UK ODU Photo Gallery: 2016 UK OD DINNER

Founded 17 years before Bishops, The Carlton Club, social home to the Conservative Party felt like it had been specially built for an OD Dinner. Last night (1 July, 2016) 94 ODs and their guests assembled for the an elegant, lively (and noisy, of course) black-tie dinner, hosted by Raymond Ackerman (S, 1948), the President of the ODU. Our guest of honour and main speaker was Guy Pearson, Principal of Bishops. We were delighted to welcome College Council Chairman, Mike Bosman (O, 1978) Robert and Sally-Jayne Murray, as well as Michael and Claudia Coombs and Greg Brown. Robert (S, 1968) is the OD Secretary for Scotland; Michael the UK Secretary to the RBHS Old Boys' Association and Greg is the Headmaster of the Bishops Prep.

In particular, we welcomed - and thanked - Anthony Record, MBE (S, 1956) and Carole Record. It was through Anthony's membership of the Club that we were able to avail ourselves of the opulent yet relaxed environment. We are further indebted to Anthony for the very generous donation of the wines for the evening; and what fine wines they were too, coming from his very own vineyard, Domaine Gayda, in the Languedoc.

The evening was in three parts: pre-dinner drinks in the aptly-named Cad's Corner (where we watched a stirring video on Bishops) the dinner itself in the Churchill Room and then the "after-party" (or at least the first one) in the Drawing Room. The entire evening was managed impeccably by James Gardener (W, 1974) our superb MC for the night whose relaxed authority and witty repartee kept the evening on track and some (potentially) wayward ODs in check.

The date of our dinner also marked, to the day, the centenary of the start of the Battle of the Somme. So appropriately, the dinner opened by remembering the 18 ODs who were killed in that terrible conflict. James Gardener read out the names and ODs as guests stood and paused for a minute's silence to honour their sacrifice.

That was followed by a message from Bruce Jack (G, 1987) the newly-appointed ODU Chairman who was unable to make the dinner.

The Reverend Peter Macan (F, 1954) said the Grace:

For food in a world where many walk in hunger;
for faith in a world where many walk in fear;
for friends in a world where many walk alone;
we give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.

James Gardner then read a poem on Bishops, Nine o' Clock Match by his father, John Gardener (the poem is posted at the end of this blog) and bid everyone bon appetit but not before asking ODs and guests to take a minute to share amongst themselves one or two special memories of the School.

Louis Spencer (F, 2012) proposed the Toast to Bishops recalling very humorously and articulately one or two anecdotes which exemplified the positive and lasting influence the School had had on him.

Guy Pearson, in his speech after dinner, dealt with the huge changes which Bishops is undergoing and the challenges of the transforming South African and global educational landscape. Notwithstanding these, Bishops is still able to educate boys capable of getting into the best universities in the world and who score in the top decile of South African matriculants. Added to the School's success in the classrooms, Bishops boasts 22 cultural societies and, uniquely, the School Eisteddfod which encourages even the most reluctant of creative talents of every single boy in the School. 27 different sports are on offer making it very easy for most to run, but for none to hide. Guy outlined his vision for the next five years and referred to the revitalisation of the Bishops Trust, the School's fundraising arm, which has set itself an ambitious target for a range of exciting and differentiating capital projects and bursaries. In short, he said, while not easy sailing, Bishops is in good health and the future looks bright.

In reply, Raymond Ackerman thanked Guy for the leadership he has provided and continues to provide the School, and thanked too Mike Bosman and the entire Council and Staff. He emphasised the strong and indivisible link between Bishops and the ODU with the ODU being there to provide support, advice and guidance to boys who have left the School, as well as strengthening the OD network and advocacy for the School. In effect, the ODU seamlessly carries on where Bishops leaves off. To this end, the ODU itself has developed and implemented a mentoring initiative and is now working on an entrepreneurial and innovation programme in conjunction with the School which will truly set Bishops and the ODU apart not just in South Africa but internationally as well. While a few large corporates dominate commerce and industry worldwide, it is the entrepreneurs - the thousand pins of light, as George Bush snr called them - that are the engine room of a country's economic strength and success. He closed by wishing the UK ODs well in these turbulent political times.

As the Dinner attendees are listed at the end of this blog together with their year and house, only names will be used in the captions.

PRE-DINNER DRINKS IN CAD'S CORNER

James Gardener explaining the rules of engagement

Nick Cunningham, Choppy Bands and Roger Sainsbury

Dominic Hibbert, Greg Brown, Aexi Enotiades and Costa Ghioules

Choppy Bands and Peter Macan

Chaaba Jangulo with Stephen Hibbert looking on

Caelim Parkes, Haydn Hammond and Gordon Robinson

Doreen Macan and Rupert Hill

Graeme Newcomb, Dru Danford, Greg Baldwin and Caelim Parkes

Sue Carroll, Jeremy Friedlander and Niall Carroll

Guy de Freitas, Matthew Hacking, Aarjan and Seetal Snoek

Nick Moldan, Jeremy Friedlander, Nicky Bicket, Gordon Robinson and Michael Wallis-Brown

Jeremy Friedlander and Robert Murray

Samantha Linning and Chris Sharwood

Nick Moldan, Guy Pearson and Jeremy Friedlander

Choppy Bands, Noella Hampton and Hector Wanliss

Foreground: Carole Record and Greg Baldwin
Background: Anthony Record, MBE and Mike Bosman

Greg Baldwin (back to camera), Jos Cunningham, Stephen and Dominic Hibbert

Chris Molteno, deeply oblivious to the chap in the painting

Anthony Record, MBE and Mike Bosman

Emily and James Inglis

Gordon Robinson, James Durrant and Roger Sainsbury

Michael Wallis-Brown and James Gardener

Greg Brown

Natale Labia (S, 2001) and Lisa Levinson popped in for a drink (click to enlarge)

DINNER IN THE CHURCHILL ROOM

James Gardener motivating (or being motivated by) the Function Managers, Agnieszka and Frances

The room and table layout, before the stampede (click on the photo to enlarge and get the full effect of the room)

Tony Notcutt, Tamzin Ractliffe, Hector Wanliss and Malcolm Brown (click to enlarge)

James Husband, Melissa Sharwood, Chris Sharwood and Samantha Linning

From right: Sue Carroll, Mike Bosman, Wendy Ackerman and Carole Record

Trevor Torrington, Chris Ibell and Greg Brown

Nick Koster

John Hawinkels and James Bailie

From right: Nick Boswell, Cosimo Paulucci de Calboli and Chris Molteno

Rupert Tripp, Guy de Freitas and John Hodges

Rupert Hill, John Richards, Robin Richards and Dru Danford

Robbie Weich and Michael Friederich

Tony Notcutt, Jeremy Friedlander, Robert Murray and Claudia Coombs

Peter Boycott, Michael Coombs and Sally-Jayne Murray

Claudia Coombs, Nigel Buchan-Swanson, Cecilia Boycott and Peter Macan

Rupert Tripp and

Louis Spencer

Haydn Hammond, Stephen Larkin, Linde-la von Wedel, Choppy Bands and James Deane

Chaaba Jangulo, Rupert Tripp, Guy de Freitas and John Hodges

Greg Brown and Noella Hampton

Foreground, left: Samantha Linning, right, Cosimo Paulucci de Camboli

Caelim Parkes, Neal Arnold, Neil Orpen and Gordon Robinson

Anthony Record, MBE and Raymond Ackerman

Nick Boswell and John Hawinkels

Graeme Newcomb and Stuart Crawford-Browne

Guy Pearson

Foreground: Andrew Jackson and Malcolm Brown

Gareth Kruger and Rowan Nicholls

From right: Andrew Jackson, Michael Wallis-brown, Chris Anderson and Malcolm Brown

Adam Franke-Matthecka, Stephen Hibbert and James Inglis

In the distance, Guy Pearson giving his speech

Raymond Ackerman

Michael Coombs, Nika Franke-Matthecka, Neil Orpen and Rupert Rink (click to enlarge)

Click to enlarge

AND THEN TO THE DRAWING ROOM ....

James Husband and Rob Johnston

Robert Murray and David Shepherd

Back: Richard Montgomery, Nick Koster, John Hodges, Michael Wallis-Brown and Alexi Enotiades
Front: Michael Enotiades, Jeannie Koster and Rupert Tripp (click to enlarge)