Highlight of the Week

Terry Waite CBE inaugurates new art studios

This week we welcomed humanitarian Mr Terry Waite CBE to inaugurate our new art studios.

Meeting Year 11 art pupils, Mr Waite spoke about the importance of the imagination, before speaking to the Senior Section at a special assembly.

Recounting how he had drawn a penguin as a way of asking his captors for books to read while being held hostage in Beirut for 1,763 days from 1987-1991, Mr Waite said: "This taught me how important an image or a symbol can be and how it has the power to cross not only linguistic barriers, but also cultural and religious barriers."

Encouraging the art students who are preparing for their GCSEs, he added: "That's what art is partly about, it's not just about a pleasant portrait, it's also about communicating ideas more fully and with power."

Having been in solitary confinement for four years, Mr Waite was given a radio towards the end of his captivity.  Switching it on for the first time, while balancing it on the iron chains securing his hands and feet to the wall, he listened to the First Night of the Proms from the Royal Albert Hall and remembers being so moved by the music.  He said: "Language and music belong to Wales, they are part of your heritage and have the ability to breathe harmony into your soul.  When learning about literature and music, store it up, it can help you find your inner balance and give you something to draw on when you face difficulties."

Mr Waite was visiting Cardiff to attend a Musical Evening, featuring Cathedral School pupils, in aid of homeless charity, Emmaus, of which he is President.  Since 1992, Emmaus has set up 19 communities around the UK to help formerly homeless people rebuild their lives to become self-supportive and with 15 more underway, Mr Waite expressed a hope that the first community in Wales will soon be established in Bridgend.