Never underestimate the powers of good food, music, sport and art. All of these, plus a day without a mobile phone, were at the core of the first ever Bedford School Well-being Week, which staff and pupils alike immersed themselves in with vigour.
With exams almost over for the year, staff and pupils were encouraged to try out something new, absorb the atmospheric activities and let the pressures of exams ease away.
Some of the activities included:
- A ‘pop up’ Well-being café – situated temporarily in our Quarry Theatre for the week. This pretty little spot played host to a lunchtime café, where boys could gather and listen to live music (played by Mr Nicholl). A staff bake-off competition was held on Monday morning, where the enthusiastic bakers among us baked ‘showstopper’ cakes. After judging, the cakes were sold in the café to raise money for charity. In fact, raising just over £50 for Rise Africa UK.
- Yoga – It would not be a Well-being Week without a spot of yoga! Led by yogi extraordinaire and music teacher Mr Rooke, this lunchtime activity was open to all; in particular, complete novices were strongly encouraged to give it a go! There was a fantastic turn out. Set in the Quarry Theatre garden with live music gently playing in the background, the atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing – even for a group of teenage boys!
- Drink and draw – On Wednesday, staff were encouraged to exercise their creative flair in an art workshop where they could take part in life drawing, make a lino-cut or intaglio print, or unlock their sculptural ingenuity during a session in clay work – all with the knowledgeable art department staff on hand to provide direction.
- Ultimate Frisbee – Headed up by our school Ultimate Frisbee Champion Fraser Elliott, the Ultimate Frisbee session provided some active fun during Thursday lunchtime. Boys and staff joined together to play, cheered on by plenty of supporters.
- Running Club – Run by Charlie Palmer every Friday, this week there was a real focus on encouraging new people to have a go. All abilities were welcome, walking was fine and there was the added incentive of earning a running t-shirt for continuing and attending ten sessions.
- Digital Detox – Over the course of Friday we introduced a digital detox of varying scales. Pupils were asked to put down their mobile phone for the day, instead focusing on the world around them. Staff will also be joining in from 6pm Friday to 6am Saturday.
Additionally, Mr Gracie shared his ‘Great Dreams’ poster, stimulating discussion in tutor groups, and Mrs Betterton kindly put together a reading booklet full of short stories and details on how to lead a book discussion.
Of course, well-being and positivity of mind is always encouraged, however with daily stresses and our relentlessly busy lives, taking a step back and refocusing our minds once in a while can do us the world of good.
