Friday Focus 19/07/2024 – Awards

We’ve attended a couple of awards evenings over the last week as various activities come to an end before the summer holidays. The Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade awards evening is always a highlight in the Brigades’ calendar. As well as getting their badges, there are also some special awards, one of which is a trophy which is awarded in memory of Jessica. It’s always an emotional moment in the evening but it’s lovely too to hear some memories of Jessica and be reminded that she is still very much a part of the Girls’ Brigade company.

 

The word 'awards' in gold bubble writing with doodles of trophies above the word

 

Sophie and Thomas both got their badges for the year plus a couple of awards. Sophie won the Juniors marks competition and Thomas received a trophy for being the runner-up in the Anchors marks competition and the Anchors church and church parade attendance award.

 

A couple of days’ later, Sophie had her end of year show with Beck Youth Theatre where she performed in the Group 1 sketch. The show finished with some awards presentation and Sophie was awarded the Group 1 All-Rounder trophy. It’s been lovely to see how much she’s enjoyed being part of BYT and I’m so proud of how she’s developing as a performer.

 

Sophie also got her 100m distance award at swimming this week. She was particularly happy about this as she’s wanted to give up swimming lessons for a while and I’d promised her that once she’d passed her 100m distance award, she could stop. Thomas is about to start lessons this summer though so she’ll still be swimming regularly for fun while Thomas does his classes.

 

Finally, Sophie also received her certificate and plaque for her Grade 1 ballet exam, which she passed with distinction, gaining 91 marks out of 100. It’s been an eventful week for her with all these achievements!

 

She and Thomas also had their school reports this week, which were both excellent. So proud of them both particularly Thomas, who has struggled a lot with school at times but to read that he always tries his best and is doing really well with maths and reading is so lovely.

 

 

What I’ve been grateful for this week:

 

Thomas receiving his Boys' Brigade award; Sophie dancing on a grassy area; Sophie holding her BYT trophy; Sophie looking out over the outdoor swimming pool; a Facebook memory from 9 years ago: "Sophie is going through an adorable stage at the moment. 'I love you, Mummy!' (hugs) 'I do, Mummy!' (hugs) - can this stage last forever please?" and a picture message from Sophie saying 'I love you'; a certificate for Sophie on learning to play the violin; sunflowers in the wooden vase at Jessica's forever bed - "#366daysofgratitude 2024 - Week 29"

 

  • Day 194 – I am grateful for a lovely evening at the Brigades’ awards evening watching Sophie and Thomas get their badges along with the Anchor marks runner up award and church parade attendance award for Thomas and the Junior marks winner award for Sophie. Always so special to remember Jessica too with her trophy being awarded to another worthy recipient.

 

  • Day 195 – I am grateful for a lovely afternoon with Flair Academy of Dance watching Sophie and her friends dancing at a community event.

 

  • Day 196 – I am grateful for seeing Sophie grow as a performer with BYT. So proud of her performing in the end of year show today and receiving the Group 1 All-Rounder award.

 

  • Day 197 – I am grateful that Sophie’s sports day was able to go ahead this morning and that she managed to swim 100m at her swimming lesson this afternoon.

 

  • Day 198 – I am grateful that Sophie is still just as loving now as she was 9 years ago.

 

  • Day 199 – I am grateful for getting to see Sophie playing violin in the Year 5 violin assembly this morning.

 

  • Day 200 – I am grateful for sunflowers.

 

 

 

Other things that have made me smile this week:

  • Attending a thanksgiving service for Sophie’s Girls’ Brigade Captain, Stephanie, who is retiring after being Captain for 45 years. It was a beautiful service. Stephanie has been an amazing Captain and a good friend to me. I’m particularly grateful for how she helped make both Jessica and Sophie’s time at Girls’ Brigade so enjoyable and for how she has ensured that Jessica is still part of their Girls’ Brigade company with her butterfly moving up through the groups as Jessica would have moved up.

 

Jessica receiving her badges from her Girls' Brigade captain at her last Girls' Brigade awards evening

 

  • Sophie being asked to sing in for Portia during our Wind in the Willows rehearsal when the person playing the role was unable to make rehearsal. Sophie had originally auditioned for the role as the casting team were open to children trying out for it, although ended up casting an adult in the role. I wasn’t too surprised by the casting – it’s normally an adult role and requires a strong singer. It was nice that Sophie was asked to sing in though.

 

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6 thoughts on “Friday Focus 19/07/2024 – Awards

  1. Well done to the kids for all those awards! It’s a proud moment for us parents too. I was hoping you were going to say that when Sophie got the 100m award she was no longer interested in stopping her swimming lessons. Love that you give them all the opportunities with these different experiences.

  2. So many awards. Well done to both of them. That swimming pool looks lovely for summer. Seeing that photo of Sophie dancing outside takes me back to my ballet days when our teacher would sign us up for random dance events in community places, always on grass which is never good for ballet shoes!

  3. Oh my goodness. So many awards. Well done Sophie and Thomas. They have both done so well. I’m not surprised that Sophie received and all rounder award. She has many strings to her bow. You totally deserve to be proud of them both. I love that Jessica is remembered in the Girls Brigade and her butterfly going up with her group is a beautiful and thoughtful detail.

  4. The award evenings sound like fun and an emotional time too. It is wonderful how Jessica is still so remembered. Well done to the kids with all the awards! It sounds like Sophie is a born performer, 91 out of 100 is amazing for her ballet! x

  5. How lovely that Boys and Girls Brigade have a reward in memory of Jessica. Well done to Sophie on getting her 100m award, good she still wants to go swimming while Thomas has his lessons. And well done to her with her Ballet also.

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