The ROSA Reunion on 18th June was rather a special occasion because it was held at The Lodge and the bottom of the Reedham drive (back on the site of our spiritual home) 150 years after the school was built.  Nearly 60 members and friends joined us on the day and thankfully this was one occasion when it didn’t rain!

Tali, our Chairman, pulled some strings and arranged for a marquee to be erected in the garden overlooking the cricket field. Tali’s aunt Rosie prepared a fabulous feast and his wife Pauline arrived very early in the morning to set up the tables and decorate them beautifully. After a hearty lunch, Tanya Rocks led everyone in the school song which was written by Richard Link’s great grandfather.  Richard was there to help lead the way too.

Stuart’s Raffle was as popular as ever and was a huge success raising £258.00, which again helped with the financing of the day. We ended the celebrations with a game of ‘Heads & Tails’ to win an Amazon Fire 7” Tablet. The game raised a lot of laughs and thanks to the winner, John Jones, handing back the prize for Tali to auction and an even more generous winning bid, this too helped towards us making a small profit on the day.

ROSA merchandising was on sale and this along with some monies from the heads and tails generated £145.00 which will go to the Reedham Children’s Trust.

Jim Gillies, who lived at the Lodge as a child also joined us with his partner Sara, and was pleased to revisit his old home. Jim’s Dad was the last engineer at Reedham and worked there for many years before the school closed. Jim left to join the navy, but both he and his sister Lynn have remained in touch with ROSA for many years, and are friends on Facebook.

A cheque was presented to Sarah Smart the new CEO of the Reedham Children’s Trust in the sum of £74,010.36.

This was money left to ROSA in the will of an old scholar; Ernest Edwin Warne who passed away in Australia on 19^th December 2013 aged 102. However as the will stated that this gift was to be used in carrying on its charitable activities it was clear to us that there had been a misunderstanding, so we made sure the money went where it was supposed to go.

Sarah thanked ROSA for its continued support and gave us all an update on the Trust’s activities including a moving report concerning a particular child that some of this money will go towards helping. Richard Link, a former Chairman of the Trust, whose family have been associated with Reedham for many generations also spoke to thank ROSA for its continued support.

Bob Carter, an ex master, who 40 years ago completed a sponsored walk in aid of Reedham from John O’Groats to Land’s End announced he would be doing an anniversary sponsored walk in aid of four children’s charities. The four charities are Amigos, Children’s Hospice South West, Reedham Children’s Trust and Starlight. Bob is also looking for any opportunities to meet ROSA members en route, this being down through Scotland via Loch Lomond and Glasgow, Cumbria, Wigan, Whitchurch, Telford, Worcester, Bristol, Taunton, Exeter, across Dartmoor and down to Land’s End. Further details of the route will go on the website as soon as we get these so please try and get out there to support Bob in his efforts.   More details can be found on the website www.walktheextrasmile.co.uk and donations can be made on www.virginmoneygiving.com/bobcarter1

When asked why he was doing it from John O’Groats to Land’s End and not the other way around he joked ‘cos it’s downhill’.

Alan Sidaway thanked ROSA for the money donated to a charity close to his heart and gave a moving account of just how much difference the money had made in helping the children of the village. The £35.00 donation was the calculated amount from the agreed split of money for other good causes raised from the Lotto. Alan’s charity is the Society for the Protection of African Children and has a number of projects running in Africa including Malawi, a country with close connections to Scotland dating back more than 150 years to the time of Scottish missionary explorer, Dr David Livingstone. More details can be found on their website www.hopeforafrica.org.uk/projects.html

Dave Connor turned up in a T-shirt in ROSA colours and his Reedham number on it. It made us all smile Dave; thank you for that. Also thanks to Dave’s efforts in contacting other old scholars he was among others attending that left Reedham 50 years ago. 

We asked Joan McGill how her book was coming along and she says the second part of her book is almost completed so we hope to have it published as soon as we receive the final copy. 

So all in all, it was a very successful and lively day and everyone enjoyed meeting up with old friends, enjoying a great meal and joining in with the fun. Thank you to all of those for coming and for those who could not make it this year we hope to see you another time.

Let’s not forget the people who made it all possible, so a huge thank you goes to Tali, Pauline and Rosie for organising the event, catering and setting up. Thanks also to George, Denise, Maureen, John, Hazel, Linda, Lindsey and Andrew for helping. The day took a lot of planning, and puts in mind the saying, “the best planned events are 1% inspiration, 98 perspiration and 2% attention to detail!!”

Those attending included: Terry Anderson, Tali & Pauline Atvars and Aunt Rosie, Hazel Cox (Lestourgeon), Keith Bullard & Gwen Duffy, Byron Butler, Bob Carter, Dave and Brenda Connor, Stephen & Birgit Clayton, Celia Gamblen (nee Anderson) and daughter Andrea, Jim & Sara Gillies, Martin Hoare,  Billy Hodges, Barbara Holmes (nee Lambert), Maureen (nee Newbolt) & John Jones, George & Denise (nee Ward) Kanetti, Sylvia Khan (nee Coptcoat), Linda Lestourgeon, Donald Martin, Anthony Matthews with Sandra Fells & Rita Daniels, Sean Matthews, Richard Link (Reedham Trust), Joan McGill (nee Dutton), Anne Parry (nee Pilbeam), Albert Pollington, Keith & Janet Powell, Bill Robinson, Tanya Rocks (nee Wardman), Jane Roper (nee Coptcoat), Alan Sidaway, Sarah Smart (CEO Reedham Trust), Derrick & Janet Smith, Stan Smith, Penny Solomons (nee Wardman), Keith Traill, Louis Thompson, Lindsey (nee Bellinger) & Andrew Trotter, Ann Welby & John Parkes, Fred, Janet & Gwen Williams and Nora Jeeves (nee Williams).

Apologies were received from: Bob Atwood & daughter Daphne Gibbs, Lisa Beatty & Richard Loughlin, Bob & Monica Eastabrook, Dr. Peter David Lee, Andie Martin, Anthony Manlove, Mike and Shirley (nee Spooner) Mockford, Richard & Brenda Newcombe, Michael Prentis (was Barker) and Dan Tiwari.

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