Summer 2013 - St Bede's School

IntroductionThe view from my office is a little peculiar this timearound: I can see Ben, Elias, Ed and two othershaving a spectacular water fight with my little boyNoah. It is, in some ways, only peculiar as it’sabsolutely freezing out there, the wind blowing andmenacing looking skies are currently moving withpace to encircle our house. This seems to sum upour house rather well – everyone in it together, notallowing obstacles to get in the way of their goalsand an absolute willingness to get the most out oftheir days!This term has been as packed and busy as usualand hopefully the courier will reflect the energy,positivity and sense of community that this houseis so entrenched with. This term has seen theemergence of the Incredible Hulk, a spectacularknee operation, some Oscar winners and the usualindulgence with food!As we say goodbye to another academic year Ilook back with great fondness. Half of the housewas brand new when we arrived in Septemberbut the boys leave full of stories, experiences andthose Cambo attributes clearly cemented into theirpsyches.We’ve added a few bits to this terms courier andasked some of the boys to contribute , so I hopeyou enjoy it.The Jones clan depart for a summer in France filledhopefully with recuperation, fine wine and cheesethat will curl up my toes.Your lads have been a joy: constantly polite, fullof affability, brimming with ideas, overflowing withenergy and resolutely ridiculous. Thank you andhave a wonderful summer.Richard Jones

Ed Lemmon on a StandardDayI joined Cambo near Christmas and it is a housethat you can settle into really easily and get toknow people completely - it may sound cheesybut it is a family… but a very diverse family! I saythis because people in the house get along like afamily, laugh like a family and even have those in-jokes like a family – Mr King looking like Davide,Mr Jones and Marcos looking alike and even MrChambers looks like…..6 30, I normally go up to dinner with my matesand like breakfast and lunch there is lot to choosefrom, once dinner has finished you can relaxagain - go on the Xbox, see friends in differenthouses, cook food in the Cambo kitchen, watchmovies and so on. Eventually the duty prefect willsend us to bed and we will then awake and do itall over again! So that’s a standard day in Cambo;it’s a pretty chilled routine as long as you stick bythe rules. - EdIn Cambo you rarely get a lie in, every week daymorning you will get a knock on the door and aprefect telling you to wake up, then it’s a race tothe shower first. After the shower normally youwould have a few minutes to get dry changed andready for roll call. On my first day I went to roll callin my socks and people looked at me as if I wasmad! Full uniform required I found out.At roll call you get told if there is anything thatyou need to do for that day like to get a taxisomewhere or to see a teacher or if there issomething everyone needs you to know. Onceyou understand all the notices you will headup to breakfast and most the time its bacon orsausages with beans and eggs - there is a varietyof cereal, coffee, tea, apple juice and orangejuice.Once you have finished breakfast head back tohouse and get your stuff ready for the first lessonand then you will have about five minutes to getthere. After two lessons I would go back to housefor half an hour; make a coffee and some toast inthe kitchen and chat with my house mates andmaybe play a little pool. The prefect then tells youto go back to lessons, after then I would comeback to house again drop off my books and goto lunch. At lunch there is lots of different stuff,so you won’t get bored of the food, after youhave eaten lunch you can just chill, at two youneed to be back at the house for roll call again,don’t miss it, just a little advise! After you havedone your lessons and activities there is a greatperiod of free time – you go to the gym, go for aswim, pop down to the village shop or just relaxin house. Then it is roll call for prep time – juniorsdownstairs with Mr Jones and seniors in theirrooms – it’s not my favourite time but its all partof the routine. Most of the time prep finishes atNew Boarders Day – IkeFoulkesCambo welcomed some of its new studentsfor September by bringing them into the houseand showing them around this term. After beingwelcomed by the Prefect team and Mr Jones theygot a chance to come into the house, eat snacks,meet some of the boys and check out where theywould soon by bedding down. All the staff werethere to meet and greet and a big BBQ was lit forthe boys. Everyone who came seemed to enjoythe opportunity to meet the boys and become alittle more familiar with their future home.

The Hulk Hero’s runFor the second year running, the boys and staffof Cambo dressed ridiculously and ran the annualBrighton Heroes Run along the seafront. Thepremise is pretty simple: choose a superhero,dress appropriately and run a 5K race early ona Sunday morning! After the success of lastyear’s run where the entire house dressed asSmurfs we needed to keep our reputation as alarge and colourful cohort. So bright and earlyon Sunday morning the boys were awoken andwolfed down an energy-packed breakfast beforedriving down to the seaside. Once there, wedonned our costumes and masses of green bodypaint as this year Cambo was mean and angry...we were the Incredible Hulk! Over 65 boys andstaff ran (or, in the Housemaster’s case, werepushed in a wheelchair) around the course andthis year three out of the top five winners werein the House, including Rilwan, who won theentire race outright. It was a fantastic event andwas amazing to see the boys pull together andhave an enjoyable day doing themselves proud:they cheered, supported, joked and laughedall morning and the sense of achievement andfun was felt by all. We were the largest groupattending again this year, and received specialmention from the organisers and huge supportas we raced around. There were several teachersthere in support, and many parents came downto cheer on their sons. Before the race had evenbegun the boys had accumulated over £1000,and now the rest of the sponsorship money hasrolled in. It will be divided between the officialHero’s Run charity ‘Pass It On Africa’, a Brightonbasedcharity raising money for schools in someof Africa’s poorest areas, and our House Charity,Diabetes UK.What was so brilliant was the camaraderiebetween the boys and it just highlighted tome what a good natured bunch we have. HowStepan managed to push this big lump aroundthe course in a wheelchair – I will never know! Itwas funny watching the Cardoso’s determinednot to be beaten, Dmytro running like a manpossessed, Nelson running with my crutches andthe determination of Christopher to return nextyear for another go even though he’ll be living inGermany.A great Cambo day….

The outgoing Head ofHouse – Adam ForresterAs I sit here writing this, I am surrounded by mypacked bags and suit cases. My time here atBedes is coming to an end, and my role as Headof House is almost over. I have been here for twoyears now, and being at this school has changedmy life for the good. The friends I have made, therelationships I have built, the experiences I’vegone through have all shaped me into the personI am today. Being Head of House has been achallenge for me, but a challenge that I have puteverything into. I just want to say a massive thankyou to my prefect team for all the help they havegiven me and to all the house staff for the supportthey have given me over the last two years. I justfinally wish to say good luck to everyone and mybest wishes...Oscar Winners!It was fabulous to attend this year’s Bede’sFilm and Media Oscar night – there were somefabulous contributions from the boys in Cambo.There was Vasily showing his creative sidebrilliantly, Ricky sat and watched and I am surecontemplated his A2 film piece. It was with greatpride that I watched two Cambo boys win Oscars– Louis Hay for ‘best trailer’ and Nelson for ‘bestprint media’. Well done boys and congratulations.

Food businessThe usual ferocious food intake was in evidenceonce again this term and the boys reallyexpanded their stomachs with great gusto.There was the hotdog nights and even someKnickerbocker Glory constructions which seemedto defy logic. A real highlight was the demands ofthe increasingly effective and proactive Cambocouncil to purchase a decent BBQ. This wasswiftly done and we have a wonderful christeningof sausage and burgers after Elias and Beneventually came to terms with the instructionmanual for the assembly of our latest purchase.Knee surgeryAs you all know I have been away for some of thisterm after having some pretty major knee surgery.I had, as most of you know, had a rather shoddyknee and so this was a firm attempt to get meback fighting fit once again. It was a successbut the whole process was rather longwindedand frustrating. The house continued to tickover under the brilliant care of my deputy MrChambers and the rest of the house team. I waswonderfully touched by the cards, visits and evenmassive stuffed bears that your boys thought togive me – the manners and care the displayedmade my recovery much easier and each andevery one of them showed how compassionateand courteous they all are.

Sports day and competitionOur final event this year was the housecompetitions and sports day event. Our cricketersunder the instruction and captaincy of Matt andEd have varying luck but put up a ferocious fightagainst several strong teams. Watching Yury, Ianand Nelson play this game for the first time justshowcased the Cambo spirit in all its determinedglory. The quiz team did well under the watchfuleye of the Wriggle and managed to win severalrounds. However, our greatest triumph was onthe athletics track and in table tennis – Paddy,Digby, the Muwambi’s, Elias, Oscar, Anton andAidan were all winners by a long distance in eachof their disciplines and It appears we may havecome first overall at the time of writing – a brillianteffort! Dmytro and Michael also cleaned up attable tennis thrashing all the other houses toemerge as winners outright.Well done lads!Head of HouseI am pleased to announce that Ben hasbeen selected as our latest Head of House –congratulations Ben! Young Brown has beenexceptional since he began at Cambo and hasworked tirelessly to further our house ethosof inclusiveness and family values. Ben is apassionate academic and dancer and has beenimpressive with his dedication and diligencetowards all his studies. I am sure you will hearfrom Ben as the year goes on but for now I wouldjust like to say well done.