Old Blues Email News 17 March 2002
- 1. Election of David Farrington as the new Treasurer
On 6th March 2002, David Farrington, an Old Blue elected to the Council by the Court of Governors and well known in the CH Community, was unanimously elected by the Council of Almoners to become Treasurer on 1st September 2002 in succession to Susan Mitchell. David had been elected Deputy Chairman of the Council with effect from 1st January 2001.
At the same time, Mr Alderman John Hughesdon was unanimously elected Deputy Chairman for two years from the same date. John joined the Council in 1994 as one of our four Corporation of London representatives. He is a senior partner in Mazars, a highly respected firm of accountants and auditors in the City. John has served CH most ably as Chairman of the Finance Committee since 1997.
- 2. 450th Celebrations
As you will know, the celebrations of the 450th Anniversary of the Foundation of The Hospitals of Christ's, Bridewell and St Thomas the Apostle commenced with a service in St Paul's Cathedral on Tuesday 12 March 2002. The service was attended by our President, the Duke of Gloucester, the Lord Mayor, the children from Christ's Hospital and King Edward's School, Witley (Bridewell), together with a large number of guests.
I would be very grateful for any photographs of the occasion for entry onto the website. Either send them to me electronically or to my street address at 47 Wood Vale, London N10 3DJ.
- 3. Benevolent Society of Blues
The Benevolent Society of Blues continues to receive applications from Old Blues who are in need. The latest BSB Newsletter describes some of the work undertaken and can be downloaded from the BSB website. This shows the Charitable Outgoings increasing by 16% in the last year.
Please support this work by becoming a member of the BSB if you are not already one. If you would like more information or to apply for assistance or membership, please contact Mrs Jane Hitchcock by email or 01403 248868 or fill in the form on the BSB website.
- 4. Doing business with Old Blues
The new section of www.oldblues.com [now located in the Old Blues section of the CHA website] devoted to encouraging Old Blues to do business with Old Blues continues to grow. Recent additions include Coaches & Logistics and IT Security.
If you would like to add any businesses to the directory, please send me the entry to me as you would like it to be seen.
- 5. Dorset Old Blues Spring Meeting
The Dorset Old Blues Spring Meeting will be held at The Crown Hotel, Blandford on Saturday 13th April, 12 noon to 2pm. A snack lunch will be provided at subsidised cost and we hope both members and non members will come. Partners are most welcome and non members will be encouraged to join the club.
More details from Robin Webb at by email.
- 6. West Sussex Old Blues
Susan Walsh at susan@musicprint.co.uk has provided the dates of the West Sussex lunches for 2002 which are as follows. They are now all at The Angel Hotel, Midhurst.
- 8th April 2002 - special guest Mary Ireland (Deputy Head) - please phone the hotel if you want to come (01730 812421)
- 13th May 2002 - special guest Diana Gould (Club Chairman) - please phone the hotel if you want to come (01730 812421)
- 10th June 2002
- 1st July 2002
- 5th August 2002
- 2nd September 2002
- 7th October 2002
- 4th November 2002
- 2nd December 2002 - Christmas Lunch - please phone the hotel to book.
- 7. Thornton B and Ward 9 Association Annual Dinner
The Thornton B and Ward 9 Association Annual Dinner is being held this year in the 'Red Room' at Waterstone's book store on Piccadilly on Friday 22nd March 2002 from 6.30pm. Further details can be obtained from John Gower at Jgower@capital-shipbrokers.co.uk.
- 8. Pianist required for Charity Panto
Cara Saul (CH Hertford 1973-80) is searching for a Pianist to support at Charity Panto being held at the beginning of May. If you can help, please email her at caradavid.saul@virgin.net.
- 9. Dates for 2002
I would again like to make the Old Blues Diary on www.oldblues.com [now the Events Calendar] as comprehensive as possible. Could meeting organisers please let me have their dates for 2002 if they are not already posted there.
- 10. Old Blue Medical Research
As mentioned in the newsletter before last, Felix Edwards (Pe A 82-89) is doing some academic research on CH and is looking for input from Old Blues. The research will focus on how different stakeholders view the school and how an education there benefits children. This research is being carried out with the collaboration of the school. He would like to poll Old Blues through an online form which is now online at [website no longer online].
He would also like to get a group of Old Blues together for a group interview. If you are interested in this or want further information please contact Felix at fmne@btopenworld.com.
- 11. More CH Medical Research!
A message from Jat Sandhu BSc(Hons)MPH MSc, Research Associate, Division of Epidemiology, Dept. of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, who can be reached at Jat.Sandhu@bristol.ac.uk. I do have a little more information but it would be better if you contacted Jat directly.
Dear Old Blues, I am writing to you regarding a medical research survey that has been conducted for the past 15 months by the Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol. Our research interest is focused on the origins of adult disease in early life. The way in which exposures at different stages of the life-course accumulate and interact to produce patterns of chronic disease. The follow-up of cohorts on which data have been collected at an earlier stage is an important methodology for investigating the association between life-course exposures and later disease. The Christ's Hospital School (CHS) cohort, male Old Blues born between 1927 and 1955, presents an excellent opportunity to further recent research in the area of life course epidemiology. This cohort will be the first to allow the investigation of the relation between serial growth measures in adolescence and adult risk for disease morbidity and mortality.
This email is really a request for assistance in making contact with Old Blues that we are having trouble contacting. Currently, we have had success in people approaching us as a result of the publicity of the project, or via a mailing from the CH alumni database, and finally via the NHS Central Register.
There are however still a substantial number of Old Blues who we would like to contact to invite to participate. Were a student at Christ's Hospital School (CHS) during a period when regular growth measurements were recorded? Dr G.E. Friend, a renowned researcher in the area of schoolboy's health and diet, was the CHS medical officer from 1913-1946 during which time he implemented a growth-monitoring schedule. Fortunately, the school has archived the growth records for students born between 1927 and 1956 who attended Christ's Hospital. You may be one of the 2,500 former pupils we wish to contact.
Your time in this matter is greatly appreciated.
Jat
- 12. Old Blues Contact in Thailand
Tim Russell (LH A and Col B 74-79) is now based in Thailand and would be very pleased to hear from any other Old Blue who is based in that region. He works for a large multinational company called Amadeus which is a travel distribution system. (Basically they put the terminals and provide the connectivity and booking capability for travel agents and many airlines around the globe.) He heads up their Asian division from Bangkok looking after all the individual national distribution companies throughout the region. He can be contacted at trussell@amadeus.net.
- 13. Janet Peckham
It is with great sadness that the death of Janet Peckham is reported. Many Old Blues will have known Janet from her work in the Partnership Office at CH. She died on 4 March 2002.
- 14. Anthony Nolan Trust
From Megan Godden (nee Fisher), Coleridge B 1988-95 (megsgodden@hotmail.com):
"I work as a Donor Recruitment Officer for the Anthony Nolan Trust, and I persuade people to part with bone marrow and stem cells in order to help sufferers of leukaemia and other immune deficiency diseases. I cover the North of England, Scotland, Isle of Man, North Wales and N.Ireland, so any Old Blue in those areas is welcome to contact me to find out more about recruiting donors from their own businesses or organisations."
- 15. Joe Sillett is marketing a revolutionary new cricket bat
Have a look at www.woodworm.tv.
- 16. OBRFC Tour to Totnes, 1984
A photo of the touring party is now up on the website (under Old Blues Gallery, the Historic OBRFC 80's) but there are some missing names. Can anyone help me out? (Send this request on to others you recognise).
- 17. OBRFC - Rugby Club Dinner
The guest speaker at the OBRFC Annual Dinner on 26 April 2002 is ex England International and British Lion, Martin Bayfield. Tables are filling up fast. Get your application in now if you have not already done so. Application forms may be found on the OBRFC part of the website.
- 18. Information Technology at Christ's Hospital
A plan to utilise the expertise and enthusiasm of Old Blues to help accelerate the broader integration of ICT into CH has been drafted following the workshop held on Saturday, 1st December 2001. We have now identified those from the Christ's Hospital Community who will be participating and hope to make rapid progress. If you would like to contribute to this in any way, please email me in the first instance at steverwebb@47woodvale.fsnet.co.uk.
Regards
Steve Webb (Col A 60-69)