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The President
Alastair Irvine (Sc 81) outlines the many ways the OO Club helps OOs around the world
Your Club is in good heart and continues to thrive! With over 11,000 members, we are among the biggest public-school alumni bodies in the UK. 2020 marks the 30th anniversary of co-education at the School, reflected in a fifth of our membership being female, a proportion growing steadily each year. Further reflecting our diversity, around 13% of our members are foreign nationals or UK ex-pats. While it’s easy to focus our efforts on the UK, the OO Committee is determined that the Club’s activities benefit all its members. We are particularly keen to provide the same financial support to develop overseas events as we do for those in the UK.
We welcome a new Committee member in Nina Rieck (K 95). She was among the early group of girls at Oundle and now has children at the School. I know she'll make a great contribution to the Club's development.
We also welcome the new Corresponding Members. Corresponding Members are the Club’s unsung heroes, bringing together your snippets of news, which comprise more than a third of the magazine, as well as, in many cases, organising local events. They have my sincere thanks.
This is Simon Redfern’s (Sc 75) last edition after five years as Editor. He and his Editorial Board have transformed the magazine into a thoroughly professional publication, among the very best of its kind. Simon has the Committee’s greatest thanks for his fantastic job. I am delighted that his successor will be Megan Smedley, an Honorary OO, former Head of General Studies and past Editor of The Oundelian.
The Club exists to foster friendship and contact among OOs, and to support the School. As well as events for members, the Club provides
practical and financial support. The OO Benevolent Fund, a registered charity, gives financial help to OOs struggling to fund their child’s education at Oundle, and other OO hardship cases at the Trustees’ discretion. The Fund’s principal focus is bursary support; it currently assists 10 children of OOs at the School.
The Club is also a substantial donor to the new sports development, due for completion in Lent 2020. If you haven’t visited Oundle recently, have a shufty at the new Astros, cricket nets and athletics track beyond the Piggery, as well as the Sports Hall by the Two Acre. Prepare to be amazed.
We are pleased as well to continue our financial support for the Oundle Mencap Holiday. Founded 37 years ago by Richard Andrews to provide a week’s summer break at Oundle for mentally handicapped children, it is an institution in its own right. Over a thousand Sixth Formers and OOs have given freely of their time to help. For all of them, it is unforgettable and for many, life- changing.
We also support the Fourth Form ‘Big Give’, in which House teams research and pitch their chosen charity, the finalists presenting to a panel of OOs. As my fellow panellist, Harry Williamson (St A 55), said of this year’s finalists: “I don’t remember being that brave, confident and
articulate at 14. They were great!” The Club has commissioned a bell
for the Chapel to commemorate all OOs who have given their life in the service of their country. You’d imagine installing a bell in a tower built to house it would be simple, but you underestimate the bureaucracy of the planners and ecclesiastical authorities. So, the ‘Great Unveiling’, which should have taken place on Armistice Day 2018, will now be performed on Remembrance Sunday 2019 - but it loses none of its significance.
It is invidious to single out one event from the many highly successful and enjoyable ones, but the 50th anniversary of the founding of the OO Rifle Club, aka the Troubleshooters, was a highlight: an afternoon on the full-bore range at Elmington, followed by a splendid dinner in Laxton Long Room. Here was an extraordinary gathering of shooters who unassumingly pursue their sport at the very highest level, nationally and internationally, and for all of whom the genesis of their interest was Oundle.
As with any organisation of such size, it’s a team effort. My thanks therefore to the Committee – particularly my two Vice-Presidents, Richard Ellis (Sn 86) and Charles Miller (Ldr 76), my successor in 2020 – for their wise counsel. Al Gordon (C 69) has masterminded the Multisports Weekend for many years, but has decided his time is up. The mantle passes with our gratitude (and Al’s!) to Arthur Marment (D 77). Al, you’ve done a wonderful job. Most of all, though, my thanks to our indefatigable Secretary, Jane Fenton; she keeps us and the whole show on the road.
I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at future events, particularly the London Dinner at the Honourable Artillery Company in November.
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THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019