For Ned Hewson his 18^th birthday means just one thing – he will then be able to run in marathons!

The A Level student has already signed up to the Brighton Marathon, which takes place soon after his milestone birthday. So, between now and April 6^th he’s grasping any opportunity to train, venturing out on 5km, 10km and now 15km runs. No mean feat when he has also been performing his duties as Head Boy, House Captain, Deputy Head of House; as well as learning lines and rehearsing for one of the lead roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and studying for his A Levels in PE, economics and drama!

Ned’s determination to run the marathon is to raise money and awareness for the mental health charity MIND. He says: “I have chosen this mental health charity 'Mind' due to the difficulties I have been exposed to throughout my life. Just like everyone in the world, I have had my share of ups and downs but I believe that the ups are often spoken about more than the downs; when actually both are just as important in making someone the person they are today. I have decided to embark on this journey to prove to myself and all of you that we are capable of overcoming any challenge we face and that sometimes you need to have moments of pain to experience the times of glory and greatness."

"I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported me with my struggles with mental health and everyone who will be supporting Mind through my journey for this marathon.”

As well as setting himself the target of raising £2,025, Ned is also hoping to finish the marathon in under four hours!

Ned can be sponsored using this link.

The Pipes and Drums taking part in the Last Post Association service at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Belgium on Saturday evening. Earlier on the students visited St George's Memorial Chapel (below) for a service conducted by the school Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright to remember the 156 Gordonians who died during World War One.

Privileged to welcome Baron Robert Winston for a fascinating talk and question and answer session with Sixth Form students. The professor, medical doctor, scientist, television presenter and Labour peer answered wide ranging questions from a mixture of psychology, sociology and biology students on ethics, epigenetics, genetics and gene editing. Head of Psychology Gurdeep Bilkhu, pictured (left) with Baron Winston said: “What makes today even more special is that Lord Winston is generously sharing his time and expertise with us out of his own good will. We are deeply humbled by his unwavering commitment to advancing science and education”. Also pictured is sociology teacher Bethan Sage and students.

From St Paul’s Cathedral to the Front Field at Gordon’s. Today piper Amber Wright performed the lament and the School Chaplain, the Reverend Graham Wright conducted a short service on what would have been General Gordon’s 192nd birthday. A wreath was laid at the foot of the Gordon Statue, by Gordonian Officer Harriet Turk. The quiet, intimate service follows similar ones held in the past two weeks at the Gordon Statue on the Thames Embankment; the memorial at Westminster Abbey and monument at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Pipes and Drums Tour marking 140 years of the school as the National Memorial to the war hero and philanthropist.

National finalists for the second year running in England Netball’s National Schools competition – the 1^st VII Netball team after winning six out of seven games yesterday afternoon in the Regional Finals. The team, captained by Summer Chapman, included two playing up two years. They beat Benenden (15-4); St Paul’s Girls’ School (12-3); Latymer Upper School (6-3); Sydenham High School (9-2); Coopers’ Company and Coborn School (14-2) and Epsom College (3-1). A delighted Head of Netball, former Superleague player Nicole Humphrys said “I am very proud of them. They stuck together, dug deep, and executed when it mattered to get the job done”. The team will take on the top 18 schools in the country in the national championships on March 15^th at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield.

Gordon's 140th anniversary year was launched on Saturday at the annual Whitehall Parade to the Gordon statue at Victoria Embankment Gardens. There, three wreaths were laid on behalf of the Gordon family, students and staff and Gordonians. Students stayed true to the school's character values, showing much resilience due to the protest taking place at the same time in Whitehall. The Whitehall Parade was followed by the Gordon Memorial Service on Sunday in Guildford Cathedral with the Bishop of Dorking the Right Reverend Paul Davies delivering the Gordon Sermon.

Please see below for video of the Gordon Memorial Service: