regularly.
TOP OF THE POPS
Keep up the purchasing and word-spreading!!
You may have heard that some fifty of our students were involved recently in the recording of The Hunger Project charity single One World One Song. Well, it’s time to tune in or log on, because the finished version is available for pre-order and therefore will be classified in the download list ready for its release date of 27 May. We need as many people as possible to pre-order and download in order to help secure the song’s chart position on the 27 May. Number One beckons…!
For our singers, for Joe McElderry, Dionne Warwick, the London Community Gospel Choir and Southbank Sinfonia, but even more so for the charity, the next few weeks are crucial and the next few days critical. We have been asked to encourage all in our community with Facebook accounts to join or ‘like’ ‘The Hunger Project’ Facebook page and then share information about the single directly from their page to their friends.
And if any of you are on Twitter can you please follow: @oneworldonesong and @hungerprojectUK and then re-tweet messages coming from these accounts. It will all add to the coverage. Ms Carter has set the standard, persuading her brother-in-law to persuade, in turn, a footballer who follows him, to ‘tweet’ a message… to his millions of followers. That’s how it works.
One World One Song was officially launched last Sunday on BBC Radio 2 in the Terry Wogan Show to great fanfare, and has been hitting the news regularly since. For the latest YouTube advertisement, try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xkfb_Bjg8g&sns=fb
WORLD HUNGER DAY: 28 MAY
Meanwhile, harking back to One World One Song, this year’s big day approaches. The strap line is Empowering People, Ending Hunger, and the activities are wonderful and various. In particular the live music events are: World Hunger Day ‘Unplugged’, 26-28 May Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho. Intimate audiences of 100 (booking office 0845 602 7017); London Community Gospel Choir Gospel Brunch, hosted by Jumoké Fashola, 12.30pm Sunday 26 May (£25 Tickets); Jumoké Fashola and guests Barb Jungr, Randolph Matthews, Anthony Strong, Tammy Weis & Mari Wilson, 7.30pm Sunday 26 May (£25); Andrew Roachford & Friends, with special guest Omar, Hosted by Jumoké Fashola, 6.30pm Monday 27 May (£30); Andrew Roachford & Friends, 9.30pm Monday 27 May (£30); Joe McElderry & Friends, Hosted by Jumoké Fashola 6.30pm and 9.30pm Tuesday 28 May (£50 Tickets).
KG ADVENTURE DAY CAMPS
KG will once again be hosting day camps during the summer holidays as well as the May half term. As ever, each day will be packed full of entertainment, sport and projects to keep all participating entertained. The camp dates are: Tuesday 28 to Friday 31 May, and Monday 15 July to Friday 23 August.
To book a place for your child on one or more days please contact KG Adventure directly on 01449 742700 or via the website www.klubgroup.com. As a parent of a child/children at Woodbridge School, you are entitled to a 20% discount on the advertised prices. Please remember to quote the discount code WOODPUPIL2013 when booking.
CONCERT BY THREE OLD WOODBRIDGIANS
Anyone in London on Saturday1 June should take the opportunity to attend what sounds likely to be a brilliant concert given by three OWs: Saskia Blake (violin), Becci Reidy (cello) and Andrew Whyte (piano). They perform Trio élégiaque, No. 1, in G minor by Rachmaninov and Piano Trio No. 2, in C minor Op. 66 by Mendelssohn. The concert is at 7pm in the Grosvenor Chapel, 24 South Audley St, Mayfair, London, W1K 2PA, equidistant from Bond Street and Green Park tubes. There will be a retiring collection in aid of various charities and post-concert drinks and food at The Audley, 41-43 Mount St, Mayfair, London W1K 2RX.
HOLIDAY AT HOME PROJECT – volunteers sought
August 12-14 at the Fairfield Centre in Aldeburgh.
For a second year running, all the Aldeburgh Churches are coming together to provide a holiday club for the elderly in Aldeburgh. It is a much needed lifeline providing friendship and fun for those who would otherwise have a very lonely time during August when many of the regular clubs and events that they attend are closed for the holidays.
Mrs Mabey is looking to put together a musical afternoon of entertainment on one of the dates above and wants to gather a group of volunteers who could play and/or sing one or two pieces in order to fill a 40 minute slot. She takes up the story:
It could be something that you have already performed or played at school for an exam or competition - you don't need to master anything new.
I realise that many will be away on holiday, but those in the neighbourhood are guaranteed a very lovely and appreciative audience and a delicious cream tea afterwards!
Please email or text me if you think you can help.
Thank you so much, Mrs Jo Mabey: mabeyfamily@btinternet.com; 07729 795009
LIVE BELOW THE LINE
Mrs Silovsky wrote last week to tell of her challenge to live on less than £5 for a week (see 10 May edition for her account and her passionate appeal). So far she has raised over £1100 for The Hunger Project, but would welcome more: www.livebelowtheline.com/me/lucysilovsky
EDINBURGH FRINGE
Very exciting news: our troupe’s tickets will be available from http://www.edfringe.com/ from 9 May. The cast of twelve sixth formers will be performing Rosemary at theSpace @ Niddry Street once a day between Sunday 11 and Saturday 17 August before returning for a public performance at our home theatre on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 September 2013.