St Paul's Reunions 2019

ST PAUL’S REUNIONS 2019 10, 20, 25, 30 and 40 Years since leaving

Contents Welcome

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How we can help

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How you can help

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Tips on running a successful event

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Wrapping up the event

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Reunion timeline

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Key contacts

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WELCOME Welcome to St Paul’s School’s Reunion Guide Our Reunion Programme was set up in 2016 to encourage alumni to organise reunions on their 10, 20, 25, 30 and 40 year anniversaries since leaving, supported by the External Relations team.

We hope this booklet provides guidance for you when thinking about planning your reunion, and that it inspires you to volunteer. There are no rules for how reunions should be – we will try to be accommodating of any inventive ideas. The timeline at the back of this booklet should help you through the process and the staff in the External Relations office are here to help.

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How we can help The External Relations team are here to support you through the Reunion process.

We will help by: •

Booking a venue, including on site locations

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Booking catering

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Providing lists of contactable and uncontactable Old Paulines

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Providing staff to run the evening, including giving tours of site and hosting

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Providing signage for onsite events

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Providing name badges and guest lists

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Take bookings through our booking system

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Sending out a ‘Save the Date’, an invitation with the booking link at least six weeks in advance, and weekly reminder emails until the date

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Creating a spreadsheet with guest bookings and updating volunteers of progress

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Send an email to all guests reminding them to come along and with any key informa tion or updates in the week leading up to the event

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Send a follow up email to all guests following the event

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How you can help We need you to help us by: •

Bringing others into the volunteer group to make sure that a range of friendship groups are accessible

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Making decisions about venue, activities, food and drink, and whether partners will be invited or not

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Being a signatory on invitations

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Reminding people to book, including forwarding invitations to those for whom the School holds no contact details (this list will be provided)

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Monitoring the Facebook and St Paul’s Connect pages for guest queries and responding to them as necessary

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Arriving 15 minutes early for the Reunion so that guests have familiar faces to welcome them

• Uploading photos to St Paul’s Connect after the event, and encouraging others to do so

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Tips on creating a successful event Promote the event through email, phone, social media and in person – however your year group communicates Ask guests to leave their business cards so their details can be updated Invite former staff that your year group may like to catch up with

Keep a record of responses and update the External Relations team Connect with a few members of your year to ask for their help to reach a wide variety of friendship groups

Wrapping up the event Thank your guests and anyone who has helped Share the photos with the attendees on St Paul’s Connect Give feedback to the External Relations team ST PAUL’S SCHOOL REUNION GUIDE • 8

Reunion Timeline What Contact the External Relations team Gather a group of classmates to support you Choose the kind of event you want to hold Look into venue options At School or external?

Check out the food and drink choices Decide how you want your guests to book Through School booking system another way?

Set up a Facebook group/Whatsapp Message Send an invitation or a ‘save the date’ Decide on ticket price Plan format and timings of evening Launch bookings Organise tour if at School Ask School staff member to give update Book photographer/entertainment (as required) Request archive display Send reminders and encourage guests to book Confirm final numbers and plans for the day Arrive early to greet guests Take lots of photos to share after the event Give feedback Thank guests and those who have helped Share photos through St Paul’s Connect Thank guests and those who helped Share photos

When

8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 8 months to 1 year prior 3-6 months prior 3-6 months prior 3-6 months prior 2-4 months prior 2-4 months prior 2-4 months prior 2-4 months prior Throughout A week before On the day On the day Following the reunion Following the reunion Following the reunion Following the reunion Following the reunion

ST ST PAUL’S PAUL’S SCHOOL SCHOOL REUNION REUNION GUIDE GUIDE •• 9 7

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Seeing people I’d lost touch with and finding out what they’d been up to was fantastic - the sheer variety of different things people were doing was astounding. The guided tour of the fantastic new school buildings by some of the teachers was also a great way to start the evening.

Alex van Besouw (2001-06) – 2006 Reunion Organiser

Key contacts community@stpaulsschool.org.uk

St Paul’s School London

020 8746 5339

@StPaulsSchool

St Paul’s School London

www.stpaulsconnect.org

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Lonsdale Road, London, SW13 9JT | www.stpaulsschool.org.uk | 020 8748 9162