JRAC Sir Peter Bazalgette addressing The London Dinner, at the Cavalry and Guards Club proved to be of particular relevance to a Fitzwilliam JRAC audience remembering the history of our foundation and our current focus on access and widening participation in preparation of the 150th Anniversary in 2019. The London Dinner in 2019 will be held on Thursday 9 May 2019 at The Regimental Drill Hall, in Horseferry Road. DT-W September Reunion Weekend 2018 The 84th Reunion Weekend was held on the penultimate weekend of September, so that attendees could enjoy also the University-wide Alumni Festival. The 296 alumni and their guests were welcomed with an exciting programme of events, beginning on Friday evening with the Fitzwilliam Society Committee meeting and a lively dinner for Past-vs-Present players alongside other College members. A grey Saturday morning was brightened by an engrossing gardens tour from Head Gardener Steve Ashley John-Baptiste (2008) at the London Dinner Kidger, while an intrepid few ventured out for Reunion Rowing on the chilly Cam. Dr John Cleaver delivered the Reunion Lecture on Saturday morning, transporting his London Dinner audience back 100 years to Fitzwilliam Hall during the The London Dinner was held on Thursday 3 May at the Great War, and recounting stories of students and staff Cavalry and Guards Club thanks to former Fitzwilliam whose lives were changed by those tumultuous years, as Development Director, Iain Reid (History 1978). Eighty- told in letters to the Censor W.F. Reddaway. one Alumni, Fellows, staff and guests attended, and The Master and Dr Padfield hosted lunch for members were joined by ten current students whose places were of the Master’s Circle on Saturday lunchtime, before the sponsored by the generosity of Fitzwilliam Society Past-vs-Present matches began. In the late afternoon, President, Sir Peter Bazalgette (Law, 1973). everyone gathered for a glorious concert in Chapel, After an enjoyable dinner, Sir Peter introduced Ashley followed by the Fitzwilliam Society AGM before the John-Baptiste (History, 2008) who is currently working Reunion Dinner itself. This was a wonderful occasion, and for the BBC as a reporter and documentary maker. As Sir Peter Bazalgette delivered a thought-provoking speech someone who lived in the care of a Local Authority as on the role that access and widening participation play a child, Ashley gave a thought-provoking speech that both in Fitzwilliam’s history and in its future. highlighted the difficulties Care Leavers in the UK face in gaining access to Higher Education. Ashley’s speech AMELIA PAPWORTH (2014), Development Officer 57 September Reunion Weekend 2018 in pictures JRAC Members of the Master's Circle in the garden of the Master's Lodge JRAC Sixty years on – 1958 matriculants. Back, L–R: Glyn Matthews, Bruce Brodie, Peter Sanderson, Gerald Coles, John Gamlin, Michael Thomsett; Front: Roger Graham, Geoff Powell, John Adams, Peter Cullens, John Pearman JRAC 2018 Reunion Concert: Symphony-Quintetto The Clock 58 JRAC JRAC Reunion Concert: Simon King Toast to Absent Friends, by the Bursar JRAC The Master addresses the Reunion Dinner JRAC JRAC The Society President, Sir Peter Bazalgette The MCR President, Pavao Santak 59 Reunion netball – the Past and the Present September Reunion Sporting Events Past vs Present Men’s Football Past vs Present Women’s Netball The game started scrappily, before it was brought to life There was a great turnout of players, especially for the Past when Joe Ellis rifled into the bottom corner from the edge team. To give the many Past players plenty of play-time, of the box, to put Present 1–0 up. Past hit straight back we opted for nice long 10-minute quarters, which kept the though, when Peter Rutzler found the corner and Alexi more limited numbers of us Present players warm enough Spyrou charged down the keeper, giving them a 2–1 lead. in the rain and cold. Despite a whole summer off from Present momentarily equalised after Ben Shires caught out netball, the Present team played as if they had never been stand-in keeper Tom Dunn-Massey at his near post, but away, but we were very impressed by the clean skills of the Past again took the lead after a defensive error. However, Past players, some of whom had been away from netball Present found the equaliser they deserved for their strong for a lot longer. The final score totalled 36–4 to the Present second-half display, when Ben Shires’ run set up Max team, and we would like to thank all Past players who were Burrows to make it 3–3. A penalty shootout was required: able to umpire for us. Adib Badri made a fantastic save to claw Past’s first penalty EMILY BERTIN (2017) out of the corner to give Present the initiative, only for Joe Gregory to hand it straight back by putting his penalty horribly wide. The miss was of little significance though, as Badri made another great save, with the score 4–4, allowing Tom Franks-Moore to bury the winning penalty for the Present team. MAX BURROWS (2016) 2018 Reunion football – the Past and the Present 60 Past vs Present Men’s Rugby Reunion Rowing The Old Boys stormed into an early lead, having turned Reunion Rowers enjoyed outings in an eight and a four up on the day with 12 players, and bolstered by their with the support of the Boat Club Captains and graduate generosity in lending the Present Team two players – rowers. Alumni matriculation years varied from 1970 to one a former University Rugby flanker. In the first few 1998, with five alumni from 1988. All enjoyed themselves minutes it was to be Captain Ollie Little who would greatly, with those who had not rowed for a while relishing set the trend, busting through and chipping over the the visceral feel of being ‘on the water’ again. full-back to touch down under the posts. This expansive brand of rugby was one that Fitzwilliam – neither Past Katie Bycroft (1988) commented: nor Present – were not used to this early in the season, It wasn’t blue skies and warm sunshine on the river last but we somehow kept it up for the entire match. The Past Saturday, but the heady sense of a Cambridge summer Team enjoyed a spell at the end of the first half where two term hit me forcibly as we ran down to the boathouse – the tries seemed to give them momentum to come into the boathouse was stunning, almost unrecognisable with shiny second. But eventually their legs grew weary, and this led new boats, light oars with no splinters, and a state-of-the- to a textbook try from a lineout, which sparked a flurry of art racking system. Wonderful! The outing (the terminology tries from the Present team. Final score 60(ish)–24. quickly came flooding back) was great fun. I loved hearing We look forward to having the Old Boys back next all those phrases again: ‘bow four’, ‘from backstops’, ‘half year, and bid farewell to Nick Ivin and Kevin McCarthy slide’, ‘square blades’ ... Go! We managed to sit the boat (both of whom have provided six years of invaluable occasionally, but that was not really the point. To be on service to Fitzwilliam rugby), to Harikumar Vijayan who the Cam in a swish boat with friends and other alumni, celebrated his final game by breaking the nose of one of indulging in a sport that I grew to love in my time at Fitz, the opposition, and Jordan Chong (although it seems he was a treat that I will remember for a long time. will never leave). All our crews now are mixed, men and women, and this OLIVER LITTLE (2017) reflects the change in College demographics – ‘mixed’ Reunion rugby – the Past and the Present Donna Thomas-Watson Donna Reunion rowing – Billy: Brian Smith (1971), 5; Clare Roberts-Garzaniti (1988), bow; Stefan Rennick-Egglestone (1998), 3; Katie Alcock (née Bycroft, 1988), 4; Alan Alcock (1988), 6; Jess Halliday (2011), cox; Adrian Tollett (1972), 7; Heidi Whitelock (1988), 2; Peter Howard (1970), stroke 61 also is a good description of the variation in recent I have really enjoyed co-organising the Reunion Row with experience and fitness levels. Technique soon comes Brian, following on the tradition of the prior ‘Over Sixties’ back, if not ideal balance. rowing. It has been great to widen the age range of alumni We were especially pleased to welcome the retired rowing. All who take part really enjoy it, as the smiles Fitzwilliam Head Porter John Eisold, and his daughter, to at the end of the outing show – be they for renewing old see the brand-new four named after him take to the water. friendships, physical enjoyment, or just survival without Our thanks, as always, for his excellent support to Antony catching a crab. Moule, College Boatman and Coach. Reunion Rowing is now being organised under the On the 9 September, a Masters coxed-four crew auspices of the Billygoats Society. We welcome all alumni comprising Adrian Tollett, bow; John Roberts, 2; Gavin who wish to row at the Reunion Weekend, not only those Rezoz (Staines Boat Club), 3; Fabien White, stroke; and from invited years. If you wish to put a crew together from Samantha Tarling, cox, competed in the Cambridge your years, or would like to go on the crew list for future Autumn Regatta. With an average age of sixty-plus, we years, please contact Brian Smith (brianpsmith1975@ rated Masters ‘F’ and found ourselves racing a younger gmail.com). Letters are emailed in the spring to potential Cantabrigian crew of Masters ‘C’.