The 2024 AGM was held on Friday 1st November 2024 at Beacon High School, Hilldrop Road, London N7 0JG.

Click on the following links to view relevant documents ahead of this years AGM:

OCC Minutes AGM 1st November 2024,

OCC AGM Chair’s Report 1st November 2024

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the 115^th annual general meeting of the Old Camdenians Club.

First of all I should say that compared to the trials, tribulations and tragedies we have all endured over recent years, this year has been a relatively drama free one, though I think we should mark the deaths of two stalwarts of the club, whom some of our older members may have known – David Smith, who was at the school from 1943-50, and Fred John Dickson, who was here from 1949 to 1954. Also we learned recently of the death at age 85 of Brian Fletcher, whom I remember as a popular and highly respected maths teacher when Ray and I were at the school in the 1960s and who went on to become deputy head teacher in the 1970s. I would ask you to reflect for a few moments on their lives and the contributions they have made to the club and the school.

Now on to business. We have continued to have our, occasionally raucous, quarterly committee meetings via Ray’s Zoom account. And this gives me the opportunity, on behalf of the committee, to thank our Hon Secretary for the tireless efforts he continues to make to keep the club going and organise events such as this one. Thank you, Ray, we don’t know what we’d do without you.

As Martin will confirm shortly, our finances are in pretty good order, which has enabled us to continue to support the school, particularly on the sports field, by means of sponsored shirts and other kit for team leaders, as well as sports bursaries. Bill will talk more about that shortly.

We also offer bursaries for post-GCSE students, to spend on whatever they like. One recipient, Marta Monteiro, has posted a video on our website, acknowledging our support and the effect our bursary has had on her student life and her studies. Do have a look at it if you can. We continue to offer these bursaries. If any leavers here are interested, please talk to Ray.

We are privileged this year to have a representative on the school governing body, Panos Nicolaides, who will later fill us in on what is happening there.

Anyway, there is food and drink to be had, so without further ado, I’ll hand over to Martin, who will update us on our finances.

OCC AGM Secretary’s Report 1st November 2024

December 2023

Jacky Nickless and Dr Jane Steele (George and Pam Ives’s niece in law and niece) A picture says a thousand words. Jacky and Jane were our guests at the annual lunch and unveiled Uncle George and Aunty Pam’s memorial.

Rosa, Maria, Chenyi, Yaseem, Dan, Hassan, Brendan, Harvey, Ray, Wail, Owen, Adhum and Hamid at the 96th Annual Lunch

Our new generation of Old Camdenians, all of whom were Headteacher’s Ambassadors during their time at the school. They joined us for our 96th Annual Lunch. Each received £100 to spend towards their college studies.

Brendan Harrington-Cutter returned this year and had a great time.

Dr. Laurence Marks read extracts from his schoolboy diaries.

Laurence Marks is a screenwriter and one half of writing duo Marks and Gran (with Maurice Gran).

Financial Times on 3rd October 2023:

“On January 28, 1965, Laurence Marks, a 16-year-old schoolboy, bunked off school with three friends to queue for hours in the freezing cold in order to file quietly past Winston Churchill’s coffin in Westminster Hall”.

Laurence made us all laugh when he read from his diaries that included the above extract, plus a teenager’s fascination with Christine Keeler, whom he interviewed many years later when he wrote the film about the Profumo affair, called ‘Scandal’ (1989).

Also, a hearty congratulations to Panos Nicolaides in his new role and keeping up the tradition of an Old Camdenian as a school Governor.

We welcome Tony Bass, our new OCC Financial Adviser for the B&NWOCM ‘The Billy’ Fund. Tony joined us for our annual lunch – welcome on back Tony.

We currently have four trustees for the B&NWOCM Fund: John Maskell; Panos Nicolaides; Martin Quilter and myself.

Ideally, we are looking for a fifth trustee to join us. If you think you could assist, please contact me.

A big thank you to you all for supporting the school’s Uniform Fund – providing school uniforms for disadvantaged secondary school pupils– well done!

You will remember that Reg Prentice was unable to attend the AGM & Annual Lunch, Reg gave his apologies and best wishes to all from his bed in Whipps Cross Hospital, via video. Unfortunately, Reg is currently receiving treatment for cancer of the oesophagus – we wish him well.

Spring 2024

Dr Laurence Marks and Dr Maurice Gran, both accomplished scriptwriters and producers, were awarded a Doctorate by the University of York for their significant contributions to television, theatre and musicals.

Laurence sent me the YouTube link, which I shared with you.

Reading from his own school reports, he quoted, “Laurence is not afraid of failure and that is to be admired“. He recalled someone had left a note on his typewriter, a line from Samuel Beckett: “Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Again. Fail Again, Fail Better“.

He referenced personal development practitioners who now consider ‘failure a necessary step towards success‘.

Reflecting that we should be “courageous enough to step outside our comfort zone“. Laurence stated that “his had been a long, hard journey“.

Thank you Laurence for sharing this wonderful event with us.

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE, an Eminent Old Camdenian, who will be talking about his time at school.

Natalie Mountjoy, Assistant Deputy Director of Learning for KS4, has invited me to attend Year 11’s prom night on 4th July 2024, at the Ringcross Community Centre, N7 8RH, to present awards. The club are making a £400 donation to ensure that our new Old Camdenians will have a good time at the school’s first prom night since the Covid-19 pandemic.

I do hope that all OCs read the school’s weekly newsletter, ‘The Beacon’, since it is a window on what is happening now with everything at the school including our Sports Leaders, girls football teams and other worthy recipients of donations from the club.

Summer 2024

I was invited to Year 11’s Proms Night on 4th July at the school. Our President Alan Streeter and Team Beacon High welcomed Year 11 students at the Camdenians’ Hall, Beacon High School. The hall was bedecked by Natalie Mountjoy.

It is believed to be the first time in the school’s 117-years history that the Camdenians’ Hall has been transformed into a stunning venue for our Year 11 students to celebrate their ‘Proms’. As new students, their first assembly in Year 7 was in the Camdenians’ Hall; their last assembly in Year 11 was in the Camdenians’ Hall. It seems appropriate that they should come back to the Camdenians’ Hall and have fun.

The Prom holds different levels of significance for different people. For some, it’s a chance to dress up and have a fun night with friends. For others, it’s an opportunity to create lasting memories before parting ways with classmates and entering adulthood. I hope you will agree with me that the photos and videos you can see via the link below show our Year 11 (2024) having fun with friends and dressing up.

An excellent buffet with non-alcoholic punch was provided by the Old Camdenians Club.

Year 11 (2024), having endured the disruption to their studies with the Covid-19 pandemic, now await the results of their GCSEs on 22nd August. We wish them all the best for the future and hope to see some of them at our OCC 97th Annual Lunch, on Friday 1st November 2024, at the school.

Thank those of you who were unable to attend this year’s annual lunch, and sponsored a ‘new’ Old Camdenian to take your place at the table.

I am grateful to Marta Monteiro, our Ambassador for the Billy Fund, for her excellent video that explains the benefits of being an Old Camdenian and how she has used the bursary while at university.

The club does not have a subscription fee, but £60 will give you a number for next year’s George Ives 50+ Club draw. It is our main source of income that we use to make donations to the school and pupils. Give it a go, choose a number and make a difference!

Autumn 2024

Emmanuel Anyiam-Osigwe MBE, Eminent OC and founder of the British Urban Film Festival (BUFF), invited me to a screening of his and Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe OBE, his wife’s film, Absolutely Marvellous, on Saturday 27th July, at Rich Mix, London, I posted on Trustpilot and felt that it was your love letter to our mums and, all those people who have helped us throughout our journey in life.

Such a lovely story; I wish you both all success in greater exposure of Absolutely Marvellous. Clare and Emmanuel took questions after the screening and their passion for their chosen careers was for all to see – well done!

Emmanuel will be updating us latter our Annual Lunch where you can see this wonderful film, and how this year’s BUFF Awards (17th to 25th October 2024) went.

Denis Piggott, Panos Nicolaides and I were invited to attend Year 11’s GCSE Exam Results Day, at the school, on 22nd August. Once again, our President, Alan Streeter, had included a letter in their envelopes inviting them as ‘new’ Old Camdenians to meet us and discuss the benefits of the club and to join us for our Annual Lunch, at the school. today.

Abdikarim, Bobby, Davi, Ivanna, Jayden, Lewis, and Micha

Keira and Micha were Queen and King of the Year 11 Proms 2024, you may remember. Come and join us – book your table and have fun.

Thanked Emma Dufeal, Deputy Head Teacher, for enlightening us on the role of the School Council and the School Leadership Team. I have included extracts from The Beacon where Ahmed, Amir, Anisa, Celino, Lok,  Malaika and Joe, who are all members of the School Council, state their hopes and aspirations. I wish them well.

Graham Thorpe from the village of Deanshanger has discovered damage caused by Holloway School boys when they were evacuated during WWII. He may join us for the lunch and ask some questions and tell us what he found. I am not too sure if he wants any money, but these days who knows. If you can assist Graham with his historical archive, please drop me a line or come and meet him.

George Ives donation £1000

Committee agreed £60 to give George a number annually which if it won winnings back to club

Discussion whether Sports Leaders could vote annually for the George Ives Sports Leader Award of £100.

Lastly, many thanks to everyone who has contacted me and contributed to our newsletters this year. Ray Rowe

OCC Accounts 2023

OCC AGM 2024 Agenda