Saturday 17 May 2025
Reunion Event
What a delight it was to return to school for the reunion. We had had a lovely 20 year reunion but as leavers of 1991 our thirty-year reunion would have been during COVID times, so this was our 34 year reunion. I met Fitz and Henry at the gates on Castle Street on a sunny spring day in May and it felt no different despite being 34 years since we have seen each other! It was such fun to see everyone with something sparkly to drink while having a catch up on the beautiful Number 1 Lawn. After drinks on the lawn it was time for a tour of the school, which was hilarious! Poor Hayley, trying to organise her old school chums was like herding cats! We were like excited kids running around reminiscing. I can’t do justice to everyone’s memories but here are a few; Mel reminding us about playing cricket in the Lower Sixth form common room, Ian telling us he and Jimmy used to leave the old squash court window open on a Friday, go into town and come back and sleep on the floor! Rob suggesting to Mr Ferris we could go to the Mayfair and then write about the atmosphere and experience (he was probably pleased to have a rest and did remind us in next English class we did have to write up about it). I love the new Edge Parker suite and history of the school, Mr Parker was my form teacher in 1N (and I and did study History at Uni). Rob looked at the cane on display and told us he and Ben were unfairly blamed and caned, although I did remind him he and Ben were often very naughty! I loved whizzing around and seeing our old 6.2 study (ours was called the Goldfish Bowl) and our old classrooms. There were a few other stories best not shared in the public domain and which we had a good chuckle about – Suki’s being one of them. It was lovely to see Marnie Wooderson who was a lovely and inspiring English Teacher and hearing how she said she could always tell marking an essay when it came from the heart. A wonderful afternoon was followed by a wonderful evening with the lovely Hayley and her beloved Jim hosting us all for a BBQ. A few more school chums to add to the mix. Fabulous to see Pak Wai, Rachel H, Ben M, Mark T (Titch when we were kids) and Bethan who had me in stitches reminding me about an incident involving lots of borders sneaking out, Hayleys mum being an alibi and a house party when my parents were away! To quote Fitz (who had come all the way from the Isle of Wight), thirty odd years just melted away. Thanks to HSC and the Old Herefordians for organising such a lovely reunion. I have such fond memories of school, and great to see HCS continues to flourish. I am also putting a request in for a 40 year reunion for the class of 91 please.