Miss Bailey's Blog - Week 16, 2024

The new term is now in full-swing, and I knew, as soon as we welcomed the boarders back on Sunday and term officially began on Monday, that we have much to look forward to in the weeks and months ahead. I always enjoy catching up with the girls after a holiday and the animated conversations and festive stories have been fun to share.

The Uppers/Year 7 have loved their time away in Sauveterre in France this week and thank you for our dedicated staff team who have accompanied them all. As ever, the feedback has been excellent and trip manners and mindset, exemplary. We wish them safe travels back to London tomorrow and a restful weekend. Our thanks to Downe House for hosting us so well and for offering such a thoughtful, creative and well-crafted programme and curriculum this week. I visited and worked at Sauveterre myself on my gap year in 1994 and have so many fond memories of my time there.

Tatler visited yesterday and I was delighted to meet with Pippa, who was lovely and had so many positive comments to make about Godstowe. With three daughters of her own she felt right at home. The four girls in IVths/Year 8 who toured Pippa did an excellent job. The Lowers/Year 5 Play rehearsals are underway and the sports hall has been ringing with gymnastics, dance practice and last night's boarders' Zumba raised the roof, as you can imagine.

We are now pleased to be supporting the Wycombe Homeless Connection and we were treated to a wonderful talk on Wednesday. Godstowe is taking part in a very special sleepout between now and the end of February half term to raise much needed money in awareness for the WHC's work. Children can choose to sleep out in gardens, in a bathtub, in bed but fully clothed. While sleeping out is not the same as being homeless, it can open eyes and hearts, and is an act of solidarity with people who feel very alone and scared. And best of all, it can help them find a home. The charity works across south Buckinghamshire, helping people who have lost their homes get off the street as quickly as possible. They support people with accommodation, food, clothing and help to leave homelessness behind for good.

This is something very close to my heart, with my mother spending years of her life volunteering at the Gatehouse in Oxford. During my years in New York, my school chef was a Puerto Rican lady called Chef Nancy and she volunteered every weekend at a homeless charity called the 'Red Door Place' on West 13th St. Nancy is quite the chef, and the concept here was to provide a three course, restaurant-style meal every Saturday to the guests that visited. Nancy and her team would traditionally provide over 500 covers every weekend and having worked alongside her chopping food, laying tables and serving, the deep respect I have for her work and the very real difference they made to their homeless guests in the vast city of New York is something I shall remember forever.

Let's all get involved in the big sleepout at home- I'm not sure where I'm going to sleep yet, but I shall keep you all posted. Good luck and let's get raising money for this inspirational and local charity. It's freezing cold this week, and I can't help but think about anyone out in the cold this weekend. Godstowe does help and warmth exceptionally well and I'm sure that it will only radiate out in the coming weeks in support.