Old Godhelmian Association Newsletter (9) September 2020 Dear Old Godhelmian, Godalming County Grammar School 90th Anniversary Reunion As you already know, because of the Coronavirus global pandemic, the Committee has decided to postpone the physical 90th Anniversary Reunion on Saturday 17th October 2020 until Saturday 16th October 2021. However, we have plans for a virtual meeting and these are listed below. So far, 80 people wish to participate in this. If you would like to take part, but haven’t let us know yet, please contact us ([email protected]) by September 24th. We would like to share names and years of attendance (but NOT contact details) before the virtual reunion. If you DO NOT want your name shared with the other OGs, please let us know by September 24th. A virtual OGA Reunion 17th October 2020. Some of these activities will be live and those of you who wish to take part will be given a timed slot. You may prefer to record your time-limited contribution. There will be more details nearer the date of where to send any Word/audio/video files. To date there will be 80 members taking part. • The Zoom virtual meeting will be held 17th October 2020 between 2.00 – 5.00 BST. You do not have to have already joined Zoom to take part. The link will be sent nearer the time. You do not have to stay for the whole three hours. • There will be a trial run of the Zoom meeting process the week before the reunion, 10th October between 2.00 and 3.00 pm BST. • A programme of events will be sent to you before the event. • The meeting will be recorded and later put on the website. If you do not wish to be recorded, please let us know and we will tell you what to do in those circumstances. • For the plenary sessions, with presentations both live and recorded, everyone except the main presenter (Sue Hindle) and the current speaker will be muted by the host. Otherwise there is a mad cacophony. • Please let us know by September 24th if you wish to speak/perform, either live or in a recorded message, and give us the subject of your talk/performance. You will be limited to three minutes maximum. • These presentations can be talks about your school experiences, your wartime memories, your career after school, a hobby etc. You could show and discuss a piece of art or craft work, or indeed talk through a favourite recipe. You could play a piece of music or sing something. • Later there will be the opportunity to hold conversations in small break-out groups (6 people), which will be facilitated by the host. Please indicate who you would like to be with in these groups, either by specific names or by academic years and let us know by September 24th. If you don’t specify, you will be put into a year group. If you wish to exchange email or postal addresses that is up to you. We cannot issue that information without permission. The written chat facility, which runs alongside the visual meeting, can be recorded and can then be seen by the host and co-host even if sent to a single person. • There will be a recorded video tour of the College which will later appear on the website. • A list of teachers at Godalming Grammar School from the start to the transfer to Sixth Form College will be available from 17th October on the website. • From 10th October you will be able to take part in a quiz based on the website. The answers will be given at the Reunion. • If you wish to send written pieces or photos which can then be displayed in a dedicated area of the OGA website, please send to [email protected] Draft Outline of the event (to be confirmed by 10th October). 1.50 – 2.00 People enter the Zoom waiting room prior to the meeting 2.00 – 2.10 People are let into the meeting (all muted). Welcome 2.10 – 3.40 Presentations • Virtual Tour of the old building • Jane Jopson introduces the list of teachers • School song (lyrics will be sent out in case you’d like to join in) • Rod Weale talks about the War Memorial • Paul Ellison plays the organ • Marta Riddle gives the answers to the quiz • Contributions from other Old Godhelmians 3.40 – 4.40 Small Group Breakout meetings 4.40 – 4.55 • Final remarks – OGs can be unmuted individually to say something brief to the whole group. 4.55 – 5.00 Farewell with a toast and an invitation to the Godalming Grammar School Reunion 16th October 2021 Membership • To date (September 2020) 398 people have confirmed their membership of the OGA. However, only 85 people have registered on the Website. • Please register on the website (www.theoga.org) in order to access the full range of information and photographs. Essential Information Finances • We would like to thank you for the kind donations which have been made so far. • You can now make donations through the website (www.www.theoga.org) using the secure Stripe system. Just follow the instructions on the screen. • If you prefer to send your donation electronically or by cheque please contact: Caroline Brooks, ([email protected]). Website • The website (www.www.theoga.org) has been updated by Richard Hindle with support from Mary Pugh and is now live. • Archive material (photographs, obituaries, history, etc.) from the original website has mostly been retained. • We are adding more material all the time. Archive • We would be grateful for GGS images, in high definition. Until further notice, please send in digital form to Eleanor ([email protected]). Social Media • Currently there are three Facebook pages for ex-pupils of Godalming Grammar School: o GGS School Reunion 2017 (a closed group set up for that specific purpose) o Godalming Grammar School Reunion (a public group set up for a specific reunion) o Godalming Grammar School (a closed general group) • Godalming College has a Facebook page. • There is another interesting Facebook page for Godalming Town Past & Present. • Twitter - @Godalming Grammar School, @ Godalming College • Instagram – Godalming College We hope that you and your family and friends are safe and well as these difficult times continue. Best wishes for the rest of the summer, from your committee: Eleanor Andrews (née Whitcombe) – Secretary Caroline Brooks (née Bailey) - Treasurer Shirley Coleman – President Hazel Freeston (née White) David Hayes Susan Hindle (née Potts) 65 – 72 66 – 71 65 – 72 47 - 54 66 – 71 65 – 72 Jane Jopson (née Harris) - Archive Mary Pugh (née Pout) – IT Co-ordinator Marta Riddle (née Grabiec) - Archive Judy Stoker (née Bennett) Steve Teague 67 - 74 65 – 72 65 - 72 55 – 62 70 - 77