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COLUMN
The Secretary
OO Club Secretary Jane Fenton reports on another action-packed year for the Club, full of interesting events
Ican’t believe another year has gone past since I wrote my column for the
last magazine. Not only that, but this is my fifth year in the job – where did all that time go?
The answer is that OOs
and the Club are keeping
me very busy, as always.
It’s been another year full of
events and projects, some
of which have been
mentioned elsewhere, but
one of my highlights was
the Sports Lunch at
Queen’s Club in London,
which has now become a
popular fixture in the OO
calendar. Many thanks to
Guy Simmonds (St A 95)
and Al Gordon (C 69) for all
their help in organising this
lunch. This year our
speaker was Jules
Mountain (S 84), who gave
a talk about his expedition
to Everest in 2015, during
which the devastating earthquake that killed over 20 people occurred. A rapt audience of unusually quiet OOs listened to Jules’ account of his survival and the events of the following days on the mountain as Jules helped to organise the makeshift medical facilities, until they were able to be rescued.
The Over-60s’ Lunch at the RAF Club is always good fun. It’s great to see the regulars who turn up every year, but also lovely to welcome new faces as they gradually join the ranks of those entitled to attend.
Events are an important part of the Old Oundelian Club’s remit and we are aware that OOs are spread far and wide across the globe. We are very grateful to those people – often Corresponding Members, but not always – who take it upon themselves to organise get-
togethers, in whatever form, in their part of the world. The OO Club is keen to encourage these events and if you have an idea for arranging such a gathering, please do contact me at the OO Club office (cjfenton@oundleschool.org.uk) with your thoughts and for help with communications to OOs in your area. We want to make such occasions as inclusive as possible, so there is financial assistance available to help offset costs and keep ticket prices down.
Future events include the London Dinner in November, which this year will return to Armoury House, the home of the Honourable Artillery Company. We enjoyed such a memorable London Dinner there in 2016 that this year’s President, Alastair Irvine (Sc 81), has decided to repeat it. Armoury House is full of
character and we’re hoping for a return of the terrific HAC orchestra to entertain us too!
Next year marks 30 years of co-education at Oundle and the School will be celebrating this anniversary with its own programme. We hope to do our bit too and will let you know of any plans in due course.
Away from events, other forthcoming attractions include the refurbishment of The Stables, including the OO Office. Those of you who visited when Chris Piper (Sc 71) was Secretary will be pleased to know that I am returning to the same part of the building that Chris occupied, although it promises to be much more swish and comfortable than in Chris’ time! Do drop in and see the changes if you’re passing.
As always, my thanks go to everyone who has helped me in my job, particularly this year’s President, who is ever-supportive. Thank you also to the Oundle Society team, who willingly help out behind the scenes and who are just as happy to welcome OOs as I am.
Finally, thank you to The Old Oundelian’s Editor, Simon Redfern (Sc 75), who has already been mentioned by Alastair in his column. Simon has been a fantastic Editor over the past five years and has been very adaptable and accommodating, pulling together so many threads to create a wonderful publication. I’m sure he won’t miss my copious emails, but he himself will be sorely missed as Editor, although he’s promised to stay on the Editorial Board for the time being. Thanks Simon.
THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2018 –2019
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