Chapel on Monday began with the hymn, To God be the Glory. Mrs Barnard then spoke to us about the importance of sleep. Sleep affects our mood and our health, both mentally and physically. Sleep helps us to learn effectively and to remember facts. Many people even solve problems in their sleep. Sleep can also help increase physical stamina. So when we get insufficient sleep, it impacts every area of our lives.

On Wednesday, we celebrated International Women’s Day and from the pulpit, the Chapel looked like a sea of pink! We sang the hymn Be Thou My Vision and Mrs Stokes spoke to us about the money being raised in school for a charity called Womankind Worldwide. The funds raised may go towards training a Government official in Ethiopia on how to make laws and policies more inclusive for women, contribute to training a teacher on how to protect the rights of young female students against violence or provide a marginalized woman in Nepal with funding to start her own business.

Mrs Stokes also spoke to us about Shine Theory, which advocates that when as women we help another woman to rise, we all shine. Shine Theory is a commitment to asking, “Would we be better as collaborators or competitors?”.

Chapel concluded with this prayer.

“Gracious Lord, we pray for women and girls who experience inequality in their families, schools or in the work place, through religion and traditions and other practices of discrimination and control. May they increasingly be given opportunities to flourish, and may we in our awareness of their circumstances, make a difference. Amen”

With every blessing,
Revd Vindra Maraj-Ogden
Chaplain