Page 30 - Luce 2024

S tudent Voice

From the Student Valedictory Dinner
Club President On 13 October, it was time to farewell

around forty JCH students who would
My time as the 2022/23 Student Club be graduating or moving on at the end
President was full of new adventures, of the academic year. Annabelle Love
exciting challenges and incredible addressed the continuing students on
opportunities for both personal behalf of the departing cohort.
and leadership development. The
opportunity to represent our Student Club both within College ‘On behalf of those of us who are leaving within a matter of
and more broadly in the intercollegiate space was a wonderful weeks, I want to say that it has been an honour and a joy to
experience, and I had the chance to meet some amazing share your company over the last year or more. It is bittersweet
people. I am so thankful for the connections I have made with to say goodbye, knowing we will no longer walk the same
JCH students, staff, Council members, and representatives at corridors … To those here and away, thank you. Thank you for
other colleges. making our stay at JCH a time of comfort and of exploration.
Because of you, we leave this College with firm friends and fond
The role began quite quickly, starting off with planning for our memories. So, do enjoy College while you’re here. It’s a very
2022 Valedictory Dinner before a summer break, filled with special place to be.
organising our 2023 Welcome Week. With the help of co-
coordinator William Thomas, our group of leaders welcomed As I wrote this speech, I delved into the JCH history books to
59 new students to JCH during our Wayback Week. The reflect on the changes and continuities over the last 100 years.
week was filled with laughs, dancing, and opportunities for I’m glad to see that, unlike in the 1950s, staff are invited to our
new students to try new things. The extensive planning that Valedictory Dinner! To the staff and tutors, we thank you for
went into this week was all worth it to see our newest JCHers your support and for all the work you do.
make new friends and begin to feel at home in our College
community. One thing that has remained the same for the last 100 years is
our love for supper, ‘that quintessential aspect of College life’.
One of my favourite ways to see the College community come Only over supper at JCH will you hear leaping conversations
together is at intercollegiate events, held by the intercollegiate of philosophy, dictatorships and… rice cakes? Keep the
sporting and activity councils. Our JCH sporting teams gave it conversations around food flowing inside and out of College and
their all, managing to bring home a few medals along the way. maybe in 70 years’ time some of you will be like my Grandma
Our students also participated in a variety of arts and culture (Elizabeth Sevior 1948) who shared her 90 birthday lunch with
th
events in the intercollegiate sphere, such as ‘Theatresports’ old JCH friends, just months before her passing.
and ‘Battle of the Bands’. Putting yourself out there in an
arts setting also plays a key role in our College culture, with JCH is a special place. It amused me to read that in the 1950s,
events such as Royal Variety and Wintersong inviting students the College was described as ‘a place of young, intelligent,
to share their talent and creativity with each other. The Mid- active human beings comprising a puzzling and endearing
Winter Dinner was a beautiful evening, with the JCR being amalgam of vice and virtue’. I’ll leave it up to you to decide
named the winners of the Ethel Bage Memorial Debate. Being whether that’s an accurate description of us today!
involved in the organisation and running of events such as
these was so rewarding, and I loved every minute of watching As you continue into 2024, keep JCH as a space of open
the Student Club enjoy what we had planned for them. discussion and debate where differing opinions, cultures and
experiences are not only welcomed but celebrated.
In September, we announced the 2023/24 Student Club
Executive at our Changeover Dinner and I was very excited to But for now, cherish your friends beside you. Speaking on behalf
hand over the role to outgoing Secretary Della Knight. It was of those of us who are soon to farewell JCH, I know we all look
a full circle moment to see the new Executive team planning forward to spending these last precious weeks with you.’
the 2023 Valedictory Dinner, a beautiful garden-party themed
night in which we farewelled our departing students. I know
Della and her team will do a great job in the coming year.

My time as Student Club President was an incredible
experience that I have no doubt has helped shape me as a
person. I would like to thank all of our wonderful JCH staff for
their support throughout my time at College and especially
during my time as President. In particular, my thanks go to
Dr Spencer-Regan for all of her help during and after my time
in the role. I would also like to thank my fellow Student Club
Executive members for their kindness and support and send
them very best wishes for their future endeavours.

Ayva Jones
Student Club President (2022/23) L-R: Meg Breidahl (Bailie 1949), Lyn Graham (Weller 1949),
Elizabeth Sevior (1948)

30 LUCE Number 22 2023