1646 – Issue 2

It is safe to say that this year has been like no other. But when we look back on 2020 it is important to remember the things that we managed to achieve. For Blue Coat, we felt it was important to give back to the community and involve our own community in the process. Here, we reflect on some of the amazing achievements of the Blue Coat Community during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are proud that Old Blues were included in this and look forward to giving back even more in the future! Giving back in the time of Covid Community Garden At the start of the autumn term 2020, a small space of land was cleared at the very far end of the back lawn. This space was soon awash with lumber, wooden sleepers and lining sheets. What happened over the following fewweeks was transformational. The lumber and wooden sleepers were fashioned into squares, the lining sheets were attached to the inside and they were filled with mulch and soil. Suddenly, the School had its very own community garden! Pupils in Years 7 and 8 have not only prepared the vegetable patches, but have also planted rows of cauliflower, broccoli, onions and cabbage. These should be hardy enough to grow throughout the winter, before more seeds are sown in February 2021. RBC4NHS Back in May the Reading Blue Coat Community came together to raise over £4,800 for the NHS! The original challenge was for students, parents, staff andOld Blues towalk, cycle, run or row 1,406km; the distance fromWest Cornwall NHS Hospitals to Dunbar NHS Hospital in Scotland, the Northern and Southernmost NHS Hospitals in the UK. However, the community went on to complete this distance a whopping eight times, covering the distance from Reading Blue Coat to Argentina! A total of 11,510km was covered in more than 750 individual journeys made by members of the School community between Monday 11 and Sunday 17 May. RBC4NHS was set by the School’s student-led outreach department, The Aldworth Partnership, and the School’s Foundation Office to help raise vital funds for the NHS. Director of Foundation, Mrs Victoria Fangen-Hall, said ‘True to form, the Blue Coat community completely embraced RBC4NHS and we are delighted at the support received for the challenge. Multiple generations of individual families have taken part; along with staff, former students and friends of the School, all helping us travel the length of the UK over eight times! We are grateful to all those that participated, sponsored and donated to make the challenge a true community success.’ Special mention must go to the School’s Boat Club, who rowed a total distance of 3,643, or two lengths of the country! We would also like to thank all Old Blues who took part or donated. 8