Junior School Speech Day 2008
Speech Day provided a fantastic opportunity for family, friends, children and staff to share the amazing adventures of this years guest speaker, Mr Rob Lilwall.
Mr Lilwall, a teacher, adventurer and round-the-world cyclist stood, up and with the aid of a amusing and through provoking power point display, took us on a fascinating journey around the world, following the route he cycled, from Siberia to England, via Australia.
He explained how, as a Geography teacher, he decided that the best way to really learn about the world was to visit it; so he left his job, packed up his bicycle and headed out to Siberia.
He shared with us what it was like to camp at -40 degrees and to have your water and other liquids freeze within seconds and to live and camp in those temperatures, for six months. He told us of the generosity of all the people he met and how even those who hardly had anything of their own, shared what little they had with him, offering him shelter, food and warmth. We discovered the perils of trying to cycle through dense jungles of and crossing rivers swollen by heavy rain. We learnt about the warmth of the peoples of Iran and of one man in a cycle repair shop, who spent two hours repairing Mr Lilwall’s bicycle for him, even using parts from his own bicycle to do so and then refusing payment, stating that as Mr Lilwall was a guest in his country, his time, labour and the parts were a gift.
Overall, Mr Lilwall, who is a Christian, travelled 30,000 miles, across 28 countries in just over three years and during that time, raised over £21,000 for the charity ‘Viva’, (for children at risk around the world).
Mr Lilwall left a lasting impression on both children and adults and kept us all fascinated and focused for just over half an hour – no mean feat in a hot hall at the end of the Summer Term. If you wish to read more about his adventures or the charity ‘Viva’ go to: http://www.cyclinghomefromsiberia.com.
The afternoon finished with Mr Lilwall being presented with a wooden bowl, hand-made in the school’s CDT department and the singing of the National Anthem.
