Guild Biennial Weekend
The main focus of the 2004 Guild Biennial weekend was to join with College to celebrate the 150th birthday of College. The weekend began with a dinner held on Friday evening for former Senior Prefects and Second Heads of College with entertainment by SMT and the present Prefects' Committee. It was fascinating to meet representatives of so many different generations and learn how their time at College had shaped their lives.
Prayers on Saturday morning saw Guild members of all ages join with those from the 90s and 00s who had also come to take part in their decade reunion, the final one in the current series. The choir sang a beautiful anthem. After coffee and a chat in the Lower Hall, members made their way to the Guild AGM which was attended by many people. Reports were received from St. Hilda's East and Guild plus a very amusing presentation with a serious theme from our President, Mrs Tuck, on all the legislation and legal requirements which now affect College and College life. Each one was represented by an apple which the Director of Development designate, Miss Tudge, could no longer hold after the tenth had been handed to her! Fortunately, College manages to juggle the directives somewhat better. The meeting was also the opportunity for Guild to say goodbye to the outgoing chairman and welcome the incoming one, Mrs Fionna Cardale.
Everyone then adjourned to the amphitheatre, in the Queen Elizabeth II Quad., which had been built with a donation to College from Guild to mark the 150th anniversary. Mary Blackburn unveiled a plaque to open the amphitheatre and, as raindrops began to fall, all left to partake of drinks and lunch in the Staff dining room. A rounders match between former and current pupils took place during the afternoon followed by tea in the houses.
The day culminated with the most stupendous and memorable Gala Concert. The College Symphony Orchestra was augmented by Guild members and the soloists were Beatrice Scaldini, the leader of the orchestra, and two former pupils, Celia Nicklin, a superb oboist, presently Professor of oboe at the Royal Academy of Music and the senior oboist with the London Mozart Players, and Rebecca Rudge, who is starting her career as an opera singer and will no doubt achieve great things. The concert was devised and conducted by Dominic Hawley, the Director of Music. The whole atmosphere and playing grew to a tremendous climax with the finale being the entire audience rising in the PH to sing "Jerusalem". It was an unforgettable evening. The playing was sublime and all present knew they had witnessed one of the great concerts in the history of College.
Sunday continued damp and dull but the Guild Service in the PH was no less special. Prebendary Pippa Thorneycroft, a Guild member, preached, again using apples to illustrate her theme. Three girls from St. Margaret's sang and the Chaplain had found "The Guild Hymn" in the new College hymnal and prayers were said for College and Guild.
A final cup of coffee saw the weekend come to a close with friendship renewed between each other and between Guild and College. Much hard work had been undertaken to make it such a success, particularly by the Development Office staff, the Music staff, the Catering staff and the porters, but what a celebration, what a weekend.
Thank you College - we will be back.