Since starting out at Hitchin Girls' School we have always gone to the Holding Nothing Back lunchtime group. It was always really nice to see familiar faces each week especially when there are another 1000 students who are all older and taller than you.

Holding Nothing Back allows us to explore our faith not only on a Sunday. It's such a relaxed and accepting place where you can chat, laugh and eat cookies! (which are our favourite things to do!) Now we are in year 11 we rely on the group each week to have a break from stressful school life. Developing our faith reminds us that within the busyness of revision, course work and exams our faith still remains strong.

We have been given the opportunity, when both Paul and Kieran have been away, to lead a few sessions at Holding Nothing Back, so we have been able to develop leadership skills as year 11's.

We did a session in January on our highlights of 2015 and our hopes for 2016. It was interesting to celebrate what went well and what we were proud of in 2015 particularly as we are all from different backgrounds and different stages in our lives. Half of the aspirations for 2016 were about passing GCSEs or just surviving exams and school which just demonstrates the pressures which school comes with.

We think that's why Holding Nothing Back is such a useful group to any year as it means we can stop, and take a look at the bigger picture to see God in our day to day lives. By leading a few sessions we are no longer nervous of speaking and developing discussions in small groups.

Naomi and Molly
Year 11, Hitchin Girls' School