The Record - Gordonstoun

The Gordonstoun AssociationMr Steve BrownThe GA is an increasingly vibrant organisation andrelations between School and its alumni continue to bevery positive and to gather momentum. It is excellentthat former students wish to keep in touch both witheach other and with the school. In fact, since the turnof the year, around 1000 members have been in touchwith the GA office to update their contact details and topass on information. We are also delighted that the GAfacebook page now has in excess of 1000 members.In addition to using this to disseminate news andinformation, we also try to keep the GA section of theGordonstoun Website up to date and we are particularlykeen to make better use of the Announcements sectionto pass on news of births, marriages, graduations soplease pass on any ‘intel’ to us!The make-up of the GA committee continues to evolveand now fully reflects the co-educational nature of theschool. It is currently made up of eight OGs – fourof whom are female and four male. The Committeemeets approximately five times each year. It now hasan established pattern of meeting prior to the LondonDinner (March), GA Day (May), the Edinburgh Dinner(August) and the London Carols (December). A further‘floating’ meeting is held in October to allow flexibilityfor events in various parts of the country. Last year thiswas in Windsor (before that Newcastle and before thatBristol). This year the plan is to hold it in the North Westof England. The idea is that an individual or small groupof OGs will suggest a location to us./venue.Upcoming Events23 August Arts and Literature Society,National Gallery, Edinburgh23 August Edinburgh (New Club|) Dinner22 September OG Golf v Old Fettesians3 October Tate Liverpool1 November GA Careers DayThe GA events are very popular and we had around100 people ‘drop in’ at some stage over CalcuttaCup weekend in London in February and almost 60attended the splendid London Dinner in March. It wasabsolutely wonderful to welcome so many folk back toGordonstoun for GA Weekend. From golf on Thursdayand Friday through GA Day on Saturday to Chapeland lunch on Sunday, there were so many stories toshare and so many old friends with whom to becomereacquainted. On GA Day itself there were close to200 folk through the course of the day and around180 at the excellent dinner in the evening. I know thatthose returning were enthralled by the various studentpresentations and it was terrific to see so many OGsplaying hockey, cricket, netball, tennis and five-a-sidesoccer. The school campus was looking splendid andthere was a real ‘buzz’ in the air.Leading the way - some of Gordonstoun’s first girls - Alison, Christina,Franziska and Ghislaine returned to School for GA DayThis year Gordonstoun celebrates 40 years as a coeducationalschool and it was a particular delight towelcome back some of the ‘original’ girls (from as farafield as Canada and Germany) as well as the various‘satellite’ reunions - Round Square 1980s, Class of ’93and class of ‘98 - which all added to the occasion. Wewere also fortunate to have John Ray, a former memberof staff, conduct Saturday morning chapel and SophieMorgan, OG, to give a powerful Sixth Form lecture. Itwas wonderful that our returning guests enjoyed theirvisit and found the school on good form, but it was alsoexcellent that the current students, and in particular theYear 13s, were so fully involved.6 December Edinburgh Carol Service16 December London Carol Service8 February 2014 Calcutta Cup Weekend, Edinburgh14 March 2014 London Dinner, Finos2 May 2014 Forres (Altyre) 1953-58Reunion Dinner, Elgin3 May 2014 GA DayContact us:Steve Brown / Niki PargeterGA OfficeGordonstoun SchoolElgin, Moray, IV30 5RFT: +44 (0)1343 837922E: ga@gordonstoun.org.uk20