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In this month's edition (click on the topic to go directly to it):
 
Dear Nicole

In last month's newsletter I wrote about the two inaugural recipients of the Robert Gray Award, an award made by the School (not the ODU) to recognise ODs who, over a sustained period of time, have had a massively positive impact in their particular fields of endeavour. One of the objectives of the award is to "show off" to the boys ODs who will be a source of inspiration to them - and it is why the award is made in front of the boys at the Founders Day Service. 

Dr Robert Frater (O, 1946, left) and Raymond Ackerman (S, 1948) were honoured last month. You can read about Robert's rich and remarkable life, work and achievements HERE.

If you know of any ODs who would be worthy recipients of the Robert Gray Award, please write to the DU Chairman, Adam Pike (O, 1992) with your nomination.

The ODU sends its best wishes to Jo Cockburn (F, 2008) on his recent marriage to Nina.

I'd like to draw your attention to the function on Tuesday May 7th - 
Peter Elliott (W, 1967) will be talking about his new book on photo-journalist Constance Larrabee at a drinks reception at Stonehage Fleming in London. There's no charge for this event which, if the book is anything to go by, will be lively and fascinating. There is a fuller description of the event below, but feel free to RSVP HERE.

The third of the new-format ODU Magazines was put out last month and builds on the quality and interest of it's two predecessors. To read or download the magazine, click HERE (or on the magazine picture).

March and April were busy months for OD socialising, and aside from the touring Bishops rugby, golf and squash teams, it was good to meet up with Alex Price (M, 2008), Scottie McLean (F, 2008) who has just landed on these shores, Jo Cockburn (F, 2008), Rupert Pardoe (F, 1973), Mark Charnock (O, 1962), John Campbell (F, 1974), Andrew Bourne (O, 2003) Rowan Belchers (S, 1989), Craig Howie (G, 1956), Haydn Hammond (B, 1990), Sean Rosenberg (F, 1974), John Hawinkels (O, 2010), Eric Allan (S, 2010) and Brendan Jenman (B, 1990).

With kind regards

Nicky Bicket
THE MUSIC OF JOHN JOUBERT

John Joubert (O, 1944) whose death was reported in this newsletter in January, was the greatest composer to come out of Bishops. Since his death, his life and music have been commemorated by top orchestras, choirs and instrumentalists in concerts across the country.

Coming up are three particularly noteworthy performances of his works which ODs and their friends may be interested in attending:

St Mark Passion
Holy Saturday, 20th April at 7.30pm
Kings College Chapel, Cambridge

Inscription into the Musicians' Book of Remembrance

Evensong sung by the choir of Gonville and Caius, Cambridge
Tuesday 23rd April at 6pm
St Sepulchre's Church (The Musician's Church) Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DQ 

An English Requiem
Tuesday 30th July at 7.30pm

Three Choirs Festival
Gloucester Cathedral, College Green, Gloucester, GL1 2LX
 
PETER ELLIOTT TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK AT A DRINKS RECEPTION IN LONDON

 
Constance Larrabee, who died in the US in 2000 was a brilliant but hitherto little know photographer and (photo-) journalist who made an international name for herself among historians, photographers and the media.

Peter Elliott (W, 1967, right) has now brought her to wider prominence with the publication of his new book, Constance: One Road to Take. Peter, who after a hugely successful career as a corporate lawyer, now lives in France and he will be in London on Tuesday 7th May to give an illustrated talk to ODs, wives, partners and friends about his book and Constance Larrabee. To book for this drinks reception and talk (6.30pm-8.45pm) which is free, please RSVP HERE.


 
ODs ON THE MOVE
 


Congratulations to:

Tom Baigrie (F, 1978, above left) is the CEO and founder of LifeSearch, UK's leading and very different life insurance aggregator and broker. LifeSearch was named by the Sunday Times as one of the Top 3 "Best Companies to Work For" in 2019. Read more about this terrific recognition HERE. Well done, Tom


Tom Martinez (B, 2008) who has started a new role as a Project Engineer with Barton Engineers in West London. Tom is a structural engineer who hopes to become involved with large-scale multi-national projects.
 
ODs v BISHOPS GOLF RESULT

On Friday 22nd March, 2019, a grey and chilly day, months of planning came to a head when the touring Bishops Golf team took on the UK ODs on the wonderful Old Course at the RAC in Surrey. The School's efforts to cajole the ODs to form a squash side was almost as exhausting as the game itself would have been but availability and medical advice prevented the ODs from rising to this challenge. Instead, the squash team took on a scratch RAC doubles team and won 3-1. Our thanks to RAC convenor Charles Fuente for arranging this.

And so, with a little help from some friends 12 ODs enjoyed the company of the Bishops boys for the last match of their very successful UK tour. And although going down 3-8, we appreciated very much the opportunity to get to know the "modern" Bishops boy, although our own Fergus Alexander (S, 2018) only just scrapes into the OD ranks and is almost still one of them. It was great to have him play for us, as it was to have Andrew Bourne (O, 2003), both on holiday from Cape Town.

We were very pleased, too, to have Ali Bourne (Old Herschelian, Merriman, 2003) and David Walsh (Chairman of the Old Tonbridgians and great friend of the UK ODU) adding glamour and gravitas (respectively?) to the OD team.

To the School, the boys and their MiC, John Knight, go our thanks for making the time to play the ODs. And to the ODs for supporting the day which was enjoyed by all.

Our thanks go also to Charles Jillings (F, 1973) for being our sponsoring member at the RAC. Without his support we would not be able to play at this magnificent club.


Photos HERE

Our next match is the fifth annual encounter against the Old Tonbridgians on Saturday June 8th and against the Old Haileyburians on Saturday 10th August. Both at the RAC. If you're interested in playing, please email Alex Price (M, 2007).


 
AN OD SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
 
When ODs do good things to help raise money for communities in need, I am only too pleased to broadcast that far and wide. Matt Hacking (G, 2005)  is running in the 2019 London Marathon to raise money for Heads Together,  a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which combines a campaign to tackle stigma and change the conversation on mental health with fundraising for a series of innovative new mental health services. 

Matt says, "My training is going really well but unfortunately the same cannot be said for my fundraising! Needless to say I am hoping the OD network will jump to my aid". To jump and support this cause, please click HERE.

 
THE CLIPPER RACE 2019-2020

The Clipper Race, now in its eleventh year, is one of the biggest challenges of the natural world and an endurance test like no other.

With no previous sailing experience necessary, it’s a record breaking 40,000 nautical mile race around the world on a 70-foot ocean racing yacht.

It is the only race in the world where the organisers supply a fleet of eleven identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper to safely guide the crew.

Two of the eleven professional skippers, selected from the world's best, are ODs: Nick Leggatt (B, 1984, above) and David "Wavy" Immelman (B, 1987, below) brother of Richard Immelman (B, 1989).

Nick has more than 280,000 nautical miles in his log book, has circumnavigated the globe three times and has set five world speed sailing records, including a round the world record with Steve Fossett’s crew on Cheyenne (Playstation) in 2004.

David has extensive offshore racing experience and since catching the sailing bug at age 5, he has recorded more than 350,000 nautical miles in his log book, with over 200,000 as skipper. For the past three years, he has been working as a Yachtmaster Instructor in Cape Town, with his role including skippering training runs from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro, Madagascar and back with ten RYA Yachtmaster Ocean students on board.

Nick and David, with the nine other skippers, will be in command of ordinary, everyday people. Having completed a rigorous training course, participants are suited and booted in the latest extreme protection gear to commence the race of their lives - an unparalleled challenge where taxi drivers rub shoulders with chief executives, vicars mix with housewives, students work alongside bankers, and engineers team up with rugby players.


Any OD out there wanting to crew? Click HERE
 
1999 20th REUNION

If you matriculated in 1999 and don't yet know that the 20th anniversary class reunion is in August this year - well now you do.

The organising committee has swung into action and is reaching out to all their classmates to ensure a full attendance in Cape Town on 16th and 17th. If you've not let them know whether or not you'll be going, please could you get in touch with Alistair Price

 
CHIPPY ROBINSON (S, 1935):
A Paratrooper’s Story of Escape After the Battle of Arnhem


Peter Elliott (W, 1967) who will be talking to ODs about his latest book on Constance Larrabee in May (see above) has also written about the little-known story of Sir Wilfred "Chippy" Robinson's participation and heroic escape from the Germans in World War Two after the Battle of Arnhem.

Chippy, who taught history at Bishops (having won the chemistry and French prize in matric and in 1936 - his post matric year - the maths prize) from 1950-1977 and was much-loved, never really spoke about this harrowing episode in his life. Peter's well-researched account tells how courageous and resilient Chippy was in the face of immense and mortal danger.

To read the full story, click HERE.

In the photos of Chippy above, the left is of him as a younger man representing the Bishops staff Soccer XI. To the right, a more recognisable shot of him in a familiar pose.


Chippy was born on Christmas Eve, 1917 and died in Barnes, London on 30 November 2012. His son Peter (S, 1966) lives in London.
 
BISHOPS TENNIS TEAM TO VISIT ENGLAND IN JUNE

Arriving on Sunday 16th June, the Bishops Tennis VI will be playing:

1
8th:     Wellington College (Berkshire)
19th:     Millfield (Wiltshire)
20th:     Winchester (Hampshire)
21st:     Tonbridge (Kent)
24th:     Magdelen College School (Oxford)
25th:     Bryanston (Dorset)
26th:     Reeds School (Cobham, Surrey)

Times (afternoons) of the matches and social arrangements will be published in next month's newsletter; this is just advance notice, should any ODs want to visit one or some of the schools to support the boys.

 
MENTORING
 
"I think [my mentee] found the exercise valuable ... although I think I may have derived even greater value from the exercise...
"I’d like to thank you for the mentor initiative, and for giving me my first opportunity to spend time with a mentee. This is definitely a two-way street!"
 

The panel of mentors is building steadily and the requests for advice and guidance increasing. More and more, this programme is being seen as something of real value and it is gratifying that non-ODs are writing in to see whether they too can tap into the wealth of experience available.

The quote above, from one of our mentors Oscar Foulkes (W, 1984) illustrates that it is not only the mentee who derives the benefit from the programme. Our mentors find the interaction with younger ODs stimulating and rewarding as well..

So, if you would like to put yourself as a mentor or request one, please do so via this form.

 
The School did well to gain second place in the SA Schools Rowing Championships. In the first eights event which is always hotly contested, Bishops had a fantastic race but were unfortunately not fast enough to snatch gold from St Benedicts.

The School's first rugby, squash and golf teams are back from their successful tours of the UK and Ireland. The 1st XV rugby played four matches in Ireland with these results: in a rusty, first match performance they lost their opening fixture against a provincial Leinster U18 team 31-26. They then beat Ballymena from Northern Ireland 46-5, the Galwegians Rugby Club 48-7 and finished the tour with a comprehensive 75-7 win over St Munchins College from Munster.

The Squash and Golf Teams were particularly successful (including the golf match against the ODs). The Squash Team were not only unbeaten but won every match convincingly playing against Charterhouse, Tonbridge, Winchester, Wellington, Epsom, Whitgift, Marlborough, Stowe and Oakham.

 
2019 DATES FOR THE DIARY

To be added to during the year
As always, wives and partners most welcome to all events and functions
_________________________________________


Tuesday 7th May
18h30-20h45

Constance: One Road to Take
Peter Elliott talks about his new book


Stonehage Fleming, 15 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG

RSVP
HERE
_________________________________________


Saturday 8th June

5th UK ODU vs Old Tonbridgians Golf Match
10.30am-6.30pm
RAC Surrey
Contact Alex Price (M, 2007)


Memorial Service for Tony Honoré
The Codrington Library, All Souls College Oxford
2.30pm
No RSVP necessary


Young ODs Supper
Oxford University
Tour from 4.30pm
Drinks 6.30pm and supper after
Contact
Matthew Golesworthy

_________________________________________


Friday 14th June
18h45-midnight

UK ODU Annual Black-tie dinner
The Carlton Club, 
69 St James's Street, SW1A 1PJ


_________________________________________

Saturday 10th August

UK ODU vs Old Haileyburians Golf Match
10.30am-6.30pm
RAC, Surrey
Contact Alex Price (M, 2007)

_________________________________________


Saturday 12th October
12h15-

Oxfordshire Pub lunch
The Bell at Hampton Poyle, OX5 2QD

_________________________________________


Friday 29th November
18h30-midnight

UK ODU Year-end Party
The Hollywood Arms
45 Hollywood Road, Chelsea, SW10 9HX

_________________________________________


14th December
14h00

Thames Hare and Hounds Alumni Cross Country Race
Wimbledon Common

Contact Rowan Nicholls (O, 2010)
 
Copyright © 2019 UK ODU, All rights reserved.


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