Downe House
- web site: www.downehouse.co.uk
- telephone: +44 (0)1635 200286
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On 9 December a small group of Sixth Form girls from Downe House left Heathrow for India accompanied by two members of staff. We had prepared for our journey but none of us were fully ready for the fantastic mix of sounds, sights and smells that is India in the modernising city of Bangalore – now known as one of the IT hubs of the world. We were lucky enough to watch the sunrise over the rooftops of the city on our first morning which showed of just how quickly Bangalore is growing.
The main purpose of the stay was to support teachers in a school funded by a charity – the Acts of Hope. Money is raised, some by the girls of Downe House, to pay for the school, including meals and uniforms. This provides a wonderful opportunity for children in one of the poorest areas of south-east Bangalore. Not only does it provide a good education but it, importantly, helps the children move towards achieving their ambitions for life. Downe girls were to help teachers within classes, play with pupils during breaks, and to prepare them for the Christmas Show. Girls slept on the floor, showered from a bucket, learnt to eat with their right hand only and got into the habit of removing shoes every time they entered a building.
Having travelled overnight the girls immediately threw themselves into their roles into the classes and soon became an accepted and valued part of the team. The pupils loved them, using the title ‘Aunty' (‘uncle' for our one male) or pulling on clothes and hands to get your attention –they always wanted our attention. Eventually, staff had confidence in our girls to allow them to face classes on their own. The girls achieved a tremendous amount with the pupils in Bangalore during our all too short visit. One lasting feature of our stay is a mural painted by our girls symbolising the link between Downe and Acts of Hope
It was important that we all had a wider experience of Bangalore than the school. We visited the centre of the city for two shopping expeditions – and our girls could shop. The girls were much wiser second time around as we had also visited local shops for bangles where teachers from the school showed our girls how shopping is really done Bangalore style. I still have a lot of sympathy for the shopkeeper who was ambushed by the staff and our girls. Returning to the school in a three wheeled motorbike taxi called a ‘Tuk Tuk' was something that had to be seen to be believed. The ladies of the party took the opportunity when offered to visit a local beauty parlour for henna tattoos and head massages. These were undoubtedly some of the most valued opportunities as we all found presents for loved ones to whom we would return for Christmas.
We were involved in more serious learning experiences. One evening took us into the back streets of a rural community on the edge of the city. Here we visited homes, in all of which we would have been considered rude to refuse the drinks and food that were offered. So, we ate a full day's intake in the short visits. Importantly, we also gained an insight into the living conditions of the people in the area. One home simply consisted of a single 3 metre by 3 metre room. The evening ended with a prayer meeting in the house of one of the Trustees of the School. Over 30 people squeezed into the front room to sing and pray in the local Kanada language – for which a translator was kindly provided to help our party who were truly feeling like ‘strangers in a strange land'. Then, we were served more food. We found that food was served on a much grander size than we were used to and by the end of the trip some of us had the post-Christmas overeating bulge before Christmas had even begun.
One of the rewards for the girls during the trip, as if curry every day and shopping are not enough, was a weekend in Delhi so that the girls could spend the day at the Taj Mahal in nearby Agra. Watching the girls during the journey itself was wonderful. They were so excited by cows, oxen, monkeys, elephants and even camels on the road; shocked by the ‘road rules' or lack of them and delighted at the sights of the villages and small towns through which we passed. We will treasure our day at one of the most beautiful wonders of the world.
Our final day in Bangalore was for tourism. We spent a day seeing the sights as schools were closed for one of the many Indian festivals. We visited Tipu Sultan's Palace, the Bull Temple, Lal Bagh Gardens, the ISKON Temple and former colonial buildings. In a busy day the girls took every last chance for their once in a lifetime activities, ranging from their first taste of coconut milk to hunting down some saffron in the shops – yes, shopping again – to sitting quietly in the Gardens laid out by the British during the 19th Century taking in the scenery. The final day gave us the chance to reflect on what we had achieved and what we had gained from the outstanding opportunity. The girls had a chance to think about the different Indian communities they saw during the visit and what they had gained from making the effort to be part of the group.
From the day of sightseeing we returned for a final brief night in the school to find that we had to prepare for our long return journey in the dark as the area was suffering one of its frequent power cuts. Fortunately, the power returned later in the evening so we could check that all was OK and get a few hours sleep before our final Indian road journey to get the early morning plane.
While the girls gained much from the trip, they gave much in return. Their efforts with the pupils in Bangalore were excellent. The achievements of our girls volunteering to be part of this hard journey and what the group brought to the experience and the success in making a valuable contribution are a reflection on the attitude of Downe girls. We should all be proud these girls who were the perfect ambassadors for Downe in India.
Dan Cruikshank - 'Adventures in Architecture'
Dan is a leading expert on architecture and historic buildings and a regular presenter on the BBC. He is best known for his popular series Britain's Best Buildings and Around The World in 80 Treasures; and for his appearances in Under Fire and What The Industrial Revolution Did For Us. Dan's latest series, Adventures in Architecture has recently screened on BBC 2.
Pupils from Downe House have walked the 300km (200 miles) from Downe House to Salcombe in Devon to raise awareness and funds for Cancer Research UK's vital research. The girls arrived wet and tired, but triumphant, after a gruelling 16 day march which took them acorss fields, rivers and along the coastal path.
The competition is open to all students in Year 12 and essay titles are set by Corpus Christi. Poppy will be attending the Prize Giving on 3 July.
Annie entered her design for her AS Level Product Design Resistant Materials coursework and has been selected as one of the 20 finalists. She will take her project and portfolio to the Finals, which will be held at Dulwich College in London on 20 June 2008.
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Performances at 11am and 6pm at 'The Dell', the outdoor performance space in the RSC Centenary Gardens, bordered by the river and Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon.
Bring a picnic, all welcome!
2nd - 4th May in the Performing Arts Centre
‘Times' writer Mary Ann Sieghart gives Summer Term Medley Lecture
Newbury's MP, Richard Benyon, visited Downe House on 25th April speak to thePolitics Society about his work in the House of Commons and the constituency.
Congratulations to Emma Powell (U5) who was selected for NYT's highly acclaimed acting course.
On Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th March, Downe House hosted a charity fashion show. The events were organised by Rosie Fortescue, Georgiana Haig and Celia Thursfield, in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, raising a total of just over £5,500.
Gillian Clarke, renowned poet, who has written poetry and prose for children and adults, visited Downe House on Sunday, 16 March. Her poetry reading began with her first publsihed poem 'The Sundial' and the audience were immediately impressed by her passionate and erudite ideas......
Diane Louise Jordan, businesswoman and one of the most popular presenters of BBC One's Songs of Praise, gave a talk and answered questions about how her faith influences the way she conducts her own business life and on matters relating to business ethics and corporate social responsibility more generally.
If you missed House Drama, or would like to see your daughter's performance again, a professional Double DVD recording by Kingsbridge AV Limited of all five productions will be available to order at a cost of £22.50 each.
Click here to find out how to order
This Trust was established in November 2006 as part of the agreed resolution of the OFT's recent investigation.
The objects of the Trust are to:
There are three criteria for eligibility:
For further details go to <Joining Downe> and click on <Scholarships>