Card-playing Harrogate students meet their match in the House of Lords

Katie Lofthouse and Nathan Robinson from year 11 and Amy Laws and Imogen Fisher from year 9 play bridge at the school’s club.

Taking part in the first expedition of a Yorkshire school to play the card game in the Upper House, the four pupils were beaten in a game that included Roger Bootle-Wilbraham, Baron Skelmersdale, Elspeth Howe, Baroness Howe of Idlicote, and Arthur Hamilton, Lord Hamilton.

Design technology teacher at Rossett Scott Taylor said: “There is a Yorkshire division of the national bridge association and they come into the school once a week to play the game and promote it to a younger crowd.

“After school on a Wednesday they come in and there are four or five students that regularly play.

“This is something the House of Lords have been doing for a long time but never with a school as far north as us.

“The national association pursued us being involved and wanted some Yorkshire schools taking part.”

The students also had a tour of the House of Lords and afternoon tea, catching a glimpse of Digby Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham and Robert Winston, Baron Winston.

Katie said: “I have been playing for about three or fours years now.

“I got into it through school when they offered it to mathematically-gifted students.

“Playing in the House of Lords was amazing, a really good experience.

“They were really good, we learned a lot from them.

“The tour was very interesting. We learned a lot about the House of Lords that we didn’t know and personally I’m interested in politics.”