OB Club Events
On this page: Events | Further Info | Winter Lunches
Covid-19: Changes to Upcoming Events
With the easing of restrictions over the coming weeks and months, the Development Office and Old Blundellian Club are planning some events, listed below. See also a tentative Winter Lunch schedule for 2021-22 below. It is with regret that Old Blundellian Day will not be taking place this year (2021), due to the ongoing pandemic.
In the meantime, we will continue to use the time and resources to call those in our community who may benefit from a friendly call. We are very grateful to those of you who support our events and would like to take the opportunity to reassure you that we will continue to offer a diverse program of events for our community in due course. Until the time when we can all come together at such an event, please continue to reach out, we are only at the end of a phone call or email.
Events
See below for 2021-22 Winter Lunches.
| Date / Time | Event | Venue | Contact | |
| 2021 | ||||
| Sept. | 9th, 08:30 09:00 | Parent Coffee Morning | School Garden | BA |
| 19th | Blundell’s Community Rugby Trophy Tournament and Family Day Contact: Tom Cowle (OB & Current Parent) - thomasomcowle@gmail.com |
Big Field | OBC | |
| 26th | One-Day Equestrian Event | Pontispool, nr Taunton | DO | |
| 26th, 12:15pm | Reichwald Fives Trophy Tournament | Fives Courts and B.C. | OBC | |
| 29th | Parents Fives Masterclass with Alex Steel | Fives Courts | BA | |
| Oct. | 4th, 09:00 - 09:45 | Historical Tour of Building with Archivist Mike Sampson | Beale Centre | BA |
| 13th | Winter Lunch - Charlie Olive (TH 1985-90, Current staff, Director of Community Partnerships), Topic: ‘Community Partnerships.’ | Beale Centre | OBC | |
| 15th | Take a Seat - Reception for Donors. Drinks in Ondaatje Hall at 6pm, Concert in Big School from 7.00pm | Blundell's | DO | |
| Nov. | 1st, 08:30 09:00 | Parent Coffee Morning | School Garden | BA |
| 8th, 15:00 - 15:45 | Historical Tour of Building with Archivist Mike Sampson | Beale Centre | BA | |
| 10th | Winter Lunch - Debbie Hosking (Former staff 1999-2018 & GH House Mistress), Topic: ‘Anecdotes of Covid.’ | Beale Centre | OBC | |
| 11th | Remembrance Service (space limited) | Chapel | DO | |
| 13th | 50 Year Alumni Reunion - Postponed to 2022 | Blundell's | DO | |
| Dec. | 1st | Winter Lunch - Jeremy Salter (Former Staff 1969-2001, Chairman of Tiverton Civic Society), Topic: ‘Neil Ghosh and the Jewel in the Crown.’ | Beale Centre | OBC |
| 10th, 12:00 | Nick Butter; Marathon Man “Do More Tour” | Big School | BA | |
| 11th | London Alumni Race (Hare & Hounds) | London | BA | |
| 2022 | ||||
| Jan | 12th | Winter Lunch - Geoff Edwards (Blundell’s Catering Manager 2006-present), Topic: ‘An Obituary to Lumpy Mash and Spotted Dick! – School Catering Through the Ages.’ | Beale Centre | OBC |
| Feb | 9th | Winter Lunch - Peter Maunder (M 1978-82) Topic: ‘Tiverton Cloth: The story of the town's woollen trade, 1475-1815.’. Recording of talk given to the Devon and Cornwall Record Society on this subject:Peter Maunder : The Serge Trade in Devon. | Beale Centre | OBC |
| Mar | 5th | 141st Russell Run | Blundell's | DO |
| 5th | 10 Year Alumni Reunion | Blundell's | DO | |
| 9th | Winter Lunch - Nigel Hall (Governor 2014-20, Chair of Governors 2020-present) Topic: TBC. | Beale Centre | OBC | |
| April | - | - | - | - |
| May | TBC, 12:00 | 30 Year Alumni Reunion | Blundell's | DO |
| Oct | TBC | 1950’s to 1960’s Alumni Reunion | Blundell's | DO |
Fixtures for fives, golf, shooting, hockey, soccer, cricket, tennis and squash against the School and others will be arranged by Sports Club Secretaries.
Induction events for Westlake pupils will take place in the Beale Centre during the year.
* Abbreviations
- DO = Development Office. Contact devoffice@blundells.org
- OBC = Old Blundellian Club. Contact obclub@obclub.co.uk
- BA = Blundell's Association. Contact Kate Wheatley, kjw@blundells.org
Further Information
Virtual Q&A with Bart Wielenga 23rd April 2021
Join us for our 2nd Q&A with Bart this April. This is a free pre-recorded event and the link will be sent out on Friday 23rd April at 10am to everyone who has registered. The link will stay active to allow you to watch at your leisure; please book to receive the link even if you are unable to watch on the day.
Have you always wanted to ask the Head of Blundell’s a question or perhaps get his view on a topic? Now is your opportunity. We will ask as many as the time period will allow.
Winter Lunches
These events are subject to Government guidelines and will be confirmed nearer the time.
| Date | Speaker and Topic | RSVP Date |
| 2021 | ||
| Weds
13th Oct, 12.30 for 1pm |
Charlie Olive (TH 1985-90, Current staff, Director of Community Partnerships) Topic: “Community Partnerships” |
12 noon, Mon 11th |
| Weds
10th Nov, 12.30 for 1pm |
Debbie Hosking (Former staff 1999-2018 & GH House Mistress) Topic: "Anecdotes of Covid" |
12 noon, Mon 8th |
| Weds 1st Dec, 12.30 for 1pm |
Jeremy Salter (Former Staff 1969-2001, Chairman of Tiverton Civic Society) Topic: “Neil Ghosh and the Jewel in the Crown” |
12 noon, Mon 29th Nov. |
| 2022 | ||
| Weds 12th Jan, 12.30 for 1pm |
Geoff Edwards (Blundell’s Catering Manager 2006-present) Topic: 'An Obituary to Lumpy Mash and Spotted Dick! – School Catering Through the Ages' |
12 noon, Mon 10th |
| Weds 9th Feb, 12.30 for 1pm |
Peter Maunder (M 1978-82) Topic: “Tiverton Cloth' The story of the town's woollen trade, 1475-1815” |
12 noon, Mon 7th |
| Weds
9th Mar, 12.30 for 1pm |
Nigel Hall (Governor 2014-20, Chair of Governors 2020-present) Topic: TBC |
12 noon, Mon 7th |
Please note the cost for lunch is £15, made payable on the day or in advance by BACS.
Cash Bar available.
Please RSVP no later than the date & time given. The OB Club will unfortunately be obliged to charge for cancellations not provided before this date & time and trust this meets with your understanding.
BACS Details: National Westminster Bank (GB)
Sort Code: 56-00-05. Account Number: 87750201
Reference: W Lunch/Your surname & initials
* * *
Every second Wednesday between October and March the Beale Centre sees a gathering of 30 or so who meet for drinks and conversation, then sit down to an excellent lunch followed by a short talk by an invited speaker. These are the “Winter Lunches”, managed by Sue Beale and Janet Wooff, which have now become a cherished annual institution since they started back in 2005 at the suggestion of John Hollands and Ted Crowe. All who have a Blundell’s connection are welcome to attend and there is always a good mix of OBs, former staff, parents and others. The speakers are drawn from the same pool and have covered a wide range of subjects – historical, cultural, military, educational – even breeding prize pigs. If anyone is interested in receiving this monthly nourishment for both mind and body then please contact Janet Wooff at The Beale Centre on 01884 232010 or obclub@obclub.co.uk.
Winter Lunches dates are listed in the main events table, above.
Contacting the OB Club
Contact information can be found at the bottom of every page on this site. The Club secretary is Janet Wooff.