For 2011, we again changed the venue to the refurbished Park Inn Palace Hotel on Pier Hill because of demand for a larger Room as, including our Guests, we had to accommodate 248 diners. We had more diners than any previous dinner, and with 125 were aged under 30 years of age, a new record was set for the number of more recent students at the Dinner. They were joined by the highest ever number of Lady members – 21, who attended the Sixth Form after the school opened its doors to full time girls in 1975. Bernard Nottage and Ken Holmes travelled from Canada & Luxembourg respectively to attend the dinner.
The Evening commenced as usual with us congregating in the Bar Area before entering a stunning Ballroom. We enjoyed a 3 Course Dinner consisting of seafood salad, lamb rump with potatoes & vegetables and apple tart with custard. We also suffered many interruptions at the behest of our stand-in Toastmaster Chris Sorrell for a variety of Toasts.
After this the Speeches began with the eloquent John McIntyre who proposed the Toast to the Association together with the President and our Guests. 2011 President Derek Impey responded detailing the advances and initiatives that The Association has made during the past year.
Following this Terry Clegg proposed the Toast to the School and Dr Robin Bevan replied in his normal extremely amusing manner. The final speech came from the School Captain, Sachintha Perera, who concluded with an entertaining and humorous account of his experiences at the School.
The formal part of the Evening concluded with the singing of The School Song and Auld Lang Syne to the accompaniment of Gerald Usher on his keyboard.
We then adjourned to the Bar and onward to our various locations having had a most enjoyable evening with old friends.
The list of members attending the Dinner can be found here.