Reflections on the RGS 2002
Two years ago at the Millennium Reunion the
date for this year’s reunion was set although the venue had not been decided.
However, it was thought that a venue which could provide accommodation for those
travelling a distance as well as having the ability to serve food and with a
room which was large enough for the evening would be preferred. Rhyl is not well blessed with such facilities and plans as
far afield as Llandudno were discussed. After much
searching however, Margaret Jones and Nev Jones
established that the Kinmel Manor Hotel would satisfy
all the criteria and hence a booking was made.
During this period, problems with the
internet service provider who no longer trades meant that a restructuring of
the website was necessary and the http://www.rhylgrammarschool.org/ website was established.
This international form of communication is particularly valuable for those of
us who are temporarily or permanently overseas. It is certainly a good means of
communication for the organisers of reunions and of making the database of
photographs available to all. We will be maintaining the website as a
communications medium between now and the next reunion in 2004.
Having decided on a venue it was necessary
to decide upon whether to make food available and if so should it be a cold
buffet, hot buffet or full table service. The decision on a hot buffet was made
to ensure that food would be significant and not just a top up and that the
maximum time was available for meeting people and that circulation was
encouraged. We also decided that we should allow for those who didn’t want to
eat at the event by having a reduced price ticket for them although, to avoid
confusion, later arrival was programmed.
We received emails and letters from those
who wished they could be there but who weren’t able to come due to either
family commitments or being overseas. We put some of the emails and letters on
the website in the Message Board section. We were really pleased when “The Harrisons” confirmed that they were coming from
When David Kinmont,
our teacher in the 50’s and 60’s, confirmed that he was coming, he sent a
brochure showing some of his work including many paintings and a sculptural
head of Brenda Maynard. We felt that it would be great to put this on the
website so after getting his permission his son emailed two of the images and
we put them into the Photo Gallery section of the website.
Events outside the main reunion evening
proved popular last time so Roger Nuttall arranged a
golfing afternoon on the Friday and walks were arranged for Saturday and
Sunday, both being associated with pub lunches. The weather was perfect for all
these events. Walking or golf wasn’t compulsory so quite a few just turned up
at the Rhuddlan Golf Clubhouse or Kinmel
Arms pub as appropriate. For those who stayed at the hotel, chats over
breakfast and at other times provided other opportunities to meet up.
In setting up the reunion, the organisers’
aim was to provide the venue and the environment in which everyone could meet
up, relax and catch up on what has happened over the last 30 to 50 years since
they last met. We provided the ingredients, those attending baked the cakes.
From responses on the evening and subsequently some great cookery went on!
The time between
Some of the photographs which were taken
over the weekend are now included in the Photo Gallery. Those who are
registered on our database are now essentially members of the Rhyl Grammar School Reunion Society and anyone who
qualifies can have a copy of the database so that they can look up old friends
who may live in their area or country.
The cost of organising the event in terms
of stationary, printing, postage, website maintenance and Data Protection Act
Registration are not insubstantial and the income from tickets has been and is
being used for this purpose as well as for the venue and food. Hopefully there
will be enough left over from the reunions to maintain and develop the database
and website ready for the next event.
We wondered whether the event coinciding
with the Bank Holiday would be a good thing or not. Perhaps next time we will
arrange things so that it misses the holiday weekend when family commitments
can be most common.
Feedback on the reunion would be most
welcome and on what we can do on the website. For example some have commented
that it is difficult to read black against blue on the website. Unfortunately
this is a characteristic of the browser which is used. On the Microsoft version
(Internet Explorer) it is white on blue! We’ll try to see if we can do
something about it in the future to make it less sensitive to the browser used.
Few of the photos show names of who’s on
them. We’ll try to find a means of attaching names to faces and linking them to
the database.
We want to say thank you to those involved
in ensuring that the event was successful. Margaret Jones was the pivotal
character in the arrangements, in issuing tickets, dealing with numbers, enquiries
and sorting out the finances and displaying the pictures on the night. Margaret
also arranged the meal at the Kinmel Arms on Sunday.
Linda Nuttall, Maureen Nuttall
and
The name badges were more essential for
some more than others due to their changed appearance over the years (for example,
at school I had hair, it was brown, I didn’t wear glasses and I didn’t have a
beard!). Perhaps we should try to include a photograph of how they looked at
school with the database to improve recognition!
I would particularly like to thank
For my own part I really had a lovely
weekend. It was great to be with people I have known for so long and who
experienced with me the ups and downs of school life. I am proud to have been a
part of a great school and its community and hope that re-established links can
develop over many years to come.