Thought For The Day – Thursday 15^th June 2023

Sunday is Father’s Day. This is a good opportunity to reflect on male role models and inspirations, whether they be our fathers and step fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sons, uncles, wider family, friends or appropriate role models, inspirations and supports in the wider community.

We hope everyone has a good male inspiration and role model.  We hope all our male students continue to be good inspirations and role models now, and in the future.

This is also an opportunity to question false and wrong stereotypes and celebrate love, care, nurture, compassion, empathy, resilience, character, humility, wisdom, diversity and being there for others.

Love is all that matters.

We think at this time of those wonderful role models who are no longer with us, but always guide us and inspire us from above.

Two fathers , David and Sanjoy,   were inspirational beyond words yesterday in speaking of their children, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, in the most challenging and incomprehensible of circumstances beyond words to describe. These two fathers spoke so movingly, gracefully and gratefully of the truly brilliant and beautiful in brilliant and beautiful sunlight, surrounded by the love and solidarity of thousands at Nottingham University: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4pQT4UBgEU

  “Love everyone, be friends with everyone”, said Sanjoy, with David’s arm on Sanjoy’s shoulder.

Yesterday, the most wonderful tributes were paid to Barnaby, Grace and Ian Coates, who were all killed in Nottingham on Tuesday.  All were,  and will always be, beautiful, brilliant, inspirational and outstanding people.  They loved others and others loved them.   Grace O’Malley-Kumar, 19 years of age,  studied medicine at Nottingham University, helped with the national vaccination programme in the pandemic, was a member of under 16 and under 18 England hockey squads and captained Essex women’s cricket team.  Barnaby Webber, 19 years of age,  studied History at Nottingham University,  had a particular interest Geopolitics, was a brilliant cricketer with his club, school and university, played hockey and was a cadet.  Ian Coates, 65 years of age,  was a wonderful, warm and wise site manager and a caretaker Nottingham’s Huntingdon Academy.  Ian Coates always gave his time for students over many years and the wider community, running a fishing club for example, and was a committed supporter of Nottingham Forest and devoted father.

The deepest thoughts and prayers of The Bishop’s Stortford High School are with all affected by this tragedy, particularly Barnaby, Grace and Ian, their families and bereaved.

Our deepest thoughts and prayers are always with all who suffer and those who are suffering.

We are there for, and support, one another. Our heroes and inspirations were, and are,  all around us.  We continue legacies of the greatest love.  The love and light of the beautiful and brilliant is always missed, is always remembered, will always be treasured in our hearts,  and will always guide and inspire.

Above – picture taken last evening.