General News & Articles

Dear Old Bordenians,

I am delighted to be working with the committee, school and members of the OBA to help us to become more relevant to the people we represent going forwards.

Our objective is to focus on driving membership, providing help where we can to those just leaving the school, and networking & social engagement opportunities for all.

We have already made some changes, with the removal of the annual subscription and a move to voluntary contributions to assist our funding. There is more detail contained in the AGM Minutes on the web site: OBA AGM Minutes 2017.

For those of you who are in and around London, we are looking to meet up for informal drinks in the London Bridge area on Friday 24^th November. It would be great if you could rally some past school friends and come and join us. If you are interested, please email me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. so I can get an idea of numbers and then I will confirm the venue.

Finally, a big thanks to those who have been doing so much work for the OBA behind the scenes over the years.

Regards to all

Mark Bailey

A number of former Borden Grammar School pupils are taking part in next year's Brighton marathon to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of former headmaster, Harold Vafeas.  The full story was published in the Sittingbourne News Extra.  Click on the picture below for further details.

Old Bordenian Philip Goldacre has landed a role in a new play at the Royal Court Theatre, London.  The article in this link to our Flickr site - Philip Goldacre - was featured in this week's local newspaper, the Sittingbourne News Extra (reproduced with kind permission of SNE). 

On Friday 19 May 2017, a small number of OBA committee members gave a presentation to Year 13 school leavers, outlining the benefits of membership of the Association and its relevance to school leavers as well as older former students.  The presentation is available here: OBA presentation to school leavers - May 2017.

We have received the following employment opportunities for current pupils at Borden Grammar School from a local Insurance Broker, based in Oad Street, Borden.

The Insurance Broker contacted us back in 2013 and 2015 with similar opportunities.  Neil Barlow, director of the company, now has a further opportunity for two apprentices to start in the summer.  Neil is also offering work experience opportunities for 1 or 2 weeks. Neil has written to the School and the Association with the following offer:

A number of Old Bordenians have hit the headlines in the past few months.  The following links will take you to their respective items.

Peter Millican:  How JK Rowling was unmasked and Peter Millican sceptical of the Matrix Theory 

Lloyd Amsdon, Stuart Hennell and Matt Bowling: Former BGS pupils - successful company

Professor Nicholas Sims-Williams: Denis Sinor Gold Medal 

If you are aware of any other notable successes of Old Boys that would be worth sharing, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

If anyone wonders what happens to OBs that fail to pay attention in class, and you happen to be at Glastonbury this year, come along and see Barclay James Harvest on the Acoustic Stage on Friday 24th June. I'll be at the back of the space pushing up faders and pressing buttons as I'm their lighting designer for this event.

I can't promise wearing the OBA tie, but I'll try and write about it when I return.

Thanks

Ken Coker 1969 - 1976

Malcolm Bradshaw, an Old Bordenian who left the school in the 1960s, has been awarded an MBE in the 2016 New Year Honours List.  The formal citation states:

Malcolm McNeille BRADSHAW

Senior Chaplain, Anglican Church in Greece. For services to interfaith understanding and community charities in Greece.

The Diocese in Europe website provides further details of Malcolm's work and the award: http://europe.anglican.org/news/news/post/1008-minister-among-migrants-awarded-mbe.

Patrick Ireland, an Old Bordenian from 2001 to 2008, has contacted us with an update on his latest film venture.  His story ....

My name is Patrick Ireland and I am a student at the London Film School. I grew up in Herne Bay and attended Borden Grammar School from 2001 - 2008. I very much enjoyed my experience at Borden and was heavily involved in drama & filmmaking whilst at the school.

We recently heard news of an Old Boy, Steve Piper, who was at Borden in the 1980/90's.  He is a director/writer/producer of a British independent film company, and rather than repeat what is on their website, please use the following link -   Coffee Films to read about them. Steve's own biography is also available.