Events and Reunions

AFTER WORK DRINKS IN AUSTRALIA

Little did we realise in February that the drinks in Australia would be some of the last live events of the year. We had two events a week apart organised by James Crawford (g 83) at Avenue on Chifley in Sydney and Mark Randolph (b 69) at The Flour Factory in Perth. Both events were a great success, and we hope to repeat them in the New Year.

VIRTUAL REUNIONS

Reunions and events ground to a halt in March with the first lockdown. So, unable to hold live events, we launched a whole series of virtual ones. During the Trinity Term we set up careers events for the current boys and, with our Lower Sixth boys unable to visit the universities to which they were thinking of applying, we set up virtual meetings with OS already at those institutions.

We have organised, virtual business breakfasts, regional events in the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and the Middle East, year group reunions, including particularly successful 35, 40, 45 and 50 Year Reunions for the classes of 1985, 1980, 1975 and 1970 respectively and House Reunions.

Whilst virtual reunions will never replace the real thing they do allow OS and former staff around the world to join us for events they would never be able to attend in person. BUSINESS BREAKFASTS

2020 saw three Sherborne Business Breakfasts with excellent presentations being given by Jason McCue (current parent), Luke Baker (c 91) and Tony Quainton (d 52).

Jason spoke at our only face to face Business Breakfast in the week before lockdown and, as a human rights lawyer looked at the impact of terrorism and globalisation and the growth of Africa.

We then moved online for the September and November talks and Luke, International Affairs Correspondent at Reuters tackled the current state of Brexit and the likely outcome as it would be seen from both London and Brussels. Our final recorded Breakfast was given by Tony Quainton, former US ambassador to Kuwait, Nicaragua and Peru, who shared his take on the US Presidential Election and what the likely outcome would be. As of the time of writing, his view was correct.

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MILITARY DINNER

The Cavalry and Guards Club was the venue for the OS Military Dinner in early March. OS from all the armed services were present to enjoy an evening of renewing old acquaintances and making several new ones. Little did we know as we enjoyed the Club’s hospitality and an excellent speech from Patrick Cordingley (c 63) that it was to be the last occasion when we would be meeting ‘live’ for many months. Many thanks go to Nick Chamberlin (d 61) for arranging for us to use the Club. We completed our university visits later that month with a trip to Bristol, where we met up with a lively bunch of SOGs and some slightly more mature OS living in the city and in March a trip to Exeter, where we met up with over 30 OS and SOGs studying there.

We try to visit all universities with OS representation over a three-year period (some more than once) and it gives us a great opportunity to emphasise the benefits that OS can access through membership of the Society and Sherborne Connect. It is always a pleasure to see them thriving in their new(ish) surroundings and enjoying student life.

UNIVERSITY VISITS

We always look forward to our annual round of university visits and the 2020 renewal was no exception. We flew north to Edinburgh with Fi James from Sherborne Girls and within minutes of landing were driving over the Forth Bridge in some traditional Scottish February weather into the Kingdom of Fife for a lunch with OS and OSGs studying at St Andrews. It was then back to Edinburgh for evening drinks with the usual large happy contingent.

Down to Newcastle the following morning when, after hosting a lunch for older OS living in Northern England, we met up with the large student body in our usual stomping ground, the Pitcher and Piano on the waterfront. We were then heading south on the A1 again for lunch in Leeds where again we had a good turnout from the ever enthusiastic young. VOLUNTEERS’ LUNCH

Where would the OSS be without its fantastic army of volunteers? Whether hosting events, putting opportunities on the Sherborne Connect jobs’ board or giving invaluable careers advice, OS and parents never let us down. It was therefore our pleasure to host a Volunteers’ Lunch at Dirty Bones in Shoreditch, kindly hosted by owner, Cokey Sulkin (m 97), in early February. We had a great turnout of OS and parents and were able to thank them all in style.

Future Events

Details of all our virtual events can be found on the Events Board on www.sherborneconnect.org or on the OSS website, www.oldshirburnian.org.uk. We will continue to plan a full programme of virtual events until we can meet again in person. We remain hopeful that the “live” events planned for May and June, may still go ahead.

FEBRUARY Thursday 4 Virtual 35 Year Reunion (1986) Thursday 11 Virtual Reunion for The Green with Giles Reynolds (1996-08) Thursday 18 Virtual 20 Year Reunion (2001) Monday 22 Virtual Quiz Thursday 25 Virtual 10 Year Reunion (2011)

MARCH Thursday 4 Virtual Reunion (1970 and earlier) 12.30pm Virtual 50 Year Reunion (1971) Thursday 11 45 Year Reunion (1976) Thursday 18 30 Year Reunion (1991) Thursday 25 25 Year Reunion (1996) Monday 29 Virtual Quiz

MAY Friday 7 Class of 1990 - 31 Year Reunion The Dept Store Brixton - From 7pm Friday 14 Westcott House 101 Anniversary Dinner Sherborne Saturday 15 OS Day Sherborne