Dear fellow Cathedralians
I was honoured to be installed as your President at our annual dinner last month, and I am most grateful to those who have offered me their best wishes in the run up to our centenary year.
I was at the then Bristol Cathedral School (it has of course now adopted the Choir appellative) from 1966-73, and look back on my time there with great fondness. People respond differently when asked about their schooldays, but I can genuinely say that I enjoyed every aspect of mine – stand fast, perhaps, the rigours of a classics education – Latin was never my strong suite! Even that though was part of a broadening, which I feel left my in good shape for what was to follow. Although my accent is living proof that whilst you can take the boy out of Bristol, you can't necessarily take Bristol out of the boy , our School most certainly polished some of my rougher edges and gave me a confidence and work ethic well-suited to the wider world. After university, I (like my predecessor, Paul Cunningham) joined the Armed Forces, albeit in my case opting for the delights of a flying career in the Royal Air Force. Over three decades later, I retired from active service last year.
Shortly after that, I was asked to become your President; it was an easy decision to make. In addition to a first class education, our school set me up with a circle of friends that has persisted to this day. I am keen to continue that tradition of fellowship and foster it for future generations. And, now is the ideal time – as a Society, we are fast approaching our centenary and the School, having undergone its metamorphosis to academy status, is on the brink of a new thriving era. Although much is changing, both physically and organisationally, the School also has its roots in tradition and continuity – here, the Society provides an important link.
We have a number of events planned for the coming year, culminating in the Annual Dinner on 24 th March 2012 that will mark the start of our Centenary. All things being equal, we plan to celebrate the occasion by returning this event back to the School's new facilities; come along and help make the night a truly momentous occasion!
Future dates for your diaries:
Cathedralians v School Cricket, Failand Sports Ground - Sunday, 26 th June 2011
Cathedralians Annual Golf Day, Farrington Gurney GC - Friday, 1 July 2011
Cathedralians Society AGM, School - Tuesday, 11 th October 2011
Inaugural Cathedralians London Dinner, RAF Club (provisional) - Thursday, 13 th October 2011
Bristol Cathedral Choir School Prize Giving - Thursday, 21 st October 2011
Cathedralians Society Centenary Annual Reunion Dinner - Saturday, 24 th March 2012
Further details later
If you have changed your address recently, please advise the Membership Secretary, David Baker (e-mail djmbaker374@btinternet.com); at the very least, this will prevent another ‘Cathedralian' journal being returned as a "not known at this address".
Further items of news and notices of events will be posted as they occur. In the meantime, should you wish to contact me on any matter, my e-details are below.
With best wishes
Air Commodore Garry Porter RAF (Retd)
President, The Cathedralians Society
e-mail: porters@tinyonline.co.uk |
