OBA 2024 AGM - Chair's Annual Report

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This has been a transformational year for the Association.


There have been several “most important” achievements.



I am delighted to announce that we achieved our objective of becoming Registered Charity Number 1209591. Many might remark, “surely, we have been a charity for decades ?”, but it was never the case, despite the charitable works of the Association.

It gives the Association the recognition it deserves, and also authenticates it as a “pukka” organisation when it comes to fundraising.   Financially, it means that we can now go forward to apply for Gift Aid Relief from HMRC, which would potentially boost our income by up to 25% of our annual fundraising.


As you will see in the accounts, the Association’s annual income from Standing Orders is falling, and is projected to continue to fall so, if we wish to continue making similar financial contributions to support the School, we shall have to explore new and alternative sources of income such as Grants and public donations, as well as asking Members to review their donations.


How have your funds been spent ?

This year another £4,000 has been contributed towards the school minibus (making a total of £20,000), and £1,000 has been donated towards careers fairs for students at the school. So a big “thank you” to you for your contributions, that we have been able to pool to make a tangible difference for the School.

The present school minibus needs to be replaced in February.

Projecting our reserves forward, together with the anticipated decline in income, means that we could could not fund the lifetime of the replacement minibus in the same way, if we take no action.

I really do need to make an unashamed appeal to you to dig deep, in a positive and upbeat challenge to continue to support the School.


We pride ourselves on being able to run the OBA using the knowledge and skills of Old Bordenians themselves; this means that external expenditure is minimal and our financial support for the School is maximised.


Registered Charity status also brings non-financial benefits. It opens a portal to free services, software and guidance, which we will draw upon.


Speaking of non-financial activities, that is another “most important achievement” this year. We are becoming more sophisticated in being able to reach out to Old Bordenians for you to give your time, knowledge and practical skills, both for the School and the Association. OBs came in to school in May to give careers presentations during Work Experience Week for Year 10s, which was very well received. And the School held an inter-year Careers and Universities Fair in September, to which many OBs came as exhibitors, contributing their own career experiences and industry knowledge from their employers and organisations. This practical help for the School is priceless and irreplaceable, and complements the financial support that we can give.


Perhaps the “most most important achievement” this year lies with the Members, yourselves. We are reaching and involving Old Bordenians not only across the whole of the UK, but all across the whole of the World.   So distance really is no obstacle to feeling "included" and participating in your Association.

We repackaged and relaunched the Annual Reunion Dinner after a shaky post-Covid period, and brought together 53 Members from each decade from the 1940s (just) to the 2010s at the Dinner, together with many well-wishing messages from all around the world from Members who could not attend.
The date of the Dinner for next year is Saturday 26th April, and we are looking to accommodate more Members in the extended 1928 Hall, with courses freshly prepared and cooked in the School's newly extended kitchens.   Please mark it in your diary now.

Old Bordenians are gathering for the dedication of the new extension to the School in honour of Harold Vafeas, at the end of September, and gathering again on Armistice Day, Monday November 11th, for the joint School/OBA Service of Remembrance in the the Quad.

John Gibbard joined the Committee this year as our Social Media Lead, and has already recovered lost media accounts and reached out effectively to non-registered OBs. This coming year we will build on our LinkedIn presence to build a quality pool of verified talent. A very valuable asset for young OBs trying to build their careers, and also for older OBs looking to recruit dependable talent with a reliable provenance.


We have built our registered OB database from 352 at the last AGM to 491 this year. Registered means we are in touch with a valid email address. There are many, many more OBs for whom we only have an old, defunct, postal address and no email address, so we have no way to contact them. When you talk to your old schoolmates, please check with them: “Have you registered with the OBA ?” It’s very easy, at www.OldBordenians.com/Membership. If they are not receiving emails from the OBA, we don’t have their current contact details and we have lost touch.


We are having some success in building contacts with new and recent leavers – always more difficult since the John Macrae years, and also the impact of GDPR. The leavers we recruit today will be those running the OBA in 20-25 years’ time. In the meantime, we must develop our offering to them, to support them with advice from older OBs during their early years, career-building networking such as with LinkedIn, and even CV building by inviting their active engagement on the Committee.




I am reminded of the lyrics of “He ain’t heavy” by the Hollies, which kind of epitomises the ethos of the Association:



The road is long
With many a winding turn
That leads us to who knows where, who knows when


But I'm strong
Strong enough to carry him
He ain't heavy, he's my brother


So on we go
His welfare is my concern
No burden is he to bear
We'll get there


For I know
He would not encumber me
He ain't heavy, he's my brother


If I'm laden at all
I'm laden with sadness
That everyone's heart
Isn't filled with the gladness
Of love for one another


It's a long, long road
From which there is no return
While we're on the way to there
Why not share?


And the load
Doesn't weigh me down at all
He ain't heavy, he's my brother



Stay safe, and have a good year !


Mark


Mark Sayer

Chair, Old Bordenian Association

September 2024