On Tuesday 19 June, on a balmy summer’s evening, the Pocklington School boarding community gathered for the annual Boarders’ Summer BBQ.  Boarders from Prep School and Pocklington School, boarding staff and teachers enjoyed each other’s company and conversation, amid the feast of food!

Fenwick-Smith House Day Matron, Kim Burnside has written the following report:

“Being new to Pocklington School, this was my first experience of a boarders' BBQ for all four boarding houses. I have to say that the atmosphere was wonderful, seeing the younger and older boarders enjoying each other's company.  Watching the older students organising games and playing on the field before the BBQ was delightful and there was a lovely sense of camaraderie between them.

A lot of work went into organising the event, decorating both inside and the garden areas, setting up the BBQs, cooking, serving drinks, serving desserts, washing up plastic cups when we ran out, tidying up and cleaning BBQs at the end of the evening but seeing the faces of the boarders enjoying themselves made it all worthwhile.

Special thanks should go to all staff who helped on the night, including Andrew D’Arcy and his catering team for supplying the wonderful food, OP Joan Gough for supplying tasty strawberries from the Fruit Yard at Shiptonthorpe, but especially to Nicola Bradshaw (Dolman Housemistress) who was brilliant in helping the Fenwick-Smith House staff to make it such a successful evening.

It is important that all the boarding houses (Fenwick-Smith, Dolman, Faircote and Orchard) come together as a community for such events. This can only make us a stronger boarding community. The evening was very busy  from beginning to end. I really enjoyed being part of it, talking to students and staff in a relaxed and fun environment.”

Patrick Dare, Fenwick-Smith Housemaster said: "Over recent years it has become a tradition to hold the end of year boarders’ BBQ in the area around the back garden at Fenwick-Smith House. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful space that lends itself so well to hospitality of this nature, catering for some 150 boarders and boarding staff.  It is always a massive pleasure hosting these events at Fenwick-Smith House for the entire boarding community at Pocklington School. I would also like to say a massive thank you to Mrs Burnside, for all her hard work getting Fenwick-Smith House “BBQ ready” and for all she did in making it such a success!”

Please click here to view the Boarders' Summer BBQ Flickr album.