Withington’s budding diplomats reaped a host of individual and overall awards at the Model United Nations’ Conference at Cheadle Hulme School (MUNCH).

The UK team – one of eight fielded by WGS – was named Outstanding Delegation ahead of Eton, Haberdashers and Shrewsbury. Six members – Neha Passi (Security Council), Livy O’Malley (Political), Mehreen Siddiqui (Ecology and Environment), Lizzy Burden (Health & Youth), Rebecca Usden (Middle East) and Antonia Adebambo (Human Rights) – won Highly Commended awards in their committees.

Withington’s other delegations represented North Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Kenya, Greece, Ecuador and Haiti and the School provided three Chairpersons. North Korea and Haiti won Commended Delegation awards. Eleven Withington delegates won individual commendations – Sarah Perry (Political – N Korea), Gabby Martin (E&E – N Korea), Sophia Morgan (E&E–Haiti), Alex Atherden (E&E – Kuwait), Jenny Lindsay (Health & Youth – Kuwait), Julia Prentis (Eco Soc – Qatar), Olivia Jones (Eco Soc – Greece) Jessica Balance (Disarmament – N Korea), Kate Heydecker (Disarmament –
UK), Charlotte Bailey (Disarmament – Kenya) and Lucy Huggins (Human Rights – Greece) Abi McKenna won the award for Best Young Delegate in Disarmament.

At Half Term WGS went to Croydon for the conference held at the Royal Russell School. Two Chairs (Olivia O’Malley and Charlotte Murphy) and 24 delegates attended, representing Russia, Somalia, Croatia and Bosnia. Russia was awarded a Highly Commended Delegation award – a great achievement at such a prestigious conference – and there were eight Distinguished Delegate awards – Tara Livesey, Lizzie Burden, Antonia Adebambo, Judith Parker, Sarah Perry, Niamh Dwyer, Gabby Westington and Mehreen Siddiqui.