On Monday, Charity Prefect and Chief Chapel Steward, Eleanor J (12N), gave a presentation which highlighted the extent of the students’ charitable, fundraising and community activities in this academic year. Eleanor J also set out her ambitions for 2025-26; here is Eleanor’s speech in full:

“Good morning everyone, I’m Eleanor, your Senior Charity Prefect and Chief Chapel Steward for next year. I want to start with this year's success…

This year we have raised nearly £8,500, supporting 10 organisations including Macmillan Cancer Support, Grace O’Malley Kumar Foundation, Royal British Legion, Isabel Hospice, Crisis at Christmas, Save the Children and Salvation Army. Of the overall total, we raised nearly £3,000 for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice through events including house suppers, bake sales and sponsorship to run a Mini Marathon. For Autumn Jumper Day, students donated 77 bags of produce to Knebworth Food Bank and at Christmas, 51 shoe boxes were donated to Samaritan’s Purse to bring joy to some of the poorest children in the world.

For their World Challenge Trip to Peru 2026, students raised over £3,000 to help cover their costs.

The total raised this year is truly incredible and everyone involved should be extremely proud of the impact they have made to struggling families, children in need and to communities both near and far.

Looking ahead, my focus is to get more of you involved. I have witnessed the difference even one more bag of food donated can make to people. I really believe that as a school we can do so much more – as we have a school of 465 pupils. Imagine the difference we could make if everyone brought in even a couple of food items or we doubled the number of shoe boxes sent out this christmas. To prepare for this, why not put aside some food tins or have a look in charity shops for items for the shoebox collection over the summer.

In the meantime, look out for the charity events coming up including Pride Day this Friday, the Whole School Bake Sale on 2nd July, and Capture the Flag on the last day of term! Please use the opportunity to enjoy yourself while contributing to charity!

Thank you.”

On Wednesday, we were joined in Chapel by Dr Genevieve Musey who is training for ministry in the Methodist Church; Dr Musey came to see how Chaplaincy works at Queenswood School. In addition to attending our act of worship, Dr Musey spoke with Reverend Kate about ministry with young people and met some students at lunchtime. We are looking forward to welcoming Dr Musey back on another occasion to speak to students about her previous role with The United Nations.

For our act of worship, Senior Chapel Stewards Rebekah W (9N) and Ore A (9N) read from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 22, verses 34-40.

Reverend Kate said that while today’s Bible reading will help us become global citizens - able to learn, live and work with all people and so make the world a better place - it is also a Bible reading that will help us on a deeply personal level.

In summary, the instructions that Jesus gives us are: Love God, Love Self and Love Others.

But, let’s be honest, Reverend Kate said, sometimes we may find it difficult to love ourself. Perhaps we do not prioritise sleep, or we look at a screen when our eyes hurt, or we stay in a toxic friendship when people who love us advise otherwise.

Treating ourself like this can drain our energy, make us physically unwell or give away our joy.

In contrast, Reverend Kate said that some of us may think that others definitely love themselves, perhaps in ways that offend us or are not necessarily right for our community or the world.

Martin Luther King once said that it is possible to ‘love yourself without being selfish and egotistical’; more recently, Brené Brown framed self-love, not as pride, but as ‘foundational to empathy and compassion’.

So, loving ourself can be a force for good.

Reverend Kate said that Loving God is definitely a force for good, because it is in relationship with the divine that we experience the love of God, which makes it possible to do what sometimes might seem impossible: to love ourself - in spite of past hurts and learned behaviours and in spite of fear and doubt.

So, in the days ahead, Reverend Kate invited us to pay special attention to those moments when we act in ways which are not in our best interests; when we do things which may seem like a good idea at the time, or we convince ourself are ok, but which really do not demonstrate love for ourself……. and, in response to these acts, Reverend Kate said that perhaps we might consider how to behave differently next time so that, day by day, we can learn to love ourself as God loves us: eternally, deeply and wholly.

‘Love after Love’ is a poem written by Derek Walcott, it speaks of a moment when ‘you will love again the stranger who was your-self’. Here is Helena Bonham Carter reading the poem:

Reverend Kate said that while about the loss of a romantic relationship, Derek Walcott’s poem speaks into a loss of self that may occur because of a need to fit in, a need to be seen and heard or a need to be valued. Such needs often stem from a longing to feel loved which can, in turn, lead us to seek love in anything but ourself.

However, no-one is left out of God’s love.

So, in the days ahead, Reverend Kate encouraged us to learn to love ourself as God loves us, because in doing so, we will make the world a better place for all people - including, and especially, ourself.

Reverend Kate prayed:
Loving God,
Help us to see ourself as you see us: as loved, loving and lovable.
When we struggle to believe this, or we treat ourself in ways that do not honour who we are, remind us of your presence and your desire for our wholeness.
Give us the courage to make good choices for our bodies, minds and hearts so that we may become the people you create us to be and may make the world a better place. Amen.