abingdon.org.uk/prep 19 ABINGDON NEWS A group of Philosophy and Theology students visited Delhi, Jaipur and Agra over half-term. They had the opportunity to visit and experience the many religions of India, its culture and its history. Amongst the highlights were visits to the Jama Masjid, the Akshardham Temple, the Bangla Sahib, the Taj Mahal, the Agra Fort, and seeing an Hindu ceremony. They also visited the Qutab Minar, the tallest minaret in the world at 234 feet, the site of Gandhi’s assassination and one of the centres of the Hari Krishna movement, as well as his mausoleum. All in all, an unforgettable trip. DREAMS OF INDIA During the first half of term, our new CCF recruits went on a training weekend. There was a mix of practical and theoretical work within the lessons including how things are seen or how to manoeuvre in the forest without being spotted. The cadets also had to stay focused on their organisational skills by keeping their accommodation clean and tidy. One cadet said: “My experience at the recruit training weekend was amazing. Getting woken up at 6am by music being blasted in the corridor was a new experience, to say the least. Overall, all the staff and NCOs made the trip extremely fun.” In November, Felix and Anthony launched their children’s book The Magic Tooth. The project began with a genuine desire to create a story which promotes the ideals of empathy, happiness and diversity. Felix and Anthony researched storytelling, then transferred their knowledge into creating the story line, characters and mood board. They presented this to some very energetic and honest pupils at Carswell School. Taking on board the feedback, Felix and Anthony set to work drafting and re-drafting the text and the storyline until they were satisfied with the result. The story is about a young crocodile who discovers the loneliness of being unable to communicate, the wonder of speaking many different languages and the benefits of creating a happy and diverse community. On the artistic side, they explored various illustration techniques as well as re-thinking the central character as a crocodile with wobbly teeth, rather than a child! The result is a beautiful little book which they are selling to raise funds for Arch, the charity which supports young children who struggle with reading. Well done Felix and Anthony! THE MAGIC TOOTH CCF RECRUIT TRAINING WEEKEND PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE In November, three Lower Sixth students attended the All-Party Parliamentary Engineering Group debate on ‘driverless vehicles’ at the House of Lords. Chaired by Professor The Lord Mair, they heard from the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Transport and the founder of Oxa Autonomous Vehicles. Topics including safety and accessibility, public perception and ethics were discussed.
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