Other Associations
The Stewards of Founder’s Day
Hon Sec to the Stewards: Roger Eades
Content below has been archived from oldblues.com
For reviews and photographs of previous Founder's Day Dinners, please see the Event Reviews and Event Galleries pages.
The Guiding Principles of the Stewards of Founder's Day Dinner
Stewards of Founder's Day: A Framework for the Future
What do we do?
We are responsible for organising the annual dinner to honour the memory of the Founder of Christ's Hospital. The dinner is held on or about 12 October each year, the birthday of the Founder. Generally the dinner is held in London.
How do we do it?
Most of the responsibilities are undertaken by a group of senior stewards comprising the chief steward, his/her immediate predecessor, his/her successor, the secretary and the assistant secretary. They meet as required under the chairmanship of the chief steward. The secretary acts, effectively, as chief executive.
Each year there are two stewards' meetings. They are held in May and November. The principal business of the meetings is to approve arrangements for forthcoming dinners and (in November) to review and approve the accounts of the immediately preceding dinner which will include setting the stewards' quota. After each meeting a supper is served for those who wish to stay and pay for it!
Guiding Principles
- 1. Appointment of stewards
Prospective stewards must be proposed and seconded by current stewards. They will be eligible for election at either of the two meetings held each year. A simple majority of those present at the meeting will secure election. A roll of stewards will be kept by reference to the date on which they were elected and will be circulated to stewards from time to time. Where more than one steward is elected at a meeting, they will appear on the roll in alphabetical order. Stewards who have been elected but who have ceased to be stewards only to be re-elected on some date in the future, will appear on the roll by reference to the later of the two dates.
- 2. Eligibility to attend the dinner
The following are eligible to attend the dinner; old blues, past and present members of the teaching staff, matrons and principal officers, past and present almoners, donation and special vote governors. If the demand for tickets exceeds supply, priority will be given to stewards, regular attenders at the dinner and then other applicants.
- 3. Stewards' quota
The quota will be fixed at the November meeting following presentation of the accounts for the dinner held in the preceding month. Any steward who has not paid the sum due by 31st October in the following year will be removed from the roll of stewards. The quota will be a minimum of £10. The total quotas collected will be used, principally, to cover the cost of the guests and subsidised diners so that, overall, each year the dinner breaks even and, possibly, to establish a fund to assist in the financing of future "special occasion" dinners.
- 4. Chief Steward
At the meeting each May, the stewards will appoint a chief steward who will take office at the end of the next November meeting. The chief steward will act as host of the dinner on behalf of the stewards. The chief steward will rotate between lady and gentlemen stewards in proportion to their numbers and will be chosen in order of seniority and willingness to act. A steward due for appointment as chief steward may decline the position. If a steward does so, that will not act as a bar to the steward being eligible for appointment in the future.
- 5. Chairman of the dinner and principal guest
The senior stewards will propose the chairman and principal guest for the forthcoming dinner. The proposals will be put to the stewards for approval at a meeting. Stewards are encouraged to submit names of prospective chairmen or principal guests to the secretary.
- 6. Independent verification of the dinner accounts
The secretary will prepare accounts for the dinner and have them verified by an accountant who is not a steward. Currently, the independent verification is undertaken by Keith Mills.
- 7. Bank account
The stewards' bank account will be operated by the secretary. In addition to the secretary, there will be a minimum of three other stewards mandated to operate the account. Transfers out of the account up to £250 may be made by one of those mandated. Transfers exceeding £250 will require two signatures.
- 8. Stewards' guests
Subject to the stewards otherwise agreeing, their guests at the dinner will be: the chairman and partner; the principal guest and partner; the head master; the clerk and one other employee from the Counting House; four members of common room; the senior grecian; the second monitors and three other grecians.
- 9. Other guests
Diners may bring guests provided that they are eligible to attend the dinner and there is space available. In addition, the senior stewards have discretion to allow otherwise ineligible guests to attend provided there is space available.
- 10. Subsidies
At the dinner, any old blues under 25 who are in full time education, who have left within five years or who are aged 80 or over will be eligible to receive a discount of 50% of the cost of a ticket.
Applications
To apply to become a Steward, please contact Roger Eades, Hon Sec to the Stewards of Founders Day. 4 Squirrel Wood, West Byfleet, Surrey KT14 6PE. Email rogereades@clara.co.uk.