So it is the Monday before we break up for Easter, and I have two jobs to do today, and I relish neither of them. The first is I am going to be talking about Giving Day in Chapel. Unlike many of my colleagues, standing up in front of children to preach, even the good word about Development, is unnerving. For the first time my daughter will be in the congregation – which adds another layer of dread – she will analyse my performance on the way home and share it with friends and family. Having been raised on Pepper Pig, all of my children secretly know that Daddy Pig isn’t anything other than an incompetent buffoon.
Stood at the lectern, gripping so tight that the eagle on the front had started to grin, I began my narrative. Right at the start, I wanted to explain how fortunate, how lucky we are to be in Durham, not only because of our history but because compared to so many places we continued to enjoy such peace and prosperity.
We go on to take a virtual tour around the site, and acknowledge the buildings that would not be there without the philanthropy of our forebears.
I then spoke of the huge impact bursaries had had on generations of pupils, going back to Henry VIII and his King’s Scholars at the school, which are the oldest bursaries at the school.
Finally, we talk about what it is they can do at the end of May. The non-uniform day, the activities we are going to put on and so on. I am a bit sketchy about that because I am going to sort that out with Housemasters that lunchtime, another presentation I am dreading.
As I process out behind the Head I sigh with relief – when we get to the top of the Chapel steps he smiles and says well done. I say that I thought it was a bit preachy, but he pointed out we were in Chapel. It is great having a boss with a sense of humour.
On the drive home my daughter tells me she wasn’t really listening, but it sounded better than when I rehearsed it at home. She was more worried about being praised by the Director of Sport for her performance in an U12s B netball game – such are the worries of an 11-year-old I suppose!