NEWS!
From fund-raising, to experiences this is where we update all our latest news, and post Oak Lodge's Newsletters (at the bottom of the page!) So check-in regularly!!
Edible Garden!!
April 2023
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Since the redesign of this unused area of the school
The Edible Garden has developed into a useful and enjoyable outdoor classroom .
Our upper school students can easily access the raised beds and have discovered the benefits of growing and nurturing their own plants.
Some students have pursued their interest in horticulture by going on to relevant FE vocational courses.
In the classroom students continue their cross-curricular studies by growing for eating & cooking or designing floral linked products for retail in the school shop.
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A Sparkling New
Mini-Bus!!
July 2022
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Thanks to the AMAZING people at Variety - The Children's Charity, in July 2022, we took delivery of a Brand New Mini-Bus!!
On a beautiful day, in the wonderful surroundings of Moor Park Golf Club, Variety presented Hearts of Oak with a new mini-bus which sparkled bright yellow in the sunshine! The colour was chosen by the bus sponsors, Joie (https://joiebaby.com/uk) and we just love it!!!
Even more exciting, the team at Hearts of Oak were joined by pupils from both Oak Bridge and Oak Lodge to collect the keys from golfing legend Colin Montgomorie, OBE!!
Our own Sally Adams spoke a few words to the watching crowd who had come to Moor Park to participate in the Pro-Am charity day and explain why it would make such a difference to our students.
In fact, in 2023 the mini-bus even managed to get invited into Buckingham Palace’s Royal Mews for a day-trip for some very lucky pupils (see the pictures below!).
Many thanks to Joie and also a huge thank-you to Variety and especially to Jamie Little who supported us through the application process…thanks Jamie, you’re a star!!
Also, thanks to Alex Sachs who raised loads of money for the bus via his participation in a Triahthlon and always, to The Frank Barnes Trust who continue to be an amazing friend to us!
The Lodge:
The Video and the Awards!
July 2017
Thanks to our good friends at One Connected Community, who have donated their time, expertise and directorial skills, we now have our second professionally-made Video!
The clip highlights the positive impact that our shop, The Lodge, has had on the pupils of Oak Lodge and Oak Bridge, and also introduces our amazing manager Carol to the world!!
Thanks to George and the team at One Connected Community for their on-going support!
https://www.oneconnectedcommunity.co.uk/
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In other news, we are delighted that The Lodge also picked-up a prize at The Barnet Schools Awards 2017 ceremony, winning The Special Enterprise award. It is great to see just how big a difference, and how well received The Lodge has been!
Frank Barnes - The Future's Bright!!
Sally Adams, Oak Lodge's amazing, energetic and inspirational teacher who works every single day to arrange day-trips, residential breaks and experiences for all the pupils at both schools, has been put in charge of a £150,000 legacy from The Frank Barnes Educational Trust. This money will be used for years to come to ensure that the joy Sally (pictured with Frank and George Adamson above) has injected into the children's lives will continue, and she is busy hatching some amazing trips!
Frank Barnes was a friend of Sally's and in her own words (below) she describes what an amazing man he was.
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Frank was either flying a little plane, a hot air balloon or climbing a mountain.
He had the kindest heart. He loved cats and kept 19 stray, ill and scraggy ‘rescued’ cats.
He was the least 'showy' man on earth. He was probably Britain's best and most experienced balloon pilot but never told anybody this.
He was a mathematician. In fact, he was a ‘prodigy’ in maths. He was a professor of Maths at the University of Nairobi in Kenya.
I bumped into Frank at the flying and mountaineering clubs based at Wilson Airport, Nairobi the day I arrived in Kenya in 1979 as a teacher of Geography. He asked me if I would like to fly a little plane with him the next day to the middle of the Kora Game reserve to meet George Adamson (from the film Born Free) and his lions. I did go and that was the start of a friendship that lasted many, many years flying little planes, hot air balloons or climbing mountains in many ‘obscure’ places in the world with Frank!
Frank was a natural and brilliant pilot. He really didn’t care about possessions or appearances. He had a heart of gold, a wonderful sense of humour......and just loved being in the sky.
I remember on many occasions at 4am heaving gas cylinders into bath tubs in precarious ‘guest houses’ round the world to prepare our ‘fuel’ for very early morning flights!
Frank was test flying his one man balloon he had brought back from Kenya when he was 47 years old. The cable of his balloon was faulty and snapped. He hit an electricity pylon and was tragically killed.
Frank’s money went to The Frank Barnes Educational Trust. Frank ‘lived’ for adventure and would love to know that his money is helping others to live ‘like Frank!’
Sally
April 2017
Oak Bridge Sensory Room
Grand Opening!!
December 2016
On a mild December morning, parents, pupils and teachers from Oak Bridge all gathered to witness the opening of their brand new Sensory Room.
Based on a Forest Theme and designed specially for us by Jason Kelvin (see his special "time-lapse" video below), it provides a place of calm, peace and respite for the students and will get used every single day!
Thanks once again to our ever-so-generous supporters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and to Suresh Vaghela (pictured) and his family for their donations that to Late Harjivan Vaghela & Late Natverbhai Patel family's , friends and all those who participated at the Jai Memorial Invitational Golf event 2016...their kindness makes huge differences to so many.
Breaking News: Tortoises out-run Hares!!!
The Hares take a well earned rest, but look like they know they're beaten!
June 2016
Team Tortoise cross the line to snatch a famous victory!!
To the victors go the spoils - and a years worth of bragging rights!!
Well it's official, the old fable of the Tortoise and the Hare turns out to be a true story, and in one of the biggest sporting upsets of the year (way ahead of Leicester winning the Premier League and Iceland beating England), the underdogs have triumphed again!!
But in the greatest of sporting traditions, the real winner was not cycling...the winner without a doubt is Hearts of Oak!
Through the incredible efforts of all the riders, and the support of all the donors, Freshfields have raised over £40,000...quite remarkable!!!
This amount has quite literally blown all of us away, and we really are struggling to find words to thank everyone enough.
We are proposing to use the majority of money to strengthen the staffing at our shop, The Lodge, and are now in a position to look to the future with much optimism.
We are also looking to put some of the donations toward specialist equpiment at our post 19 provision, Oak Bridge, and thanks to Freshfields all our pupils daily lives will be a lot happier.
Tortoise and Hare Challenge!!
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Partners from the Finance and Corporate departments at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, one of our most generous and loyal supporters, will be cycling from Oxford to Manchester on the 12th and 13th of June as part of a Tortoise v Hare style race for the benefit of Hearts of Oak and, specifically, The Lodge Shop.
The challenge will see the cyclists ride 167 miles with approximately 6000 feet of climbing. With many novices in Team Tortoise (the Finance group) and semi-professionals in Team Hare (the Corporate group) there will be a staggered handicap start with the Tortoises setting off a day earlier.
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Both teams will be not only risking pulled-muscles, saddle-sores, but also in-house bragging rights and all in the name of helping our retail unit, The Lodge. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!
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If you wish to donate please click on the CAF button below:
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May 2016
Grand Opening of The Lodge!!
February 2016
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On Tuesday 2nd February 2016, everyone involved with Hearts of Oak was delighted, excited and ecstatic to attend the official opening of our brand new shop, The Lodge.
With representaives from many of the Charities and individuals who so generously helped us to get the project launched, alongside Teachers pupils and even The Deputy Mayor of Barnet, the ribbon was cut, and the doors swung open!
Commenting on the opening, Head Teacher of Oak Lodge, Lynda Walker said, "This new shop will allow every pupil to gain work experience, interact with the public, teach maths, arts and crafts and so much more. Thanks to Hearts of Oak for their support in getting us launched...The future is very exciting!!".
January 2016:
DAYTRIPPERS choose Hearts of Oak for their "School of The Year!!
Having worked closely in the past with Daytrippers, who have generously funded so many great days-out and experiences for our pupils, we were delighted to be chosen by them as their "School of the Year 2016".
The money they have pledged will be used to ensure that every single student will gain confidence, see new sights, and have fun throughtout the year, and we are so grateful!!
What an amazing start to 2016!!
To find out more about the wonderful work Daytrippers support, and Oak Lodge's most recently funded trip, visit their website at:
THE LODGE
January 2016
Hearts of Oak are delighted to announce the arrival of our Brand New Shop...THE LODGE!!
The retail unit, situated less than 300 yards from Oak Lodge, at 132a East End Road, N2, will be run by the staff AND Pupils of both schools.
The shop will sell seasonal gifts, cards and stationery and our students will be involved in all aspects of the business from purchasing stock, display, pricing, marketing and accounting as well as the all important customer service. We consider the shop to be a unique extension of the curriculum offer at Oak Lodge School providing positive and meaningful learning opportunities for young people in a truly innovative classroom!
Through this unique faciltiy, the schools hope to be able to offer appropriate retail qualifications to significantly increase employability and improve outcomes for these students.
We have been supported in this venture by three Charities, and a huge thank-you to all at The Hadley Trust, Jesus Hospital Charity, and The Finchley Charities, who have enabled us to get the whole project started.
Additionally, the fit-out expenses have been donated by a parent of one of our students, who not only financed the works, but oversaw the refurbishment, and threw-in, security cameras, alarms and even a music system!
From every member of staff and pupil, we say a huge Thank-You to our supporters; this is a unique opportunity for a small school, and will change lives.