I’M sure most OHs are too busy and of course too highly educated to waste time watching daytime telly but any that do may well have been surprised by the departure from ITV of Philip Schofield.

    The consummate 61-year-old presenter resigned from ITV on May 26th, after admitting an affair with a junior male colleague whom he had helped into a job on his show, and after lying to his employer in a bid to conceal the relationship.

    The big surprise to me was that Schofield had been in a gay relationship. I always got the impression he was a ladies man.

    Schofield’s story shows that anyone we know could turn out to be gay, and it’s a reminder that we’re all human.

    No-one knows how many of the UK population consider themselves homosexual because many people who are do not like people to know, including researchers. Nevertheless, recent research suggests to me 5% gay, with a further 5% bisexual.

    A demonstration that these days gays still hesitate to come out is that, of the thousands of professional footballers in the top four divisions of English men’s football, the number openly gay is one.

    That’s despite a poll finding that 86% of UK adults think homosexuality should be accepted in society (Pew, 2019).

    Enlightened citizens recognise that people of a queer disposition are not a threat to health or civilisation and should not be treated as such. They are full members of society. I believe some of the greatest Englishmen have been gay.

    So it’s important that LGBT OHs feel at home at our club events. Of course there is no reason why anyone at an OH gathering should reveal their orientation. However, many OHs choose to bring their partner, and I cannot remember ever noticing anyone with a same-sex partner. I hope that no gay OH is discouraged from bringing their partner through fear of feeling unwelcome.

    I look forward to seeing gay couples at Sidmouth, the RAC or any other OH venue. That would make me more proud of the club.

● Next website offering from monthly contributor George Hayter OH: 1st July

THERE will be something unusual about the next time the club holds its big three annual events 

Instead of being spread across the year as usual, they are all being squeezed together. 

Traditionally club gatherings are months apart, as if members need half a year to recover from each gregarious get-together. Traditionally there is one big event in spring, then nothing till November. 

It’s not like that this year. All three 2023 gatherings will take place in the autumn, and in quick succession yum amen cheers – lunch, church service and drinks party! 

How did the feast in Sidmouth, the remembrance service in Honiton and the AGM/drinks party in London get snuggled up close? 

It looks as though the committee was keen to get the London drinks party off the meteorologically mischievous Thames, where it has been for two years, and back indoors at the elegant RAC in London’s clubland. Organisers managed to secure an RAC booking in autumn. 

Is the resulting OH season a good thing? Will this latest calendar change provide too much to enjoy all in one go? 

Club hon sec David Woollatt acknowledges the risk. “I can see how having a lot of events in quick succession can be overwhelming for some OHs, particularly those with busy schedules,” David told me. 

Moving events backwards and forwards may look like an attempt to confuse members but personally I’m all for it. Keeping events at the same old time and place could be seen as too routine. 

The biggest bonus of an OH season for absent-minded old boys like me is that it’s easier to remember when everything’s happening 

And David Woollatt points out that the OH season will not leave the rest of the year bereft of OH activity: “We also have several ‘pop-up’ events, coffees, and lunches throughout the year,” he said. “Keep an eye on the internet for those.” 

Is the OH season permanent? Probably not, according to club treasurer David Richardson, “It looks as if we will have to go back to having the West Country lunch in May,” he forecast cautiously. 

Whether you put the three major 2023 events in your diary or just in your head, you will need the dates: 

Lunch Saturday 16th September 

Remembrance service Saturday 28th October 

AGM and cocktail party Thursday 16th November 

The website will tell you more, on its Events page. 

l Next website offering by monthly contributor George Hayter OH: 1st June 

Important Announcement

There will be Two Events on the Rousdon Estate this summer ………

Dates now confirmed …………..

Event One - Saturday 1st July

Event Two - Saturday 2nd September

Arrival 3pm and finishing around 7.30pm.

From OH Martin Boulden:

I am rather proud and excited to tell you that after 25 years, I have managed to agree “Two” Official Gatherings on the Rouson Estate this summer, thanks to the amazing Judith and Warwick, who own part of the main building, Otter Lake and the land which Venning House stood on!

The maximum number is 25 OHs, and will include a selection of premium drinks provided by Julian Packer (Fellow OH and owner of two local Wine Shops), food by an “Artisan” catering company and live music within the grounds, at the rear of the main house.

This will also include some of the residents, who I must say have been very enthusiastic in allowing this and are a fantastic bunch of characters.

The dress code will be casual, however, I must urge, we have to respect this wonderful opportunity, to ensure we can continue building bridges and put on future events.

There will be a Ticket price for these events, to cover the cost and to give a sum to the Rousdon Estate for the upkeep of the estate, along with a donation to the Air Ambulance.

The Ticket price will be £75, this may seem high, but I promise a fabulous event meeting some wonderful people in the grounds of our old school with the backdrop of the main school building and the view of the cliffs and the sea.

Please confirm your place and advise which date you require by sending me an email to martinboulden@icloud.com or texting me on 07850 800959.

Our busy committee is about to launch its latest scheme to keep you up-to-date and interested in what the club is doing.

News and views of interest to former Allhallows pupils is to be posted on the OH website more often, to encourage members to check out the site whenever they have a spare moment.
This latest boost to communication follows two other recent media initiatives by the club – a video channel on YouTube and a newsletter with video emailed to members earlier this month.
The committee is confident they now have someone to pen regular website bulletins that you will want to read. For at least the next 12 months – barring disaster – one will be posted on the site’s news pages in time for the start of each month.

The OH agreeing to contribute to the website articles admits that he or she has no idea what to write about. Find out what they come up with at the last minute. The first in the monthly series is due online by the deadline of 11.59pm on the last day of April.

Our latest OH e-newsletter is out. 

You can view it online here.

BREAKING NEWS! OH 25th Anniversary Film

We Have launched our new Youtube Channel for the 25th Anniversary OH film. (We can't believe it's been that long since the school closed either!)

Here is the link.

We’ve already had some exciting interviews in the “can” from Derek Blooman and Stephen Bath, Dudley Hopkins, Simon Gibbons and Claus Andersen.

We’ve even found the youngest OH, who only served a term before the school closed.

But first, we need an audience and some subscribers ………

So please head over and watch the first video and press Subscribe!

As soon as we reach 250 subscribers, we will launch a new video every Sunday evening at 6pm.

We look forward to sharing this with you.

It was a very busy weekend (25th/26th February), starting the process of filming OHs for the 25th anniversary of the school closing film.

A huge thank you to Martin Boulden and all those so far who have been involved.

It is a real honour to be producing the Old Honitonians film to commemorate the 25th anniversary of our school closing.

I'm particularly excited about the opportunity to interview more OHs with fantastic stories for the film.

Here is David Woollatt in Axemouth talking about his Allhallows experience and the film; thanks for sorting the location Martin!

Stay tuned for more updates on the Old Honitonians film, and please feel free to share your own memories and stories by getting in touch. Let's make this a tribute to remember!

See the full video clip here.

The 2022 OH Magazine is now available to read here.

It was wonderful to see so many OHs at this year's Memorial Service. The service was held at St. Paul's Church Honiton on Saturday, 29th October 2022.

Thank you very much to OH Chris Vallins for leading the service, Chris' wife for playing the organ, and Patrick McCaig for the last post. Thanks must also go to Nigel Clist, who brought along some fascinating historical documents about Allhallows.

Here are some photographs from the event.

We very much look forward to seeing OHs at next year's service.

At the Club's AGM held at The Victoria Hotel, Sidmouth following the annual West Country Lunch, Seb Warner and David Woollatt were unanimously elected as the Club's new President and Hon. Secretary, taking the place of Peter Sloan and Tim Birmingham whose three-year term of office had come to an end.

Notwithstanding the very sad news of the death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II only two days before, the Club had decided to go ahead with the lunch and AGM. During the lunch the assembled OHs and their guests stood for a short while in silent tribute to the memory of her late Majesty and this was followed by the loyal toast to the new King.

Opening the AGM Peter thanked David Richardson for all his hard work in organising the lunch as well as the staff of the Victoria Hotel who had provided such good service. Then in his capacity as Treasurer, David presented the Club Accounts for 2021/22, full details of which can be found on the About Us page under the heading Club Accounts.

Peter then gave a brief review of the Club's activities during the past year from the Ukranian Relief mission undertaken by Patrick Musters and Richard Anderson earlier in the year, to the activities of the OHGS and in particular to their recent Cornwall trip, to the London Drinks Party on Board HQS Wellington in May and the Allhallows Day Mememorial Service scheduled for 29th October.

The main business of the AGM then followed with the nomination of Seb Warner as the new President and David Woollatt as the new Hon. Secretary. Both nominations were unanimously agreed upon by a show of hands. Unfortunately, the new President was not able to be present at the lunch, but David read a short address from Seb in which he gave some background details of himself and his plans for the future.

In winding up the meeting Peter drew attention to the fact that present at the lunch was Ralph Harding who only the day before had celebrated his 96th birthday! To mark this occasion a presentation was made to Ralph in the form of a set of the Club's cufflinks and a copy of the School Register together with the nomenclature of 'Father of the Club'.

The lunch and the AGM were then rounded off by a stimulating and very amusing talk given by David Shaw in which he gave his memories and reflections of his time as a pupil at Allhallows.