Further to my sign post in last week’s Bulletin to the news and letters sent from colleagues here regarding our arrangements for the build up to Christmas, I wish to highlight now more news of the L.I.O.N. Award, that will come to you from Mr Barber early next week. The acronym L.I.O.N. in the Award’s name stands for Leadership, Independence and Opportunities to Nurture. It is, we hope, by working against the background of these fundamental dimensions of the programme that the boys’ characters and their sense of themselves overall will have the best opportunity to flourish. I am especially thrilled to see that the ’12 Days of Giving’ initiative will be the final task of the L.I.O.N. Award for the boys in Years 3 – 5 this term. There are all sorts of generously spirited endeavours that your boys are asked to consider and complete, over 12 days. This initiative is also operating across the Hampton Trust with large numbers of boys at Hampton School due to take part in a similar scheme over the next fortnight or so. We very much hope the boys in the Prep will benefit from thinking of others at this time of year and then doing something practical and kind to show how much they care. That definitely feels like the very embodiment of the Christmas spirit to me.
