A cold October evening was contrasted by a warm ambience in the Chatterton Hall, the venue for our pre-dinner Drinks Reception.  Fred Forse ensured our guests were dispensed with sparkling wine affording me the opportunity to mingle with old friends and introduce myself to our guests.  With our thirst quenched and acquaintances with old friends re-established, Fred brought the informal proceedings to a close and ushered us across to the Dining Hall, which had been so beautifully prepared by Theresa Stephens and her house-keeping team, for the main event of the evening.
Joining me on the Top Table were Deputy Headmaster, Dr Paul Hill, standing in for the Headmaster, Jeremy McCullough, who was away on school business; my good friend and OC, Russell Attwood, who was our Guest Speaker; Joe Docherty, Principal of The Oasis Academy; Melanie Guy, President of the Old Bristolians’ Society; Paul Oesten-Creasey, Past President of The Cathedralians Society and Jeffrey Mason, past president of QEH Old Boys’ Society.
The Dining Hall was filled with guests that included past presidents, rugby internationals, representatives from the OC RFC – although unfortunately, Len Collacott, Chairman of the OCRFC and good friend and supporter of the OC’s Society was unable to attend – and importantly, a table of lads and lasses who had recently left the school having taken their exams only a few months ago.  Head Boy, Zakaria Hamid, read Grace perfectly to get proceedings under way.
Head Chef Andy Preston and his team again produced another super meal and special mention must also go to Tracy Mace, who although unable to attend still managed to leave her mark on the evening by virtue of its excellent organisation.
Following the Loyal toast, and to our Founder and absent Friends, I was able to report that the Society’s affairs were in good order as was the form of the OCRFC, who at the time of the Dinner were lying in second place in the league by virtue of points difference behind the top placed team and were in the semi-final of the Bristol Combination Bowl.  To cap it off, one of our former pupils, Fergus Manners, was one of the nominees for young amateur player of the year.
I was able to report on the excellent events and trips that had taken place throughout the year, which included a Ska band in the summer playing whilst we enjoyed drinks and a BBQ; a trip to the Three Choirs Vineyard in August, enjoying a tour of the vineyard and of course an obligatory sampling of the wine and there were three golf trips: Weston Super Mare, Carlyon Bay - a beautiful Lynx course in Cornwall - and more recently Bradford-on-Avon.  I also thoroughly enjoyed a few pints with some old friends on a Friday evening at the Bath Ales brewery tour.
Special mention was made of those OCs who had passed away in the last 12 months: John Close, Patrick Mahoney, Paul Evans, Robert Churchill, Keith Kilmartin and Ian Gunn.  The passing of any OC deserves mention on such an evening as this, however Ian Gunn deserves special mention.  Ian dedicated an enormous amount of his time to the school and Society; he sat on the school’s governing body, the Society’s Committee and the Old Colstonian Charitable Trust.  A talented businessman, devoted father and grand-father, who chose to give of his time to the school.  To our Society, his passing quite simply meant it was all hands to the pump.  There was no way a single person was going to cover the work that Ian got through.  Ian will be sadly missed.
Deputy Headmaster, Dr. Paul Hill, explained what exciting times these are for the school; pupil numbers are up and the results at GCSE and A-Level are the best they have ever been.  Dr. Hill went on to say that an increasing number of Old Colstonian’s have the OC’s Society to thank for the generous financial assistance they have provided through the Tolman Scholarships.  He explained how these scholarships are changing the lives of talented students and giving them access to opportunities that simply would not have been available to them otherwise.  His toast of Floreat Colstona reflected an excellent year for the school and with reason to be very optimistic for the future.
 
On behalf of the guests, OC Russ Attwood took us on a trip down memory lane; relaying some of the exploits that our generation got up to, often led by Russ himself.  A natural entertainer, Russ took the audience on a journey of being educated in the late 1970s through to the mid-1980s.  An era that probably bore more similarity to education in the 1950s, in terms of teaching methods and the presence of one or two eccentric masters, than it does to modern day teaching.  Not only a former pupil but a stalwart of the OCRFC front row union, Russ appealed to young and old in the audience.  I remain very grateful for Russ’ contribution to my first Annual Dinner as President.
 
The evening concluded in the usual way, with a drink or two in the OC’s pavilion with Derek Barnett and his team pulling the pints; a nice way to end an excellent evening.
 
Our thanks to the Deputy Headmaster for use of the Chatterton Hall and Dining Hall, the catering team, housekeeping team, Tracy Mace and our photographers for the evening, Simon Quinn and his wife Claire.