The Radleian LT19

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L E N T2019

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Design Engineering | Biology Field Work | Life in Social | Ichinomiya Cook Fellows & Academic Scholars | Musical | News | Shell Sports | Remembrance Serpentes | Beagles | Simon Armitage | Cufflinks THE RADLEIAN

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DESIGN ENG Below is a selection of GCSE and A level projects completed last academic year. This will hopefully give you a flavour of the wide range of creative design problems tackled by the boys.

Two of the A level boys featured in this article have recently taken up university courses to read Engineering.

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GINEERING

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BIOLOGY FIELD W Dale Fort field station is located on the tip of Pembrokeshire, spectacularly overlooking the sea. Our dorms were literally metres from the side of the cliffs which kept watch over the bay.

Upon arrival, we learnt the basics of different sampling techniques, counting daisies in an adjacent meadow, before descending to the beach to collect and identify various samples of the diverse assemblage of species in the rock pools.

We then measured the height of rough periwinkles, a small mollusc

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species, and compared them to rough periwinkle height on a more sheltered cove nearby. We analysed the data we had collected, learning how to perform tests to determine whether the height difference was statistically significant. It was so much better to know the data was collected by us, just half an hour before, rather than simply working through piles of random numbers.

A highlight of the trip every year has been the day on Skomer Island and this time was no exception. It was gloriously sunny as we wondered around the Island, spotting scores of organisms, ranging from seals and short-eared owls to bluebells and moths, and of course, the inimitable puffin.

The day there ended with a genuine wildlife spectacle worthy of any nature documentary. An oystercatcher desperately defended its nest against a greater black-backed gull, almost

WORK twice its size. The aerial spectacle was nail biting with the two birds narrowly missing each other over and over again. We thought the gull had won, as it carried a small body into the water as we boarded the ferry. However, on closer inspection of Mr Shaw’s photographs we realised this was no oystercatcher chick, but a baby rabbit!

The following day we studied salt marsh ecology. We worked out how the flora diversity changed as we progressed higher up the marsh sediment. Crossing across the bank to reach the area we were taking measurements in was not as a straightforward as one might expect. The sloppy sediment of the marsh proved too great an opponent for some, with many budding 6.1 ecologists sinking into the mud, losing shoes and ruining clothes. Everyone eventually reached the sample area. We took the sample measurements and back at Dale showed our hypothesis that the diversity of plant species would increase as you went higher up the marsh sediment to be correct, again using statistical tests to prove the validity of our results. I would argue that learning about the theory of succession through this experience -lost shoes, muddy clothes and all – is much more valuable than just being told about it in the classroom.

On the way back to school we stopped at Bristol Zoo. With zoos often getting a bad representation in the media, it was great to see one of the best, and which completely validates zoos’ existence as valuable conservation tools. Bristol Zoo makes an effort to have the majority of its animals as endangered. We learnt about the in situ conservation performed at the zoo, with breeding programmes coordinated between zoos across the world to ensure genetic diversity within the captive population.

We also heard of the ex situ conservation programmes coordinated by Bristol Zoo actually in the habitat that is being protected, programmes funded in large part by the ticket revenue generated by visitors like us.

The application of classroom theory, ranging from the theory of succession to the different techniques used in conservation, so directly to real wildlife situations on this trip has been fascinating. Learning surrounded by what you are learning about is surely the way to do it.

Jamie Walker K Social, 6.2 THE RADLEIAN

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LIFE IN There is so much to love about my job as Tutor of G Social. I get a front-row seat to view the incredible transformation of the boys from excited young Shells to mature young men who leave five years later.

The Radley journey is usually a very happy one, which involves a variety of challenges and opportunities that need to be embraced. Life in Social, with all its highs and lows, produces incredible bonds between the boys, which often last lifetimes. Many of the boys go on to be “best men” at each other’s weddings, godparents to each other’s children and life-long friends.

Fundamental to the success of the Social is creating an environment which boys feel is their home. This way, they take pride in their living space, respect, support and care for each other to create a happy family.

An important part of my job is to guide and nurture boys through the difficulties of teenage years and it is incredibly rewarding to celebrate

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their successes with them and help them learn from inevitable mistakes and failures. The role of the Tutor is to oversee all aspects of the boys’ development: including monitoring academic progress, encouraging their involvement in sport, music and drama, and ensuring they are receiving the best possible pastoral care in partnership with parents. If the Social is a happy, safe place where all boys can thrive, then an essential part of my job has been done.

G Social is a home to a very large family and I am the mum. As we all know, being a mum to teenage boys is one of the hardest jobs in the world - exhausting, exhilarating, frustrating, entertaining but never dull!

The best part of my job? Not much beats the conversations around the kitchen table during Cocoa following a tough set of sports fixtures, a concert in the Music School or a production in the Theatre. There is also the sense of accomplishment as a group of 6.2s say goodbye on Gaudy as fine young men, knowing that boarding life played a huge part in preparing them to tackle the next set of challenges life brings.

The day starts at 7.00am when we wake the Shells, making sure that they make their beds and attend breakfast.

The Removes are next at 7.15am and so on….

Graham King Tutor

The Tutor is very caring, but when a boy has an ache or a pain, a bump or a bruise, a rugby shirt that needs to be washed, a button to be sewed on or just a plain old hug, they always come to me and I love it.… Usually!

The cleaning staff then join us when lessons start at 8.30am and it is my job to ensure the house is kept in a state of good repair and clean, always making sure the boys’ needs are met and creating an environment where they feel safe, secure and loved.

SOCIAL The day finishes at 10.30pm (if I am lucky), once the last boys have gone to bed.

A job description of the role would read something like this: mother, taxi driver, nurse, chef, baker (the boys always get a cake on their birthday and share it with their friends), councillor, party planner, cleaner, seamstress, and many other roles rolled into one. No two days are ever the same and it is definitely not a job for the faint-hearted.

It is a privilege to be a part of the boys’ lives as they navigate their way through the fun, opportunities and challenges that boarding life brings.

Although the job of a PHM is extremely demanding, it is, without doubt, still the best job in the world!

Margie Asher PHM

There is no doubt that boarding is an intense experience. I remember clearly arriving on the first day and having a mix of nerves and anticipation for the coming term. You are placed in an environment where everything happens at a very fast rate; the flip side of this is that the people around you very quickly become your closest mates. It is a very rewarding process, as a group of individuals quickly becomes a unit.

Radley is the home of the all-rounder: no matter what your interest, it can be facilitated here, and your house is where you can find people to share your interests with.

The day starts at 7:30 where there is an option of a cooked breakfast every morning.

The sense of a second home is very strong amongst all members of the house and you are proud of the identity of your Social.

If that weren’t an incentive enough to get out of bed, the prospect of an array of different subjects, hours of sports, and enough free time to get stuck into as much as you like surely is.

The advantage of boarding is that you have the time to train to be a high-level athlete, musician, designer, artist, sportsman and more while also maintaining that work balance.

Your day finishes at nine, with the end of prep. Formal school is over, but it is at this point that the entire house piles into the Cocoa room to share food with everyone and you can really unwind and relax after a packed day.

Now reaching the end of my five years at Radley I am lucky enough to reflect on an amazing transformational experience that is undoubtedly heavily influenced by boarding.

George Egerton-Warburton Head of G Social 6.2

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ICHINOMIYA, JAPAN The annual Radley College trip to Japan this year took place between the 12th and 20th of October. Five Radley boys from the 6.1 year group went on the trip to stay with a host family in Ichinomiya, in central Japan.

Our first real experience of Japan came in the form of a day-trip to Kyoto the morning after we arrived. After an early start we met at the train station and boarded the ‘Shinkansen’ (Bullet Train).

The 145km Journey between Nagoya and Kyoto only lasted, astonishingly, well under an hour; this was made even faster as we were distracted by a crash-course in Origami from the Ichinomiya High School students who accompanied us on the trip.

Upon reaching Kyoto we went straight to the Fushimi Inari, or ‘Thousand Gates’ Shrine. This consisted of a stunning hike up a hill through one thousand immaculately maintained orange gates, stopping along the way to try our hand at Japanese traditions of worship. After a much-needed Ramen for lunch, we spent the remainder of the afternoon at a traditional Japanese house admiring the architecture and taking in the peace of the Zen rock-garden: in fact becoming so lost in the serenity that we missed our return train.

The next three days were spent at Ichinomiya High School where we sat in on many different classes, mostly English.

These were an enjoyable mix of learning about Japanese culture, for example a lesson in how to cook Miso Soup, whilst also sharing some of our own. The teachers challenged us to extract as much English as possible out of their students and we were surprised at the standard of English spoken by many of the pupils.

The classes were packed full of funny moments: the stand-out of which being an English lesson in which we were taught their school song and finished with our own rendition of ‘Non Nobis Domine’.

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A favourite day of the trip for many of the boys involved was of course our day trip to Hiroshima on Thursday. Stepping out of Hiroshima station into the high-rising and incredibly modern urban landscape of central Hiroshima, was definitely not what I expected. It soon became clear that the only place not to have been affected by upward growth of a global city such as Hiroshima was the purposefully preserved Peace Park, home to the A-bomb dome, and many other inspiring monuments: such as the Children’s Peace Monument, which most Japanese children visit in elementary school and the peace flame, which will only be put out when all nuclear weapons are disarmed.

Having had a few minutes to walk around the infamous A-bomb Dome, it was clear that this tour would be really something quite emotional and incredibly inspirational. Everything in the park points towards peace and remembrance; there is no hint of blame or resentment whatsoever. The respect and awareness of tradition and history is a corner-stone of Japanese culture. Hiroshima is seen by most as a symbol of Japanese resilience, but it also acts as a constant reminder of the horrors of nuclear war.

Life at home in Japan is very different, mainly because of a long school day and conflicting club schedules. The only real time a whole family is together is late at night, at around 10:30. They don’t even have breakfast or supper together.

However, at this time, late in the evening, is where I felt most welcomed into the family. I felt they discussed everything from relationships at school, to deep political issues, to troubles at school; even Katsumi’s eight year-old brother joined in the conversation. It was family time and I slowly realised that despite the four full days off school a year this was the only time they really came together, and it was wonderful.

Miles Khano and Toby Melvin C Social and H Social, 6.1s

COOK FELLOWS & ACADEMIC SCHOLARS Radley boys have many strengths, but, as is often the case with younger people, their interview and other communication styles would benefit from more specific attention and fresh input.

It therefore makes sense to appoint people from outside the rather narrow milieu of English elite boarding and social circles - with real-world experience of other social backgrounds, education systems and spheres of influence - to challenge boys’ preconceptions, styles of relating (where deficient or inappropriate) and any attitudes of complacency and inertia, which may exist.

The newly inaugurated Cook Fellows (who will always be from universities in the USA, in honour of kind donors who have made the appointments possible), have a great deal of latitude

in defining their role. They will engage with issues arising from boys’ timetabled study (which the normal curriculum may not have time to cover), current affairs and big global themes which would benefit from further discussion and exploration.

The Cook Fellows are a resource to be deployed by Heads of Department and sometimes they will attend lessons and give short presentations, participate in discussions and so on.

Given their academic profiles for 2018-19, the most obvious areas of engagement for Cook Fellows Ali Raza Galani (University of Memphis) and Sam Wallace-Perdomo (Harvard) are in Politics, Economics, History, Theology and Geography.

It is hoped that lessons learned will cross-fertilise Radleians’ classwork,

boost their self-confidence and build a better capability for engagement with our increasingly complex world. Raza has been with us since September and been very well received by boys and dons, while Sam arrives in January.

In a similar vein, this year we have further developed our links with Oxford University through the appointment of eight current DPhil students, as Graduate Scholars, with disciplines ranging from the Philosophy of the Mind to Experimental Neuroscience (Cristiana Vagnoni, pictured). Their remit is to push the boys out of narrow subjectspecific viewpoints, so that they can embrace a broad, cross-curricular approach to their studies.

Steve Rathbone Academic Director

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HOW TO SUCCE WITHOUT RE Once joining Radley, the chance to be a part of the annual dramatic production was something I promised myself I would take advantage of.

When auditions were first advertised, and we were told what the musical would be, I was instantly attracted to the upbeat and comedic tone of ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!’ I couldn’t help but be prompted to find out more about what this musical offered, and I was not disappointed by the wealth of extravagant choreography, flashy costumes and flamboyant characters.

Auditioning with our choice of musical theatre song, I found myself offered the role of the pompous and portentous J.B.Biggley - the not-sohumble President of the “World Wide Wicket Corporation”. Other roles, such as J. Pierrepont Finch, Rosemary Pilkington and Hedy LaRue were filled by talented cast members who brought life to their characters. This, combined with an impressive supporting cast, made each rehearsal more and more enjoyable as the songs and scenes came together.

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Finch and Biggley’s “Groundhog routine” may have been one of the most enjoyable pieces of choreography I had the pleasure of being part of.

This gave me most opportunity to embrace the utter ridiculousness of the characters and the show – Tom and I always looked forward to any “Grand Old Ivy” number. In fact, we eventually developed our own ritual of running the handshake before every show just for good luck.

The most memorable experiences came during those last few weeks before the show. Various technical and dress rehearsals brought with them the new additions of the band, the lighting and the costumes.

These things defined the moment when we realised just how great the show could be, adding that sense of ‘professionalism’ that was so evidently key to the World Wide Wicket Company.

As I reflect on the first time I tried on that big red suit which eventually became a staple for Biggley’s character, I don’t think I could have imagined how much those bright and vibrant costumes would bring the show to

life – both for us on the stage and the audience.

Along with that buzzing feeling I had after every show, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of relief and sadness on the final night. The relief from knowing that we had succeeded in making it to the last night and the sadness knowing that we would never have the chance to work as a cast again. The thought of never again being able to work with a cast of people you became so close with is not something I like to dwell on; neither is missing the slight twinge of nerves you get as you wait behind the curtain for your cue. I think the whole cast would feel the same way too.

Most people would’ve said four nights was plenty, but I think in years to come we’ll remember it as being nowhere near enough.

Henry Hawkins E Social, 6.2

ED IN BUSINESS EALLY TRYING Like Finch, Sam and I knew the importance of making the right choice (in our case, it was choosing the right musical for our first collaboration at Radley!).

Our top choices were immediately ruled out, as we didn’t want to repeat what was in Radley’s recent repertoire, or choose a show which either of us had directed in our previous schools.

We then came across the musical, ‘How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying!’ Neither of us knew the show particularly well, although I did have a vague recollection of Daniel Radcliffe performing in this musical a few years ago on Broadway.

The more we listened, the more the songs and characters grew on us plus it ticked a lot of boxes: it was a comedy (a popular genre amongst the Radley boys!); there were fun ‘stock’ characters; it had some great show-stopping chorus numbers; and

it had previously won 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. What was not to like?

The musical is based on Shepherd Mead’s satirical book, set in 1960s New York; the plot follows the rise of J.Pierrepont Finch, who uses his little handbook (a copy of ‘How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying’) to climb the corporate ladder: rising from a lowly window-washer to highpowered executive, exposing office politics and lampooning the corporate ladder along the way.

But there is more to this musical than first appears.

Despite the rather fluffy, whimsical and irreverent characters, the show does raise some topical questions for today’s society. Firstly, none of the female characters have made it beyond the career of ‘secretary’ and are permanently subjected to the leering looks and wandering hands of

their male colleagues, the executives.

The secretaries’ career ambitions are reduced to marrying a Chief Executive, rather than being one, the only way they’ll ever get close to the top job.

The prosecutions of top businessmen, such as Harvey Weinstein, and the subsequent #metoo campaign, exposing the sexual harassment and exploitation that women are still subjected to in the workplace, does raise the question of how far society has truly progressed towards a world of gender equality?

Then of course, there is our protagonist, Finch. His closing line blatantly reveals his next career move: to become a US President...

A scheming business man who wins America’s presidential election? Surely not.

Victoria Buse Director of Theatre

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NE Academic  Shell Code of Conduct, 18th September In a new ceremony to mark their arrival at Radley College, each Shell boy was invited, in their Social groups, to the Blue Room to sign a book that will then serve as a record of their entry to the College, as well as their commitment to a code of conduct that should guide their behaviour and underpin their character both at Radley and beyond. The Warden explained the College motto, read out the code and emphasised the high standards we expect of them. He also reminded them of the fact they were Radleians ‘for life’. The Senior Prefect then presented each boy with a copy of the crest, the motto, and the ten principles.  Highgate Cemetery, 20th September 6.2 English students visited Highgate Cemetery,

one of the most prominent of London’s 19th century “Magnificent Seven” cemeteries. It was a most interesting day for its abundance of cultural figures, from Christina Rossetti to Karl Marx. As well as visiting the resting places of literary figures still well-known today, we enjoyed learning about those famous in their own day, such as menagerist George Wombwell and boxer Tom Sayers.

The tombs and headstones themselves were full of hidden symbols and imagery, which we were soon able to pick up on, noticing the same ideas employed on newer memorials such as the grave of Alexander Litvinenko; where an unfinished stone symbolises a life cut short. The tour was engaging, the insights, into the lives of those buried and their Victorian peers, informative and surprising.

From the architecturally breathtaking Circle of Lebanon to the harrowing unmarked grave of young women from a local house of mercy, we enjoyed and engaged with every stop on the tour.

Declan McCarthy, B Social 6.2

 Politics Trip, 19th October Our time in Washington DC saw us take in most of the famous Smithsonian museums, the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials and Governmental buildings, including the Pentagon, the White House, the Supreme Court and Congress, all of which helped to cement what we have learnt so far on the Politics course. We also had talks from Adam

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Sheingate (Chair of Political Science at Johns Hopkins University) and Andrew Marshall (Head of Communications for the Atlantic Council). Other highlights in DC included an ice hockey match, Arlington Cemetery and a trip to Georgetown.

We then paid a flying visit to Philadelphia, where we saw the Liberty Bell and took a tour around the Independence Hall, in which the US Constitution was originally drawn up back in 1787. The final two nights were spend in New York, and two things that stood out for me were going up the Empire State Building at night, providing an unparalleled view of the city, and also the 9/11 Memorial and Museum (a poignant and touching tribute to one of the worst disasters of modern times). On our final night in NYC we all went to see ‘The Book of Mormon’ on Broadway, which was the perfect end to an absorbing and intellectual trip.

 Holocaust Conference, 14th November Radley 6.2s, together with Year 13 pupils from St Helen and St Katharine, Abingdon and Watford Grammar School for Girls, participated in the ‘Holocaust Study Day’. Dame Helen Hyde DBE, former Head of Watford Grammar School for Girls,

Jess Beardsworth, H Social 6.2  BBC Radio Oxford Interview, 30th October We were invited to talk briefly on BBC Radio Oxford’s Drive Programme about the many events being organised at College to commemorate the fallen during WW1, including the history of the school at that time, and our fundraising efforts for the Remembrance charity’s 2018 campaign; ‘There But Not There’. We were interviewed in the Westgate Centre by the programme host, Howard Bentham.

When asked about how we commemorated the 100 years after WW1 we talked about the 235 silhouettes which were displayed around College and how they represented the fallen in our community during the Great War. We also had the opportunity to discuss the main aims of the charity: to educate, commemorate and heal those suffering from the hidden wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder.

This was a wonderful opportunity for us to tell everyone about the important work we are doing at Radley.

Hamish Fallowfield and Freddie Lindblom C Social 6.1s

hosted the day which offered some thought-provoking talks on key aspects of the Holocaust. The highlight was undoubtedly the opportunity to listen to and talk with no fewer than eleven Holocaust Survivors who told us of their remarkable stories of life before and during WWII.

WS Activities  Shell Tug of War, 9th September

During the afternoon on Sunday 9th September, the College community gathered to watch the Shell Inter-Social Tug of War. It

 Societies Fair, 16th September

 Adam Smith Society, 13th November

The ‘Societies Fair’ was held in Covered Passage. A wide range of possible Activities and Clubs were on offer to interested Radleians, many set up and organised by boys themselves. It was a busy event with a total of twenty six Radley Societies represented, each with their own stall. The societies ranged from the ever-popular ‘Animals Society’ and ‘Genetics’ to ‘Coding’ and ‘Clay Pigeon Shooting’.

The Adam Smith Society welcomed Peter Higgins for a talk in the Coffee Shop. Peter’s career encompasses Charles Tyrwhitt Shirts and Cath Kidston, as well as several other retail avenues. He is also a director of the charity Mary’s Meals and sponsors a primary school in Malawi with his family. It was an insightful talk for all who attended.  Guitars Unlimited, 15th November

 Art Visit to Falconry Centre, 21st September

During Michalemas Term, the Art GCSE Removes worked on a project inspired by the theme “Flight”. They visited a falconry centre to draw first hand from a magnicent collection of birds of prey, ranging from tiny owls to huge eagles. On a very blustery day, they were able to photograph a series of amazing acrobatic flying displays, ducking as the birds swept close overhead.

They created a number of high quality drawings in their sketchbooks.  Spens Trophy, 31st October The Spens Trophy is one of the most hotly-contested Inter-Social competitions.

It is the general knowledge competition with carefully selected teams to ensure Socials have representatives from both the lower and the upper school. After a series of preliminary rounds, the final is played out between two Socials in the Silk Hall as part of Social Prayers that evening. Congratulations go to K Social, who walked away the victors once again this year. was a great event, enjoyed by all who came to see the annual contest and well done to all Shells who participated in this traditional event. Afterwards everyone was treated to a College BBQ on the games field in the sunshine.

 Book Speed Dating, 12th November Recently the Librarians have been visiting certain year groups in Social for rounds of ‘book speed dating’. Boys (and the occasional don) dive into a special selection of books and read several titles for three minutes each.

Much fun is had as students are pushed out of their reading comfort zones, discovering new authors and jumping between genres. More often than not they’ll even unearth a new favourite or two.

The Recent Guitars Unlimited concert saw a good number of Radley guitarists demonstrate their diverse musical skills. The audience were treated to a mixture of genres, ranging from classical guitar ensembles to impressive rock improvisations, featuring keen participants from all year groups.

Every item was well-received but particular outstanding highlights came from the advanced classical skills of Usman Ladan and Tristan Wenger, the acoustic flare of Cian Ellis and electric virtuosity of Henry Portwood, John Bruce Gardner and Jamie Miesaeges.

Radley has an established history of quality and interesting guitar concerts and this was certainly no exception! A thoroughly enjoyable evening and congratulations to all the performers.  CCF Gliding, 18th November Four RAF Cadets completed their Blue Wings Gliding qualification at Upavon Airfield, part of the Trenchard Lines Army camp in Wiltshire.

This was the first time CCF gliding has happened since 2013, following the MOD’s £25m overhaul of the Viking class gliders. Cdt Simanand, Cdt Lam, L/Cpl Loveland, and L/ Cpl Rooth all enjoyed multiple launches in extraordinarily good weather conditions with 622 Volunteer Gliding Squadron. Gliding was very quiet, with amazing all-round visibility.  Charity Readathon, 11th December The 12-hour Charity Readathon is a oncea-year opportunity for 30 boys to spend the night in the Library and read until they drop.

The 2018 event was held in aid of Kennington Youth Club to fund pool table repairs and to provide some fresh reading material. The night featured a midnight feast accompanied by a ghost story, poetry readings, a Christmas panto, and, naturally, much sleep-deprivation.

Considering it was the last night of term, a surprising number of boys rose to the challenge and got through the whole night!

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Cultural  National Poetry Day, 4th October To celebrate National Poetry Day, Radley’s aspiring poets gathered in the Coffee Shop. As well as reciting or introducing a poem that has inspired him, each boy read a poem of his own composition.

There was variety in inspiration, from William Shakespeare to Carol Ann Duffy, and in endproduct: from “Existential Scribbles” to “The Tree Just West of Port May”. For most of the group, this was their first public recitation, and, as such, an encouraging and successful occasion. One that some may look back on in the future as the beginning of lifelong love of poetry.

The next highlight was the performance of C Social, with an effective version of ‘Royals’ arranged by George Wu. E Social performed ‘Uptown Funk’ which was followed by a rendition of ‘Feeling Good’ by A Social and then F Social’s ‘Baby I’m Yours’ (Arctic Monkeys) arranged by Nithin Ghandi Simanand. B Social presented ‘Feel it still’ (Portugal. The Man) arranged by Andrew Liu, and following this was G Social’s rendition of ‘Blinded by your grace, Part 2’ (Stormzy) which was arranged

by Harry Stone. Andrew Shaw arranged a performance of ‘Shotgun’ (George Ezra) for H Social.

 Bonfire Night, 4th November 2018 On the evening of Sunday November 4th, Radley held its annual ‘College Bonfire and Fireworks’. The College community came together for the event which commenced with a sudden array of colour across the sky. The crowd watched the display of fireworks, which

The winner of Partsong 2018 was J Social with their version of ‘Hooked on a Feeling’ by Blue Swede, arranged by Deke Sharon and Alec Cooke.

Declan McCarthy, B Social 6.2  History Trip to Paris, 15th October  International Youth Theatre, 8th October A group of 6.2 dramatists went to St. Saviour’s Church in Knightsbridge, the headquarters of Intermission Youth Theatre (IYT). We participated in a workshop with the same group who visited Radley last year. IYT puts on contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare plays, devising them into sessions throughout the year, before a final script is put together by an artistic director and the play is performed.

In our workshop we had an insight into something of this creative process. Currently IYT is rehearsing ‘Guilt Trip’, an adaptation of ‘Much Ado About Nothing’. We were given a short extract from ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and in pairs were asked to improvise a scene using the words given to us in the extract. This disassembling and reassembling of the lines allowed us to dig deeper; it was fascinating to learn how Shakespeare plays can apply to a contemporary scenario.

In another exercise we examined the rhythm of Shakespeare’s lines, and how the importance of rhythm in words could still be heard in contemporary rap and RnB. Jamie Walker, K Social 6.2  Partsong, 11th October The Inter-Social Partsong Competition is a must-see event for everyone in the College and, as usual, it was a full house on the evening of Thursday October 11th. The adjudicator this year was Mr Jonathan Willcocks.

First to the stage was K Social with a performance of ‘La La Latch’ (Pentatonix) which was arranged by Peter Stern. D Social presented their rendition of ‘Africa’(Toto), with a performance arranged by Henry McPherson.

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During Leave Away, the 6.2 art historians took a short trip to Paris. They visited the Musée d’Orsay, the Louvre, the Musée Rodin and Montmartre Hill, as well as taking a tour of the Paris Opera designed by Charles Garnier. A particular highlight was a cool few hours in a jazz club on the eve of our departure.  First World War Talk, 1st November On the evening of the 1st of November, Andy Robertshaw gave a talk about World War 1 in the Silk Hall. Mr Robertshaw is a very accomplished historian, featuring in TV shows such as ‘Time Team’ and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ and advising Stephen Spielberg on his production of ‘War Horse’.

He has had an interest in the First World War for a long time, conducting his first formal interview with a survivor when he was only 14. This talk was to commemorate the end of World War 1’s Centenary.

Mr Robertshaw was very engaging with the audience and provided an excellent overview of the War. In addition, he gave the audience insight into the emotions of the soldiers from interviews he had conducted and from talking to his grandfather, who fought in and survived the War. He spoke passionately and confidently and the large turnout, almost filling the Silk Hall, was well deserved.

Toby Southwell, E Social 6.1

lasted about fifteen minutes and was enjoyed by many Radleians and Old Radleians as well as a selection of girls’ schools. It was a magnificent and colourful occasion, as the skies were lit up over the pitches.

Sport  England Junior Rugby, 21st September

The England Rugby Training Camp offered a great experience to train. After four brutal days of intense training there was a clear sense of camaraderie and achievement between the group. The camp pushed me to strive for

 Row for Remembrance, 12th October

 24 Hour Charity Football, 5th November

The staff and boys of F Social took up a Row for Remembrance Challenge: over the course of twenty eight days (we “moored up” for Leave Away), up until Remembrance Sunday, they aimed to reach John O’Groats from Land’s End, a total 1,400km.

Collectively the boys of G Social played an uninterrupted football match for 24 hours in the Sports Hall and raised more than £5,000 for Project Uganda, a charity set up by Kacper Rutka, a 6.2 G Social boy. The funds raised will support a project which has been building a school in the refugee camp of Imvepi, Northern Uganda.

Two ergs were stationed in the Common Room, together with a large fan, and kilometres were rowed day and night.

Head of Social and Captain of Boats, Felix Rawlinson, and one-half of our Charity Team, Freddie Nielsen, rowed the last one kilometre in tandem. The final total of £5,185 is a significant sum that will make a difference to veterans up and down the country.  Head of Charles Regatta, 21st October Radley College Boat Club took a top VIII and a second coxed IV and a single sculler to The Head of Charles Regatta 2018 in Boston, USA. This is the biggest twoday rowing event in the world with 11,000 competitors from all over the world and over 200,000 spectators. The trip started with a four-day training camp at Dartmouth University, allowing some valuable training in preparation for the first big race of the season.

We then travelled to Boston for the Regatta, which is held on the Charles River. With some strong results we left the competition feeling positive.  NSSA Single-Handed Team Racing Regatta, 27th October

excellence and it offered an opportunity to make improvements by going back over video analysis. I attended the camp with Zachary Nearchou and we both found it hugely beneficial playing with such high level players and coaches. I’m looking forward to pushing on with Zac at Radley.

Alfred Mawdsley, E Social 6.2

The National Schools’ Sailing Association Regatta was held at Farmoor Reservoir where 30 collegiate sailing teams would compete head-to-head over the course of two days.

The Radley team had mixed success on the first day, winning three out of the five races, all with remarkably close results. This proved, however, to be a minor setback when they won all but one of their races on Sunday to finish 5th overall, only escaping the semi-finals due to the tie-breaking system within the rules appendix.

Overall the Radley team felt encouraged by their success and a highly enjoyable learning experience was had by all. Tonbridge in May rounded off a strong year.

Charlie Rooth, J Social Remove

 Riding Championships, 7th November Tom Beattie, C Social, has been representing Radley in the National Schools’ Riding Championships. The Nationals take place over four days and for all of his events Tom Beattie was fully focused. Show jumping is a fine balance between speed and the risk of knocking jumps down. In the 90/95cm class with a 1m/1.05cm jump off he had the fastest time by two seconds but clipped the penultimate jump so finished in 4th place. Tom also qualified in the 1m/1.05 Arena Eventing class where he came 7th in the National Final.

This is a course of show jumps followed by a course of cross country jumps, where he is judged on style, speed and going clear over 20 jumps.  Under 10 Rugby, 21st November Radley hosted the inaugural Radley College U10 Festival. The sun was out and the scene was set: a perfect stage for the boys to showcase their talents and embrace the spirit of the Rules of Play: fast, free and fun. Four pools of four teams were in action, with each team playing the others in their pool. With twelve boys in each squad, there were close to two hundred boys in action.

The focus of the afternoon was on the quality of play. For some of the competing schools, this was an opportunity to test themselves late in their season against tough opposition.

From the outset, the boys did not shy away from the challenge: the battle-hardened teams started with intensity, physicality and displayed resilience throughout, particularly in defence.

For other schools, it was early in their season, having only just switched to rugby in the second half of term. Matched against other schools in a similar position, all of the matches remained competitive throughout - the festival serving as a useful first run-out to dust off any cobwebs.

Overall, the afternoon was a great success: fantastic support from parents on the sideline, encouraging throughout, boys playing with a smile and referees clearly enjoying being able to let the boys play.

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SHELL S Our aim at Radley is to provide an environment in which pupils of all abilities can strive for success, achieve that success and be rewarded for their accomplishments. We therefore pride ourselves on the number of fixtures that we play across all sports, giving boys, including all of the Shells, the opportunity to express themselves and represent the school.

Typically, games sessions on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are used to coach the boys new skills and further educate them on the tactical nuances of our major sports. However, it is also important for the Shells to be able to make an informed choice about which sport they will engage in over the course of the following term. With this in mind the Monday activities slot in the Michaelmas and Lent term offers the Shells who are keen for more sport an opportunity to explore whether they will enjoy, rowing or hockey in the Lent Term and rowing or cricket in the Summer Term.

All Shells will play rugby of some format in the Michaelmas Term, with those who have a low level of confidence and experience forming a tag team to play fixtures with other schools. At the end of the Michaelmas

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Term the Shells choose whether they will become “wet bobs” and therefore choose rowing for the Lent and Summer Terms or “dry bobs” and thus choose hockey for the Lent Term and cricket for the Summer Term.

All of this is underpinned by a sixweek block of physical literacy, in which all Shells are taught the fundamental movement principles that underlie many of the aforementioned sporting processes. There are many success criteria that underpin exactly how well a school sporting programme functions, but the fundamental pillars of solidity in any of these programmes must be pupil safety and inclusion; this means that it is essential that boys can represent the school regularly in a suitably safe and supportive environment.

Our vision at Radley is that no other boys’ Independent boarding school can match us for success in relation to our land and waterbased sports considered collectively – the Shells therefore play an enormous role and have a great responsibility in making sure that the chapter they write in Radley’s history books is one filled with stories of endeavour, empathy and enjoyment.

HOCKEY On arrival in Michaelmas term there is the opportunity for Shells to get a taster of the hockey season ahead of whether it’s playing hockey in Monday activities or in late afternoon post rugby sessions. These are run by our hockey professional Peter Bennett who is also available to run extra individual sessions for those who would like them.

We run 6 Midgets teams – all teams with a minimum of 6 fixtures - with the top 2 teams also competing in the ISHL (Independent Schools Hockey League) against Marlborough, Cheltenham, Bradfield, St Edward’s, Wellington and Abingdon. We pride ourselves on our results in these leagues, last year winning the league with both Midgets 1 and Midgets 2. As well as this competitive fixture list we play block fixtures against the other major hockey playing schools in Eton, Tonbridge and Charterhouse. We have several players representing the school at County and Regional level and we provide the opportunity for students to train and play where possible with Oxford Hawks and Reading Hockey Clubs.

SPORTS ROWING

RUGBY

PHYSICAL LITERACY

Boys will have the opportunity at Radley to train on the brilliant 6km stretch of the River Thames with world-class equipment: as well as the state-of-the-art rowing tank and ergo room.

Rugby is the major sport in the Michaelmas term at Radley, with every boy in the Midgets (Year 9 sports teams) expected to participate. Radley College RUFC is able to field 7 teams at Midgets, with a variety of fixtures for all teams throughout the term.

Traditionally, there are no fixtures for Midgets on the first weekend of term, as the club invests the necessary time to prepare the boys mentally and physically for a contact sport. There are 12 block fixtures through the remainder of the term, with all Midgets teams competing on a regular basis.

Over the first two terms at Radley, each boy will be exposed to Physical Literacy, consisting of five one-hour and half-hour blocks of training, whilst gaining exposure to our brand new state of the art McKenna Strength & Conditioning Centre.

Four sessions a week are on offer for our aspiring oarsmen, who will get to learn the basic skills of how to move a rowing boat and increase their endurance. Boys will find themselves racing at many river events throughout their first year in the Club, which will culminate in crews competing at the National Schools’ Regatta in May at the Olympic Rowing Course at Dorney.

In future years, the hope is that boys will progress to compete at Henley Royal Regatta in the Princes Elizabeth Challenge Cup and, potentially, their country, which is a regular occurrence for Radley oarsmen.

We are also very proud that many of our oarsmen go on to row for Oxford or Cambridge, as well as various Ivy League Universities, such as Yale, Dartmouth and Princeton.

For those new to the sport, Midgets 7 offers non-contact rugby, with competitive tag or touch fixtures against other schools. Midgets 6 focuses on developing the boys competence, with a programme designed to give the boys the required skills and confidence to progress from tag rugby to conditioned games and on to full fixtures for those that are able.

The aim of Physical Literacy is to educate each boy on gym safety and etiquette, along with the positive impact of Strength & Conditioning on sports performance and general wellbeing. Each boy will be introduced to key movement patterns, promoting greater body awareness for sport and daily living.

Exercises/activities in Physical Literacy will focus on the key mechanics and principles of squatting, hip-hinging, running, jumping, landing and changing direction to name a few.

There will also be some competitions/ challenges included along the way.

From a block of Physical Literacy in the Shell year, boys will have an idea of what to expect from Strength & Conditioning at Radley in later years.

James Gaunt Director of Sport

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REMEMBRANCE On Remembrance Sunday we continued to Commemorate the centenary of World War 1, often described as: ‘The war to end all wars’ – which it wasn’t and was probably the most horrendous war ever – a war which saw a soldier dying every 15 seconds, 16 million in total. I was, therefore, very proud with the seriousness in which Radley College conducted its Act of Remembrance. But what do we think of during the two minutes of silence?

As a Reserve Padre with 7 Rifles I reflected upon the many army Chaplains who served and died for their country during the Great War. 4,400 Army Chaplains were recruited into uniform. Most of them saw service in the trenches. 179 lost their lives; many were decorated for bravery with three being awarded the Victoria Cross.

Probably the most famous of them all was The Revd. Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy M.C., or better known as ‘Woodbine Willie’.

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Studdert Kennedy was born in Leeds in 1883, the son of a vicar. After reading divinity and classics at Trinity College, Dublin, he became a vicar himself, first in Rugby and then at Saint Paul’s in Worcester. At the outbreak of World War I, he volunteered to serve as an Army Chaplain on the Western Front.

He was well-known for going into no-man’s-land, in the thick of a battle, to comfort wounded soldiers and was never afraid to be close to the fighting.

One famous story tells of him crawling out to a working party putting up wire in front of their trench. A nervous soldier challenged him, asking “Who goes there?” and he replied: “The church.” When the soldier asked what the church was doing out there, he replied “Its job.”

He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917 for his bravery at Messines Ridge, Flanders after running into no man’s land to help the wounded during an attack on the German frontline. His citation read:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed the greatest courage and disregard for his own safety in attending to the wounded under heavy fire. He searched shell holes for our own and enemy wounded, assisting them to the dressing station, and his cheerfulness and endurance had a splendid effect upon all ranks in the front line trenches, which he constantly visited.

‘Woodbine Willie’ described the Army Chaplain’s role in this way, Live with the men. Go everywhere they go. The line is the key to the whole business. Work in the very front and they will listen to you; but if you stay behind you are wasting your time. Men will forgive you anything but lack of courage and devotion … Take a box of fags in your haversack and a great deal of love in your heart, and go up to them: laugh with them, joke with them.

You can pray with them sometimes, but pray for them always.

On his Discharge in 1919, Studdert Kennedy was a changed man. His experiences in the trenches had left him deeply scarred – along with many others. Before the war he advocated that men should go and fight for their loved ones, and their country, but after the war he spent the remainder of his life campaigning for peace. He also wrote poetry, trying to put into words the things he had seen and what he felt. One is entitled Waste Waste of muscle, waste of brain, Waste of patience, waste of pain, Waste of manhood, waste of health, Waste of beauty, waste of wealth, Waste of blood, waste of tears, Waste of youth’s most precious years, Waste of ways the saints have trod, Waste of glory, waste of God – war!

He firmly believed that the suffering of war – and the suffering of the depression – were uniquely met by the crucified Jesus. The Gospel he preached, embraced suffering, pain and despair. He came to realise that at the heart of why troops disbelieve and believe in God, why they decline and grow in character, how God became less real and more real to them was through suffering.

He began to understand the great theme of the Bible of how God brings hope, not in spite of, but through suffering, just as Jesus saved us not in spite of, but through, what he suffered on the cross. And so even through the horror of war, he preached that it’s possible to find a peculiar closeness to God – one that comes only through, and in, suffering.

‘To take love in your heart’ - Army Chaplain’s go into conflict areas without a weapon but instead take the light of Christ. Army Chaplain’s do not glorify in war but rather take compassion into areas of great darkness. Yes, on our Remembrance Sunday, I prayed for them.

The Act of Remembrance at Radley took place at Memorial Arch.

Immediately after the Ceremony there was a well-attended Remembrance Concert in Silk Hall. The many highlights of this excellent Concert included performances by the Radley College Orchestra, Ben Zhang, the Cello Quartet and the Brass Ensemble.

Perhaps the most moving piece was the finale: a performance of Jonathan Dove’s ‘Before Action’, by Dan Norman (tenor), together with girls from the cast of the College Musical and string players from the Radley College Orchestra.

The full Programme was: Overture from ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (Maurice Jarre) Radley College Orchestra Elegie (Rachmaninov) Ben Zhang Petites Litanies de Jesus (Grovlez arr.

Williams) Cello Quartet The Lads in their Hundreds (Butterworth - former Radley don) Clemente Giuseppetti and Alexander Knipe In modo religioso (Glazunov) Memorial March (Grieg) Brass Ensemble Before Action from ‘For an Unknown Soldier’ (Jonathan Dove) Chamber Choir and Chamber Orchestra

David Wilson Chaplain THE RADLEIAN

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SERPE Introduction Initially, I came up with the idea of a “Radley Science Journal” which would allow the scientists in Radley to share their enthusiasm with other boys by putting their interests into words. At the same time, John Fu was working on publishing his Maths magazine. We were sitting in a Physics lesson when the idea of Serpentes was born: why publish two separate journals when we can join forces and expand our scope to academics as a whole? By doing so, we have embarked on a bigger mission, which is to encourage academic curiosity in Radley, regardless of the subject.

The proposition was brought to Mr Cox and our fellow Academic Prefects: Declan McCarthy, Christoph Wallendahl, Alfred Mawdsley and Angus Parker, who now form the editorial body of Serpentes. Rather than setting constraints and limiting boys to stay within their subject areas, we have produced a varied collection of articles, ranging from Biology to Classics, which don’t necessarily have to tick any one box. Our aim is to break the misconception that academic writing is dry and demonstrate how far it actually spans - A Levels and GCSEs are only the beginning.

Another message which we would like to deliver is that virtually any interest or hobby can be approached in an academic manner. Being very interested in a certain topic shouldn’t, therefore, be perceived as unusual, and we would like to invite all boys who feel this way to join Serpentes. We hope to ensure that the journal is passed onto the next generation of Prefects and we’re looking forward to further creative input from the boys - the second issue is fast-approaching.

Matiga Conic, F Social 6.2

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Extract from ‘translation as a form of conquest’ Most translations set out to convey the meaning to an audience lacking the original language, but that audience has a huge effect on the translations nonetheless. Anthony Verity, translating Homer’s Odyssey for the Oxford World’s Classics series, conveys Book 5, line 290, thus: ‘Nevertheless, I think I can even now fill him full of torment.’ Whereas E.V. Rieu’s version, jokingly said to be aimed at “boy scouts”, originally published in 1946, has: ‘Nevertheless, I mean to let him have a bellyful of trouble yet.’ Both convey the same line of Homer, and, though Verity is translating into verse, Rieu into prose, in this line it makes little difference. And yet these translations are very different, the most noticeable difference being the idiomatic translation of Rieu–certainly not Homer’s original words, but an attempt by the translator to capture their meaning and be exciting, following the style of 40s adventure stories. Verity is far more formal.

Declan McCarthy, B Social 6.2

Extract from ‘the bioethics of curing ageing’ Anti-ageing developments might actually, in themselves, be the most noble medical pursuit there is, but they are emerging in a world which has turned its back on equality. The priority should, therefore, be reducing the longevity gap through social justice or making health care

ENTES accessible worldwide and curing HIV – the single most common killer in SubSaharan Africa. A change in perspective can help us break out of this cocoon of blind humanism and help us realise that there is a whole world beyond the borders of Europe which doesn’t even get close to experiencing cancer or diabetes.

Matiga Conic, F Social 6.2

Extract from ‘Barely visible, barely a problem’ But what’s the problem anyway?

What’s the point in cleaning beaches? The answer is more subtle and complex than the obviously visible harm caused by larger pieces. It has been shown the lugworm Arenicola marina can ingest microplastics and that this causes inflammation, reduces their energy reserves and also their feeding rate.

The plastics stayed in the lugworm’s gut for much longer than normal pieces of food, which generally pass through continuously. This implies that they spent an extra amount of energy trying to digest the plastic, and that the plastic’s longer time hanging around in the gut may have slowed down the worm’s normal feeding.

Why does it matter that some species of marine invertebrate you’ve never heard of isn’t feeding properly? A. marina is actually a keystone species – one which has a disproportionate impact on the ecosystem relative to its size and abundance. It lives in the muddy bottom sediment of some areas of the sea and through its feeding method, it ‘bioturbates’ the sediment, meaning it stirs up and mixes the mud, redistributing nutrients and microorganisms around and thus increasing the biodiversity

of this habitat. Microplastics can also concentrate harmful chemicals that have leached into the sea. These chemicals are hydrophobic, and don’t enjoy the watery environment they have ended up in - so when a solid, non-watery surface appears these chemicals are attracted to it.

By swallowing microplastics these chemicals can move into the bodies of wildlife with potentially harmful effects.

Jamie Walker, K Social 6.2

Extract from ‘Watchmen’ (Alan moore & dave gibbons) As you can tell, when published, Watchmen presented a captivating array of personalities, each representing their own view on the world in which they live. Not only did the adult themes of the plot solidify the book for older audiences (revolutionary for the mainstream comic industry at the time), but new liberties were taken in regard to character building, reinforced by the fully typed pages expanding on the rich history of the sometimes disturbing relationships between the Watchmen, and their predecessors, the Minutemen. This really is a treasure trove and example for any modern novelists looking to engage their reader and to build a believable world.

Perhaps this outstanding depth of field in world building and characterisation is what helped to influence the whole genre, along with such grounded ideals which each character pushed, coming into play at the climactic finale. Which leads to a crucial aspect of the story itself.

Giorgi Gvaradze, J Social Remove

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THE BEAGLES’ OPENING MEET Slightly later than normal, after moving into their spacious kennels in the new Countryside Centre, the Radley College Beagles held their opening meet in the spectacular setting of the Mansion lawn on Saturday 17th November. This season has seen a record number of boys choose beagling as their full-time sport, and at the meet five boys were celebrating being appointed as full whippers-in (which earns them the right to wear

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the traditional green coat and white breeches which have been the Radley uniform since the 1940s).

As well as the full-time beaglers, a number of other boys go hunting each day - often Shells taking a break from rugby, hockey or rowing, many of whom will be the hunt staff of the future.

This season is Freddie Thackray’s (A) third season as Joint Master and

second as Huntsman - he will be greatly missed when he steps down at the end of the season; but with so many younger boys keen to take over, the future of the beagles is looking bright, and his Joint Master William Stubbs (C) is already being trained up with the intention of hunting the hounds next season.

Tim Morris Master i/c Countryside Centre

SIMON ARMITAGE On the 21st of November, awardwinning poet and the Oxford Professor of Poetry Simon Armitage came to Radley. He gave a poetry workshop to number of English students and later did a poetry reading in the Silk Hall.

During the workshop, he took us through three distinctive, linked exercises, within which he accentuated the importance of recycling old ideas which may have become stale, by approaching them from a different, more striking aspect, simply by avoiding using words or phrases that you normally heavily associate with this idea. He also stressed the importance of rereading and rewriting work.

His many ideas and approaches certainly felt very fresh and original and all the boys involved very much enjoyed the workshop.

The most striking points were his importance of identity and avoiding the use of clichés, by taking the opportunity to ‘Coin your own euphemism’. Through these he further expressed the importance of individuality.

After the workshop, I was among the boys who were fortunate enough to chat to him over sandwiches in the English Department. When asked what would be different if poetry were more mainstream, he answered, “I certainly would not be writing the poetry” and that he pursued poetry because “it is stubborn” and operates “outside that mainstream”.

After Wednesday Social Prayers, Mr. Armitage did a poetry reading in the Silk Hall. This was filled with English students, intrigued to see a poet on the A level syllabus; students from local schools also came. In the reading, he chose several poems, including ‘Chainsaw Versus the Pampas Grass’, which is on Radley’s A level English syllabus.

He recited poems from significant moments in his life and childhood, growing up in the north of England and the stages of great change in the relationships between he and his parents. He read ‘Mother, any distance

greater than a single span’, a piece describing the widening gap from his mother, by using actual measurements.

He also chose ‘My Father thought it’, a poem on his father’s disapproval at his return home with an earring in his ear.

Among others he chose ‘Black Roses’ in which he again highlighted the significance of being distinctive, as the final two lines are: ‘I said let them all be.

I said breathe and let breathe.’

I especially enjoyed, as many did, witnessing his trademark lyrical ear and style, which was so much more brilliant heard live in the Silk Hall.

Special thanks should go to Mr Crump and all the English Department for organizing such a successful day.

George Dring D Social, 6.1

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RADLEY CUFFLINKS In my 6.1 year I was fortunate that Radley introduced a mini MBA, taught

by Mr Lawson and Mr Jewell, to run alongside the existing Extended Project and Global Perspectives course.

I really enjoyed the course and it made me think about how I could apply what I had learned in a practical way.

I knew that some schools had high quality cufflinks and thought that I would challenge myself to produce a real high-end product, to complement the versions already available through the Radleian Society shop. I sourced a UK supplier of sterling silver and enamel cufflinks and, using some of the skills I gained on the MBA, I

prepared a Business Plan: enabling me to give over £50 per pair of cufflinks to The Radley Foundation - which I presented to Mr Lawson and then Ms Roberts, Radley’s Development Director.

The College has been very supportive and encouraging of my ideas and has allowed me to use the College emblems on the cufflinks. I have learned about dyes, Pantone colours, placing orders, obtaining a discount, VAT and hopefully how to sell my idea!

I hope my experience encourages others to take up the mini MBA, buy my cufflinks (so I can repay the loan from my Dad) and support The Radley Foundation.

Harry Gent E Social, 6.2

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These high-quality cufflinks are made of British materials and craftsmanship and cost £150 per pair.

They are hallmarked 925 sterling silver and enamel and come in a smart presentation box. There are two different designs: Serpent and Dove or the Crossed Keys of St Peter.

They offer a special reminder of time at Radley College and another way of recognising fellow Radleians. More than a third of the price (£52.50) from each pair sold will go directly to the Radley Foundation.

Email: hglinks26@gmail.com to place an order.