The Flagpole

Last year the Society of St Vincent de Paul made up and distributed Christmas parcels and hampers to needy families as well as to individuals. This year, the project is being extended the aim being to do the same as last year but covering a wider area. However, they can only do this with your support.

They are appealing for donations of non-perishable food items such as tinned, packeted, and dried food, bottled and tinned soft drinks, chocolates, snacks, biscuits and Christmas items such as mince pies, puddings, selection boxes and Christmas crackers. Games and jigsaws are also welcome.

The cut-off date for donations is Monday 5 December to enable time for the preparation and distribution of the hampers.

Thank you to those who have already donated. Please can everyone bring something to enable Christmas to be enjoyed by all.

During October half term Year 10 pupils Joe McCullough and Oscar Glover visited New Delhi, in India, as part of a Hockey Tour that comprised of sport, culture and charity work. The trip was organised by the National Hockey Academy (NHA), who the boys train with on Monday nights in Coventry.

The team played in a five-team tournament that took place in India’s Hockey National Stadium over two days in 30 degree's heat and humidity. They reached the final but unfortunately lost to a New Delhi team after the match finished 2-2. So, shuffles were needed and then a sudden death shoot out!

As well as the sport, the trip also involved many opportunities to experience the unbelievable cultural life of India; the food, sights, sounds, traffic and hospitality has given all memories that will last forever. The highlight from a tourist point of view was a trip to the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

To be in New Delhi for the festival of Divali was also a treat. However, the most important part of the trip was the charity donation of over 300 pairs of used hockey shoes that were brought from England, after donations from the clubs the team play for. These were given to the charity One Thousand Hockey Legs (OTHL), a charity that uses hockey as a way of getting boys and girls involved in the sport and therefore a temporary break from the difficulties that life in New Delhi brings.

Kieran McCullough