House Events

As always, Newick has had a colourful calendar crammed with activities and dinners. We started off the year with some great nights gathered around the fire pit with freshly made pizza, laughing and talking between the year groups. As we moved into the colder months, we had our annual Burns Night dinner. Our dapper clothes, fine food and ill-advised Scottish accents would make Robert Burns rolling in his grave. Continuing with the Caledonian theme we had a large troupe of Sixth Form attending the tartan fuelled Reeling Society Ball. As the weather warmed up, we went to the high ropes where Jude W overestimated his strength and had to be zip- lined down the course causing a traffic jam on the tight rope.

Charity

I believe it might have been Churchill who said ‘Never in the fields of Cleeve Hill Golf Club was so much given by so few’, which is a true testament to the courageous efforts of the whole of Newick House. Most of the boys chose to run a 14km uphill sponsored run, sold to us by Mr Hayden as ‘9km downhill’. We raised money for our House charity Maggie’s, which is a cancer support centre based in Cheltenham which we can visit. Mr Hayden also ran the London Marathon in a very respectable time raising money for Hospice UK, a charity very close to his heart. However, the charity does not stop there. OC and last year’s leaver Freddie Robertson (NH, 2023) rode a motorcycle from Hanoi in the north of Vietnam down to Ho Chi Minh City over the course of a month raising money for the Blue Dragon Charity. Blue Dragon helps stop the trafficking of Vietnamese children and helps rehabilitate them back into their families and schools. OCs Guy Beazley (NH, 2020), Tom Beazley (NH, 2021) and Charlie Gardiner (NH, 2020) embarked on a trip to Ukraine. They bought a couple of pickup trucks, filled them with aid and drove them across Europe into Ukraine. They left the trucks in Ukraine and flew home.

Academic

It is often that Muglestonites are mentioned alongside the greats DaVinci, Eisenstein, Newton, Oscar F. With our strong attendance rate at Upper College, led by Jamie R, Newick dominated in University Challenge and Model UN. Jamie R and Tom C both gained their Exhibition and Scholarship Ties respectively, helping to fuel the House of Academia that is Newick House. Paddy G and Thomas C need a special shout out for their epic achievements, with Paddy G being the youngest and last person currently in the school to get the old Science Society Tie, and Thomas C gaining impressively the highest attainment in the Third Form. Academic Half Colours were also awarded to Amir B, Hendrie N and Bryn E.

Sport

We continue to give our all on the sports field, proudly representing the House in numerous House Pots. We retained the senior Sports Day trophy as well as the senior swimming House Pots with a particularly notable contribution from Terry (the Torpedo) H. The seniors secured the hockey trophy with standout performances from Bryn E and Max H. The seniors sadly went out in the group stages of the rugby Pots on points difference and so the dream of a clean sweep was unfortunately dashed. Despite a valiant effort from Third Form, they were unable to continue the tradition of winning the junior House Pots trophy, falling just short to Southwood. Gus C-R was appointed 1st XI cricket captain and was deservedly also awarded his Full Colours.

Drama and Music

Newick’s musical talent really shone through at House Singing, and like the phoenix, we rose from the ashes and placed for the first time in living memory, leading Mr Hayden to call it ‘the happiest night of his life’, much to Mrs Hayden’s disappointment. Dominykas D, our very own Eastern European Louis Armstrong, was awarded his Music Co-Curricular Blazer, for his commitment to the musical arts. He also won his category in the Singing Competition, a true ‘crescendo’ for his time at College. Both Anson W and Karsen H gave strong performances in the Fraser Graham Piano competition and Hendrie N received his Music Full Colours.

Farewells and Thank Yous

We said goodbye to Upper Sixth led by Head of House Hawi R who, on occasion, did make the Prefect rota. Next to him stood one of his deputies whilst the other was probably in bed! Dominykas D was constantly ready to help around House and was commendable in sorting out Lower College while Gus C-R took on a similar leadership style to Hawi. All of Upper Sixth have contributed greatly to the House and they leave us for even greater heights with their wide range of universities and courses, truly showing their diversity and individuality. We also said goodbye to Miss Buist, who like Captain Cook came in and not only rejuvenated Tribes but can also be held accountable for our awesome performance in House Singing. We are grateful for all you have done. One year short of a decade we sadly say goodbye to Mr Hayden, whose continued commitment to the House is incomparable. He has shaped and guided Newick into the House that it now is, turning the boys into kind, polite and honest men. Special thanks of course must also go to Mrs Hayden for all her fun, patience and kindness. Although the family are not leaving College, they will be greatly missed in Newick.

Speech Day Prizes

Lower College
Attainment: Thomas C, Paddy G, Amir B
Endeavour: Caspar B
Wilson Diploma (Platinum): Paddy G

Upper College
Physical Geography (John Morse): George G
Head’s Award for Outstanding Commitment: Charlie W
Davenport Theatre Performance: Charlie W
The John Bowes Cup: Dominykas D
Cheltonian Endowment Trust Prize Music: Dominykas D

House Editor: Edward A