Airlie Summer Term Newsletter

30 May 2022 - Airlie

Airlie House Dinner

May saw the long-awaited return of the Airlie House Dinner. The Airlie House staff were delighted to welcome pupils and parents to the House Dinner on 2 May 2022, in Daws Hill. The House Dinner is an important event for our community to come together and reconnect, after what has been a very disrupted two years. The House team and I were thrilled that the event could go ahead this year, as it is a special time to create memories and welcome parents and guardians into our lovely school grounds. The House Dinner is a School calendar highlight for the Airlie House Team and pupils. Although the event is structured around a wonderful meal, it everything else that occurs that makes the evening so special. Without us realising, the dinner initiates family friendships, facilitates fun discussions, and bond-creating conversations. Our community continues to grow from strength to strength from the sense of social connectedness it creates. As we near the end of the 125-year anniversary celebrations of Wycombe Abbey, the House Staff and I could not help but reflect on the social connection and bond to Airlie that pupils and their families have created. To mark the past 125 years of Wycombe Abbey, the Dinner tables were named in honour of an academic year, accompanied by the Airlie House photo from that year. 

During the evening, our Charity Prefect, Arese (LVI) and Natalie (LVI) spoke about one of our School Charities, Ripple Africa. The overriding aim of this charity is to empower communities so they themselves can achieve a sustainable future. The Charity strongly believes that the local people can be the solution to many of the challenges they face, everything Ripple Africa does is in response to the local communities’ needs. Ripple Africa’s belief is “Providing a hand UP and not a handout,” this philosophy has been central to the charity’s ideology for nearly two decades. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Airlie Community who generously donated to this charity. Together, we raised over £570 for Ripple Africa, for which we are very grateful! 

We understand that it was not possible for all our community to attend the event, however, we look forward to seeing you at future events. Thank you to all that attended the House Dinner, the House Staff and I are extremely grateful! Thank you to our School caterers, Holroyd Howe, the event would not have been possible without the dedicated team preparing the meals and drinks for the evening. It was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate our community and I am already looking forward to the next House Dinner.

Eurovision Night 

One of the biggest Saturday night events in the Airlie House Summer Term calendar took place on 14 May. The highly anticipated live final of the Eurovision competition had finally arrived! The House has a tried and tested checklist of items that are essential for the viewing of the final. 

• Eurovision Performance Scorecards  
• Eurovision Sweepstake (Each pupil randomly selects a country to represent for the night) 
• Running Order 
• Pens 
• Soundbar 
• Bunting & Decorations 
• Popcorn & Treats (refills are a must) 

Each pupil receives a Eurovision Performance Scorecard, which they use to score a country’s performance, taking the song, vocals and staging into account. This gives each country an overall score from the pupil. Once results are announced, pupils can compare their results with the actual votes. The Eurovision Song Contest was first held in 1956, originally conceived through a desire to unite European countries following World War II. It spreads a global message of unity, acceptance, and diversity, which are pillars in our Boarding community. The creative productions, fashion and voting systems never fail to generate debate in our Drawing Room. The suspense of not knowing what you will get in a performance adds nothing but excitement to the experience for pupils and staff. It is a cultural celebration that unites communities across the world and for that reason, we are proud to join the wonderful festivities of the annual Eurovision Song Contest!