Community News
- Category: Community News
John Marston recently visited the Henley Royal Regatta for a special event:
"It was a pleasure to attend the Henley Royal Regatta as a guest of the 1974 Wallingford Schools Boat Club crew to mark the 50th anniversary of their triumph in winning the Britannia Challenge Cup. It was a very significant victory and many others followed for the crew at national and international level. Despite the weather, it was a great day and the spirit and collective joy of being, and rowing, together shone through. We look forward to welcoming the crew and coach (and former Wallingford School teacher) Bruce Grainger to the school in the autumn to talk with students about their achievement."
Current Wallingford School student Alice Hull (Year 10) stepped in as cox for the anniversary row-past. Mrs Hull tells us, "Alice enjoyed a slightly more relaxing opportunity to cox a crew down the Henley course, after racing with Wallingford RC on Tuesday and Thursday. There was lots of banter in the Wallingford School boat, and with the crew rowing before them, which included their opposition in the 1974 final. Hearing their stories has definitely given Alice a taste for more Henley racing in years to come."
Here are further details of the anniversary and event from the club newsletter:
"On 7th July 1974, Wallingford Schools Boat Club won the Britannia Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. They remain the only junior crew to win this "club" coxed fours event. So dominant were they in the regatta, that they won each round bar one by an "easily" verdict. And as a result, the rowing press speculated whether the WSBC crew would be selected to represent GB at the senior world championships, as well as the junior world's (where they won the bronze).
"On 7th July 2024, 50 years to the day later, the crew of John Wiggins, Simon Wroe, Bill Lang and Roger Brown celebrated the anniversary of this achievement, by taking part in a row-past up the Henley course during the HRR finals' day lunch interval. Their coach, Bruce Grainger, and their cox from 50 years ago, Tim Potter, were in attendance also as were many members of their families, all too young to have been there in 1974. Unfortunately Tim is now too tall to shoe-horn into a racing boat, and so one of Wallingford Rowing Club's current coxes Alice Hull, who herself is at Wallingford School, took charge of them. The current Wallingford School Head, John Marston, was also in attendance as the crew's guest.
"Tragically, both Roger and Simon had lost their wives in the last month, but both were determined to go ahead with the row-past. They both know that their wives were beaming down on them with pride."
- Category: Community News
Wallingford School Leisure Centre was delighted to host the 'UKTA National Blackbelt Seminar & Grading weekend' last week. Here's what Becky Ward, Wallingford Taekwon-do Instructor, had to say about the event:
"The UKTA National Blackbelt Seminar + Grading weekend was held at Wallingford School...Over a hundred students, Instructors, Masters and Grandmasters came from all over the UK for this three day event. It was an honour to host a fantastic weekend - enjoyed by all! A big thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen."
- Category: Community News
Jasmine and Orla in Year 8 are members of the Wallingford Wildcats hockey team, and took part in the England Hockey State School Championships at the Nottingham Hockey Centre on Friday 5th May. This report comes from Emma Seymour, the Under 14s coach for the team:
The combined Oxfordshire state school teams were recognised by England Hockey as creating another opportunity for enabling state school students to come together to play hockey. Having girls from Icknield, Grayfriars, Didcot Girls, Wallingford schools as well as one home school player highlighted the strength of state school hockey.
The girls topped their pool, playing teams from Peterborough, Skegness and Birmingham, conceding zero goals and scoring a total of 20 goals over 3 matches.
After winning what we thought was the quarter final 6-0 (confusion from the opposition), we won our official quarter final against Deanery CoE High School, 2-0.
This saw the girls take on Wycombe High School in a well fought semi-final, winning 2-1.
The final was against Rosebery School from Epsom, Surrey. After the weather had held out for us against the forecast all day, the heavens opened and a deluge of rain slowed down both teams. However the opposition was strong and defended our continuous and determined advances. A near goal hitting the post was sadly not enough and the opposition scored, resulting in 1-0 defeat.
Throughout the day, the girls played with poise, presence and power and should feel very proud of their achievement - second in the whole tournament, only two goals conceded and new friendships made. A win for school hockey!
A highlight of the day was having the opportunity to talk to Elllie Rayer, GB player, who was a delight and inspiration. She even allowed her Olympic and Commonwealth medals to be held by the girls and coaches alike.
- Category: Community News
In April, Year 8 student Florentina was invited by the Argentine Polo Association to play in a tournament for ages 13-16. Florentina was one of six members from England who flew to Argentina to join 60 young people from around the world!
Each team member stayed with a host family for the duration of their visit. The polo tournament was held at Campo Argentino del Polo, popularly known as The Cathedral of Polo. It was a long four days of matches before the final, and Florentina even got to play on the second best polo pitch in the world, which she described as “amazing!”
“It was such an incredible experience and I would love to be able to do it again!” she said.
- Category: Community News
Lizzie, Year 10, has been part of the Girlguiding youth steering group 'Amplify' for the last year. Amplify is a group of 30 young members from all across Girlguiding, who meet virtually once a month. They work with staff and volunteers, ranging across inclusion and diversity, strategy, Girlguiding council and chief guide team, to provide ideas and feedback.
As part of this group, Lizzie was invited to be one of the 400 young people viewing the King's Coronation from St Margaret’s Church next to Westminster Abbey.
We hear she had a great day - she spent the night at the Girlguiding HQ with an early breakfast at Lambeth Palace, then watched the coronation from the church and got to be one of the first to see the King and Queen as they came out of Westminster Abbey!
Oxford Mail covered the story here.