TCCLife Issue 6 - January 2025

#TCC
Life
Issue 6: January 2026
It was a cold but picturesque
start to the year at TCC!
Thurston Sixth Sports Day
Celebrating life across the Thurston Community College and
Thurston Sixth community
Pride of TCC
Take a look back at our first ever
annual awards ceremony for
students in KS4.
Golden tickets
Don’t miss out on our 2026
College production of Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory.
Fundraising
Find out how our students have
raised money for good causes on
pages 12 and 13.

Welcome!
from the Principal
Dear Reader
January is named
after the Roman God
Janus, who had the
ability to look
backwards and
forwards at times of
change and this is
exactly what #TCCLife
is doing here. You will
see from the following
pages that at TCC there was so much going on in
the Autumn term, with events in College, clubs,
educational visits and engagement with the
wider community. This means that each and
every one of our students had the opportunity to
participate in a range of enrichment activities
beyond their academic learning. This is one of
the areas of school life which we know our
students and their families value and I am very
grateful to my colleagues who put in a lot of time
and effort to make these things happen.
Students also enjoyed opportunities to reflect
upon times past. Our Armistice
commemorations in November brought the
College together as we reflected upon the
service and sacrifice of service men and women,
and their families, from the world wars to the
present days. The documentary "TCC
Remembers" was a very poignant one for all of
us here to view. We have also been able to
reflect upon past successes of our students with
our Awards Evening, welcoming back our GCSE
alumni to celebrate their success with a guest
speaker, 'Action Jackson'.
'Action Jackson' also contributed to our looking
ahead with Year 11 as they take steps to plan for
their future, including taking their mock exams
this term and undertaking interviews for their
post-16 destinations. Our Year 13 are also
looking ahead to their futures with applications
to university and other pathways. There are also
frequent opportunities for our future students to
visit us and take part in a range of events, our
European Week of Languages, Sports Festival
and a Creative Writing Competition.
Finally, I was very proud of our students
supporting one another and good causes this
term, there was some creative fundraising from
all years for some football nets for recreational
time, and Year 11 have been active in preparing
for their prom. Thank you to all our families if
you sent in something for the Gatehouse Food
Bank hampers in November, we appreciate that
the run up to Christmas can be a difficult time of
year for many people so to see such a display of
generosity was heartwarming.
We wish every member of our school
community a happy, healthy and successful
2026.
Maéve Taylor
Key Dates For Your Diary
What’s happening at TCC?
Tuesday 20 January 2026
Planning for our future: Public exhibition
Wednesday 21 January 2026
Year 9 Consultation Evening
Thursday 5 February 2026
KS4 Options Evening
Monday 16 - Friday 20 February 2026
Half term
Tuesday 24 February 2026
Sixth Form Consultation Evening
Tuesday 3 March 2026
Year 8 Consultation Evening
Tuesday 9 March 2026
Year 10 Consultation Evening
Monday 30 March - Friday 10 April 2026
Easter Holiday
For events taking place further ahead,
visit www.thurstoncollege.org/calendar.
2 3
In this issue…
Autumn term in pictures… 4
Looking back on our inaugural KS4 awards ceremony 8
TCC Remembers 10
How the TCC community supported a local charity 12
Football Fundraiser 13
A world of pure imagination 14
Joining TCC 16
A Thurston Sixth Student’s perspective on public speaking 19
Edward - Year 9
Joseph - Year 9 Alexa - Year 8
Don’t forget to follow us on social media to stay up
to date with all things TCC and Thurston Sixth.
Phoebe - Year 10
Jessica - Year 9 Rose - Year 7
These images were designed by students as entries to our Christmas competition and have been produced onto cards which
were sold within our community to raise money for Gatehouse Food Bank. Congratulations to Edward in Year 9 who designed
the winning piece which was featured on the front page of the Thurston Village Newsletter.

Autumn term in pictures…
Eden Theatre Arts Visit
Thurston Sixth Open Evening
Pride of TCC KS4 Awards
Year 11 Football team ahead of a fixture in September
West Suffolk U14 Football Competition
Clip n’ Climb rewards visit
EWOL Baking Competition
French and Spanish breakfast
#TeamTCC Selfie Frame at Open Evening
Year 10 - 12 Textiles students at the 'Dirty Looks' fashion exhibition
Student Leadership Ceremony
Year 8 climbing wall
Sports Day at Thurston Sixth
TCC Athletic team before a fixture
Bingo at Thurston Sixth
Visitors from Thurston Primary Academy for EWOL
4 5
Year 7 tutor groups on their first day at TCC in September

Thurston Sixth Gatehouse
donations
TCC Swimming team
Eden Theatre Arts workshop
Year 7 Dodgeball team
Year 11 Photography taster
U15 Rugby Festival
KS3 Art Club at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral
Year 9 Badminton team
Key Stage 3 Art Club busy making willow angels.
Thurston Sixth Taster Day
Community Creative Writing Competition
Prom committee Halloween bake sale
TCC Gatehouse donations
6
Year 11 Basketball team
Prizes for the Last Choir Standing competition
Sixth Form Art Workshop with Kate Jackson
Year 9 Futsal team

Looking back on our inaugural KS4 awards ceremony
Last September, the red carpet was rolled out
as over 70 students in Years 9 and 10 (from the
2024 - 2025 academic year) were celebrated for
their academic and personal achievements in
our first ever Pride of TCC Awards ceremony for
Key Stage Four.
In order to take home one of the highly coveted
prizes which were supplied by generous local
sponsors, students had to show that they
embodied the TCC PRIDE values and that they
had excelled through hard work, perseverance
and determination. Subject awards were given
in progress and determination categories whilst
our special category awards included year team
accolades, recognition from governors and the
prestigious Principal’s Award.
Vice Principal for Welfare and Standards, Mr
Horne, donned his snazzy velvet dinner jacket
and doubled up as our host for the evening. He
said: “The Pride of TCC Key Stage 4 Awards were
a celebration of everything that it positive about
our wonderful College community. A lot of hard
work across numerous staff was undertaken to
The Senior Student Leadership Team presented awards
ensure that students and their families could
celebrate the achievements of a special group
of individuals”.
Our Year 10 Food Preparation and Nutrition
students also supported the event by producing
and serving some delicious canapés, much to
the delight of guests. Attendees were also
treated to a spectacular motivational speech
from guest speaker, Action Jackson, who kicked
6
off the evening in style with a well-placed
element of (musical) audience participation.
Plans are afoot for our second Pride of TCC
event, which will take place in July 2026 for
students in Key Stage Three. Until then, in the
words of Action Jackson,
”Act now, dream big,
never give up, you’re
amazing”!
To watch this video, go to the digital version of this newsletter at
www.thurstoncollege.org/tcclife
WATCH: ‘What TCC Means to me’ intro video
Our very own Food Prep students provided delicious catering
To watch this video, go to the digital version of this newsletter at
www.thurstoncollege.org/tcclife
WATCH: What does #TCCPRIDE mean?
With thanks to our sponsors:
8 9

TCC Remembers
How our community marked Remembrance Day
To watch this video, go to the digital version of this newsletter at
www.thurstoncollege.org/tcclife
TCC Remembers
WATCH: TCC Remembers Documentary
How our community marked Remembrance Day 2025
This Remembrance Day, students at Thurston Community College produced and presented a
poignant documentary reflecting on the meaning of remembrance told from the perspective of
serving personnel and the families who support them.
The documentary, which aired on Youtube and Facebook Live on Tuesday 11 November 2025,
features interviews with members of the armed forces and veterans who are part of the wider
College community. Student Leaders also told generational stories which were submitted by
families of students who attend Thurston Community College.
Classes across the school paused to watch the twenty minute documentary, culminating with a two
minute silence at 11:00am, preceded by a rendition of The Last Post, performed by Noah in Year
11.
Mrs Dunsdon, Assistant Principal for Personal Development and Raising Standards, said: “This
powerful and moving documentary was entirely student-led and featured the voices and stories of
military families from within our school community, highlighting the importance of remembrance
and service. It is a profound piece of work that truly demonstrates the depth of our students'
commitment and respect.”
The College would like to sincerely thank everybody who gave their time to contribute to this
project.
10 11

Gatehouse Collection
How the TCC community supported a local charity
Football Fundraiser
A resounding success for our Student Leaders
Thurston Community College is always proud
to support local charities and have happily
made it an annual tradition, for many years, to
support Gatehouse with their Christmas
appeal. Tutor groups get involved by
completing a reverse advent calendar, bringing
in gifts of canned and dry goods each day in
November rather than looking to receive
themselves.
The premise is simple and achievable, even
when times are hard. Each student chooses a
small item to bring in and this simple act of
giving is truly win win: we all take the
opportunity to feel grateful for what we have
and good about supporting others, while
somebody not so very far from us will hugely
benefit from our generosity - when combined
with that of our peers - to create Gatehouse's
fantastic Christmas hampers.
Last year, staff from TCC volunteered to help
pack those hampers at Gatehouse HQ and
were left in awe of how vast the project is and
how hard those working for Gatehouse toil to
ensure a better Christmas for others. This
appeal is just one small part of what the charity
achieves throughout the year as they offer
emotional and material support for
disadvantaged families and individuals in the
area. Following our window into the operation,
this year, we were able to streamline our own
offer by creating our own packing room here at
TCC: a fantastic group of volunteers from
Thurston Sixth and the TCC Student Leadership
Team came together to categorise our
collection (no mean feat!) to make it much
more useful once it reaches the charity itself.
As always, we look forward to supporting
Gatehouse again next festive period.
Mrs Webdale
Transition Coordinator and English Teacher
If you walked past the Block 6 hall on the first
week of December, you couldn't have missed
the buzz of energy and the sight of students
coming together for a fantastic cause.
Our Student Leadership Team recently set their
sights on a new goal: replacing some of the
football nets on the school field. To make this
happen, they launched a week-long fundraising
effort which turned the hall into a thriving
marketplace of creativity and school spirit. Each
day, a different year group were tasked with
running stalls of their choice within their
groups. The variety was incredible.
What made this event truly special was that it
was entirely student-led. From the initial
logistics and hall bookings to the final cleanup,
our Student Leaders took the helm. They
coordinated with every year group, ensuring
that the schedule ran like clockwork.
The dedication shown by our student organisers
was nothing short of inspiring. Managing
hundreds of students and dozens of stalls is no
small feat, and they handled it with
professionalism and enthusiasm. Because of
their hard work, we are now well on our way to
seeing brand-new nets on our field very soon!
A huge thank you to the Student Leadership
Team, the tutors who supported their tutor
groups, and everyone who brought in their
spare change to support the cause. It’s a
brilliant reminder of what we can achieve when
we work together as a community.
Picture: The Senior Prefects who organised the fundraising
efforts, with Mrs Dunsdon, Assistant Principal
12 13
Total raised: £340.74

A world of pure imagination…
Get your golden ticket to our 2026 College Production
Auditions are complete, the cast has been announced and rehearsals are well underway for our
2026 College Production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and The Chocolate Factory!
Following sell out performances of We Will Rock You School Edition and Annie Jr. In 2025, our
Performing Arts Team have been working hard behind the scenes, alongside a talented student
cast and crew, to produce what will no doubt become yet another highly acclaimed TCC
production. Featuring all of the high quality acting, singing and dancing elements which audiences
have come to expect from a TCC show and backed up by stunning set design, lighting, special
effects and sound, this year’s musical promises to transport you to a world of pure imagination. It
must be believed to be seen, so secure your golden ticket before it’s too late! Performances run
from 11 - 14 March 2026 at 18:30, with an additional Saturday matinee on 14 March at 13:30.
proudly presents
Tickets are available from www.thurstoncollege.org/tickets
Book by
David Greig
Music by
Marc Shaiman
Songs from the Motion Picture by
LESLIE BRICUSSE and ANTHONY NEWLEY
Lyrics by
Scott Wittman
Marc Shaiman
Based on the novel by ROALD DAHL
Some early draft drawings of the set which is currently under
construction!
14 15
Thurston Community College Auditorium
11-14 March 2026
‘Golden’ tickets available at www.thurstoncollege.org/tickets
This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.co.uk

Joining TCC…
Creative writing competition, team building and more!
It has been an
exciting and busy
start term for our
Year 5s and 6s who
are exploring the
next steps in their
transition journey.
We are always happy
to help turn some of
the natural nerves to
excitement by
sharing a little of our secondary school
experience here at TCC and offering chances to
come together as a community:
Year 6 Team Building Sports Festival
In September, we held our annual sports
festival in collaboration with the Gipping Valley
and Thurston School Sport Partnership,
offering Year 6s from across our catchment
area the chance to come together and enjoy a
vast array of sporting activities led by Mr
Hopkin Jones and a fantastic team of our own
Year 9 Sports Captains. This year we welcomed
almost 400 Year 6 students from 12 local
primary schools across two mornings; it it
always fantastic to see our local young people
having the chance to work and play alongside
others with whom they will share their
transition journey later this year.
Year 6 Open Evening
October saw us open our doors to welcome
hundreds of Year 5 and 6 families to showcase
everything TCC has to offer. The corridors and
classrooms were buzzing with activity, and Ms
Taylor, Mrs Baker and I were thrilled to offer
three presentations in the auditorium,
explaining what families can expect from us
over the coming year and just why TCC is so
special.
KS2 Creative Writing Competition
Entries flew in from so many fantastic Year 5 and 6
writers from across Suffolk in response to our
annual creative writing competition. The English
department had a very tough (but enjoyable) task
narrowing down our winners, who were invited to
a festive awards ceremony in our TCC library. Hot
chocolates were served, writing skills were
explored alongside our Junior Prefect team, and
our winners (from six different primary schools)
heard their entries read aloud by Ms Taylor, Mrs
Baker and me before proudly accepting their
awards to the applause of family and friends. We
can't wait to see more of this writing talent as we
get to know our local KS2 students more over the
next few years.
Mrs Webdale
Transition Coordinator
There were lots of smiles at our Year 6 Team Building Festival
Congratulations to the winners and runners up of our
Community Creative Writing Competition
Students from Thurston Primary Academy joined us for a
selection of activities on European Week of Languages
16 17

18
a bit, though, there are things you can do even before starting that really set you up for success. Get
to know your speech. Learn where the intonations are, where the stress is, and the pronunciation of
any tricky words. Also, mistakes happen. They’re unavoidable- don’t fuss and lose your cool. Take a
pause, breathe, and correct yourself. Last but by no means least, it is always a good idea to start and
end with a bang. A shocking story, short sentences, snappy statistics, these are all great ways of
captivating whomever you find yourself speaking to. If you can link the beginning and end together,
too, all the better. You come across as clever, educated, professional.
Public speaking is a crucial skill for almost all walks of life. There is always room to develop, to
practice, and to set yourself apart. As mentioned earlier, it's all about getting involved, and taking
that leap of faith out of your comfort zone. It will be daunting the first few times, and that’s fine. We
all get nervous. But if you take the time to practice, to improve, to hone and to refine your speaking,
you can help set yourself up for great success.
Oscar
Year 12
Wherever you are around the
world, whomever you may be, and
whatever you may think, there is
surely nothing that unites us more
than communicating. Whether
that’s a chit-chat over coffee with a
friend, a brisk “Morning!” to a
passerby, or a somewhat heated
debate at the family dinner table, it’s something
we all do (and maybe a few of us have been told
we do too much!) Peculiar as it is, though, for all
of our talking, put us in a public setting and we’re
fairly terrified of it. Glossophobia - the fear of
public speaking - is thought to affect some 82%
of the population at least mildly, but also 10%
severely. That’s about 4 in 5 people being at least
uncomfortable with a vital skill. However, if you
think more opportunistically, think how much of
a vantage point that can put you at in your life? In
this article, I am going to go over why public
speaking is quite so crucial for us all, how it
became such an interest of mine, and how to
improve at it.
Thinking back, I’d say I was ”bitten by the bug” at
age 10. If I’m honest, I have to accredit the vast
majority of my interest and, arguably, prose, to
the Suffolk Young Farmers club. It was at a public
speaking competition with my club. The night
was going well, and I had even done a reading
myself. It was enjoyable, yes, but the defining
moment for me was yet to come. They were
setting up to play “Just-a-minute”, the BBC Radio
4 programme I have since fallen in love with. Our
team needed one more member for one of the
rounds, and as the newest and youngest
member, my name was quickly dropped. I
agreed, and it’s not an exaggeration to admit that
I was terrified. They explained the rules to me as I
anxiously nodded along, and before I knew it, we
were off. Adrenaline is a powerful thing, though,
and within moments I was wittering on about
whatever nonsense came to mind. In perhaps the
biggest shock I’d experienced, I’d… won? Me? I
was dumbfounded. Looking back, that was all it
had taken. An opportunity, and someone to push
me out of my comfort zone, making me take that
leap. I haven’t looked back since, and been able
to do so much more than I thought I could:
presentations, speeches, open days, and even a
few Remembrance services. It was an honour. I’d
be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive through it
all, even at times openly scared- yet as I’ll go into
later, there are definitely a few tricks.
But before that, something I’m sure many people
might wonder: Why? Why is it such an important
skill? Why do we need it? I think there are two
main reasons for this. The first is in our day-today
lives, actually. Public speaking is quite often
about cramming some fairly complex or longwinded
things into enjoyable, understandable,
and perhaps most importantly, succinct little
topics that you can deliver and they can receive
with ease. It’s about saying more with less, really.
It helps you become a better conversationalist,
helps you speak more confidently to charm or
convince people, and in my exams last summer, I
actually found the ability to condense this
information can actually be translated into pen
and paper! All of these somewhat link into reason
number two: in the world of business, it can be a
wild card. If you can keep a calm, collected
demeanour, say, in an interview, or presenting a
meeting to the board, or a lecture on your
findings in a school, you aren't just talking: you’re
demonstrating your capability. Still not sold? One
statistic estimates the number of jobs requiring
some degree of public speaking as 70%. You’ll go
far with it!
Luckily for any aspiring speaker, there are a few
tips with public speaking that can help you
improve, get your message across, and really
engage an audience. First and foremost is pacing
yourself. It can be so tempting to rattle away with
your speech, garble out some hasty rendition of
it, (trust me, I've been there too!) but it's not
outlandish to reason that the speed at which you
speak is of the utmost importance, letting you
emphasise or strain certain words, really put
some force behind a fact. At the end of the day,
think of yourself like an entertainer. You’re there
not just to get your point across but to engage
with your audience, to connect with them.
Casual, conversational talking not only is clear
and understandable but also helps calm you
down too. As you’re talking, look just over the
heads of people, to different parts of the room,
as if you’re speaking directly to them. Going back
Thurston Thoughts
A Thurston Sixth Student’s perspective on public speaking
19
F r i d ay,October 1 7,2 02 5
46 www. s u f fo l k n ews .co. u k
Cliff Waterman
O PI N I O N
Le a d e r
West Suffolk Council
D
id you know that real life
superheroes live amongst
us? There might be one
living next door to you.
They are the people who quietly get
on with making all our lives better by
rolling up their sleeves and helping to
make our community the place we are
proud to call home. As you read this,
they are delivering civic pride,
community support and helping
people in all sorts of ways. They are
the opposite of those keyboard
warriors who are just looking for likes
on social media. No, they would rather
take action to make their community
the best place to call home.
And if you are one of them –thank
you.
In these uncertain and challenging
times there are many things we can
each do that help those around us. It is
something thousands of people across
West Suffolk have discovered. The
unsung heroes bringing civic pride to
their areas –from volunteering to
litter pick, working in charity shops,
helping maintain public areas,
supporting libraries or community
groups, or even just helping a
neighbour with shopping or a lift to
the hospital –the list is endless, and it
all makes West Suffolk a better place.
Take time to be a superhero
So, I have a theme this month –it is
encouraging people to get up, help out
and take action that directly supports
your community, even in a small way.
I was really pleased to see Brandon
and Bury St Edmunds again amongst
the winners of the Anglia in Bloom
competition. The Royal Horticultural
Society’s Britain in Bloom campaign
celebrates the best floral and
environmental displays.
Our very own Abbey Gardens in
Bury St Edmunds also won the gold
award in the historic parks and
gardens category with the wildflower
labyrinth winning Best Gardening for
Wildlife award.
This is a great example of
community groups, volunteers and
organisations, including West Suffolk
Council, coming together and taking
pride in the community they live and
work in. The council does our bit to
support these groups and others with
specific help as well as delivering
grass cutting and landscaping work
throughout the year.
Thank you to the hundreds of
volunteers and individuals turning
out in all weathers to give their time
for their villages and towns.
Funding for these groups is often
hard to come by, but vital. That is why
West Suffolk Council has invested
£260,000 this year to support
community groups, charities and
voluntary organisations in our
Thriving Communities Fund. This
community grant scheme is in its
second year and supports work to help
the health and wellbeing of residents
across West Suffolk.
In this current year we have
already invested £266,733 in
supporting community and grassroot
organisations to make a real
difference. This of course
complements the locality budget
grants that West Suffolk Councillors
can use in their areas. This helps put
local councillors and groups at the
forefront of improving their patch of
West Suffolk.
But it’s not just our communities
and volunteers. We have a thriving
economy, supported by businesses
and organisations working together to
help one another. I was absolutely
delighted to be back at the West
Suffolk Business Festival which
celebrated its 15th anniversary this
year. Once again it was a chance to
celebrate the vibrant businesses,
entrepreneurs, educators, investors
and public bodies that make our
district such a dynamic place to live
and work.
Fifteen years ago, this festival
began as an idea –a shared vision
brought to life by a group of
committed partners, who understood
the power of connection, collaboration
and community. Now it has grown
into the highlight of our business
calendar.
Some of our key partners have been
with us every year since the start and
a special thank you must go to
MENTA, West Suffolk College, the
Suffolk Chamber of Commerce and
the Bury Free Press.
As part of their Pride in Place
strategy announcement, Lakenheath
has been selected by the national
Government to receive up to £20
million over a decade as part of this
initiative. This national policy is about
delivering significant funding and
putting local people in the driving seat
to choose the changes that will make a
real difference to their lives.
It fits with our priorities of ensuring
a thriving West Suffolk, encouraging
civic pride and making sure
communities are fully engaged in
decision making.
Each person is different, but one
thing that has stayed constant in West
Suffolk, and across East Anglia, is the
robust individuality of us East
Anglians. We are a diverse lot, filling
all walks of life, having many differing
views of the world and coming from
many different places and
backgrounds, but whatever or
whoever you are, that proud
individuality and diversity marks you
out as a true East Anglian.
So we should all take pride in the
place we call home and look for ways
to share our talents and time that
make a real difference. No matter how
small those actions are, doing them is
us using our own superpower.
I
always feel that an unspoken
rule hovers over you when
deciding what to wear. A quiet
but persistent societal pressure to
confide in the norms, what is deemed
‘acceptable’and what is not.
While this can be apparent in many
aspects of life, I want to highlight the
invisible dress code that stretches
beyond social expectations. There has
never been a rulebook handed out or
direct instruction but the code exists
in the subtle glances you receive, the
hushed whispers exchanged or even
the absence of acknowledgment.
Rarely needing words or open
criticism, everyone seems to simply
know the boundaries and most abide
by the unwritten guidelines.
But what about those who do not
want to follow the current trends?
Those who crave the freedom to
experiment with colours, patterns,
accessories, something that feels
authentically theirs. Fashion has
always been more than fabric, but a
language. A powerful tool for
reflecting personality, creativity and
T hurst n Thoughts
Personal views
shared by sixth
form students
from Thurston
Community College
cultural influences without even
uttering a single word. Yet the decision
becomes complicated. Do you opt for
the safe route to avoid stares or
embrace self-expression and risk
silent judgment?
One of the biggest factors
amplifying this tension is social media.
Outfits are no longer seen just in the
hallways but showcased like styles on
a runway, judged by an audience far
larger than the classroom. What once
was a private decision before a
bedroom mirror now feels like a public
performance. The endless scroll
through an abundant number of
platforms confronts you with a
Clothes are a personal canvas
curated stream of influencers and
affluent peers parading perfectly
composed outfits following the latest
trends, each demanding a new
purchase, week after week.
Comparison feels almost inevitable.
Should I buy that bag too? And the
shoes? Maybe even the new jacket
they’re wearing? The constant urge to
keep pace, financially, emotionally
and socially is exhausting and
unsustainable. The pressure to
maintain these expectations can
deepen economic divides, leaving
some students to feel excluded
through no fault of their own.
Part of fashion’s enduring magic lies
in its ability to tell a story, but when
that story is shaped by pressure, its
meaning begins to fade. Clothes
should be about self-expression
however; freedom often conflicts with
the fear of judgment. It is what
prompts that familiar phrase
“everyone else has it”, a statement
that parents must know all too well.
Beneath every choice lingers the
deeper question worth asking: are you
dressing for yourself, or for others?
Much of this pressure is deliberately
cultivated. The truth is, trends are
designed to be temporary and fleeting.
The fashion industry thrives on the
promise of transformation,
persuading consumers that their
wardrobes are never complete and
that the latest drop will provide the
missing piece of perfection. Marketing
strategies are carefully formulated to
feed off insecurities, encouraging
constant renewal rather than
appreciation for what already exists.
While this drives profit for companies,
it fuels overconsumption and destroys
self-esteem, blurring the line between
fashion as an art and fashion as a
never-ending chase.
Yet fashion has never thrived on
quiet obedience, true fashion is not
about keeping up. The industry’s most
exciting and significant moments have
emerged from designers who dared to
reject what was expected and created
something entirely new. Vivienne
Westwood turned punk from street
rebellion into couture and Coco
Chanel redefined women’s wardrobes
with revolutionary elegance. Their
influence was not built on blending in
but on the courage to stand out.
Even today, designers continue to
challenge convention. The rise of quiet
luxury pushes back against logo
obsession, while younger generations
also celebrate maximalism through
vintage thrifting and upcycling. Thrift
stores, clothing rental services and
resale platforms have opened up
innovative possibilities for personal
style while promoting sustainability
and proving that individuality is not a
matter of wealth.
The ‘right’way to dress should
never be dictated by a logo, price tag or
the approval of others. Just because
you are not wearing the “it”brand of
the season does not mean you are any
less fashionable.
When we shift the focus from fitting
in to expressing individuality, clothing
ceases to be a silent competition and
returns to its original purpose –your
personal canvas on which to paint in
your own colours.
By Megan
Giunchi
F r i d ay,April 18,2 02 5
38 www. s u f fo l k n ews .co. u k
F
rom the moment I first
stepped into a gym, 3 years
ago, I knew I had found
something special. I wasn’t
sure what to expect and was very
nervous about the new and extreme
environment I had imagined the gym
to be. Luckily I had my friend there
to show me how the machines
worked and that made me feel braver
about trying new things. It took me a
few sessions to start enjoying my
time there but then I started to realise
I had an innate ability to lift heavier
weights and seeing my improvement
each time I went kept me going
back.
Now, at 18 years old, powerlifting
has become an incredible passion of
mine. Recently, I had the honour of
achieving two British records in my
federation: a 225 kg deadlift and a
125kg bench press. I've enjoyed every
part of training for this and am
grateful it has all paid off.
I started strength training like
many others—just looking to get
stronger and build confidence. At
first, I had no idea what powerlifting
T hurst n Thoughts
O PI N I O N
Personal views
shared by sixth
form students
from Thurston
Community College
was, but as I experimented with
heavy compound lifts, my potential
was noticed by others who continued
to motivate me to pursue strength
sports. My numbers kept improving,
and the feeling of pushing past my
limits fueled my motivation.
As I discovered more about the
powerlifting community, I learned
about proper programming,
recovery, and technique. I dedicated
myself to consistent training,
focusing mostly on the three main
events: squat, bench press, and
deadlift. The progress hasn’t always
been straight forward, with plateaus
along the way, it was disheartening
to see the numbers remaining the
same, but I did not give up or lose
sight of my motivation.
Then came the competition on
March 9th at the Iron Warehouse
Gym in Great Yarmouth, hosted by
the World Raw Powerlifting
Federation (WRPF). Stepping on to
This is a real passion of mine
the platform, I felt the same
wave of adrenaline as I had in
previous competitions, but
this one had far more weight
to it. The bench press was the
second event after squats.
This was the record I had
gone in feeling confident I
could beat. I beat the previous
record by 5 kilograms and
successfully pressed 125 kg. It
was what I went there to do
and I was so happy I had done
it.
I thought that was all I
could manage as I had little
hope for the deadlift event: I
thought I had used all of my
energy on the previous lifts.
Even warming up I was
doubtful I could lift anything.
Still, I went up and pulled
what I could off the ground
and then decided to confirm
my British record attempt of
225 kg. Going up, my mindset was
more focused on how I would deal
with losing the lift rather than
convincing myself that I would
actually be able to pick it up off the
floor. When the weight was slowly
moving to my knees and then
continuing to move to a full stand I
was excited that I had done
something I didn't think possible for
myself and when I saw the three
white lights indicating I had a
good lift I was elated.
But this is just the beginning.
Powerlifting has taught me
many different things including
the importance of setting
ambitious goals. Now, I’m more
motivated than ever to keep
pushing my limits, breaking
records, and inspiring others to
chase their strength goals. I
can't wait to continue my lifting
career into the Strongman
scene with a competition
coming up in July. I can’t wait
to lift cars and pull trucks - all
things I never thought in a
million years I'd be able to do.
If you’re thinking about
getting into strength sports,
make sure you get the right
advice to help you lift safely.
Make sure you learn from your
mistakes and stay motivated:
it's an incredibly tough sport that
requires a lot of dedication and
professional advice but it has given
me so much in return, I would
definitely recommend it!
By George
Co l l ey
News you can trust.
A name you love.
24/7 news.
Trust us.
F r i d ay,December 1 9,2 02 5
30 www. s u f fo l k n ews .co. u k
∙
B U R Y
WAT E R
M E A D O W S
G R O U P
Water Meadows Diary
COMMUNIT Y
A monthly
catch-up from
Bury Water
M e a d ows
G ro u p
www. b u r ywate r m e a d ows g ro u p.o rg . u k
Nature behind the lens . . .
T
o paraphrase a well-known
saying; Memories Maketh
Man…I was fortunate that
my art teacher set up a
darkroom at college making the next
steps from camera to print possible.
My early photographic years having
been encouragement at my father’s
side. Later joining a photography
club really helped me move up a gear,
as I mixed with likeminded people,
many better than me!
Joining the Bury Water Meadows
Group gave me an opportunity to
enjoy my love of nature through the
lenses of my cameras. This was all
very comfortable and familiar until
the possibility of making a video
about the year in the life of BWMG
came up. Guess who was asked to do
it! I agreed but with little previous
experience of video work, this was
daunting, but the project was born.
Most modern cameras have a video
function; little used in my case, but
with some practice, the video clips
started to accumulate. How was I to
put them together into something
remotely interesting to a viewer?
Fortunately, within BWMG we have a
wealth of talent going back to our
professional lives. It just happened
that one member had been a TV
Production Director, so between us,
we had complimenting skills.
Our initial target was to produce a
video covering the first 6 months of
activity, ready for the AGM in the
spring of 2024. As we all know, there’s
nothing like having a target date and
with the expectation of my fellow
Trustees to sharpen the mind! Quite
some learning curve it proved to be,
as the idea of a soundtrack and
captions had appeared. But with
modern software editing wonders, it
all proved possible. For the
soundtrack, the local band Shop &
Drop, comprising several BWMG
members, stepped in. They wrote and
produced the music making this a
totally ‘made in Bury St Edmunds’
project.
With a sigh of relief, the target was
met and all went well on the night of
the AGM. Just the second half of the
project to complete. Scything and
raking our wildflower meadows
forms part of our annual cycle of
work. This gave great opportunities
for further video recording, along
with recording our annual Wildlife
Festival as it took place in the Abbey
Gardens.
Our final target date for
competition of the video was our
annual social evening in November,
so no time to lose. Producing a
running order and editing created
almost as much work as recording
had done but the final version was
ready to go on the evening. With
my place booked for later in the
evening there had been great
anticipation. The video was played in
full, much to the enjoyment, or was it
amusement, of those at the meeting!
If you want to see the video head
over to our website to view it.
What comes next with these
recently acquired skills? I think it’s
along the lines of recording of the
wide diversity of wildlife that we
encounter in the town and the
surrounding meadows. I just need to
remember my next target date for
this will be the AGM in May 2026. In
the meantime, we wish all our
readers and supporters a very happy
Christmas and a peaceful New
Year.
Christopher Cross LRPS
BWMG Trustee
W
herever you are around
the world, whomever
you may be, and
whatever you may
think, there is surely nothing that
unites us more than communicating.
Whether that’s a chit-chat over
coffee with a friend, a brisk
“Morning!”to a passerby, or a
somewhat heated debate at the
family dinner table, it’s something
we all do. Peculiar as it is, though, for
all of our talking, put us in a public
setting and we’re fairly terrified of it.
Glossophobia - the fear of public
speaking - is thought to affect some
82% of the population at least mildly,
but also 10% severely. That’s about 4
in 5 people being at least
uncomfortable with a vital skill.
However, if you think more
opportunistically, think how much
of a vantage point that can put you at
in your life? In this article, I am going
to go over why public speaking is
quite so crucial for us all, how it
became such an interest of mine, and
how to improve at it.
Thinking back, I’d say I was ‘bitten
by the bug’at age 10. If I’m honest, I
have to accredit the vast majority of
my interest and, arguably, prose, to
the Suffolk Young Farmers club. It
T hurst n Thoughts
Personal views
shared by sixth
form students
from Thurston
Community College
was at a public speaking competition
with my club. The night was going
well, and I had even done a reading
myself. It was enjoyable, yes, but the
defining moment for me was yet to
come. They were setting up to play
“Just-a-minute”, the BBC Radio 4
programme I have since fallen in
love with. Our team needed one more
member for one of the rounds, and as
the newest and youngest member,
my name was dropped. I agreed, and
it’s not an exaggeration to admit that
I was terrified. They explained the
rules to me as I anxiously nodded
along, and before I knew it, we were
off. Adrenaline is a powerful thing,
though, and within moments I was
wittering on about whatever
nonsense came to mind. In perhaps
the biggest shock I’d experienced,
I’d…won? Me? I was dumbfounded.
Looking back, that was all it had
taken. An opportunity, and someone
to push me out of my comfort zone,
Speaking of success? Read this
making me take that leap. I haven’t
looked back since, and been able to
do so much more than I thought I
could: presentations, speeches, open
days, and even a few Remembrance
services. It was an honour. I’d be
lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive
through it all, even at times openly
scared - yet as I’ll go into later, there
are definitely a few tricks.
But before that, something I’m
sure many people might wonder:
Why? Why is it such an important
skill? I think there are two main
reasons for this. The first is in our
day-to-day lives, actually. Public
speaking is quite often about
cramming some fairly complex
things into enjoyable,
understandable, and perhaps most
importantly, succinct little topics
that you can deliver and they can
receive with ease. It’s about saying
more with less, really. It helps you
become a better conversationalist,
helps you speak more confidently to
charm or convince people, and in my
exams last summer, I actually found
the ability to condense this
information can actually be
translated into pen and paper! All of
these somewhat link into reason
number two: in the world of
business, it can be a wild card. If you
can keep a calm, collected
demeanour, say, in an interview, or
presenting a meeting to the board, or
a lecture on your findings in a
school, you aren't just talking: you’re
demonstrating your capability. Still
not sold? One statistic estimates the
number of jobs requiring some
degree of public speaking as 70%.
You’ll go far with it!
Luckily for any aspiring speaker,
there are a few tips with public
speaking that can help you improve,
get your message across, and really
engage an audience. First and
foremost is pacing yourself. It can be
so tempting to rattle away with your
speech, garble out some hasty
rendition of it, but it's not outlandish
to reason that the speed at which you
speak is of the utmost importance,
letting you emphasise or strain
certain words, really put some force
behind a fact. At the end of the day,
think of yourself like an entertainer.
You’re there not just to get your
point across but to engage with your
audience. Casual, conversational
talking not only is clear and
understandable but also helps calm
you down, too. As you’re talking,
look just over the heads of people, to
different parts of the room, as if
you’re speaking directly to them.
Going back a bit, though, there are
things you can do even before
starting that really set you up for
success. Get to know your speech.
Learn where the intonations are,
where the stress is, and the
pronunciation of any tricky words.
Also, mistakes happen. They’re
unavoidable. Take a pause, breathe,
and correct yourself. Last but by no
means least, it is always a good idea
to start and end with a bang. A
shocking story, short sentences,
snappy statistics, these are all great
ways of captivating whomever you
find yourself speaking to. If you can
link the beginning and end together,
too, all the better.
Public speaking is a crucial skill
for almost all walks of life. There is
always room to develop, to practice,
and to set yourself apart. As
mentioned earlier, it's all about
getting involved, and taking that
leap of faith out of your comfort zone.
It will be daunting the first few times,
and that’s fine. We all get nervous.
But if you take the time to practice, to
improve, to hone and to refine your
speaking, you can help set yourself
up for great success.
By
Oscar
Th o m a s
F r i d ay,September 1 9,2 02 5
40 www. s u f fo l k n ews .co. u k
Cliff Waterman
O PI N I O N
Le a d e r
West Suffolk Council
N
ext week will see one of the
most important decisions
that your Council and
Cabinet will make –and it
will affect you and your children for
the next fifty years or more.
We need to decide how best to
answer the government’s call for a
plan to reorganise local government.
The aim is make council services serve
you better, be better value for money
and to simplify the system. This will be
done by creating new streamlined
unitary authorities that will deliver
everything currently shared out
between district, borough and county
councils.
As I have written before, it makes a
lot of sense and is an exciting time, full
of opportunities to provide you with
improved services and strengthen
local democracy.
The people of Suffolk have made it
clear: they want their council and
councillors to be local to them, rooted
in their communities, responsive to
local need, and focused on delivering
value for money. Our Case for Change
to Three Councils for Suffolk sets out a
vision for three local unitary councils,
delivering exactly that.
Our draft final plans aim to deliver a
step-change in council services in
Suffolk have now been published. It’sa
long document, but there are
summaries and I would urge you to
read it: Case for Change - Three
Councils for Suffolk
By bringing all services under one
roof in each area, the proposal strikes
a balance between strong leadership
and genuine local delivery. It ensures
that Suffolk’s towns, villages, urban
centres, and coastlines - and the
communities and businesses within
them - receive the attention and
support they deserve.
Importantly it means for those who
call West Suffolk home you will have a
council, able to better focus funding
and capacity to meet the distinct needs
of local communities and businesses.
The proposed three new council
areas will be for Central and Eastern
Suffolk, Western Suffolk, and Ipswich
and Southern Suffolk. These are
working names at this stage.
Not only do our proposals achieve
this but we can deliver crucial
services, tailored to meet local need
and importantly in a financially sound
way. For example it shows an
additional £67.5m could be unlocked
each year through localising Adult
and Children’s services –improving
care for vulnerable children and
adults and reducing cost through
focusing on prevention and early help.
And this isn’t just our opinion: we’ve
worked with the Social Care Institute
for Excellence based on their
extensive knowledge of the sector and
using experience gained from real
unitary councils already in operation
to arrive at these figures.
Key elements of the proposal
include:
Delivering value for money –
cutting six current councils to three.
They will pay for themselves within
five years and unlock £34 million in
annual savings, while allowing
reinvestment of £20 million.
Putting residents and communities
first - services delivered by local
councils that know their communities
–ensuring decision making and
democracy are in the hands of local
people and organisations. They will
enable the voluntary and community
sector, which is a lifeline for residents,
to thrive through better engagement
and fairer funding.
Equalising Council Tax –Modelling
shows Council Tax can be equalised
within each new council area within
one year of the new councils forming.
Under this model each household
would see a smaller increase in their
2028/29 council tax than under the
current system.
Allowing for joint working -
enabling councils to continue to work
together across Suffolk where there is
commonality of service, through
shared service arrangements for
additional efficiency.
Better focus on local need -
recognising that Suffolk is a diverse
county with very different needs,
geographies and histories. Three
unitaries based in three distinct areas
will provide the clearest opportunity
to prioritise and focus on these needs,
opportunities and challenges, more
than a remote single authority which
would have to balance competing
priorities.
Improving services for you -
providing services tailored to meet
local needs rather than one size fits all.
This also recognises that many
services described as ‘countywide’
are, in practice, delivered through
locally organised teams to better meet
community needs.
Strong local democracy - ensuring
decision makers are close to those who
must live with the decisions made,
that they have the capacity to deal
effectively with the workload and are
able to respond to local concerns.
Under the proposals for three
unitaries, each council would have
between 60 and 66 councillors. Each
elected member would focus on and
represent around 4000 residents. Local
Government Boundary Commission
for England guidance says no one
council should have more than 99
councillors. If this guidance is applied
to one council for the whole of Suffolk
a councillor would represent around
8,000 people. The ability to effectively
represent people in a ward will also be
much better under a three unitary
model than a countywide authority as
population grows to more than a
million by 2045. The proposals will also
empower and build on our strong
relationship with town and parish
councils.
Driving innovation and getting the
essential services right –better
supporting transformation, flexibility
to react to local circumstances and
driving prevention agendas in public
services while delivering high quality
services.
Ensuring a louder voice to champion
Suffolk –the new Norfolk and Suffolk
mayor will have a large area to cover.
Three unitaries will provide better
support and local representation to aid
decision-making and ensure delivery
of priorities.
Three new councils would also build
on the work of Suffolk’s district and
borough councils which have already
achieved £330 million in savings in the
last 10 years, through transformation,
driving value for money and income
generation, at the same time improving
services.
I would urge you to read for yourself
our plans which will be debated on 23
September at West Suffolk Council
and, if agreed, sent to Government to
meet their deadline of 26
September.
Case for Change plans published
A
n EPQ (or Extended Project
Qualification) is a one year
course that I took this year
alongside my other A Levels.
It includes researching a topic of
your choice and writing a 5000 word,
fully cited essay. You also have to
write a production log and a research
log, which are basically records and
evaluations of everything you did to
work on your EPQ and all of your
research sources.
My EPQ title was “What is the
potential for conservation of deep-sea
hydrothermal vent ecosystems?”
Hydrothermal vents are found on the
seafloor, where magma under the
earth’s crust nears the surface at
gaps between tectonic plates. Water
enters the crust, heats up and takes
in chemicals, then jets out.
The vents act like oases on the
seafloor, with a massive abundance
of life compared to their
surroundings. The food web is
supported by special bacteria that
use the chemicals as food. Vent
animals rely on these bacteria: they
may eat them, or even host them as
symbionts, either inside or on the
T hurst n Thoughts
Personal views
shared by sixth
form students
from Thurston
Community College
surface of their bodies.
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents are
currently threatened by mining. No
commercial-scale deep-sea mining
has happened yet, but it is planned for
the next few years and will have a
catastrophic impact on vents. The
deep sea is a difficult place to get to,
and this means we know hardly
anything about it. If mining goes
ahead now, we may be destroying
species that we’ll never know existed.
I had to do a lot of research to find
out all of this, but one of the key
things I learned over the course of my
project was the skill of…
The lessons I learned . . .
procrastination. So here are three
easy steps to procrastinating.
Step One: Do Nothing
The project started at the end of
September and I was pretty
overwhelmed. I had never done a
long-term research project before. I
knew it would be great for getting
into university and I'd enjoy learning
more about the topic I chose, but
every time I looked at the production
log a shiver ran down my spine. I
decided that the easiest way to get
out of this situation was to do
absolutely nothing! I focused
completely on my other subjects. I
take Art, which is mostly
coursework, so I spent a lot of my
time drawing –much easier than
having to think about a horrifying
bibliography. My main subjects are
guided by teachers, while an EPQ is
self-guided. I knew I had to motivate
myself, but at this point the deadline
was months away. Surely, I'd be
fine…
Step Two: Do Something Less
Important Very Slowly
By the end of January, I started
finding and reading research papers.
I spent a little time each week
reading a paper and taking notes, but
this time was kept to my free periods
in school. Surely, I wouldn't be able
to concentrate at home! I was also
still prioritising my other subjects
(but if we’re being honest, chatting
with my friends was at the top of the
list). I obviously needed to do this
research, but there were other
things I was putting off by doing it.
The research and production log
tabs on my laptop haunted me as I
opened it to watch another bad TV
show. By the end of April my
supervisor told me I should just start
writing my essay so that it didn’t
make me anxious. As you can
probably tell by the name of this
step, I only ended up having part of
the first section down by mid-June,
when I had to do a presentation
explaining what was meant to be my
whole finished project.
Step Three: Do Everything, But
Right Before the Deadline
When the summer holidays came
around, I knew I had to step it up.
One of my friends had written 4000
words, and I still only had 600! Over
August I wrote and researched 3 to 5
hours every day. I found a lot of new
papers to cite and ended up finishing
my essay…two hours after the
deadline. I breathed a sigh of relief,
looked at the assignment to see who I
should send the essay to, and then
realised that I was also meant to
have submitted a finished research
and production log. I ended up
frantically finishing these over the
next week, along with all the other
homework I had neglected over the
summer.
Despite my mastery of
procrastination over the course of
this project, I don't think I'll apply
these steps to future projects. I learnt
how to research, take good notes,
write a bibliography and check
information for reliability. I still
loved writing my essay and learning
so much about a topic I'm really
passionate about, but I made myself
much more stressed than I should
have been. What’s that saying about
learning and mistakes?
Footnote from Supervisor: We
think Dido is underplaying the
enormity of work she did at each
stage and exaggerating her lack of
engagement. It was a fascinating and
insightful project!
By Dido Wainwright
Read all about it!
This article was featured in the Bury Free
Press as part of their ‘Thurston Thoughts’
segment, where students from Thurston
Sixth write about topics that interest them.

#TCCLife
Celebrating life at TCC and Thurston Sixth
Issue 6: January 2026
www.thurstoncollege.org