SHENSTON IAN 88 - Old Silhillians Association

day was different from all previous ones. This year we visited The Thomas Webb
Crystal Factory and then spent the afternoon at the Great Adventure Game (a type
of war game). Also training continued with the LV taking a First Aid Course run by
the St. Johns Ambulancemen.
This summer holiday many Venture Scouts will be going to America to spend
time with an American family, do a 70 mile hike and see the sights in Boston, New
York and Philadelphia.
To subsidise this trip several fund raising activities have been held such as the
two Jumble Sales which raised about £1,500 and the Xmas card sales. The proceeds
have also been used to buy new equipment (Tents and possibly some canoes) and to
subsidise some of our activities (field days).
Many awards have been gained this year including 7 Bronze Duke of
Edinburgh awards and 4 Silver; 14 Venture Scout Awards and 4 Queens Scouts
Awards (congratulations to John Glanfield, Amit Rastogi, Philip Smith and Mark
Turner).
Also many thanks to Barry Thomas and Mr. Dunn who have organised and
helped the Troop to operate.
J. Roberts
The David Grilli Trust
The David Grilli Trust is a fund set up in memory of a particularly fine young
teacher who began his career at Solihull School before meeting an untimely end.
David was a vigorous, adventurous, outdoor person and, with this in mind, the
fund's trustees invite applications for funds from boys undertaking an adventurous
yet educational activity.
Activities could include canoeing, flying, long-distance walking, cycling,
climbing, indeed anything will be given consideration. Applications for funds
should be made to Messrs Keylock, Flood or Melling before the end of the Easter
term, for activities taking place in the summer vacation. Applications are invited
from boys in the Shell to Lower Fifth forms inclusive.
B.J.K.
Terriers
This year more boys than usual, around 87%, passed the First Class Terriers
Certificate. This is a credit to the excellent set of Lower Sixth Instructors under the
organisation of Mr. M. J. Williams. In the second half of the year all boys undertook
climbing, canoeing, cycling, shooting and cooking courses. During the course of the
year videos of canoeing and climbing expeditions were shown. All the boys have
gained a great deal of experience from the- year and I am very grateful to all
the staff and instructors.
A.J.G.
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award 1987-8
The Award Scheme has again enjoyed a very successful year within the school.
In the twelve months ending September (1987) students gained twenty-nine medals,
including eleven silver awards. Already in the current year we have three Gold
Medals (Mark Read, Stuart Dorman and Jacqueline Tyacke) and a string of
Silvers. By September we expect to be approaching our one hundredth award since
the school joined the scheme in 1984.
A highlight of 1987-8 was an expedition to the Peak District in, excellent
weather conditions in October, while many students have shown great initiative in
organising their own separate ventures, (Jason 011ivier will be using his
forthcoming Himalayan Expedition as part of his D. of E. programme).
This July we shall be going abroad for the first time — to the Isle of Man,
which is officially 'rough country'. We hope that this will be the first of several widerranging
trips.
My personal thanks are due to B.J.K. for his ceaseless energy and zeal in
organising expedition work. Congratulations are also to be given both to medal
winners and those who, though not yet successful, have availed themselves of the
many fine opportunities for adventure and the practice of skills.
M.H.D.
School Community Service
Lawrie Bailey set out with a handful of pupils a quarter of a century ago. They
were to offer help to nearby elderly people during time which had been squeezed
from their otherwise traditional weekly timetable at Solihull. Similar undertakings
were made at Winchester and Marlborough, and School Community Service so
developed from these early pioneering days that it is now recognised as an integral
part of a young person's educational experience in hundreds of schools throughout
the country, both in the independent and state sectors. Lawrie's imaginative insight
and his exceptional commitment to provide a framework for young people to
develop their potential for voluntary service is yielding a rich harvest indeed. His