The Buzz and Sheer Excitement that an in Weekend Conjures Up is Incredible
Fun fun fun!!!!! Guinea pigs, go karts, laser pistol shooting, ice cream, inflatables, a film and the F.A. Cup semi-finals, what more could a child at prep school ever want? That is just a flavour of what the boarders got up to over the weekend at Hazlegrove.
Mr Shaw delivered an outstanding chapel helping us to focus on giving to others and not always expecting to receive things. As always, his message was thought provoking and challenging.
You really have to be here to believe it, the buzz and sheer excitement that an in weekend conjures up is incredible. The sound of the go karts, the exhilaration of winning a laser pistol shootout, the pleasure and satisfaction of eating freshly baked flap jacks and the creative buzz of designing and painting different characters/animals on each other’s faces were just a few of the exciting activities that the children got involved in during the morning. Some of the children opted for the more sedate, calming and soothing activity of cuddling the Guinea pigs, playing with the rabbits and nail painting.
A wide range of new activities were laid on for the children during the afternoon and the ever-popular capture the flag never fails to disappoint. Working as a team and coming up with strategies are just a few of the life skills that this traditional game teaches our children. The Disco Dome Assault course was an opportunity to pit wits against a friend and see who could scale the obstacles quicker and come out the other side alive and unscathed! For the more tech-minded children, movie making was an opportunity to showcase their creative and directing skills.
The afternoon was finished off with the familiar sound of the ice cream van coming up the drive. It was akin to the Pied Piper of Hamlyn, all of a sudden children from all parts of the school started appearing from nowhere sprinting to get in line as quickly as possible. It was good to see that the age-old ice cream has not lost any of its charm or appeal.
As the day panned out it was great to see all the new boarders settling into the community with seamless effort. We are so fortunate with the amazingly hospitable and caring boarding children we have at Hazlegrove. They are a real credit to themselves, the school and their families.
This weekend summed up what Hazlegrove boarding is really all about, allowing children to be children in a safe, secure and nurturing environment. We really do believe in traditional values such as respect, kindness, selflessness, humility and good manners. All these values were demonstrated in spades by the children this weekend and we as house parents were and are very proud of our boarders.
Alistair Forbes
