The Hundreds: Three Hundred Chapter Two
Four years in, as I launch the second chapter of the fourth century, stories have become those of the individual, to those of many.
Thank you to each of you for allowing me to listen, to see and tell a part of your story.
Photography & accompanying text by Meg Khan © 2024
Stow Brothers, Hackney 3:25pm 29/10/2024
Against the landscape of a small town, a couple of shops and a pub, the creative and curious mind of Charley Evans eagerly awaited pastures new.
From Buckhurst Hill, Manchester, Croatia, Paris and Dalston, this artist, actor, photographer, writer and producer, sought to create.
Finding his way into the world of properties and estate agency, Charley discovered a new potential. And at Stow Brothers, an opportunity that offers innovation, expression and storytelling.
Pastures new, is now what Charley creates for others.
Plashet School 2024
“Plashet is a big family.” Zikra shares,
“and family means a lot to me.”
Plashet School 10:40am 2024
As a talented sportswoman the gym was a fitting backdrop for Tanusha’s portrait. Holding the record for the fastest 600m in year 7, she participates in a whole range of sports and thrives on developing her skillset. Drama and Business are her other passions, the first offering opportunities for expression and the second, to become an entrepreneur.
I ask if she’s ready for her photograph, “Yes, people should know about me!” They most certainly will!
Plashet School 2024
Halimah moves between the many parts of her life by maximising on the energy that she has been granted. “It’s a gift”, she tells me.
From Drama to PE, Geography to relay racing, playing for West Ham and Leytonstone FC, with sights set on Arsenal in the future and studying alongside it all, such brightness shines through.
Plashet School 2024
This smile.
Her face lit up.
Eyes full of wonder and excitement.
And all because we both understood in that moment, that Tiffaney truly thrives on doing a lot.
A lot.
Plashet School 2024
Debating is key to developing yourself, according to Faatimah. Voicing opinions, hearing responses, experiencing reflection and its impact on how you live your life, is something she holds dear. This desire to be herself began at a young age when winning a place as the only girl on her primary school’s football team, amounted to a win.
Learning from experiences of debate and the space to be yourself at Plashet has meant that her footwork and academic rigour, continue to have real power.
Plashet School 2024
Fairness plays a big part in Rayhana’s life. She believes and strives to offer this kindness to all those around her and has been witness to these very things in the corridors of Plashet.
It’s her interest in understanding the human mind, that propels her towards a combination of Sociology and Psychology. “Everyone has a reason why and that’s what I wish to discover.”
Plashet School 2024
“A careers teacher once told me, ‘one day you could lead a country’.” Samsi informs me, straight- faced and ready to tell me more. She continues, articulate and confident, “I enjoy researching, understanding both sides of a situation. The balance between right and wrong is circumstantial.”
The small office we occupy is filled with discussions on politics, education, art, law and a sprinkling of making the world a better place. Samsi Uddin, a name to note.
Plashet School 2024
The School Council badge Khadeeja wears with pride tells a story.
Unable to secure a place on her primary school’s council, she had set her sights on Plashet. Yet what she found here was more than a target, she found a community.
Her next aim, she delicately throws into the conversation; Oxbridge.
Plashet School 2024
Making is her forte.
Self-expression, her reason why.
Design Technology, Cooking, Textiles and Art, each give her an opportunity, to tell the story of Khadija and her boundless creativity.
Wanstead 5:18pm 17/11/2024
A love for fashion with hours spent cutting out magazines, her eyes fixed to the screen whilst absorbing the finer details of hundreds of movies and TV programmes, combined with the many characters that walked through the doors of her parents’ pub, each instilled a deep-rooted love for stories in Claire.
From studying film at college, Claire took on her mum’s advice and set off at nineteen years old eagerly handing out a hundred copies of her CV across Soho. Her first opportunity in production came as a runner, which required Claire to preserve through the exhausting hours and endless tasks, all while keeping her goal firmly in mind.
Her tenacity, an indelible personality and a natural ability to forge connection, allowed Claire to progress from one project, to the next. Looking back, those dots, each creative endeavour, attributed to valuable learning and a powerful way of storytelling.
From visiting remote parts of Chile learning how people live and flourish, to British Colombia, Canada, documenting a changing law on hunting grizzly bears, through to a near death experience at the base camp in Everest, Claire has lived the life that nineteen year old promised herself.
Leytonstone 11:20am 23/01/2025
Plashet School 2024
Kashvi wants to access every part of Plashet. “There is so much I can do here.”
Having won art competitions, becoming a peer mediator, securing a place on the school’s Netball team, and achieving high grades across her subjects, Kashvi is all in!
With her passion for Art and Sociology, she has set her sights on becoming an Art Therapist and creating her very own space where children can grow and prosper in.
Plashet School 2:40pm 2024
Our friendship began through a shared love for working with young people. We have spent hours through lengthy emails and zoom calls, discussing ways in which we can make things happen, together. Such friendship is incredibly special, and more so, your heart and trust, a rarity, Lauren.
“Plashet One Hundred shines a small spotlight on each individual, and perhaps helps them to unearth something not before understood...”
And Lauren, you helped to make this happen.
Plashet School 2024
Coming from a family of sisters, Plashet has become an extension of that female kinship. Such support that has translated in Estera finding her voice in a whole new language, “I arrived in London weeks before starting at Plashet School and after a few months, the fear of not being able to express myself, had disappeared.”
Estera is a budding fashion designer, artist and basketball player. And she aims to pursue each one.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) London 4:15pm 2024
Meet Alison and her instinctively giving nature.
Discuss an idea with Alison, and discover such expertise, creativity and connections. Seek support from Alison and the abundance of BCLP resources and volunteers are ready. Spend over fifteen years working with Alison and there stands an important friendship.
“We are proud to continue our relationship with Plashet. Through Plashet One Hundred it has been wonderful to see many of the students that we have worked with on our various programmes over the years thriving ad fulfilling career and life aspirations.”
Plashet School 2024
STEM club, Science competitions, Computer Science - a common thread?
Wait a moment, a love for Drama, Textiles and painting, watching Horror movies, and being invited to Buckingham Palace, is not so predictable.
Sana has a richness of interests, hobbies, achievements and, a delightful presence.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) London 2:00pm 2024
Janany values and acts upon the importance of supporting young women. As one of the earliest BCLP volunteers who have worked with Plashet, Janany shares her experience of that moment.
“I witnessed such determination and character in the young women of Plashet and our role as women further along in our life, is to be a resource for these bright, young minds.”
Plashet School 2024
Meeting Tayiba was a thoroughly memorable experience. As the description of herself explains, “I am wonderfully boisterous, I love tinkering with things and my philosophy for life; in one ear, out the other.”
Her ambitions matched her wonderfully eccentric nature. As a police officer she wishes to support her community and become a model of strength. This all-rounder, as she informed me, also plays for the Plashet football team.
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) London 9:30am 2024
Katie and I discuss the variety of routes into law, and in life generally. Speaking to Katie I am reminded of her passion for supporting young women.
“The brilliantly capable young women of Plashet are a wonderful example of what can be achieved in a supportive, aspirational environment. We wish to add to that great work.” Katie shares.
Plashet School 2024
Zaimah shares, “I find peace in music.”
From the violin, drums, piano and singing, and since being at Plashet, performing at concerts.
However, Zaimah wishes to keep this peace free from grading and so, always protected. Through her teachers she has found other loves, from History, French, Sociology and a passion for
writing. She explains further, “They understand who we are as individuals. We aren’t prevented in being ourselves, we are encouraged in seeing the importance of only being who we are.”
Plashet School 2024
“I just like school!” Trisca is keen to tell me.
As a library helper and peer mediator, she enjoys being amongst all the people that wish to ensure students are happy here. Being a part of the team allows her to listen, to be an understanding
person and help to find solutions to issues.
With a love for Maths and Science, coupled with a passion for Business and Drama, the options for Trisca’s future are boundless.
Plashet School 2024
Sania comes with a plan in place.
She is currently part of the Student Council and a form rep. She is absorbing all she can whilst at Plashet. Her sights are set on studying at a Russell Group university, with Cambridge as her first choice. She wants to travel, meet people across all societies, wishes to hear their stories, and understand how different lives are lived.
What a great plan!
Plashet School 2024
We laughed a lot during our time together that morning.
Kapirna’s wit, humour and confidence shone. This young Mathematician aims to pursue her interest and ability to understand numbers in the future. Her love for Drama, gives her space to express. And I suspect, share that fabulous sense of humour.
Plashet School 2024
Zara writes. She writes on good days, on those challenging ones and when she simply wishes to understand herself better. “Life has many sides and I’m here to be a good person in mine.” Zara explains. I’m struck by her maturity, her positive energy and for being a wonderful conversationalist.
At Plashet she found safe spaces for expression, debate and an abundance of friendships.
Plashet School 2024
You are looking at a future politician.
A dream Zarghuna is determined to achieve.
Plashet School 2024
“Whatever you put your mind to, you can achieve.”
This motto derives through a combination of nature and what Fiha has seen in her dad. He has lived these words, arriving in a new country, learning a new language and ultimately, becoming a role model for Fiha.
Within her first year at Plashet she recognises that she enjoys problem-solving. That has been her strength, “When I don’t understand, I become determined to fix it!” she says.
Plashet School 2024
A love for reading has opened Madeeha’s mind to so much of the world. This desire to read, shaped her thoughts and opinions, together with an interest in sharing both. She wanted to be heard and become part of a team that allowed others to do the same.
“So, I became a year 7 rep and part of the Student Council at Plashet.” Madeeha shares.
A businesswoman, lawyer, activist for climate change and wildlife preservation, to eradicating poverty, are just some of the tasks Madeeha has set herself.
Plashet School 2024
Zahra is a poet. She enjoys words and rhymes.
Zahra is an artist. She draws abstract shapes which she transforms into a drawing.
Zahra is funny. Her friends would vouch for that. Zahra makes. She aims to become an App designer.
Zahra tells me that this is a good school. Zahra never lies.
Plashet School 2024
Yes, Jasmine really is this radiant.
She was “Born ready,” explains Jasmine.
Born to perform, to sing, to do so at the Royal Albert Hall, and did, and amongst a family of musicians, to radiate.
Plashet School 2024
As we walked through the corridors of Plashet it was clear that Sara had found her place. Within months of joining Plashet, she is recognised for her friendly, confident persona, and of course, as a talented footballer. Her name called out by her peers, young and older, as we walk towards the fields, Sara explains that Plashet is full of this energy.
Plashet School 2024
“I volunteer at a horse stable. I hope it will turn into a part-time job, maybe I’ll become a professional trainer one day.” A little surprised, I listen with intrigue to all that Zanib wishes to share. When not working with or riding a horse, you will find Zanib, book in hand, escaping to another world. At other times Zanib immerses herself in roles for Drama, playing Scrooge for the school production, achieving the highest grades and winning a Jack Petchey award.
But always with this smile on her face.
Studying at BPP Law School and Alumni 2007-2012
“I could only be myself. A mantra repeated to me throughout my time at Plashet.”
Tamara joyfully explains.
Plashet School 2024
Assistant Head Girl. Fundraising. Peer Mediator. Jack Petchey Awards. Advocating. Library Helper. Spring Bazaar. Just a few of the things Mariya is involved in. How?, I ask her. “When you genuinely want to do things - you’ll find a way.”
She attributes much of these achievements to her teachers. The bond she and her peers share with them and the impact of being a part of this unmatchable community.
Plashet School 2024
“I’m a goalkeeper for West Ham Academy.”
Esme shares.
“I am also a Sea Cadet - we sail, do paddle sports and march.”
She continues,
“I like to challenge stereotypes.”
You are, Esme.