Old Cambrian Society (UK Branch) - RAF Club, Piccadilly, London

Old Cambrian Society

Old Cambrian Society (UK Branch) - RAF Club, Piccadilly, London - 18th April 2015

Old Cambrian Society (UK Branch)
Annual Lunch/Reunion
Saturday, 18th April 2015
at the Royal Air Force Club, Piccadilly, London.

Below is a report of the evening + some **photos** - **click on them** to enlarge

Table 1	Table 2	Table 3	Table 4

Table 5	Table 6	Table 7	Table 8

More photos below the report

Numbers were slightly down this year, but the 73 who did make it to the annual lunch had a marvellous time reminiscing about the time they spent in their formative years at the Prince of Wales School/Nairobi School.

In the opulent surroundings of the Royal Air Force Club, it was once again a truly international event, with Old Cambrians travelling from all over the world for the lunch - from the Canada, Australia, Kenya, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Jersey, Scotland and from all over England.

Old Cambrian Society Secretary, Steve Le Feuvre (Clive 1970-75), acted as Master of Ceremonies for the day, and Host for the event was Royal Air Force Club member Alan Murdoch (Rhodes 1945-50). Grateful thanks was expressed to Steve and Alan for organising such a successful gathering, which gave Old Cambrians the opportunity to see old school friends, in some instances with "old friends" not having met up up for over 50 years.

Prior to the lunch Derek Breed (Grigg 1952-53) gave an update of the work he is involved in with the East Africa Cricket & Educational Foundation, and showed a video of the progress with the pilot project since the last OCS annual lunch. Old Cambrians saw lots of footage of their school, including the renovation of the cricket square and the Oval pitch at Nairobi School, one of the four hub schools. The mission of the EACF is "to transform the lives of young East Africans through sustainable cricket and education activity by instilling and developing values, skills and attitudes that will enhance the life-chances and employment prospects of thousands of disadvantaged young people."

The web site for the East Africa Cricket & Educational Foundation is http://eacfoundation.org.uk and there are videos on the site show the enthusiasm and skills of the thousands of student in and around Nairobi who are benefiting from this fantastic project.

There then followed the launch of the Old Cambrian Society Educational Trust fund (OCSET), with an emotional and inspiring speech by the Chairman of the Old Cambrian Society UK Branch, Keith Aikin (Clive 1954-58) who urged all Old Cambrians to support our efforts in raising money initially to provide scholarships to enable needy students to attend Nairobi School. Some of the pupils at the school are tremendously disadvantaged, and whilst being chosen on merit to take up their places at the a school that is still one of the best in the country, their families find that financially they are not capable of raising the necessary fees.

Michael McCulloch (Scott 1958-63) who is Treasurer of the OCS(UK) informed those gathered that initially a target of £50,000 has been set by the Trustees as a sensible figure to ensure that OSCET can meet its objective for the first 5-6 years, but more is required to be raised so make sure that the fund is sustainable longer term.

Old Cambrians from around the world are urged to support this very worthy cause, and to give back to a school that has given so much to so many of us that has set us all on a path to successful careers and futures. More details of the Old Cambrian Society Educational Trust can be found at -

The next Old Cambrian Society (UK) Annual Reunion Lunch will be on Saturday 30th April 2016, at the Royal Air Force Club, Piccadilly, London.

Some more photos from the event.

Peter Gabriel (Graham) and Vic Baxter

Zack Oloo and Graham Tooley share a joke

Elizabeth Toomey, John Riches and Charles Dokelman

Vic Baxter, Zack Oloo, Jonathan Odende and John Omany

Jerry Sirley, Anne Sirley, Michael McCulloch, Colin McCulloch, John Cosgrove, Peter Leith-Smith

Jim Storrar

Keith Aikin, Hugo Vernon and Alice Manussis

Alan Murdoch in conversation with Steve Le Feuvre

Old Cambrians enjoying their reunion lunch in the Ballroom at the Royal Air Force Club

David Kitley and Alan Murdoch

Cedric Gunson and Keith McAdam

Jim Dawson & Tim Clark

Anthony Burton and Peter Sprosson

Some of the 1960s "old boys" enjoying the reunion lunch

Sam (Odera) Agutu, Cedric Gunson & Narendra Ghadialy

Steve Le Feuvre & Keith Aikin in the background

Derek Breed, Brian Hooper and Keith McAdam

Sergio Lecchini talks with John Omany and Martin Erisat

Jerry Sirley, Jean Brown and Ray Birch

"Class of 65" - Standing: Ajinder Chadha, Naresh Sethi & Tore Bach-Gansmo
Seated: Vic Baxter

Sam (Odera) Agutu, Zack Oloo and Ajinder Chadha share a joke

Now this would NOT have happened back in 1970 - Prefect meets Rabble!!
Ajinder Chadha (orange tie) was a prefect in Junior House in 1970, and here 45 years later
he meets up with some of his charges ("Rabble") from that year
L-R: Roland Kuhn, Narendra Ghadialy, Sam (Odera) Agutu, Steve Le Feuvre and Zack Oloo