Welcome Back!

OSA Annual Reunion

Always the first Saturday in July held at St Peter’s College, Saltley, B8 3TE

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1.     General Overview of activities

For quite a few attendees this is rather like a ‘weekender’ of activities. For early comers, especially some who are travelling from outside of Birmingham and are either booked into hotels or staying with local friends, the activities start on the Friday evening. 

On Friday evening a group will gather at The Wellington Pub, 37 Bennetts Hill, Birmingham, B2 5SN from 7.30pm, in Birmingham city centre for a relaxed start to the weekend. There is no charge for this event. We meet in the private top floor room – collect a drink from the bar on the floor below on your way up. We usually end up with about 20 in attendance. You are all welcome!

Saturday – Reunion Day!

Please remember the price paid is NOT just for lunch, but to help defray costs for the whole day. The day costs us circa £8000 and your committee offsets about 50% from funds. Our overheads include, catering, bar hire, drinks, marquee hire, toilet hire, medical support, table hire etc.

This is the main event of the weekend. This is a paid for event, currently at £40 per head, which starts with the gates at College, Bridge Road (B8 3TE) entrance, opening at 10.00am. The bar facilities are open at this time too. Those attending the church service usually arrive around this time, whilst others may plan to arrive closer to noon for the drink’s reception.

On arrival please collect your individual St Peter’s College lanyard with name badge…they’re remarkably useful !!!

Those attending the Church service at St Saviours, need to have arrived at Church for an 11.00am start. Once again, there will be a minibus shuttle to take folk to and from College – from 10.20am – gather at the Bridge Road entrance.

Cars can park in the secure carpark adjacent to the former chapel through the Bridge Road entrance. Other ways of approaching college are by taxi, bus or train. 

Trains arrive at Adderley Park Station which gives those using this transport about a 10 minute walk up to College or directly to St Saviours Church for the 11.00am service.

The No.14 bus still runs from Old Square (near to the old Argos), in the City Centre into Alum Rock (the 55 no longer operates on the old route). You should alight at Bowyer Road, a few yards away from College Road. Please check times closer to the date.

The annual, and very popular, Church service starts at 11.00am. This service is for all, both regular and non-regular church attendees. Those who are not regular church goers always comment positively on the whole occasion and the rousing hymns that are sung during the service.

Those who chose to go directly to church please be reminded that parking near church is difficult.

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The drinks reception (sherry, juices & nibbles) will be at 12.00 noon, served from The Residents’ Lounge, near the bar. All other drinks can be purchased from the bar. This includes bitter & lager, red & white wine with various soft drinks also. Could I remind you all that any purchases on the day must be made with CASH.

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The ‘Call for lunch’ will be close to 1.00pm. Again we are using the outstanding services of SE Catering for our 4-course lunch. They have been hugely applauded for their wonderful service and high quality food for the past few years. We are delighted to welcome them back. Those who chose the ‘vegetarian’ option also told us their food was outstanding!

Guests are seated against a dedicated seating plan, displayed in numerous places, with year group cohorts seated together or adjacent to colleagues.

The menu for our hot lunch will be attached to the email sent at the time. Please note that if you are a vegetarian, vegan or need a gluten free diet please request that on the application form. 

The four course, hot lunch, is followed by speeches and presentations. We are always delighted to have a guest speaker, usually, in recent times, a former student.

Dress code for luncheon is not prescribed. However, historically men tend to wear jackets and ties and ladies, dresses.

However, your attendance is far more important than your ‘dress’ and certainly over the past few years the ‘dress’ at lunch has become more ‘relaxed’.

After lunch, attendees re-group in the ‘meet & greet’ area adjacent to the bar, or outside if the weather is favourable by the bar to continue their reminiscences whilst nearly everyone will have visited or will visit the memorabilia exhibition, sited in the Residents’ Lounge.

Please do avail yourself of the services of our photographer, Barry Poultney (1970 leaver) who will not only be taking reportage type photos throughout, but will, on request, take photos of groups small or large. Barry will be introduced to you at lunch in case you didn’t spot him earlier!!!

The Annual OSA AGM will once again take place after luncheon – all are welcome. This will take place in the Refectory.

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The Memorabilia Exhibition will once again be on display. This exhibition delivers many old photos, documents & magazines etc from over the years. Always a very popular aspect of Reunion. This is situated in the Residents’ Lounge.

You are always reminded of various leaver cohort anniversaries (70, 60 and 50) years since leaving and whilst these groups have no greater access to the event than others, it makes the anniversary that much more special if groups can get together to mark these historic occasions! 

We’ve already got quite a lot of names of people we haven’t seen for many years, but it would be good to have more.

If you’re not a member of the Association and want to come to Reunion, could we ask you to include with your Reunion payments the extra £10.00 annual membership fee to help defray administrative costs.

We still prefer for all ‘new’ members to fill out the Bank Standing Order form for the annual fees of £10.  Forms are attached for that purpose.

If you know of anyone in your area that is not on our mailing list, let us know so that we can send him/her a membership form. The OSA Membership Secretary is Sue Walton (1975). Sue can be contacted via email at sue.walton44@blueyonder.co.uk

Remember too, one of the prime objectives of the Association is benevolence, so if you know of any Old Salt or his/her dependants who could do with our help, please also let us know. At this time, when so many are experiencing financial difficulties, we would want all Old Salts to know that their Old Student Association is ready and willing to offer help. It is important that as many of you who can, contribute to the Benevolence Fund since this is the only way we have of making sure there is money to help where it’s required. Often in times of bereavement or as a result of natural disasters, there is a short-term need for financial help and that’s where our benevolence fund can assist.

Please, for all those coming to Reunion, indicate on your reply slip how much of your total amount is earmarked for benevolence and for those of you who are unable to be with us, please send your contribution by post or electronically to John Hyslop.

Help us to help our brother and sister Salts in their time of need.

OSA Merchandise:

We currently have on sale in the Residents’ Lounge

·       College scarves (£20.00)

·       College wired blazer badges (£20.00)

·       A few remaining (smaller) wired badges to sew onto scarves (£5.00)

·       College lapel pin badges (£5.00)

·       College ties (£15.00)

·       Commemorative etched glass blocks (in presentation boxes) (£15.00)

·       History of College 1850-1950 - Book (£6.00)

·       History of College 1944-1978 - Book (£8.00)

·       College pens (£3.00)

Please remember all purchases can only be made with CASH

The cash only rule applies to both bar sales and college merchandise.

The electric security gates on Bridge Road will be closed around 5.30pm

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Evening Social – Saturday at The Wellington Pub – again from 7.30pm (see address details above)

There is no charge for attending. We have booked our own room on the second floor. Collect a drink from the bar on the floor below and join us!

If you are planning on attending, please let us know on the form. This enables us to have a badge for you……you may have changed a little over the years!!!

John Hyslop

OSA Reunion Secretary

07496 654740

(The above detail is all prefaced with an email that sends out various forms to be completed with payment for the day.

So, what is included herein: (All email attachments)

·       Lunch menu / payment details

·       Luncheon / evening application form

·       Membership forms (x2)

·       Reunion timetable

Please read ALL the details that follow, so you fully understand the complete options. Many folk have already informed me they have booked hotels to make sure they attend at least both the formal luncheon and the evening informal social on the Saturday evening. Quite a few hardy souls arrive on Friday and return home sometime on the Sunday.)

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