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www.oaclub.org.uk
FROM THE OA CLUB CHA I RMAN
John Bunce commented in the last
issue of the
Griffen
that there would
be a ‘changing of the guard’ on
the OA Club Committee. We were
delighted to mark John’s retirement
as Chairman and celebrate his
achievements at a luncheon in
October kindly hosted by Felicity
Lusk at Lacies Court. John has
agreed to stay on the Committee for
another year to share his experience.
In the same way, Mike Stevens, our
President Emeritus, has also agreed
to stay and help with our careers
work. Thank you both; it wouldn’t
seem quite the same without you!
And so it turns to me, as the new
Chairman, along with our new
President, David Allison (1993), to
continue the good work of the Club.
The OA Club Committee is driving
forward new thinking on what the
Club does and how we do it, and it
is fair to say that the last five years
have seen many new initiatives. This
increased level of activity has required
extra hands on board to help, and
we have recruited new Committee
members representing every decade,
from the ‘fifties’ to the ‘noughties’,
and in so doing have brought on new
blood; welcome to Ian Oliver (1958),
Chris Clayton (1973), Ken Welby
(1984) and Darshan Puri (2003).
We are now looking for additional
support from OAs representing every
year from 1955 to 2014 who can
help us publicise our events. We will
start searching in earnest this spring,
and any volunteers will be gratefully
welcomed. Please let me or Alison,
in the OA Club Office, know if you
would be interested in helping.
The past twelve months have probably seen the broadest range of events we
have ever managed, culminating in a very successful annual London drinks
reception in November, with a couple of hundred OAs and former and current
teaching staff attending at a great venue, The Hospital Club in Covent Garden.
Earlier, we hosted a CCF Centenary Dinner at the School which brought
together OAs from across the UK including several who had neither seen
the School nor, in some instances, one another since leaving Abingdon. It is
most satisfying to see friends reunited. Please take a look at the Forthcoming
Events pages to see what is planned for 2015. Equally, keep abreast of the
Club and the School electronically through Facebook and Twitter.
We intend to continue our focus on careers work during 2015 and Mike Stevens
is leading the sub-committee charged with this task. We are incredibly proud of
our internship scheme. The success of the programme is all about the variety
and geographic spread of placements, and I thank those who have offered an
internship during summer 2015; it can be incredibly rewarding. Please contact
Liz in the OA Club Office if you are able to help.
This autumn, I was in Hong Kong at the time of the annual reception for
former, current and prospective parents, OAs and friends of Abingdon. I am
hoping that we may be able to create a Hong Kong ‘chapter’ of the OA Club
in due course. I was delighted that some OAs felt able to offer internships –
now that really is geographic spread!
Benefaction comes in all shapes and sizes and many OAs give very
generously of their time. We are very grateful for this. Others help the School in
other ways and this quiet, understated help – so typical of Old Abingdonians –
is very much appreciated.
Our Club relies on the goodwill of Committee members to keep things rolling
along, but day-to-day, we could not exist without the commitment and
enthusiasm shown by support staff: Michael, Alison, Liz and Emma. I want
to express my thanks for what they do for us. I also want to recognise the
support and help that we receive from Felicity and the School in general – it is
very much a symbiotic relationship.
I look forward to meeting many of you during the coming year. We are always
looking for new ideas and help and we value hearing from you. Please get in touch
if you want to volunteer. But, in reality, I know that for most of you it is the pleasure
of mixing with fellow OAs and catching up on news that is the best part of the Club.
We are very happy that this is what the Club is about for you. See you in 2015.
Gareth Morris (1976)
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