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OD Union report

The OD Union had a very satisfactory year in 2010, with many social events and activities successfully bringing together members of the Union and keeping members in touch with each other. The four aims of the Union include bringing member together through Reunions, Regional and international Dinners, OD Sports Events, and other special events; keeping members in touch with the Union and with each other; promoting the interests and welfare of Bishops; and making provision for bursaries for sons of ODs.

The AGM was held in the OD Union offices on 11 March 2010, and there was a healthy attendance. The reports were well received, and the general state of the Union was seen as being in good hands. The elections to the Committee were held, and the 2010 committee consisted of: Brian Robertson     (Chairman), John Macey (Treasurer), Mike Bosman, David Burton, Andrew Campbell, Duncan Cruickshank, John Dobson, Tim Hamilton-Smith, Jan Newman, Chris Ryall and Anton Taylor.  The general state of the finances was reported on, and the main points were the following:
a new Financial Plan was being phased in, the new Treasurer and Auditors were put in place; operational Costs were kept within Budget; the Investment Portfolio was diversified, and we now manage assets of R13.6m.

As always, there was a full field of reunions held during the course of the year. In order of seniority, there was a gathering of ODs from the Class of 1940, a 70-year reunion involving 14 ODs whose average age was 86 or 87. They were also celebrating 30 years of holding full reunions.
The Founders Day weekend was a very busy time with a number of class reunions being held both on campus and around the Peninsula. The Class of 45 decided to hold a 65th  Reunion as well as their regular ten-year gathering in case some of the octogenarians didn’t make it to the next full reunion.  27 of the class of 1955 were able to make it to their Reunion with the normal full programme of events over the weekend, ending with a spit braai at Brightwaters, the Hare family property at Cape Point.
There were reunions for the class of 1960, 1980 and 1990, with full reports being included in the Bishops magazine.
In  August there was a Lunch for the 1949-1959 group, with 23 ODs attending a lunch in the OD Union Offices.  The 40 year reunion (Class if 1970) took place over the weekend of 22 August, organised by Leif Erikson and Mike Olds and the committee.  The class of 2000 held their reunion on the weekend of 3 September with the main function being held in the Heatlie Pavilion.

Over and above the full reunions, various Regional dinners were held during the year  – Boland on 13 November, Windhoek, the Northern Provinces on 8 October at the Wanders Club, and there were enthusiastic attendance at all of them.  The planned Golf day (to which 56 ODs turned up) was unfortunately rained off. There was also a very successful dinner in September for Bishops Rhodes Scholars in London, hosted by Gareth and Kate Penny.

A lot of focus is still being given to collecting money for the OD Bursary fund, and during the year, there was enough income from the fund to help support 10 sons of ODs at the College. The Committee has plans to keep increasing this support.

A number of special events were held during the year.

  • The Walker Cup was competed for in good spirit by both teams on 28 Feb, at the Mowbray Golf Club, with Bosch edging ahead by 4 matches, which didn’t dampen the enthusiasm shown by the team at the post-match celebrations. The annual cricket match against the Old Andreans took place on 30 Jan.
  • The Starlight Classics concert in March was thoroughly enjoyed by 50 guests, with wine and picnic baskets supplied by ODs and the reserved enclosure arranged by Richard Cock ensured a great evening. Even though the school bus had a puncture on the way out, everyone managed to get there in time for the start.
  • The new website was launched at the midyear cocktail party on 4 June. The new site has a cleaner, more modern look to it and includes a number of new functions, such as being able to update your personal details, take out Life membership to the ODU online, have easier access to news, photographs and the other Bishops websites. Links to the Union’s two social networking sites (Ning and Facebook) were also included.
  • Sport vs school on 1 September – over 100 ODs turned out to take on the school in Rugby and Hockey, and to join in the social events afterwards with gusto.  Francois Louw, the latest OD Rugby Springbok, was the guest of honour at this event.    
  • There were two functions for ODs in London in late September, including a Golf day and then a Reception with over 100 ODs present at the Royal Overseas League in Piccadilly.
  • The Secretary invited all staff who had been at the school for ten years and who thus qualified for Honorary membership of the Union, to a function in the OD Offices – to thank them for their contributions to the school, but also to assure them of the Union’s support for their work.
  • The OD Wine expo on 22 October was a tremendously successful event and the Committee plans to build on this for future events. The aims of this function (to celebrate the winemakers in the Bishops community, to contribute to fundraising programmes and to encourage ODs to keep returning to school for events like this) were fully achieved. It is interesting to note that 25 OD winemakers were represented at the Expo.
  • The OD mentorship scheme. This interesting initiative from Chris Ryall is being set up to provide mentorship for ODs going to UCT from the more senior ODs already there, and it is hoped this will encourage greater links between young ODs with the Union generally.
  • The Christmas carols with Richard Cock on 18 December, once again, drew a large crowd of ODs and supporters to the Chapel to listen to Richard’s choir and orchestra, and to enjoy the mince pies and wine at the interval. The retiring collection went to the OD Bursary Fund, and Richard himself augmented the amount collected and the final cheque to the Union was for R10 000.

                               
We would like to record the deaths during the year of the following members of Bishops staff : Michael Fisher, Richard James, and Mark Hanley.

In conclusion, the ODU Committee wishes to thank all those ODs who have supported the union so willingly and unselfishly as we work towards serving our members to the best of our ability.