The 107th Annual Dinner took place on Saturday 19th November from 6:30 pm for 7:30 pm until 11:30 pm in the Oldfield Hall, King Charles I School, hosted by President Ian Sandall.
A real Mary Berry of a day, despite the pouring rain. The main ingredients? A feast of football and rugby on the television to warm the spirits – Arsenal v Manchester United, followed by a succession of rugby internationals involving teams from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. In addition, there had been victories for Kidderminster Carolians and the Harriers. The icing on the cake after that could only be the Annual Dinner.
Do you remember the first day you played rugby at King Charles? My first games' and French teacher had been Clem Pope, his purple shorts down below his knees. What a fantastic experience – picking up the ball and running with it, dodging the grasping hands. If you had few soccer skills, as I did, it was brilliant, and you could involve yourself in gratuitous violence on your opponents.
There were roughly one hundred members and guests at the Dinner this year, the catering again expertly handled by Plyvine. Sixteen of the 1954 intake sat at my table and I wondered whether any other year was so splendidly represented. As I looked at each man, cascades of memories came flooding back as we exchanged them across the table. Following grace, newly elected President Ian Sandall opened the Dinner with toasts to The Queen and to absent members. Seated with him on the top table were the Rev Canon Rose Lawley of St Mary's Church; Cllr Rose Bishop, Chair of Wyre Forest District Council; Cllr Nicky Gale, Deputy Mayor of Kidderminster; Rosemarie Morgan, Chair of Kidderminster High School for Girls Old Girls Association; David Allen, President of the Hartlebury Old Elizabethans' Association; Steve Brownlow, Headteacher of King Charles I School; Tim Gulliver, Association Secretary; and Peter Picken, Treasurer. Other guests at the Dinner were Head Girl Meena Das-Gupta and Head Boy Ben Onslow, Deputy Head Girl Hannah Kearns and fellow Sixth Former Joe Caldwell.
In his speech, Steve Brownlow said that it had been a splendid year for the School. In the GCSE results, 72% had gained the coveted 5 A* grades including English and Maths, which was the ninth best record in the County and much better than the 21st place last year. At A-level, 60% of Year 13 had progressed to university and 25% had gained apprenticeships. The School had been nominated for an award for this achievement. Steve commented on the excellent facilities that the school now possessed, including astro turf, the Sports Hall, and swimming pool. All classrooms now had interactive white boards. There were excellent facilities for Design and Technology and Science on two sites and, vitally important for the School, was the generous funding from the Old Carolian trusts and foundations. The School was fortunate, too, in its excellent extra-curricular activities – the drama and music productions, the trips to European countries across all years, the Combined Cadet Force, the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, the highly successful boys' and girls' sports teams in County competitions and the visits to both Aston University and the University of Birmingham. There was generous applause when Steve mentioned the tragic death of the School's Head of Girls Physical Education, Becky Giddins, who had died during the year. A truly inspirational and much loved colleague. Finally, Steve proposed a toast to the Old Carolians Association and to the new President.
Ian Sandall, in his address, mentioned that he had arrived as a new boy in 1980 when Graham Merlane was Headteacher. He was placed in Blounts house. He especially remembered the much loved library and librarians, the daily assemblies and his yellow house shirt. He had loved the school societies, the competitions and quizzes at lunchtimes, the computers and arts festivals, and especially the chess club with its mini bus trips to other schools. Other memories were the fully occupied fives courts, the art room where much of the homework was either prepared or completed, and the physics lessons of George Oxendale, who seemed to resent the mixed ability teaching with which he now had to cope. George had commented that he had to teach 'pigs out of their sties'. Many of us present could have added many more Georgeisms to this comment. Ian thanked ex-Headteacher Beryl Bedford for attending the Dinner, for the happy memories, and for her work with the Old Girls' Association. Norman Broadfield, too, was congratulated for the excellent 'Old Carolians Magazine that he edits.
Finally, the Old Carolians Association had elected the world-renowned Prof Jim Robinson and Pat Yarnold to become Honorary Life Members. Jim now lived in the USA, but he had donated a magnificent porcelain statue of King Charles I to the King Charles Room in Kidderminster Town Hall. Pat had spent most of his life at King Charles I School, as a pupil, teacher, Governor, Association Committee Member and also its President. Over £200 was raised in the raffle at the end of the evening, the bottle of Glenmorangie being won by 1954 entrant Max Wall. Max also accompanied on piano as everyone sang the National Anthem and 'Auld Lang Syne'.
This report cannot be concluded without mentioning all those that work so diligently behind the scenes before any guests arrive. Particular thanks must go to Peter Picken, Tim Gulliver, Colin Lloyd, David Slater, Mike Wilson, Peter Guy, David Campbell Slater, Norman Broadfield and the staff of Plyvine. The Dinner would not be such a success without these Association stalwarts.
'Captain' Peter Vaughan, Chief Educational Correspondent