TOYNBEE
Una industria, dulcis victoria: one shared effort leading to a sweet victory. This year, Toynbee’s motto has felt especially true. From lively Saturday evenings and enthusiastic House Song rehearsals to exciting water fights, baking sales and the everyday buzz of boarding life, our beehive has certainly been full of energy.
It has been a year of change for Toynbee, as we said farewell to Mrs Utting and welcomed Ms Marshall in the New Year. Toynbee has shown real resilience in this change, and the House has remained a community built on support, humour and kindness.
Our working bees have thrown themselves into both academic and extracurricular life with determination, achieving excellent results across the year. A special focus has been on charity: alongside Toynbee-led initiatives such as the Valentine’s and weekly baking sales, at House Dinner we raised more than £200 for the Chailey Heritage Foundation, a school supporting children with special needs. More importantly, we had fun doing so! Through activities such as Heads and Tails and a speech sweepstake, we were reminded that House spirit is about both celebration and generosity.
Of course, no Toynbee year would be complete without a little chaos. We have had fire alarms at unforgettable hours, cheese disappearing at record speed during break, repeated reminders about blazers and skirts, and more than a few evening prep conversations requiring the familiar call of “Silence, prep time!” House Song was another memorable moment. Our performance of Cee Lo Green’s Forget You was full of energy and, although we may feel we were slightly robbed, it certainly did not weaken our House spirit, but rather proved that Toynbee throws itself into everything with enthusiasm and heart.
Trinity Term brought some of the year’s best moments, especially through the prefect activities. The water fight, Nerf games and other House events brought the whole boarding community together, creating unforgettable memories… and loads of diabolical pictures posted on the Teams channel.
However fun boarding life may seem, Toynbee has also had its challenging moments. We’ve all had stressful weeks, moments of homesickness, long days, exam pressure and evenings when we just want to be at home with family. Yet this is where Toynbee becomes more than just a boarding House. We face these challenges together. The “sweet victory” in our motto is not always about grand achievements: often, it is found in quiet everyday triumphs; finishing a difficult week; supporting a friend; joining in when tired, or simply making someone else feel included.
That is what makes Toynbee so special. It is not just a House, but a sisterhood: a beehive. I am incredibly grateful to have been part of this community and honoured to have represented Toynbee as Head of House this year. As the year comes to an end, I know I will remember not only the big events, but also the small, ordinary moments that made Toynbee feel so welcoming, supportive and full of life: Toynbee, we won’t Forget You!
Irene Chiandetti, House Captain