Sophie's holiday notes

This week whilst all my friends are back at school I have set off for another weeks holiday to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, which for those who don't know are a group of island in the Caribbean. After a long day travelling we landed about two hours after we should have and were met by our friend who took us out for a meal and then to our villa. Sunday we had a relaxing day on the beach. Monday was more interesting because my brother my dad and I got a ferry over to the baths and spent a day there. On the way back a woman on a stretcher had to come onto the boat because she need to get to the hospital which was on Tortola, what i found very interesting was the man who was traveling with her had to pay for him and the girl to cross. If I was the man collecting the money i would have let them ride for free because the woman obviously need help and she had no choice but to cross on the ferry to get to the hospital. Then that night we went to eat at a curry restaurant which was very stressful because our starters came an hour after we ordered them and we were the only ones there, our mains then came before we had a chance to eat the starter. Tuesday we then went to another beach but my mum and her friend stayed behind because it was to hot fir them but in actual fact it rained and was extremely cold. Then on Wednesday my dad, brother, our friend Gary and I went snorkelling with another couple from our hotel. Seeing all the amazing fish made me think about what it would be like to be another animal besides a human (like a fish). then we went to lunch on the Willy T which is a boat moored up which has been converted into a restaurant and bar with a dance area and a top deck. Then more snorkelling and back to the hotel. What I really find amazing here is the speed at which the locals drive, they drive scarily fast and overtake you at the worst time like going round a corner. Also driving along you see so many things you would never see in england like men carrying machetes around and cars left on the road side with plants growing in/around them because they are not used anymore. The state of the local peoples cars are amazing, so battered and broken, rear bumpers with dents and scratches, wing mirrors held on with tape, no lights because they are broken and at night they can't be seen so they are more likely to cause an accident, number plates hanging by one screw. They just don't seem to care and if it works then they believe everything is alright, which i suppose is true if something works why throw it away if it is a little broken? Just fix it and keep on using it. 

Precious thinks about Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston Dies Age 48

Whitney Houston was found dead at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California in a bath at her hotel. She was declared dead on February 11, 2012. The police have not yet found out exactly how she died but they believe it may have something to do with pills found in her room that where purchased froma local pharmacy. She is believed to have taken the pills then she may have accidentally drowned in the bath because of the pills she had taken. This has to do with the bible because people in the Bible died and they were remembered by their families and friends and Whitney Houston will also be remebered always by everyone.

Oliver considers knighthood

I am writing about the story in the news where the head of the bank of Scotland Sir Fred Goodwin is possibly loosing his knighthood. In 2008 Sir Fred Goodwin lead the bank of Scotland to the brink of collapse so the bank had to become national and the tax payer had to save it by spending £45 billion. Now Edd Millerband says his knighthood should be removed because he got it for banking and Sir Goodwin is "desecrating the reward."


If Jesus was alive now I think he would be knighted because he healed loads of people and unlike the roman times I think we would understand what he stood for. Although we may see it as treason as they used to because he called himself the king of the Jews.

Charlotte thinks about Charles Dickens

Prince Charles laid a reath on the authors grave, Charles Dickens as part of the service at Westminster Abbey. Ralph Fiennes, Claire Tomalin and Mark Dickens attended the service.  The royal family also visited Charles dickens museum in London which opened in 1925 in the house which the author lived in during the time period of 1837-1839. The royal family also got a private reading from a actress who played a part in one of Dickens great film. Her name was Gillian Anderson, she said that she was surprised on how the family reacted with fun and jokes. There was a service in Portsmouth when dickens was born. Here in Portsmouth wreaths were laid at his birthplace and Dickens great-great grandson, Ian Dickens, laid a wreath too.  Readings were read by Simon Callow(who read parts of David Copperfield) and Sheila Hancock ( who read from Oliver Twist) who were fellow workers and worked beside Dickens for quite a lot of his life. Meanwhile there was a 24 readathon taking place in countries like Albania and Zimbabwe.

Callowrefired to dickens desire to where he wanted to be buried. He said this:  "that when he was younger that he had made a really strong decision to come and live in the place where he was born rather than Westminster Cathedral where he never wanted to be." In the end Dickens was buried at Rochchester Cathedral where he was in peace with no publicity.

Judith Flanders also attended the service. She read from Bleack House and said that the whole thing was enormously moving. She then said that Dickens would have hated having all the fuss made about him as she thought that he was not that kind of person who liked to have a fuss made out of him. Someone else then added dickens humanity and compassion made a huge impact on Victorian England throughout his writing and novels. These novels still remain very popular with all age groups.

The BFI Southbank in London is holding a international readathon that will now be happening in Australia. The readings will be Dombey and son and will end with the Mastery of Edwin Drood. Susie Nicklin who organizes this event said 2 we are responding to the huge global demand from the audiences in 66 countries with whom Dickens has struck a chord as this themes and characters seem as fresh to them today as they did to the readers in the Victorian era.

Other events include the bi-centenary dinner in the Mansion House in London that happened on Tuesday night. Sir Patrick Steward read and Dickens newspapers were launched along with a ipad app for people to see the content of Dickens work.

All members of the Cabinet were given copies of Dickens work by the Culture Secretary Jeremy hunt to mark this amazing day. David Cameron was given Hard Times and Great Expectations.

At the weekend Claire Tomalin said "children did not have the attention span necessary to appreciate the authors work because they were being reared on dreadful television programmes."

I think Jesus would of enjoyed the day that was celebrated today. He would have been proud to have Dickens as part of the English Population as Dickens did so well with the thing he enjoyed most- writing. Jesus would also have been sad for Dickens family and friends who were remembering Dickens for his work but also for who he was as a person. Everyone behind their fame has feelings and a personality. This shows the feelings behind everyone when they have family and friends. Jesus would have wanted everyone to be different and show what they're like personally! 

Wilf says Happy 200th Birthday Dickens!!!

Charles Dickens was born on the 7 February 1812. Charles was lived in Portsmouth for his early life and moved to London. His first novel was The Pickwick Papers. Most of his stories were posted in a weekly magazine and soon became very popular. He enjoyed the fame and popularity, which carries on to this day.  He is said to the greatest writer in the Victorian period and for some people, ever.

His anniversary was celebrated throughout the country and even in Bloxham School, when the English department dressed up in Victorian clothes and Mr Alexander read ‘the Death of Nancy’ to the school in assembly. A ceremony took place at Charles’ home in Portsmouth with readings from Simon Callow and Sheila Hancock. Prince Charles and Camilla attended a service at Westminster Abbey and laid a reef at his grave.

Charles Dickens was a Christian and brought it in a few of his books. I think that Jesus would be happy when we celebrate his birth just as we celebrate Jesus’ every year. Celebrating it in a church service was a respectful thing to do in the presence of God and for Charles as a Christian. 

Holly thinks about meningitis jabs

A vaccine for childhood meningitus has been developed by scientists.  Like these scientists are healing people nowadays Jesus healed people in his time. I think if Jesus was around today he would be a scientists because in his times he was coming up with interesting theroys and ideas.  Very similar to moden day scientists.  This vaccine is to doctors and patients what Jesus was to his followers, he could save lives and so is this medicine.  This was so different for Jesus because meninigitus was completed undiagonsed and heard of uncurable in nomal cerumstances.  This puts into perspective the real healing powers of Jesus and how astonoshing it was at the time.  As scientists descoverd this jab it was based on scientific facts and reasoning.  But some people prefer to listen to the bible e.g God created the world rather than the big bang.  So I surppose some people won't believe in this medicine.  But then some people don't believe in Jesus.

Tom thinks about the recession

"The UK was staring down the barrell of another recession today after the economy shrank mpore than expected at the end of last year". This was the opening paragraph to an article in the Independent this morning.

The P M, Mr Cameron, described the performance as "disappointing" but i believe he is trying to pass the blame to someone else but he is the P M and he should take ultimate responsibility for everything.

The chancelor,Mr Osborne, said we need to "stick to the coalition government's austerity programme". I agree with Mr Osborne becauseif we keep changing the recovery plan it will just keep getting worse while the government mess around.

I think the solution to this is to raise taxes slightly so the government can start some government buisness meaning a rise in employment and in turn a greater income for the governement. With this extra money they could then start paying off some of our "substancial debts".

Jesus would aggrewith the tax increase because he agreed with it in his own period they were the emporer's coins and the moneyis the government's money.

Oliver T's thoughts on execution

This week i am writing about a vidio that the pakistan taliban filmed as a warning to the pakistan army oporating near the afgan boarder. The vidio consisted of the pakistan taliban (TTP) executing 15 members of the pakistan army. They said it was to avenge there fallen brothers who had been killed in the khyber agency.It started with a Army soldier explaning how the TTP had over run there fort , killed a sentary and captured the soldiers with there weponry. While the soldiers sead this you could hear the TTP chanting "we will cross all limits to avenge your blood" refering to the fallen fighters. Next one of the TTP put a clip in his AK47 and fires a few rounds in to the back of a soldiers head. They then yell "God is greatest" Other TTP members take it in turns to shoot the remaining soliders. The victims were recoverd and given a funeral with full military honours.

This story remindes me of how Jesus was executed by people who thought they were doing the right thing and how the soliders didn't do anything wrong. I hope this injustice will not be repeated again.

Charlotte considers the death of Gary Speed

Gary Speed died on Sunday 27th September 2011.

Gary’s friend Alan Shearer had spoken to Gary recently. Gary had said “not all is alright”.

He also sent a text message to his wife, Mrs. Speed, a few days before he killed himself. It said and talked in terms of “taking his life”.

Gary and his wife had just been to a party in the village, they returned home. Gary’s wife suggested that she would go for a drive. Gary shut the door and bolted it and said “you’re not going anywhere”. She went upstairs and lay on their bed for 5-10 minutes. She then decided that she would go for a drive to clear her head of thoughts.

She didn’t get very far, the end of the road, and then she turned back and drove home once again. She couldn’t get into the house so she slept outside in the car.

Mrs. Speed then went into the house in the morning around 7am. She found her husband dead, hanging from the ceiling in the garage.

After being stuck in the car she saw Gary hanging with while fabric around his neck, through the garage window. She called the children on the landline to let her in and then she called 911. It was too late.

A few villagers that knew Gary called him a man of a few words.



Jesus wouldn’t like Gary killing himself (nobody would) but it’s going against the 10 commandments. Jesus wouldn’t like Gary not liking his life either as Gods will is for everyone to be happy and have a good/fun life.

George thinks about Stephen Lawrence

The racial attacks on Steven Lawrence were recently brought into the news recently. Because of new technology discovering that Gary Dobson and David Norris, were guilty of the murder of the black teenager Steven Lawrence. The evidence they found was; Gary Dobson’s bomber jacket had traces of Steven Lawrence’s blood on it; also inside the jacket there were fibres from the teenagers clothes he was wearing on the night of the attack, Blood flakes of the young teenager were found on a ten pence coin in the pocket of the killer’s jacket; David Norris’ trousers were examined for blood but none was found. But soon after, forensic scientists examined the trousers a second time and yet again there were no traces of blood. But this time there were 2 pieces of 1mm long hairs that matched the DNA of Steven Lawrence.

This goes against Jesus’ teaching of “Love thy neighbour”. As a racial attack is hardly loving your neighbour. What really makes me angry about this story is that Steven Lawrence Couldn’t help the opinion people had about the colour of his skin. He was born with it, there’s nothing he could do about it. So what if someone has a different skin colour to you, it doesn’t affect you in any way, so get on with life. Everybody’s different.