Founders' Day ... on Glastonbury's steps

During the week preceding Founders Day, anyone voicing concerns about the weather  would be told that 'the school hasn't had bad weather for Founders Day since the merger'. Well, there's a first for everything...

We are pleased to introduce the wettest Founders' Days ever held at Hordle Walhampton!

After a very entertaining - and late - night at the HWPA's fantastic 'Night in Shanghai' Summer Ball, parents, staff and children arrived at the school on Saturday morning dressed in lovely summer outfits and carrying yummy looking picnics. Little did they know that Wellington boots and umbrellas would have been much more suited to the day.

As the Pre-Prep Choir delighted the audience with their versions of 'Appusski Dusski' and 'The Hippopotamus Song' (with parents singing along "Mud, mud, glorious mud..."), dark clouds were beginning to make their way towards the marquee. Busy that we were listening to the chairman of Governors Mike Corbridge and his useful summary of the Governors' role, and then to Mr Phillips' synopsis of this year's achievements, few of us realised that the sunshine had disappeared. It was during the Joseph Choir's performance that a few heads started to turn around and notice the colour of the sky and by the time Dr Pointon proceeded with prize giving, it had become quite clear that rain was about to lash down on us. Our guest speaker Mrs Emma Mc Kendrick, Headmistress of Downe House, had to rise her voice to ensure that despite the rain everyone heard her most appropriate speech about the aspects of Hordle Walhampton the children should remember.

The Junior and Chapel choirs benefited from a moment of respite, and for a while we all thought that the sports days would still take place. Wishful thinking...

The second salve landed on us as Pimms was being served and the steel band was setting their drums up on the terrace. At that stage no doubt was left that all outdoors activities would be cancelled. As Mrs Nicholls' team was running to the rescue of the Pimms and Mrs Watkiss's steel band members were moving their drums into the safety of the marquee, everybody improvised a plan B, which consisted of a dry-ish picnic inside the marquee for the adults and of a lot of running in the rain and jumping in puddles for the children.  

Despite a wave of panic as the picnics and children were getting wetter and wetter, the event was qualified of fun and memorable. And as far as mud is concerned, watch out Glastonbury!

June 2007