SUTTON VIEWS - Sutton Valence School

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Sutton Valence’s connection with the Bard When the Changeling Theatre brought their Shakespearean production to the Prep School this month it was something of a homecoming. For theatre director Rob Forknall it was a welcome return to the school where he first trod the boards as a young thespian, while for Year 11 pupil Henry Farmer, it was a chance to show his friends, family and teachers an example of his dramatic prowess! Following his success as Simple in last year’s production of The Merry Wives of Windsor, 16-year old Henry was invited back to play the part of the second merchant and the Duke of Ephesus in this year’s production: A Comedy of Errors. Henry, who hopes to make a career on the stage, has just completed 10 GCSEs and now plans to study English, Theatre Studies, History and Business in the Sixth Form. He auditioned for The Changeling Theatre after seeing their summer tour, in conjunction with the Hazlitt Arts Centre, three years ago and is now looking forward to his second year on tour. He said, “I’ve always been interested in drama and the theatre and it is my dream to be an actor. The Changeling Theatre is great experience for me – and great fun.” And Henry is certainly in good hands – Artistic Director of The Changeling Theatre Rob Forknall is an Old Suttonian himself. Rob, whose family live locally in Chart Sutton, attended both the Prep School Henry Farmer, on left in Merry Wives of Windsor 2010 14 Sutton Views
(Underhill as it was then) and the Senior School, along with his brother James, following in the footsteps of their father Peter. James’ three children, Isaac, Joshua and Imogen, are keeping the family tradition alive and also currently attend the Prep School. The Prep School children are helping to raise funds for The Children of Yirgaalem, a struggling township in poverty-stricken Ethiopia. The school is working with The Yirgaalem Appeal Trust, a Maidstone-based charity which helps to raise funds for vital health care and medical equipment in the Ethiopian village, where 1000 children are too poor to receive basic primary school education. The School Council at the Prep School unanimously agreed to support the project after hearing a presentation by the charity’s founder Terry Casey. Mr Casey addressed the whole school during assembly and showed film clips of his own visit to the town, describing the abject poverty endured by both children and adults, deprived of basic health and educational services. He said, “The children have to walk four miles to school, with no shoes and no coats – and yet there is rarely any absenteeism, Rob said, “It’s a great feeling to see the play performed at my old school and the setting is outstanding, with some of the finest views in Kent. It’s doubly exciting to have Henry on board. He’s a great newcomer, with lots of potential.” The Prep School ‘twins’ with the children of Yirgaalam so keen are they to learn. Sometimes, the school has to provide the children with a meal, as they are too tired and malnourished to learn.” The Prep School, has arranged a series of fund-raising events to raise cash for The Children of Yirgaalem. They have already had a mufti day and at the end of this term will be holding a sponsored four mile walk, to enable our children to experience just how far the Yirgaalam children walk every day to get to their school. Richard Johnson, Head of the Prep School, said, “Major national fundraisers such as Comic Relief and Children in Need mean young people nowadays are very much aware of the anomalies in society. “Here we teach them the importance of charitable fund-raising from an early age and encourage the children to think of others who are less fortunate. They were very keen to support the Children of Yirgaalem and, in due course, we hope to strengthen the links between our school and theirs.” July 2011 15
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SUTTON VIEWS - Sutton Valence School

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