From the President 2020
I was really looking forward to my second year in office, which started off with the usual chess match against the School and the overseeing of an OW family scattering a member’s ashes at his beloved Croham Road ground.
The rest of the year was starting to take shape when along came the virus Covid-19 which took everything into Lockdown. But before that I was able to support the School’s swimming at the Bath Cup, rugby at the Cup semi-final win at Sherbourne and the music and drama in the PAC. With the Association there was the Fives Club SW tour to support, the OWRFC supporters’ lunches and Golf Society AGM and Dinner to attend.
Then Zoom took over with committee meetings, AGMs for the Whitgift Benevolent Society and Old Whitgiftian Trustees Ltd, and even the School’s end of year Whitgift Life Celebration and Christmas Carol Service.
So whilst I was able to pay a visit to the Founder’s home village itself, there was not to be the Founder’s Day Service nor WA Annual Dinner although our Remembrance Wreath was laid at the School Memorial in the open air and then again at the Sportsman’s Copse Memorial at Croham Road. I am very pleased to report that the Sportsman’s Copse has since received, through the efforts of the management and ground staff, the following fresh trees:- 2x River Birch, 2x Silver Birch, 1x Hornbeam, 1x London Plane and 10x Beech.
The WA’s own AGM was also held on zoom with members’ questions being fully answered and the Officers and Committees re-elected to continue the smooth running of the WA and Sports Club.
Thankfully, there is now light at the end of the tunnel and I very much look forward to a return to normal and another year serving as your President.
Richard Blundell, OW (1956-63)