Returners,

A belated response to various matters raised at the end of the summer. We march ever onwards towards the 40th Anniversary dinner and I was wondering if we ought to use the excuse of forming a plan to meet up somewhere and deliberate on the matters that need some attention –like food, drink ,how we boost the attendance and other ways we might mark the occasion. Etc.

By way of this “Reply to all” I thought it useful to canvass opinion. What do we think!?

In terms of the matters set out by Bob in his mail of 9th August, I would support elements of Bobs ideas, with variations to his themes in his “possibilities”1 & 2.

While not describing it as “going out with a bang” or the End of 16 Club, I do support the idea of a suitably lavish blow out and the creation of another high point in Club history .it could be said that this fulfills one of the key purposes for which Peter left the legacy.

I doubt we could blow all the money(?), so I would endorse Bobs idea of seeking to establish some bursary type fund. However I would not see it as a College fund rather than for use in supporting Club or ex Club who need assistance or support. If you think about it over the years there have been several instances where members have either got ill or fallen on bad luck and some fiscal or other resource hungry support might have made a difference .It could be administered by a group of Returners in the way hardship funds are run; a small committee making discretionary awards when matters are brought to its attention.

I personally believe that overall the Club should be left to find its own future i.e. the Returners should not be trying to breath life into something that has lost its momentum. Thats not to say that the current Club has lost direction or is losing momentum- just a principle that “if it survives it survives” and certainly not by trying to alter the membership base in order to create something completely different as option3 might do.Put another way the essential strength comes from the current membership at any one time.

That’s my ”twopenneth”. I’m more than happy to help organize next years do so let me know what you think.

As always,

Bill.