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it is this sense of community, unlike any other, that most resonates with the description of Lourdes as a place where the distance between heaven and earth is extraordinarily small

Below can be found the full transcripts of each of the three headline speeches from this year's Exhibition Prize Giving. 

In his final letter from Kolkata below, Emil (DO25), reflects on his six months volunteering with Future Hope, a charity that helps street children escape poverty through education, medical care, and providing homes. We hope some of our 2026 leavers might be inspired to follow his path if taking a gap year. Emil has contributed so much and learnt even more.

In his January - February update, Emil reflects on the final chapter of his six months at Future Hope, describing it as a deeply formative experience. He highlights the children’s challenging backgrounds and the school’s vital role in providing stability, care, and opportunity, while much of his own time was spent in the Resource Room, where he learnt the value of patience, adaptability, and persistence through daily work with the students. In his concluding reflections, Emil acknowledges the challenges of an unpredictable environment but emphasises how much he has learnt in return, with the experience becoming a deeply personal journey shaped by the children, the community, and the unexpected.

Ampleforth College is delighted to announce that we have partnered with Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) in an exciting venture which further strengthens Ampleforth’s reputation as a centre of cricket excellence in the north of England.

One of our recent leavers, Emil (DO25), is spending the first six months of his gap year in Kolkata volunteering with Future Hope, a local charity that helps street children escape poverty through education, medical care, and providing safe homes.

In his December update, Emil reflects on becoming more embedded in daily life at Future Hope. From working in the Resource Room to sharing music, sport and time in the boarding houses, he writes about the small moments that help build relationships. Teaching piano and cooking with the students have become particularly meaningful, and his reflections are filled with gratitude for the people and experiences shaping his time so far. Read Emil’s full reflection and see photo from December and the Christmas holidays at Future Hope below.