Events, Speeches & Dinners

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT AND VI FORM SPORTS SCHOLARS’ PROGRAMME

This year, we have further enhanced our Sports Scholars’ programme with the introduction of individualised and tailored sessions for all VI Form Sports Scholars. The outcome of the programme is to achieve enhanced sportspecific performance for the selected athletes. The group of twenty-four performance athletes were put into small groups, working closely with our Head of Athletic Development, Mr Gray.

The individual sessions are timetabled around the boys’ academic lessons. The year began with individual player meetings, which aimed to identify each scholar's development needs. Scholars then work collaboratively with coaches to create process-driven goals. Based on these meetings, specific physical testing and analysis of fundamental movements are completed for each scholar. The outcome of this is that each scholar receives a tailored Strength and Conditioning programme which they can complete within their timetabled sessions. These programmes are regularly assessed and updated as the scholars progress and meet their goals. Furthermore, the flexibility of these sessions allows scholars to decide if there are other aspects of their performance that need to be targeted.

Some of our Sports Scholars comment below about the support given to them: “Being a sports scholar at this School is a testament of perseverance through hard work and dedication. It is a privilege to be rewarded for all the hours put into the sports this School offers. By having a sports scholarship, it gives me confidence to improve on any work-ons and set new personal goals. Moreover, it gives me the opportunity to have extra S&C, or sport-specific training sessions during my free time in the week. Thanks to the effective coaching by Mr Gray in my scholarship sessions, I have been able to reach and surpass my goals set at the start of the year.” Amaan R, Upper VI (Rugby & Athletics)

“The sports scholars’ programme has been one of the best additions to my timetable this year. There is always a great atmosphere whenever it is on and it encourages us to take all the right steps to improve in our sports. I have found a massive benefit in having the sports scholars’ programme due to its flexibility. It offers stretching and rehab work in the days up to and after tournaments and fixtures, and it also offers tailor-made strength and conditioning programmes that cover all bases. Throughout the year, I have seen an increase in my physical performance on the court and shorter recovery times after tournaments. Overall, I think that the sports scholars’ programme is a huge asset to any athlete at the School and I would recommend it to anyone to whom it is offered.” Alex B, Upper VI (Tennis Academy)

“The sports scholars’ sessions have helped a lot. Having three different sessions in the 8-day timetable is really useful as it has allowed me to have three extra sessions of either strength, speed, skills, or analysis. I really enjoy the variety of all of my sessions, but the skills sessions are the best as there is usually a fun competition. The sessions have allowed me to improve my gym technique, hone my rugby skills, improve my weaknesses and enjoy it at the same time. I thoroughly recommend these sessions, especially with the amazing coaching of Mr Gray.” Robbie D, Upper VI (Rugby, Cricket & Athletics)

“Three words characterise our sports scholars’ programme: personalised, efficient, challenging. These extra gym sessions helped me a lot to develop my physical fitness and achieve my athletic goals. I improved my speed and my explosive strength, and also my flexibility and mobility, which is really important for a high-level golf swing. I really enjoy working with Mr Gray, because we work hard in a relaxed environment. The one-to-one coaching pushes me to my limits, resulting in top physical performances and great standards I can use for College Golf. I would strongly recommend doing the scholars’ sessions whenever there is time between lessons, because it refreshes and gives a little break for getting your head free. A quote which describes the scholars’ gym sessions? “Remember the person who gave up? Neither does anyone else.” Tim R, Lower VI (Golf Academy)

The sessions also allow for skill-specific training. Due to a strong link with all of the sports’ governing bodies, sports scholars have also received specialist training from lead coaches, whereby coaches have come in to take a session surrounding specific key themes. The information collected at the School is correlated with outside stakeholders to build an accurate picture of the athlete’s progress.

Rory McCann, Director of Sport

SECTION HEADING EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS

numerous awards for excellence in design and architecture and is the Founder and CEO of Carlowrie Group, which he has run for over fifteen years. The Carlowrie Group operates companies and charitable projects employing over 100 people in Scotland, Norway, France and England. Carlowrie Castle is an award-winning wedding venue, he runs a tax and financial advisory services business, a vineyard in the Loire valley and is setting up Edinburgh Street Food. He has a great passion for helping the homeless – he founded RESTART in central London, which, over the past eleven years, has served over 50,000 hot meals. He has now set up the Breakfast Bothy in the Meadows here in Edinburgh from an old police box, and such is the demand, he is now serving lunch as well. Andrew lives in Oslo, has a great team to which he credits much of his success, and says that he doesn`t need much sleep!

My brief address to you today will look back over the last year and the considerable achievements of the pupils here at Merchiston, as well as changes that have been implemented.

Like everyone else, the School had to deal with constant change due to the Covid pandemic: I would like to pay tribute to our whole team here at Merchiston for the extreme workload they endured in getting the School though the many obstacles presented by the pandemic. In re-reading Board papers from the last twelve months, it has been very daunting trying to keep the running of the School on an even keel and it is of enormous credit to the Headmaster and his team, to the boys and to you, the parent body, that we have successfully reached the end of a very challenging year with such a level of achievement. We have a Board meeting on Monday and I note that in the Headmaster`s report to the Board, he says that for the first time in twenty-seven months, there is nothing to report on Covid. I daresay there will be bumps in the road to come, but hopefully the vaccination policy will prevent such upset as we have seen over the last two years.

The other burden we had to cope with was the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. As you know, Merchiston was called to the Inquiry along with several other Scottish independent schools, with witnesses giving evidence from up to sixty years ago. The amount of work that our team here at Merchiston has put in over the last three years to assemble documents and records for the Inquiry has been phenomenal. Lady Anne Smith will produce her report at some stage over the course of the next year and we look forward to her conclusions. I would like to pay tribute to the team who carried out this work and to our Headmaster, who contributed much to the Inquiry, particularly in describing to Lady Smith and her QC about the regulatory systems in place south of the border.

On a much more positive note, we have seen new teams established as long-standing members of staff have retired after superb service to Merchiston. At the beginning of the year, we saw a new Senior Leadership Team in place: its members had to hit the ground running in the face of the two challenges mentioned earlier and they have had an extremely strong year. The refurbishment of Chalmers West, which is to be immediately followed by Chalmers East, has focussed the SLT`s minds on future strategic development and the initiatives they have brought to the Board are both ambitious and deliverable.

We were joined earlier in the year by Rob Bryson, who is our new Operations and Lets Manager. Rob has brought a wealth of experience to this new post and he has already made his mark in ensuring that the refurbishment process for the two Chalmers Houses is fit for purpose and that the relaying of the driveway was completed satisfactorily and on budget.

Our Grounds Team members have taken to their task with gusto and pride and the beauty of this campus says much about the quality and commitment of their work. They also take enormous pride in what the campus delivers, whether that`s the “wow factor” as prospective parents come through the gates for the first time or the fun and excellence of what is delivered on the sports field. I saw two members of the team immediately after the School`s Cup Final, and to say that they were as pleased as punch would be a major understatement. Whilst we are on the subject of the School`s Cup Final success, I would like to congratulate all our boys on a host of achievements in all walks of School life over this last year. The Headmaster`s Headlines have reported extraordinary accomplishments on a weekly basis and the range of activity was extremely impressive. Returning to the Cup Final, I have to admit that when I saw the Stewart’s Melville “man mountain” pack running out onto the Murrayfield pitch and then shoving the Merchiston pack back at the first scrum, I was fearful of the outcome of the game. We all know how they responded with such attractive rugby and it was a great night for our team and our School. To top it all off, our support, although massively outnumbered, was absolutely magnificent, supporting the team with any amount of noise and great humour. I still do not know what the significance of waving their shoes at the opposition fans was, but it still makes me laugh when I think about it!

The spirit of the team that night and the gracious manner they adopted as victors greatly impressed (just as impressive was the generous reaction of the Stewart’s Melville team as losers): the manner in which our boys in the stand behaved spoke much about another change adopted over the year when we introduced a new strapline for the School in our “Young Men of Integrity” initiative. When I first saw the video,

it seemed to me that it encompassed everything our team here at Merchiston is trying to instil into the boys and, hopefully, that you as parents have bought into. It has captured that Merchiston stamp that resonated with my wife and I when our son came here in 2005. It takes quite a bit of living up to, but if Merchiston can send its young men out into the world with that mindset, then the School has done its job.

On a business note, I am delighted to report that recruitment is healthy and on target, and our campus lets and camps are extremely strong and will do much to temper fee increases which, to the best of our knowledge, will be at the lower end of the scale in comparison to other schools. Pippa Axon`s Bursary department continues to ensure that the finances of the School are well cared for and it is to her credit that, once again, we achieved a clean audit. There is quite a feeling of momentum amongst Board members and we will ensure that we embark upon any new projects with care and diligence.

I would like to thank my fellow Governors for their input and dedication to Merchiston over the course of the year. For all of you in business, you will be acutely aware that being responsible for any business, never mind a school, is difficult at any time. Doing so on Zoom makes the task even more so, and they have supported the School with great commitment. In particular, I would like to thank Richard Nutton, Allan Fraser and Gill Hinton, who step down from the Board after great service to the School.

To our parent body which missed so much of School life as the constraints of the pandemic were enforced, I offer sincere thanks for your commitment to Merchiston. I hope that it is cause for pride for you that your boys have stuck in so well over what has been a difficult time for them.

And also to our staff, from top to bottom, who have done the heavy lifting to keep the School going and deliver so well for the boys. We have asked an awful lot of them and they have stepped up to the plate willingly.

Finally, I would like to thank our Headmaster, Jonathan Anderson, for his commitment and delivery over the course of the year. When Lady Smith asked me at the Inquiry about headship, I said to her that I would not take the job on for all the tea in China. Having chaired a Board of Governors herself, she has seen up close what an onerous position headship is – I am sure that my comment resonated with her. To have to cope with a public inquiry, a pandemic, run a school and have the extreme worry of Matilda`s illness takes a considerable measure of steel, and this has been fully demonstrated by his successful directing and managing of the School. He has said to me on more than one occasion how touched he and Bethan have been by kind messages of support from everyone, but most especially from the boys. I sometimes think that kindness is a much overlooked and under-emphasised quality in today`s society – to my mind, it is deeply embedded in what we are looking for in our “Young Men of Integrity” and it is reassuring that it shone through with our boys.

To our leavers, I hope that you have a great Leavers` Ball and I wish you all the best for the future – please make sure that you come back and see us.

Thank you. Gareth Baird, Chair of the Board of Governors

EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

Ladies and Gentlemen, Invited Guests, Governors and Boys - good morning.

Today, in this gathering, we bring together our Commemoration of the foundation of Merchiston Castle School and our Prizegiving ceremony.

In doing so, we begin by remembering the history of our glorious School and its founder, Charles Chalmers. Having started a School in the late 1820s, in May 1833, he took the lease of Merchiston Castle, the former home of John Napier of logarithm fame, which then stood in rural surroundings, and opened his Academy - yes, we started as “Merchiston Castle Academy”. Charles Chalmers started with thirty boys. We took on the Napier motto “Ready, ay ready”, which exists to this day and remains embedded within our School values. Like his famous brother, the mathematician, physicist and theologian Dr Thomas Chalmers, Charles was an original thinker in Maths and Science. However, his vision was also broader than that: languages were taught - quite a novelty at the time - and a depth of intellectual curiosity in the wider arts fostered. As Merchiston grew, so did the boundaries of the City of Edinburgh. After WW1, in 1919 the School applied to the city council for permission to build a memorial hall. Apparently, permission was refused, so the Governors made the enlightened decision to move the School to Colinton, so that the 210 students should once again enjoy the advantages of both town and country; the new School opened its doors in 1930 and today’s roll stands at almost twice that number.

Today is about celebrating the founding of this School and honouring those who had and have the vision to make it what it is today. It’s also about celebrating and honouring those who will lead us on into the future, our prize winners, and I am delighted that we can all gather here once again, as a community - as one - to commemorate and celebrate all that Merchiston stands for.

It was in 2019 when I last stood in front of you, our parents, guests and pupil body for a ‘live’ Prizegiving – and how our world has changed! However, at the same time, today feels reassuringly familiar – familiar and familial: our commitment to this, our community, remains as strong as ever.

Back in 2019, I left our leavers of that year with a quote from the 19th century essayist, Charles Lamb. The words of wisdom I borrowed that day were as follows:

“It is good to love the unknown”.

Little did we know what enormous unknowns lay ahead of us all at that point!But we embraced those unknowns, and all of the challenges; and we are better for that.

It is difficult to express the pride I have in this School and all who have contributed to its success during the last challenging few years. First and foremost, I think of our boys and their eternal enthusiasm; I think of my colleagues and our governing body for their dedication and initiative; and, of course, I think of our parents for their support. The way in which we have all responded as Merchiston returned to normality this year has been phenomenal. This has been a year full of success, progress and achievement – well done to one and all.

If you will indulge me for a moment or two, I would like to go back to my old friend Charles Lamb, who had a motto and this oft-quoted motto went as follows: “contented with little, yet wishing for more”.

I wondered how might this fit the Merchiston pupil of today. “Contented with little” suggests we are happy to do okay – just enough, no more than is really needed. “Yet wishing for more”: wishing - a lazy assumption that simply wishing and waiting for something to happen will make it so. This is not the Merchiston pupil of today.I don’t think it was what Lamb meant of himself either. Instead, I choose to look at it this way: our boys, in being “contented with little”, are not greedy, arrogant, demanding, takers; they are contributors – they give back. We have seen throughout this year what has been done for those around us and for our community. Perhaps it is unfair to single out one House, but look at Pringle and the way they have thought of others in their fundraising and charitable efforts this year. Equally, this week, Dr Cartwright, Mr Rowlands, Finlay (our Captain of School elect) and myself had the privilege of adjudicating our IV Form’s entries to the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative. YPI is a citizenship programme, empowering young people to make a difference in their communities whilst developing a range of skills. Each team, comprised of our boys, had to engage with a local charity and become their champions in order to secure a grant of £3000 for their charity. We listened to each team and we heard how they committed to their chosen cause, we heard their passion and their care. It was the most worthwhile use of an afternoon in a long time, and a great example of how our boys care for those around them. Contributors – givers – giving back - “Wishing for more”.

Our boys are not day-dreamers; they are aspirational, and they actively seek to be the very best versions of themselves. Our boys want to improve, they want to be better, whether that is in class, in the House, in the sporting arena, or in the multitude of activities and passions they pursue. They are improvers.

Yesterday, we were honoured to welcome back to School Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan, our

Merchistonian Olympic silver medallist curlers. They, in the typically Merchistonian way, were only too keen to give back to our pupils of today. In modestly sharing their amazing journey and the story of the hard work that it took them to get to the top of their game, they showed us all how we can - and should - seize those opportunities to succeed when they come our way. Again – Improvers.

Without giving too much away, I am most grateful to our guest speaker, Mr Andrew Marshall, for returning to Merchiston today to share with us his journey. I think the themes of contributing and improving will be ones that we might just come back to…..

Looking back at the highlights of this year, for me the biggest highlight has been the leap back to normality - the normality that is recognition: recognition in today’s awarding of our prizes and recognition beyond these walls, of the exceptional talent our pupils continue to demonstrate.

Our successes through Design and Technology - just this week, we were named national runners-up in a UK-wide competition for inspiring innovation and creativity in engineering. I have been struck by the alacrity with which our boys sitting public examinations have approached this challenge this year. Despite a very different lead-up to these all-important exams, the boys have been courageously determined to adapt to this very new territory. It’s easy to forget that, for this year’s Upper Sixth, there was no opportunity to test their examination skills at GCSE; but

they have pressed on, undaunted. We have had normal service resumed on the sports field – U18 Scottish Tennis Champions, a National Champion in rugby fives, international representation in sports such as hockey, shooting, fencing and, of course, rugby, where, once again we enjoyed a night of success at Murrayfield in the U18 Cup Final. In music, there has been an array of music examination awards and in Duke of Edinburgh, a healthy number of awards at all levels. It has been wonderful see this normality in the boys’ pursuit of excellence return in such positive terms.

None of this would be possible without the hugely dedicated effort of each and every member of staff of this School, and to each and every one of them, I say a heartfelt “thank you” for the energy and commitment they show each and every day in making Merchiston such a great place. When we celebrated the Rugby Cup win, I spoke to the School and told that (probably apocryphal) story of John F Kennedy’s visit to NASA, whereupon he asked a janitor what he did. The janitor replied, ‘I’m helping put a man on the moon’. His role, however modest, was no less worthy of praise and no less valued. All of my colleagues are totally invested in the success of our boys – those you see a lot and those you may not even know. All of them deserve our praise and thanks this afternoon for helping our boys “shoot for the moon”.

I would like to record special, really special thanks to the School Leadership Team of Pippa Axon, Dale Cartwright and Danny Rowlands for the unstintingprofessional and personal support they have offered me and my family over this academic year, but particularly over the last six months.

In looking forward to the year ahead, it is sad to note that alongside our leaving pupils, we also say farewell to three of our teaching staff. Sharon Twyford leaves us after over twenty years’ service to the Physics Department. Despite being part-time for some of these years, it is not an exaggeration to say that the tremendous impact of Sharon’s knowledge and expertise went well beyond the hours she worked. Inspirational and nurturing in equal measure, Sharon’s influence on countless physicists will be sorely missed. We wish her every success as she moves to a new post at St George’s. Peter Kiln joined the Pringle team in 2019, as a resident tutor and teacher in the Pringle Centre. A firm favourite with the boys, his thoughtful and patient approach has been hugely valuable to the Centre. Peter moves on to enjoy more time with his young family and we wish him every success. John Butterfield joined only last year to help in the Maths Department. Teaching part-time, he divided his time between his burgeoning business in the Lake District and Merchiston. Now that his business is set to take off, John is leaving us, for the time being, but we hope he won’t be lost to us for too long and we may see him back soon in some capacity within the Mathematics Department. Finally, we say a farewell of sorts to Gordon Campbell, our Master i/c of the Pipe Band. Gordon is stepping down after seventeen years of dedicated service. In that time, Gordon has led the Pipe Band with skill and great humour, and has always sought to get the best out of the boys and develop in them a love for piping. Who can forget that wonderful spectacle of 100 Merchi pipers and drummers marking the centenary of the Armistice in 2018? Gordon will remain with us as a peripatetic teacher of piping, so we will see him back; but for now, thank you, Gordon.

I would also like to say a special “thank you” to Mackenzie, Robbie and Oscar for their tremendous leadership of the student body this year, and also to our House Captains, Senior Prefects, Prefects and Senior Leaders. They have led the School with distinction and by example: their humour, humility andcollegiality leave the School all the better for their influence and they have set the bar high – thank you.

So, in conclusion, back to one of those 19th century poets and essayists. This time, it’s Tennyson, who, in 1833 (1833, of course, being the year that Merchiston was founded) wrote the poem Ulysses. I might come back to this next week, when we say “farewell” and “thank you” to our leavers, but there are a few lines in that poem that I would like to share and reflect upon this afternoon. In Tennyson’s Ulysses, the aged eponymous hero looks back on his past glories, but shares his undying desire for new horizons. While reminiscing on his life, Ulysses says:

“… all experience is an arch where thro’

Gleams that untravell’d world.”

For me, these lines speak so much to this great place – this is a wonderful message for the future. The ‘experience’ of Merchiston is the fixed and overarching structure, built on sure foundations, through which you see those new horizons, and all that the future has to promise. However, just before these lines, comes the following:

“I am part of all that I have met.”

So much of what we share, and the success we celebrate today, is because of what we have met: our community, our friendships, and our fellowship. We are all part of what we have met – we are all part of Merchiston.

Boys, to you I say thank you, one and all for everything you have achieved and contributed to this year. And to you all, I say thank you listening and for being part of this wonderful School.

Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster

SPEECH FROM GUEST SPEAKER AT COMMEMORATION & PRIZEGIVING

ANDREW MARSHALL ('88-'94)

Andrew admirably spoke without notes, but below is an outline, which he provided, prior to speaking at Commemoration and Prizegiving…….

Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen, and fellow Merchiston boys. It’s fantastic to see you all here.

I know the parents and staff will forgive me if I focus what I have to say on the boys. In fact, I’ve brought along my own son Oliver, who’s 14, so he’s sitting amongst you, more or less where I was sitting thirty odd years ago.

Statistically, most people would rather be in your position than mine. One of the most common phobias is glossophobia, or fear of public speaking. I really don’t do this kind of thing every day, but when I was asked by the School to do this, I said to myself, “If I can learn from it, I’ll do it” - that’s a pretty good reason for doing anything. So this is actually the first time I’ve shared my story with so many people and I thought hard about what might be interesting about that story for boys like you. .

In life, I feel you can only really join up the dots looking backwards. Well, that is how it has been for me, but it makes sense now after twenty-three years running my businesses. Much of my career success has come about from being open to random situations and meeting people where others might walk on by - that and trusting my gut instinct, and the more I use it, the better it gets.

We all have a story, so what is mine? I could give you a fairly straightforward success story. I mean, I was a fairly average schoolboy, … I only scraped into the 5XV for rugby. However, now I have my company name on the shirts of the Merchiston’s Scottish Schools Cup-winning rugby team. I’m the founder and CEO of a thriving, international group of businesses. I’ve made some good money in property and one of my companies has built and sold individual homes that sell for over ten million pounds. However, I’m afraid I don’t have ten top tips you can follow to emulate that success. It doesn’t work like that. I could also tell you about the sleepless nights, the bouts of depression, the times early on when I sat in tears at the age of twenty-three after not sleeping for a few nights after some financial juggling with bills and salaries.

But, listen: Merchiston boys like you don’t need me to tell you about the importance of working hard and making sacrifices in order to succeed. Instead, I would like to encourage you to think about what we mean by success. That makes a difference when considering what kinds of sacrifice you’re prepared to make and what kinds of rewards will make it worth your while. You also don’t need me to tell you that the education you and I have enjoyed is a wonderful privilege, but I can testify that it doesn’t mean life is all plain sailing from here on in. If anything, it means you have an added responsibility to make the most of that privilege.

Carlowrie Castle, which is now a bustling venue for weddings and other events, was previously my childhood home. So, yes, I came from a wealthy family. My father and grandfather were successful businessmen, but that didn’t mean I was destined to succeed in business any more but it did give me a big passion for trying it myself.

The fact is, I left School without a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. So I went to Robert Gordon’s University to do a General Science degree and then headed down to London to seek my fortune - in telesales for 12 months! It wasn’t the most glamorous way to get started in business but we all have to start somewhere. And once again, I did okay, but I was surrounded by far better salesmen and it’s fair to say it was more of a learning experience than the making of me. It was also a place where I got very comfortable with rejection, which set me up nicely for the future. In truth, I was beginning to drift through life, not that I didn’t make progress. I went on to become head of sales for a company that made pencils from recycled vending machine cups. So, when I was let go by that company one Monday morning, I had to do a bit of soul searching, and as I did so, I felt something bubbling up inside me, something I had been suppressing in my eagerness to progress in my career. It was the desire to do something different, to create something new, to unleash my entrepreneurial spirit. So that’s what I resolved to do.

Perhaps it wouldn’t have occurred to me if I hadn’t come from a business family, or if I hadn’t been to a school as special as Merchiston. Who knows? But it does seem that it took a period of drifting, even a degree of failure, to make me understand what I really wanted to do in life.

So, I set about conceiving, planning and launching my own business at the age of twenty-three, with just me, a phone, £5k in the bank and some flyers in my basement flat in Earls Court, London. Within a couple of months, Urang was up and running as one of London’s first bespoke lifestyle concierge services. In practical terms, that meant we provided domestic services like shopping and laundry for cash-rich, time-poor London professionals, typically City bankers. That business then evolved to offer property repair and maintenance services, and eventually building services too. We had a major boost when we were approached by Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the famously larger-than-life CEO of EasyJet, to build the first ever EasyHotel in West London. The company is still around today and has 150 employees and concentrates on property management and maintenance services. From there, I branched out into property development, creating luxury London homes by digging out double basements in houses and selling them. I wasn’t very popular with some of my neighbours, but some cases of wine smoothed things out!

Let me pause the story there for a moment, because something important is missing. That’s certainly how I felt at the time. By any conventional standards, my life was a success. The business was doing well, I was making good money, creating jobs, and I was happy in my personal life too, at least on the surface, but something was not right. I vividly remember riding my scooter down the King’s Road in Chelsea one day when I noticed an advert on the back of a bus. It was for Alpha Courses. Maybe you’ve heard of them? They ask questions like, “Is this it?”, “Is there more to life than this?”, and “Do I have a purpose?”. Those questions resonated with me. I’d grown up going to church, and, of course, attended chapel here at Merchiston, but at that point, faith was not part of my life in any meaningful way. Seeing that advert changed that. I went along to the Alpha Course, then began attending church again, and gradually I began to feel that I did have a purpose and that there was more to life than material success. I started volunteering for a homeless charity that operated out of London churches, and the irony was not lost on me that, whilst I made my money catering for the needs of the super-rich, I got even more satisfaction from catering for the needs of the very poorest.

After doing that for a year, it occurred to me that I could combine my business skills with my charitable work by setting up a foundation. So, I got together some trustees and founded what became RESTART, based in a church in South Kensington and offering drop-in services for homeless people. The idea was to break the cycle of homelessness: not just getting people off the streets, but also confronting the issues that got them there, helping them to feel more empowered and resilient, and getting them back into housing and employment. That’s a different but no less meaningful kind of success. It’s incredibly rewarding work and we’ve kept it going ever since. I take particular satisfaction from offering hospitality to the homeless that would not seem out of place in a luxury hotel. This is not surprising when you consider that one of our longest-serving cooks was Nico, a top Parisian chef who fell on hard times and found himself on the streets, but who helped providing excellent food for the homeless. We source food from local supermarkets and suppliers who donate it and then cook it to the highest standards. We’ve had people walking past one of the churches where we operate, smelling the delicious steak cooking and assuming that it’s a new fancy restaurant, not a kitchen for the homeless. For me, it combines the ideal of Christian hospitality with the simple satisfaction of doing something well, and the pride of seeing a satisfied ‘customer’. Today, RESTART is supported in part by the Carlowrie Group.

My story came full circle when I bought Carlowrie Castle from my parents in 2012 and began to transform it into a specialist events venue for weddings, large parties and corporate events. It took two years and a few million pounds to do that, but within a year of opening, the castle was recognised as one of the top three smaller venues in Europe - and when I say smaller, I mean fewer than 200 bedrooms. And we’re continuing to cater for more and more events, with no fewer than 265 this year. The wider Carlowrie Group is still very much involved in the property business in London and beyond, including in Norway, where I have been based for eight years, and we also operate a vineyard in France. We also have a media, retail wing, and a financial consulting wing that helps small and medium-sized businesses with tax and funding. We also have a charity project in Edinburgh that was set up by Carlowrie Castle called “The Breakfast Bothy”, where we provide breakfast and lunch Monday to Friday. I’m especially excited about a new venture launching next year, “Edinburgh Street Food”, which will be a seven-day-a-week food market on Leith Street. And, of course, charitable work remains a baked-in part of everything we do.

For me, the business side and the charitable sides of what we do are really two sides of the same coin. After all, money is a means to an end. What really excites me is creating things, making things happen, and, ideally, giving something back.

And that’s really why I’m here. I hope that there’s

something in my story that will speak to all of you, whether you know exactly what you want to do when you leave School, or whether, like me, you need a little time to see what bubbles up from within. My life so far has very much been a journey of discovery, not just in business, but in faith, and in understanding what it means to work with others to achieve all kinds of goals.

So, my advice to you is never to stop learning. You can’t assume that personal growth just comes with age - in fact, it doesn’t. You have to act in the world, follow your dreams and never give up, because that’s how you learn what you’re really capable of doing. It’s also the only way to be sure you won’t look back on your life with feelings of regret by not going for it: take yourself out your comfort zone every now and again and test your new skills or learning.

The only thing I would add is that it’s important to be nice to people along the way: we are all struggling in some way or other. Also, remember that great things can come out of random encounters, so be open and keep your eyes peeled. And if you find yourself in a position of leadership, remember to look after your team: I would not be here without my amazing team, because I believe life does have a purpose, which includes our duty to others.

Thank you.

Andrew Marshall (‘88-’94)

LEAVERS’ PRIZEGIVING CEREMONY

HEADMASTER’S SPEECH

Good morning. A warm welcome to you all.

And so, we gather again this morning to say a farewell - of sorts - to our leavers of 2022, to celebrate their achievement, and to formally welcome them into the Merchistonian family.

This service is a slight departure from what we have done in the past, but for me, it is so important that we, as a School, dedicate a special time to thank these boys and their parents, for all that they have contributed to the School in their time here, whether that be just one year or more than ten.

In deciding who we would ask to speak to you this morning, our change to tradition gave us an opportunity to launch, hopefully, a new tradition. For the parents of our leavers, this is such a momentous day – a real milestone for you in your son’s journey.

And so, I thought it would be apt to hear that parental voice. This year, we are fortunate that one such parent is our very own Chaplain, Rev’d Blair, so this morning he speaks to us all as our Chaplain and, crucially, as a parent of a leaver. My sincere thanks go to Nick for agreeing to do this for us.

I would also like to thank some of the mothers of our leavers, who have agreed to read for us this morning. They too are members of staff at the School, working across the academic and pastoral spectrum.

This morning, I am delighted to welcome Mr Gavin Thain, President of the Merchistonian Club, who joins us to present our leavers their Club ties, and also Gareth Baird, our Chair of Governors, who returns to help with the presentation of prizes.

For my part, my message will be brief, but no less heartfelt. Boys, today is about remembering all that is important from what you have learned here, but taking it forward, with positivity and pride, and into the world beyond. Your time is now.

Last week, at our Commemoration and earlier Prizegiving, I made reference to a poem by Tennyson and I promised that I would return briefly to it today.

“I am part of all that I have met

Yet all experience is an arch where thro’ Gleams that untravell’d world”

In a little while, you will walk from this Memorial Hall, through that arch that is our Castle Walls and out into that world of opportunity and promise that you will shape; that you will define; remembering all that you have learned here. You will take with you the knowledge that this place will always be your place and those around you will be your life-long companions. The temptation to be sad and perhaps a little emotional is strong, but today is a happy day for your all.

In the United States, such addresses to gathered graduands are known as commencement speeches – I like the connotation. If you look for synonyms of Commencement, you find the following – beginning, start – yes, a new start. Very apt, I think.

And on the theme of commencement speeches, whilst researching, I was reminded of the writer Mary Schmich’s tribute to a Leavers’ Speech that she wrote in an article in The Chicago Tribune in 1997 – it became the basis of the wonderful track by Baz Lurhmann called Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen, released in 1999 – I couldn’t believe it was that long ago! If you can’t remember the song, or are too young to remember it, boys, listen to it on YouTube. You will be relieved to hear that I’m not going to sing it! Indeed, I’m not even going to recite the lyrics, but I am going to borrow one line from Mary’s original article:

“Advice, like youth, is probably wasted on the young”. My advice to you is - Do not allow this to be the case!!

So, what are my messages to you today? They are very simple:

Listen - Listen to those around you and keep in touch with those around you and listen to yourself;

Keep your perspective – it’s never as good or never as bad as you like to think – success and failure are just things, one is no more valuable that the other.

Don’t stop learning.

Rev Blair is going to speak to the power of wisdom in his address to you: this theme put me in mind of a poetry anthology I was recently given, entitled “The Wisdom Of Knowing You Know Nothing”. I will let Rev Blair explore that motif further when he speaks to you.

So, remember boys: Listen; Keep your perspective; Keep learning; Seize every opportunity.

Parents and families, thank you for allowing us the opportunity and the privilege of sharing in this group of leavers’ journey – I know that you are as proud of them as we are. Thank you for the sacrifices and the commitment you have made to support their journey.

Boys, I thank you so much for all that you have done – you have been a truly remarkable year group in spite of the challenges of the years just passed, you have been a fine example to us all of what can be achieved with the right mindset and the right support.

Jonathan Anderson, Headmaster

EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS

ADDRESS GIVEN BY REV NICK BLAIR

When the Headmaster asked me if I would speak at the graduation ceremony, I hesitated. “It’s not like you to hesitate to prattle on”, I almost hear you say! And that’s just the parents!

Many of you have heard my stories: some for a couple of years; some since the First Form; a few for a very long time; and for a couple, it might even feel like you have been listening all your life!

I thought I might get a bit emotional this morning, along with others who have been out to 3am at the Leavers’ Ball! But here it is what I have to say to you, with no personal or family anecdotes - that has been a family-imposed condition! A graduation speech should not be full of stories about the past. You will have time enough to do so over the rest of your life. This is about you celebrating your achievements now. The many achievements, some of which have we awarded and some of which we don’t even know yet...until August”. Enjoy the moment...pause ...deep breath ...observe ...take in!

But you don’t just graduate from something - you graduate to something. The Latin word “Gradus” means step. You are stepping from here: this place, its familiarity, all that you have done and been ...the “Ready, Ay Ready” ...to something.... well ...who knows? You may have loved this Merchiston island but may not necessarily immediately love your next Island. Who knows when one is going to love an Island (for the parents, that “Love Island” play on words is a topical reference...... I’ve lost count of the number Upper Sixth boys who have said to me “I wish I was Younger” (reference to former pupil appearing in the current series of Love Island on television).

It took me a while to catch up! ”Sure, I wish I was younger too”, I would say to 18 year olds, trying but failing to empathise!...and completely missing the point!

This is the exciting thing about being a teacher or a chaplain in a school: I am working with potential and possibilities - never, the end product.

So, I have two tag lines for this speech. The first one is from the book of Proverbs, Chapter 4:

“Above all, get Wisdom.”

You heard Dr Nugent, Mrs Coyne and Mrs Blair read that. Wisdom is so difficult to quantify....there is a whole Google kingdom dedicated to wise advice ...a googledom of wise advice! I think it is knowing the right thing to do or say at the right time, to know what you should think and feel, and how to deal with what you actually do think and feel. The book of Proverbs says “get wisdom... it’s better than silver or gold or rubies”. Are we not beginning to realise that our inner wellbeing is more precious than anything else?

So, what wisdom would I impart to you this morning, my

piece of “Wisdom Googledom”? For the Irish amongst you, it is my “anti-Eegit” formula

So, stand by for the second tag line of what might be the most unpopular graduation speech ever. What will it be?

You are wonderful?

You are amazing?

You are the best?

No, none of this, even if it were true, or even if some of the glazy-eyed parents in the audience have thought it was true. I believe this is the beginning of wisdom - that wisdom you and I so desperately need.

So here is the message! Our Chair of Governors read it to you in Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “…not that I have obtained all things or have already been made perfect ....but I press on”.

Gentlemen, you are not the finished article” - you have not taken hold of it yet! What a “parent thing” to say! But I promise you, gentlemen, I am not playing to the parent crowd (although I know I am going to get the odd “high five” and sneaky gifted beer afterwards!) I believe that knowing this is the beginning of wisdom. You are not the finished article - the tragedy and failure of this place would be if we let you leave thinking you were!

You are accomplished, talented, unique and gifted. We have taught you life lessons, academic lessons, practical lessons to the best of our abilities (and in RS you may even have watched a few videos!), but that is not all there is! You are not finished yet: you have so much more to learn, so many lessons not just to learn but to embed in your life.

I hear you question “How can I say this? What do you know? How dare you say I am not the finished article!! I am the product of many, many thousands of pounds of education”. I understand your question. I suspect “ We will not give you the finished article” will never be a good marketing campaign for an Independent School, but it is true!

How can I say this? I can tell you this because I am not the finished article, far from it - to be alive is to learn. The education continues for a life time. The desire to learn starts with a need: I need to know more; I know I am not finished. As an example, I want to be dangerous for a moment and ask you to put your hand up if you think you are the finished article, with nothing left to learn in life?

And now, I am going to ask one more difficult question, which requires an active response: put your hand up if you know you are not the finished article…… Look around, Upper Sixth. There are more than a few grey hairs, your parents, grandparents and your teachers admitting this!

So, I turn back as I often to ancient wisdom and to Proverbs Chapter 4:

“Above all, gain wisdom”......realise you need wisdom ...realise you need help....realise you are not the finished article.

Why is this wisdom so precious? It is because when you are at your lowest, in the valley, if you ever feel done, beaten, finished, remember this: you are not the finished article yet ....there is hope! Folks, there is always hope, even in the worst of circumstances....hope always... never finished. I have seen it time and time again: ask the “grey hairs” - you get grey hairs by knowing you are not finished yet. Or, if they are not grey, they have coloured it! Even that is another sign of saying “I am not finished yet”!

Also, when you are on the top of the mountain, surfing the wave, flexing it (as I think the current phrase is), it’s important to believe that you are not finished yet. Arrogance is the enemy of progression. The Merchiston boy has a quiet confidence but not an arrogance - confidence and arrogance are very different. Confidence is knowing what you can achieve and have achieved. Arrogance is thinking you are only one who can achieve it, that you have made it and can do it all.

So, go into the world, you brilliant, inspirational, full of potential, but not the finished article young men that you are. Go and change the world - and if it goes dreadfully at any stage, you are not finished yet. And if it goes brilliantly, you are not finished yet. This is life-saving Wisdom!

You are loved by God - commit your way to him. I believe in a God who gives fresh beginnings and fresh starts, but also loves us too much to let us think we are the finished article. Whether in the deepest of valleys or the highest of hills, you are not finished yet, and He is with you!

I promised there would be no personal stories – but even in promises, I am not the finished article yet! So, one personal story….. When I was 40, Fi and I had just had our third child and I was home visiting my father in Northern Ireland. I asked my Father, who was a kind but firm ex-WW2 soldier, who never gave too much away and was pretty strict - but had a twinkle in his eye:

“Dad!”, I said. “I am 40 now, I have three wonderful children, I have married well, have a good job. I have done well I think! Do you think you have done a good job as a father?”, I asked, fishing for a compliment. Sipping his whiskey, he paused, put the glass down on the table and leant forward. “Too soon to say!”, he replied.

Gentlemen, you are never the finished article. It’s too soon to say .....it’s always too soon to say. This is not an ending but a beginning. May God bless you richly as explore the adventures ahead. Thank you.

Rev Nick Blair, Chaplain & Upper VI Parent

EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS

CAPTAIN OF SCHOOL’S SPEECH

Good morning, Headmaster, Governors, Parents, Ladies and Gentlemen. I would like to welcome you all on behalf of the Upper Sixth boys to our Graduation ceremony. I have been dreading for months coming up here to make this speech, not because of nerves but because it is the end of our day-to-day life at Merchiston, after having been together for so many years.

I will talk about our life together and experiences shortly, but beforehand, I would like to thank the many people that have made this journey possible for all of us.

Firstly, we must never underestimate the many sacrifices parents, grandparents and guardians have made for so many years to allow us all the privilege to experience a life and education at Merchiston. I remember when I joined Pringle in 2014, I asked my parents how long I would be at Merchiston for. “At least eight years”, my Dad said, “As long as you don’t get expelled”!!! When so young, eight years seemed like an eternity, but my time here has genuinely passed in the blink of an eye.

I would now like to thank the numerous members of staff who have looked after all of us on a daily basis. Every year group here has dedicated personnel who cater for all aspects of our education and well-being, but what we don’t appreciate is the total number of staff employed to look after the boys. Unfortunately, I have not got the time to thank all staff individually but I would like to recognise as many as possible. Firstly, I would like to thank the numerous people involved in the Music Department, Administration, IT, Marketing, Admissions and Accounts, who all ensure the efficient running of these essential departments.

A department that is very close to every boy’s heart and mind is the kitchen and the many staff who cook us breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. This department has fuelled many individuals and teams, which has helped us win numerous accolades on the playing fields and also provided a vital ingredient for concentration in the classroom.

I would now like to thank the teachers and housemasters who have tirelessly educated us in the vast curriculum the School offers and who have also trained and developed us on the sports field. For a relatively small school our achievements have been herculean relative to our size.

Another special mention is for Reverend Blair, who has not only taught us Religious Studies and mentored us when we needed help, but has also introduced us all to his now famous and hugely popular “curry nights”. We will miss his delicious cooking and extra-large portions. One of the pinnacles of his career is coaching the mighty 3XI. Due to his gritty determination and skill set, this has led them to an unbeaten season for the last two years. Many thanks, Reverend Blair.

Finally, I would like to say a special “thank you” to our Headmaster, Jonathan Anderson. He has been at the helm and steered and guided the School over the last two and a half years through one of the most difficult periods in the School’s history. His day-to-day job is hard enough, never mind having to deal with the huge additional pressures of navigating the School through all the well-publicised restrictions of Covid. Mr Anderson - thank you for everything you have done.

My final words today are for all the boys in Upper Sixth who are about to embark on a journey beyond the School gates. I will miss the small catch ups in the dining hall and sharing the rugby pitch with many of you. Most of all, my fondest memory is when we all congregate in Sunday Chapel to sing hymns and the School song.

It is with great sadness and a lump in my throat that I am bringing our time together to a conclusion and to bid everyone a fond farewell. It has been an honour to serve as Head Boy, but it pales into insignificance compared to the amazing Upper Sixth year Group I have had the privilege to be a small part of. I know we have all made many lifelong friends and I will dearly miss all my brothers after we leave this wonderful School.

Ready, ay Ready.

Thank You.

UVI LEAVERS’ BALL

Friday 1 July 2022 will remain in the memory as a significant and emotional day for many at Merchiston: it is the date that the Leavers’ Ball returned to the School calendar, having, understandably, been rescheduled in 2020 and 2021. The Prestonfield Hotel in Edinburgh was the perfect setting for the Ball and the sun was shining over the hotel grounds as the boys and their guests arrived for their welcome drink. For many, this was the first time meeting many of the parents, guardians and Merchiston staff: another rather poignant moment for all attending.

The sun-filled splendour of the Stables’ gardens was then swapped for the grandeur of the reception room inside for dinner. Mr Raikes began the event with an enthusiastic welcome, leading the charge with “whoops & cheers”, after which we then prepared for dinner with a poignant grace from Rev Blair. High spirits and celebration continued as we enjoyed our starter of tomato, broad bean and pickled fennel salad, followed by the main course of Angus Beef Wellington with Bavarois sauce with Jersey Royal potatoes and radish and watercress salad. To finish the meal, we were served with clotted cream parfait, mixed berries and almond meringue. 228 guests over 25 tables thoroughly enjoyed their meal and the wonderful atmosphere of celebration.

Mackenzie B, Captain of School, was our next speaker, giving a vote of thanks to all and the message of “look ahead with optimism and expect the unexpected”. After the meal, the Hot Scotch Ceilidh Band then kicked off the dancing and the dance floor was packed immediately for the first dance, the ‘Gay Gordons’. All the while, there was a wonderful hum of conversation, catching up and reminiscing about the years gone by and plans for future.

The end of the evening was all-too-fast approaching and the boys turned DJs, each playing their favourite and most memorable songs. Dancing, singing and much laughter were enjoyed before the final ‘Sunshine on Leith’ to close proceedings.

The Leavers’ Ball was truly exceptional and as significant a moment in time as we have seen for a few years: necessary separation and, at times, isolation, seem to have brought us even more together. Although the boys now head on to pastures new, we are absolutely delighted to see them all succeed and head on optimistically and ambitiously to the next stage in their lives as confident, well-rounded gentlemen and proud Merchistonians.

Nicholas Lieberman, Laidlaw South Housemaster

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE

ADDRESS GIVEN BY THE SCHOOL CHAPLAIN, REV NICK BLAIR

Symbols matter! ...they matter! Symbolic colours matter: Ireland, who normally play in Green, played in purple last weekend?? I didn’t know what to think! Club crests, flags, anthems (God save our... Flower of Scotland!), School songs (Ready ay Ready), they matter. We invest a lot of emotional energy and significance into them - sometimes, perhaps, too much. But symbols matter! Symbols that unite, those that draw together as many as possible, are the ideal, although I admit that not everybody agrees. I believe that the poppy adopted in this country 100 years ago, as the symbol of Remembrance, is a symbol that can and should unite and also teach us. The poem “In Flanders fields”, written by Canadian Surgeon John McCrae, perhaps was the inspiration for this symbol. It is thought he wrote it on 3 May 1915 after attending the funeral of one of his closest friends, Alexis Helmer - it was May and the countryside was blooming. By coincidence, I have in my hand a letter written by my Great Uncle, Robert Blair, ten days later on 13 May, an Irish Canadian posted in exactly the same sector. He writes, having been just pulled back from the front line:

“The country here is looking nice and green! The potatoes are well through! (“well through” means growing well) and the trees are almost in full leaf and the flowers in bloom.”

John McCrae wrote:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Such little things really matter in times of hardship. Soldiers and civilians have seen in nature images that speak to them - the poppy was one of these: it blossomed during the “prime fighting season”, from May to September; It was red, like the blood the soldiers shed; It was fragile, far more fragile than the paper ones you wear; it spoke of the fragility of life. And it grew in the worst of circumstances – everywhere: on the battlefield; on the graves; a fragile flower of beauty seemingly surviving in the midst of utter destruction. The poppy was for them a symbol of sacrifice, fragility and survival - what better symbol for us, of conflict and remembrance and hope.

Whether you are in the Memorial Hall or watching on live stream, can I reiterate the message that life is precious, life is beautiful, life is fragile, but life is incredibly resilient when we come together and support each other. This is what they did 100 years ago when they adopted the poppy. Wearing it said: ”I am with you”, ”I understand”, ”we are together in our grief and remembrance” - so powerful!

Verse 2

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

McCrae’s second verse simply says to us: ”We are you! We were you!” Are you warmed by the sunshine? Do you marvel at sunsets? Have you ever loved and been loved? We are you! We were you!

Remembrance is about recognising a common humanity.

I remember, as a child, visiting the war memorial in Coleraine and being told that one of the brass names was my Uncle Bruce - just a name in brass; I never met him. Yet through family stories, I did. Pictures made a difference too.

Let me introduce you to some family stories from Merchiston. I will simply show them without comment. These are the sets of brothers on our war memorial, and one father and son! (a powerpoint followed at this point).

I hope you get the idea that every soldier, every civilian killed in war is....was a fellow human being. They lived, felt the warmth of the sun, saw sunset, loved and were loved. Today we don’t celebrate war. Let me say that again - we do not celebrate war! But we do recognise sacrifice. We do remember individual stories. Just as each individual here wears a poppy, each of these men and women were individuals just like us. If you don’t understand that, you don’t understand the magnitude of the sacrifice that was made.

Final verse

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe!? Some have wondered about this, especially in the light of Jesus’s words, read so well by Mackenzie: “This is my command, love one another”. Quarrelling? Love? Incompatible, surely! But It depends on the foe, doesn’t it? There are some foes, some enemies that are surely worth quarrelling with - because of Love!

Injustice Inequality Racism Self-interest

What was interesting when I went through this with the Third Form yesterday, they got it. These were their suggestions:

All these are quarrels that are based in a deep Love, a deep love of Justice and for the one who has been illtreated, a deep love for one’s fellow human being and a quarrel with the thought that anyone - anyone should be ill-treated because of circumstances of birth, skin colour, religious belief. Surely, we need to grow and nurture and encourage young men and women who have a great love!

A great love for their fellow human being; A great love for justice and equality; A great love for freedom; A great love for truth.

It was a great love which for many of these young men was exemplified by Christ’s sacrifice for them on the cross: “Greater love has no-one than this than someone lays down their life for their friends”.

And here is the key for me, why I think that Remembrance will always continue to be relevant: the continuing importance of sacrifice for the greater good. We do not celebrate war but we honour sacrifice!

The most important thing in our lives may have to be protected by sacrifice. After all, we sacrifice time to exercise - we know it is good for us. We sacrifice a night out because we have a game the next day – short-term pain for longterm gain! As parents, we sacrifice to try and give our children the best chance in life. However, the most important things in humanity’s life may require our sacrifice to protect. Please God, not the ultimate sacrifice that so many made in the past, but personal sacrifices nevertheless. What will it require from us to rescue and protect -

Our fellow human beings, our brothers and sisters?

Our freedoms and liberty?

Our planet?

It is one thing to sacrifice for your own benefit. But to give up something for the common good, for the good of others – well, that is deserving of recognition, it is deserving of remembrance....it is, in the words of Jesus, “laying down your life for your friends“.

It poses a question for us. What am I prepared to give up (sacrifice) for the common good?

Your forebears planned this Memorial Hall 100 years ago so we could remember and consider such things. I am so grateful to them. They cut to the very heart of who we are as a School and as human beings! “What do you believe in?”, they asked. “What are your core values?”

By building this Hall, they said to future generations, “Don’t dare forget such things as sacrifice, and friendship, and freedom”. They gave us a Hall where we can contemplate what is truly important!

As John McCrae said: “The torch (of sacrifice) has been thrown”. Hold it high, Merchiston. Hold it high!

THE QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE AT MERCHISTON

The year 2022 marks the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation. This Platinum Jubilee is a chance for a celebration, not only of the Queen’s reign, but of the past seven decades of history. In her seventy years as Queen, she has seen 14 Prime Ministers, 14 US Presidents, man walking on the Moon, the fall of the Berlin Wall, 9/11, and, most recently, the Covid 19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As a way of commemorating this event, a competition was held to create a design for the School’s Jubilee mug. Whilst lots of entries were received, the winning design was by Juan M-A, II Form.

Platinum Jubilee Mug Design Competition The Platinum Jubilee Pringle Garden Party

Merchiston’s Jubilee celebrations started with Pringle’s Garden Party on 20 May. Pringle House was adorned with bunting, and in the garden, the boys were running raffle stalls, bake sales, jewellery stalls, and, of course, the Jubilee Mug stall.

The Pringle boys were brilliant. They were natural salesmen! Our caterers set up sandwiches, cakes, and drinks for the children, parents and teachers. It was a gorgeous afternoon and the event was a huge success, with lots of money being raised for Hope and Homes for Children.

The Platinum Jubilee Whole School Street Party

The next event was the Whole School Street Party on 7 June. To start a beautiful summer’s evening, the event was kicked off by the School’s Pipe Band marching along the drive into the Rogerson quad. Catering had organised a delicious barbeque and the PE staff and Houseparents had set up various games for everyone to enjoy. We had stalls selling the Jubilee mugs, head boppers, flags, and Union Jack bowler hats. We also had a lottery with various prizes to be won, but the main prize was a commemorative Platinum Jubilee coin donated by the Blair family, and won by Jacobo D from III Form.

This was the first Whole School event since the This was the first Whole School event since the Covid pandemic, so it was another huge success, Covid pandemic, so it was another huge success, with even more money raised for Hope and Homes Hope and Homes for Children.

EVENTS, SPEECHES & DINNERS Platinum Jubilee Time Capsule

The final event was the EAL Department’s Platinum Jubilee Time Capsule. The idea is for the box to be opened in seventy years’ time in 2092, by future Merchistonians. Inside were newspaper clippings from the important events of 2022, writings by the boys describing life today, …… and most importantly for future Merchistonians, a photo of the winning rugby team at Murrayfield in March 2022. The boys also chose an item that they thought would be important to share with future students. We had a cricket ball signed by Luis and Keith (IV Form), ties by Max, Tim and Andrew (LVI Form), a Spanish flag from Pablo,

Carlos and Eduardo (IV Form), a Hong Kong coin from Tim (IV Form), pictures from Miguel and Juan’s favourite games (II Form), a Whole School photo from Wilson, Michael and Calvin (LVI), a photo of everyone in Rogerson from Alvaro and Teo (Shell), Ukrainian and Russian flags from Nicolas, Hippolyte and Audric (IV Form) and writings about Chinese history from Sam and Jerry (Shell). In their groups, the boys also gave a presentation about the Time Capsule and their items and these videos will be shared with the EAL Department at Merchiston International School, Shenzhen.

It was buried on the 30 June, next to the Platinum Jubilee Tree in the grounds of Merchiston.

All the profits from Merchiston’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations went to the amazing charity, Hope and Homes for Children.

Hope and Homes for Children

Merchiston’s Platinum Jubilee Celebrations were held to mark the Queen’s seventy years on the throne. Whilst being the leader of the United Kingdom, she is also the figurehead of the Commonwealth. In a serendipitous event, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held this year, 2022, marks a great achievement for Hope and Homes for Children. All 54 Commonwealth nations have announced a historic commitment to eliminate orphanages. Over a third of the world’s children live in the commonwealth and this commitment will liberate children from harmful orphanages and invest in families and communities to provide the love and protection to which

all children have a right. This agreement is a milestone moment in the movement to rid the world of harmful and unnecessary orphanages - orphanages that deprive children of a family and expose them to neglect and abuse. They fight for every child to feel the love and belonging of a safe family home.Since 1994, Hope and Homes for Children has been working to stop the institutionalisation of children. They are 200 people, in multiple countries, inspiring organisations, including the UN, EU and governments around the world, to close the doors of orphanages forever.

Charlotte Arrowsmith, EAL Department

SAKURA CHERRY TREES PROJECT DEDICATION CEREMONY

In 2019, Mr Fraser Newham, then a member of Merchiston’s Common Room, made an application on behalf of the School to the Sakura Cherry Trees Project. This Project was part of the Japan-UK Season of Culture 2019-20, held to accompany the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The application was successful, and the ornamental cherry trees now planted in Merchiston’s grounds near the Pavilion are intended to commemorate 150 years of Japan-UK friendship and the thirtieth anniversary of Merchiston’s successful rugby tour of Japan, the first such tour ever undertaken by a Scottish school team.

The trees so kindly donated are beni-yutaka, tai-haku and yedoensis. In Japanese culture, cherry blossom is a symbol of school days. Delivery was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and so the trees were planted on 16 March 2022, seven days after the Merchiston 1XV won the first post-pandemic Scottish Schools Cup Final at Murrayfield.

A Dedication Ceremony for the cherry trees took place on Friday 13 May, at which the guest of honour was Mr Tadashi Fujiwara, Consul General of Japan in Edinburgh. The dedication was also attended by a number of present and former members of staff, former parents, former and current pupils. It was a particular pleasure to welcome back to Merchiston the former members of staff who led the rugby tour to Japan in 1989, Ken Houston, Frank Hadden and Julian Vaughan, along with members of the touring squad.

After a buffet lunch served in the Pavilion, at which Ken Houston recounted some memories of the Japan tour, the Dedication Ceremony comprised a welcome from the Headmaster, an address given by Mr Fraser Newham, a greeting from Mr Fujiwara, the dedication of the trees and commemorative plaque, the reading of a Haiku written by a current pupil, who won the School’s Haiku-writing competition in honour of the event, and readings by current pupils. Mr Fujiwara was presented with a gift from the School: a lamp made from the wood of another cherry tree in the grounds, with the winning Haiku engraved on its base.

The three cherry trees will provide a permanent reminder in our grounds of Merchiston’s links with Japan. They form a welcome and distinctive addition to the rich variety of trees which we are so fortunate to have on the Merchiston campus.