From the OBA President

From the OBA President

It has been another busy year on the Old Boy Calendar. Thank you to all of the Old Boys who supported our events throughout the year including the new TRL event and Grapes and Grazier Lunch. It has been a tremendous privilege to meet so many Old Boys at our Brisbane events and most recently in Sydney and Melbourne at our casual catch-ups. These catchups have proved popular so we are looking forward to providing more opportunities for Old boys based outside of Brisbane to connect over the next year.

I have a couple of highlights from the year I would like to share with the BGS Community. Firstly in August we hosted our annual Sportsman’s Lunch. Supported by nearly 400 members of the Old Boy Community we were entertained by Greg “Marto” Martin ’80 who interviewed Powderfingers’

John “JC” Collins AM ’87 and Supercar Driver Lee Holdsworth ‘00. Not only was this a great day of catching up, but through the generosity of our sponsors and supporters we raised enough funds to financially support the tuition fees of two existing students through their final years at BGS. If not for the support of the Old Boy Community, these boys may not have been able to see through their Grammar education. Thank you to everyone who supported this event and if any Old Boys would like to contribute to our Old Boy Bursary program please contact me or our Community Relations team.

My other highlight was talking to the graduating Class of 2024, our most recent Old Boys, at their final assembly before departing through the school gates. The last day tradition of the final assembly in the Great Hall is one of the many rites of passage for a BGS student. I remember this final day, the mix of excitement of moving past school years and what lies ahead. As I remind the boys, they leave a cohort of 262 and join an Old Boy Community of over 15000 scattered across the globe in every field of endeavor. They may not appreciate the benefits of being part of the Old Boy community as recent graduates, but the Old Boys Association exists for their benefit and like any relationship, if they put in the efforts to attend our events they will reap the rewards. Our professional networking nights allow University-aged Old Boys to meet and mix with senior leaders in their field, many willing to mentor and help younger old boys find their pathway. What a remarkable opportunity and a terrific initiative by the Old Boys Committee.

This is my final year as President of the Old Boys Association, having served for nine years on the committee, the final three as President. I joined the Committee during the time of the Royal Commission and felt that as an Old Boys Association, we have a role to support the brave Old Boys who have come forward to share their stories and seek justice. Many years on, we continue to acknowledge and support our fellow Old Boys and encourage them to avail themselves of the assistance provided. I know this chapter in our school history weighs heavy in the hearts and minds of the current school leadership and I thank them for their continued role in addressing and acknowledging the pain felt by many of our Old Boy Community.

In closing, I would like to thank my fellow committee members for all of their hard work in supporting the OBA and our strategic endeavors to create a diverse, inclusive and active Old Boy Community. It is fantastic that through our strategic vision that we have been able to strengthen our community and through this, our funds to provide support bursaries and younger Old Boys at our many events. I would also like to congratulate Scott McLeod KC ‘84 and Stephen Moore AM ’00 on joining Old Boys Stephen Bizzell ‘85 and Warren Traves ‘82 on the Board of Trustees. The OBA looks forward to continuing to work together with the Board, the Senior Leadership and the P&F on delivering a brilliant future for Brisbane Grammar School.