Concordia Magazine 2025

Clubs and Societies Fund Update

At the close of the Easter Term, the Clubs and Societies Committee convened to consider a record number of applications for funding support. After a lively and engaging meeting, in which the discussion was driven in large part by Upper Sixth pupils James Beeby (2019–2025) and Jenson Ives (2018–2025), the committee approved 14 projects, awarding a total of just over £21,000. Now in its eighth year, the scheme continues to go from strength to strength. It has become an invaluable initiative, empowering pupils to have a greater voice in shaping the enhancements they wish to see in their co-curricular activities. Pupils submit proposals on behalf of the clubs or societies they represent, making their case to the committee for funding drawn from the generous donations of parents, OMTs and friends of Merchant Taylors’.

Here are a few highlights of what has been achieved through this year’s awards.

Keshav Shah (Divisions) says, ‘The Society has introduced me to the fascinating world of healthcare and helped me clarify the career path I hope to pursue. Over the weeks, we have taken part in a range of engaging practicals. My favourite part was suturing: we started by getting loads of practice suturing bananas, which gave us the confidence and skill needed before we moved on to lambs’ hearts, which made the experience even more enjoyable. It has transformed the way I view the field, and the knowledge I’ve gained will stay with me wherever I go’.

Led by two hugely impressive and dynamic Upper Sixth Formers, Yuvraj Bansal and Arin Lad, the Medicine and Dentistry Society aims to inspire and encourage the next generation of medics and dentists through a programme of practical and theoretical sessions led almost entirely by the pupils themselves. Funding has provided a range of equipment and educational materials for their sessions, which have been hugely varied. Yuvraj and Arin’s enthusiasm (and an outstanding poster campaign) has attracted large numbers of boys.

Medicine and Dentistry Society

Ukulele Club The Ukulele Club was set up by Ellie Lemoine. Thanks to a grant from the fund to purchase 15 ukuleles, it welcomes players from complete beginners to polished classical guitarists who wish to gather for some fun and a singalong. The first meeting after the delivery of the instruments saw quite a number of staff turn up too! By the end of the half-hour session, the group was performing an entire song, even though some players had never before picked up a ukulele.

Strategy Board Game Club

Code Club

The Code Club’s funding enabled them to organise and run the School’s first ever hackathon. The event brought together nine teams, each of five students, ready to tackle a series of challenges designed to test their logic, creativity and coding skills. Six visiting schools — St Helen’s, Northwood College, Harrow High, Nower Hill, Pinner High and Queens — joined three home teams. The competition was fierce but friendly and showed that the future of coding is bright.

This club offers a great opportunity for boys of all ages to get away from screens during their lunch break, to socialise and play strategy board games. As the lunch ‘Hour’ has become shorter, many of the club’s existing games took too long to play; but with the help of the fund, new and exciting games that could be completed in under 50 minutes were added to their rota, helping them to attract more boys to the group each week.

Concordia Winter 2025 46