Abingdonian 2017

18 The Abingdonian Boarders’ Christmas Dinner The end of the year has come. 2016 has not been without its surprises and upsets, but also its successes. For example, I may not have been too happy about the whole Brexit thing, but it meant I got to spend a lesson the next day not working but just listening to a ranting Mr Kendry, so you can find the silver lining in all things. There are many people who need to be thanked before I go further into the speech. The catering staff have provided a lovely meal for us tonight and put a lot of effort into feeding the house very well throughout the year. Sodexo food is an integral part of a boarder’s life, or at least it is for most of them. Anyway, thank you very much for all you have provided. Thank you to Rev Steer and Chapel Choir for the service we enjoyed earlier. We are also grateful for the thoughtful chapels you give and organise for us over the year. As a community I think we have proved that audience participation never ends well. All the same, thank you again. Mr Windsor, it has been a great first term with you. We have felt your commitment and care, but if you continue with your tumbleweed jokes, then I fear your days are numbered. On to the house, Mr Litchfield is our new housemaster and it’s been a great first term. Thank you for your work this term, and I hope it continues to go well. The duty tutors also do a lot for us: Mr Jackson, Mr Latham, Mr Chamen, Mr Davies, Miss Moore and Mr Simmons. Mr Simmons actually gave me a message he wanted me to read out to you all tonight. It says: ‘please can everyone remember to like and subscribe to my Vimeo channel. I post a load of great movies that I make at home.’ I apologise, but though Mr Simmons is the most made fun of, he is also the most caring and we should remember that. Boarding duties can be very high energy sometimes, so thank you all for your work. I would like to thank the dayboy head of School House, Daniel Alcock. The great thing about Daniel, is that he does the same, plus the tiniest bit more, as the dayboy Head of House in Crescent does. The Matrons are the most critical part of the house. These last few weeks Storm has been covering the house and has done an incredible job. The house has continued to run well and the amazing table pieces we see are also thanks to her. Finally, Di is probably the longest serving member of any house in the school, arriving in 2003, and we owe her a great amount for her service. Di is the matron, but also the friend, the advisor and the mother of the house, being constantly open at all times, making us very lucky to have her. Sadly she is not with us tonight, but we hope when the New Year comes she will be better. I would like to finish with my own reflections on School House and boarding. I came into boarding for a number of reasons, but I knew looking from outside that School House was a place where I could be happy and develop. On my first day as a boarder, I was very optimistic and naïve about not changing things too much. I woke up at 7am, kept my files in my dayboy locker and said that I would not go back to my room until the school day ended at 5pm. Anyone who has ever met a boarder knows that this lasted for less than two days and my dayboy identity was soon lost. But I like to think there was more to this than wanting to fit ten minute power naps on my bean bag into the middle of the day. The people are what really made me a boarder so quickly. Along with a great