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Concordia Winter 2024

News from Merchant Taylors’

Sir Andrew Strauss inaugurates the

Lower-Sixth student wins award in Space Sustainability Competition This year Krish T. took part in the satellite communications company Viasat’s first-of-its-kind ‘Beyond: Space’ Competition, for which students had to research, design and present their own concept to improve space sustainability. Krish was one of five finalists to be selected from thousands of entrants and was invited to Viasat’s headquarters in London to present his design to a large audience and panel of industry experts. Krish’s idea focused on a new coating for spacecraft to minimise atmospheric light pollution and support astronomy. He was runner-up in the competition, securing a sizeable educational grant, a week of work experience with Viasat in the summer, extended mentorship from two industry experts and a multitude of new connections. Ray Fielding, Head of Space Sustainability at the UK Space Agency and competition judge, said: ‘We were highly impressed with the quality of these students’ entries. In fact, their ideas are replicating many of the cutting-edge space sustainability concepts and technology ideas that the UK Space Agency is developing for the UK government. It has been amazing to see the level of research and knowledge shown by all the finalists’.

Julian Hill Cricket Centre April 2024 saw the Grand Opening of the Julian Hill Cricket Centre. Guest of honour, former England captain, Sir Andrew Strauss OBE, declared the new five-lane indoor facility officially open at a ribbon-cutting celebration attended by supporters of the new centre. Sir Andrew said, ‘This new indoor training centre is an outstanding facility and will provide young cricketers with the opportunity to train year-round and hone their skills for success on the pitch. It is truly world-class and will, I am sure, help develop young talent for years to come’. As well as providing Merchant Taylors’ cricketers with one of the best school facilities in the country, the new centre will transform indoor cricket provision in the region. It is now the base for Middlesex Country Cricket Club’s indoor training and will regularly host international touring sides. The London and East region’s women’s team, The Sunrisers, also hold weekly training sessions at Merchant Taylors’, and 17 local cricket clubs have used the cricket centre to date. The building is named in recognition of Julian Hill, Merchant Taylors’ alumnus and keen cricketer whose generous million-pound contribution made the project possible, together with donations from other members of the Merchant Taylors’ community. In fact, the centre is a philanthropic initiative: profits from the lettings income will help to fund bursary places at the School. ‘The new indoor cricket centre has revolutionised the wicket-keeping experience. The realistic bounce demands a lower stance, better preparing keepers for outdoor pitches, and the diverse range of nets enhances adaptability. Additionally, the astro fielding area provides an excellent surface for refining outdoor ground-fielding skills.’ Tom F. (Upper Sixth)

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Merchant Taylors’ sports on tour The MTS U15 cricket teams kicked off their pre-season with a tour to Dubai during the Easter holidays. The high-level matches and unique team-building experiences provided the perfect foundation for what became a successful 2024 season. Also during the Easter break, 32 U14 rugby players enjoyed an exciting tour to Soustons, near Biarritz, in south-west France. They gained valuable experience from competitive fixtures with Soustons RFC. Meanwhile, Lower School boys had an unforgettable time on a hockey tour to the Netherlands over the October half term, furthering their skills and fostering team spirit.