Boarder’s NewsRecently it was ‘Open House’ day in the city of London; therefore many buildings, like the Bank of England, which we visited, were open to the public. We were given an introduction to the financial history of Britain and we visited the garden court, governor’s room, the ante room and the committee room respectively. During the tour we were given some fascinating insights into the financial workings of the system, particularly enjoyed by the economists in the group; we were even given an opportunity to handle a gold bar! Despite the long queue, we all had a good time and everybody was inspired by the magnificence of the architecture. Since the Bank of England is not open to the public usually, this trip will be a unique experience and a special memory always for all of us. A big thank you to Ms Farrant for organising the trip and to Miss Sutherland for accompanying us.
Tony Weng (Year 13, Ridgeway)
The 27th of November was the day Muslims around the world celebrated Eid Al-Adha’ this year. This is a celebration in honour of the people who complete the 2 week long pilgrimage in Mecca, known as Hajj. Typically, it’s a day on which extended families and family friends all get together for feasts, festivals and fun. As boarders, we aren’t always able to enjoy this day with our families, however, the Eid dinner arranged by the school allowed the Muslim boarders to experience and enjoy the spirit of Eid. There are currently 6 Muslim borders at Mill Hill and 5 of us, Bari and Deba of Burton Bank, Yasmine of Collinson, and Mubin and Mifthah of Ridgeway were able to attend the dinner. Also, we were joined by Mrs Farrant and Mr Ali. Ms Farrant’s presence with us at dinner was a real pleasure.
Our discussions touched different aspects of Islam from a simple 5 minute prayer and the way in which Mr Ali supports our prayer at School, to the intense and important pilgrimage of Hajj. In addition, Ms Farrant was able to give us an insight into some functions of Christianity as well, and it was extremely interesting to compare and stretch our knowledge of our own religions. The food was lovely, and the spiced lamb and rice created an authentic ‘Muslim’ atmosphere; all of us appreciated it hugely and are grateful to Mike Gibson and his staff who are always so supportive and who took care of us brilliantly whilst simultaneously masterminding a Thanksgiving Dinner with an American theme! At the end of the evening, we had all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, had a lovely dinner, and reflected about religion whilst being able to celebrate Eid with our fellow Muslims. It was a special way to spend this important day.
Mifthah Ibrahim (Year 13, Ridgeway)
As we settled into a new term at Ridgeway House, our annual bowling trip to Hollywood Bowl in Finchley was eagerly anticipated. The mild weather lent a pleasant backdrop to the two fun-filled, and in some cases, fiercely competitive games; everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves with James Alculumbre and Yasin Mohamad bowling sensationally and scoring well over a hundred each. The bowling was a great chance for everyone in Ridgeway to socialise and for the old pupils of Ridgeway to warmly welcome the new.
Upon return to Ridgeway House, we had a delicious American themed feast of burgers, hot dogs, pizzas and nachos; but the highlight was the gigantic chocolate fountain, with strawberries and marshmallows, plus the ubiquitous Krispy Kremes. Many thanks to Miss Farrant, Joe and Matron for a fantastic evening!
Rory Harris (Ridgeway)
As the new School year began and a fresh-faced batch of students from all corners of the globe joined the boarding community, a welcome barbecue was held in the beautiful setting of the walled Crick Garden on Friday night. The fine feast of burgers, hot dogs, salads, strawberries and ice cream, was provided by Mike Gibson and his expert catering team; thank you! The occasion provided a wonderful opportunity for pupils, both new and old and across all different age groups, from all three boarding Houses to get to know each other. Luckily the weather was perfect, sunny and bright, with a slight breeze, and spirits were correspondingly high. An ideal start to what promises to be another fantastic year for the boarders!
Charlie Williams, Head of House, Ridgeway
