|
Report on OCA Events |
|
|
|
Reunion Lunch - Maidenhead Rugby Club - Saturday 28th March 2009
1815 - The Battle of Waterloo! 18-15 - The score by which Maidenhead beat Cheltenham to retain leadership of the South West 2 East league in front of a substantial crowd of over 1000 folk!!!
What a fitting, fighting performance for the 2009 reunion organised, as ever, by OCA secretary and Maidenhead VP, Graham Chamberlain. Another splendid occasion with a record thirty-two sitting down for lunch. Unfortunately, Debbie Austin, widow of the late Monty, couldn't make it at the last moment but donated her lunch fee in lieu. Our guests included Old Ilminsterian Vice President, Mike Webber and his lady who travelled up from Exeter and left promising to see us again next year when he will be the President of the OI's. Also Margaret and Robert Morgan, President of Chard RFC and long time supporters of the OCA - even though he went to Millfield! New, or not recently seen, faces included Tony Muddimer (1948-50), and his wife Jean down from Leicestershire and John Hellier (1950-57), Ray Chetwynd (1964-67) and Graham Stagg (1962-68). Also new to the Maidenhead reunion but not, of course, to the Chard scene, was Mickey Farthing accompanied by his son Michael, player member of Chard RFC, who travelled from Somerset to see a real game of rugby! Welcome to all and thank you for making the effort.
Charles Denman, President of the OCA, welcomed our guests and thanked the organiser(s) and the Maidenhead Rugby Club, and then introduced John Stotesbury in his now dual capacity of Headmaster and Chairman of the OCA. John reported on the continuing excellent progress made during the year, both academically and recreationally. Notably, twelve out of sixteen members of the Upper Cerdic class gained scholarships to their selected senior schools. He was also able to report that work was hoped to begin this year on a restoration programme for the old stone-walled Gym. Not since the summer of 1950, when it was dedicated as a war memorial to those OC's who died during WW2, has it seen much more than occasional daylight!
Mike Yule ran his excellently organised sweepstake on the final match score only to find that the prize went to Mike Webber of the OI's. The guests continued their run of luck with the prize bottle of malt going to Robert Morgan of Chard RFC.
John Stotesbury was asked by the Maidenhead Club to nominate a man of the match from each side and, to great acclaim and general approval, named the two captains and No 8s for their sterling performances.
Another year in which fading memories were jogged by "do you remember" and team photographs and enjoyment given to all. Thanks again to all those who bother to support the event by their presence or in other tangible ways and to the ladies who continue to give the "old boys" their ongoing support. MEM
|
|
Summer Reunion 2009 - Chard - 12-14th June 2009
Friday 12th June – Skittles Evening??? Dwindling support from all spectrums of the OC age group, led your committee to decide not to bother either!
Saturday 13th June The Summer Fair started at around 11.30 on Monmouth Lawn and, half an hour later, was officially opened by the Headmaster. Another excellent occasion enhanced by now traditional sunny weather and organised by the Friends of Chard School. Raffles, apple-bobbing, guess the weights, snail racing, plant stalls and BBQ. You name it and it was there. All resulting in a benefit to the school of almost £1,700. Well done to both the little and the big people.
After a well attended AGM, (committee + 2), a party of about fifteen “old” Old Cerdics and partners gathered at the reincarnation of the Cerdic Cinema (remember the twin seats in the back row?). It is now a Wetherspoons pub. With Greene King Abbott at £1.99 a pint and a passable mixed grill at around £7.50, it’s not hard to see why the place was heaving. Six or eight tables were grabbed and built into a block and a very happy, chatty time was enjoyed by all. By mid-evening, it was time to move on to the Dance at the refurbished Guildhall/Corn Exchange. (Funny how places seem smaller in later years?) “Old Dogz New Trix” were playing their 50’s and 60’s favourites to about eighty friends and “young” OC’s with a sprinkling of even deafer old ones. All credit to the school for taking on a venture of this scale with minimal support. Sunday 14th June A Musical Picnic – once again the sun shone and the best part of a hundred people gathered on Monmouth Lawn to hear a variety of, largely impromptu, performances by present and former pupils of the school. Enthusiastic music making of widely varying quality made a marvellous accompaniment to our picnic lunches. This was probably the highlight of the weekend, embracing, as it did, all the musical attributes of the school over recent years.
In summary, a nice weekend in the traditional Gaudy fashion but much more of a school feature than the Old Cerdics’ weekends of yore.
2009 This year is the eightieth anniversary of the formation of the Old Cerdics’ Association (1st December 1929) and your committee have turned their minds to helping you to celebrate it. In addition to the Maidenhead reunion in March and the Chard weekend in June 2010, there is hope that a get-together can be arranged in the
|
