We returned to the Park Inn Palace for the 2013 dinner for several reasons. It is ideally situated for those who are local, those wishing to stay the night and also those that wish to carry on their evening elsewhere. We have tried to find venues that could cater for more diners but unless we go up to 400 there doesn’t appear to be anywhere available. If anybody reading this has any ideas then please contact someone on the dinner committee. The event once more was a 220 sell out and everyone arrived on time to enjoy pre-dinner drinks in the Bar Area.
We enjoyed a three course meal consisting of Duck Liver Pâté with Melba Toast & Chutney, Rump of English Beef Steak with Bordelaise Sauce and a dessert of White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake. Toastmaster Chris Sorrell made sure the evening was regularly punctuated with the usual variety of Toasts and finished as always with three cheers for the school.
Ken Holmes travelled from Luxembourg, Professor David Townend from Holland and Dr Greg Rock from Norway. Members travelled from all over the UK; indeed it was particularly good to welcome Marilyn Grant (nee Smith) the 3rd girl to attend the sixth form in 1978 who travelled from Keswick in Cumbria and was attending her first dinner.
After this the speeches began with our President Ken Holmes proposing the toast to the Association and the school and regaling us with stories of his time at the school just after the war.
Following this Dr Robin Bevan spoke at length about the achievements of the School over the last twelve months.
Finally School Captain Joe Heath concluded with an excellent account of his life at school and why he thinks every pupil should join the Association when they leave.
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 the keyboard.
We then adjourned to the Bar and onward to our various locations having had a most enjoyable evening with old friends.
The Programme of Events will be found here, and the List of Members who attended will be found here.