Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Please post here both your POSITIVE and CONSTRUCTIVE feedback about Old Blues' Day 2007.
In this thread, please avoid discussion of the points - you can post an opposing view (i.e. if someone else liked something you disliked then please post it as a constructive suggestion)
We'll moderate this heavily to ensure it avoids discussion and keeps to concise bullet points that we can easily collate - please discuss as much as you like in the General Chat CH section.

David Eastburne and I will then ensure that this feedback gets back into the organising committee, the CHA Board and the CHA Management.

Edited:- Please mark the specific point in RED so that we can skim-read later (or I'll do it for you it don't know how!)

Thanks,

Julian

I thought it was excellent really...

I didn't partake in that many of the activities becuase I was there really to try and see as many people as possible.

There were a lot of recent Old Blues (unlike previous OBDs) - I think part of this maybe down to a Facebook group that advertised it...

The evensong was fantastic I thought - I saw the Lord and Stamford in C - good choices!

Good to see many of you as well!

A good day all round. It was nice to meet some people from this site at last, AND young Josh.

We were certainly lucky with the weather.

Hard to say how it can be improved, though I did overhear several OB's mention a pint would have been nice.
Jan and I walked to the Bax around 5-00ish and left there around 6:45, by which time there were several OB's in attendance. Most of them older than me, so maybe there is a moral there somewhere !

J.R. wrote:A good day all round. It was nice to meet some people from this site at last, AND young Josh.

We were certainly lucky with the weather.

Hard to say how it can be improved, though I did overhear several OB's mention a pint would have been nice.

Jan and I walked to the Bax around 5-00ish and left there around 6:45, by which time there were several OB's in attendance. Most of them older than me, so maybe there is a moral there somewhere !

Sorry I didn't make it to The Bax, John. Very unlike me but, to be honest, I was feeling quite knackered at the end of it all.

I ended up missing a lot of the stuff, as I was trying to flog books, mugs, etc. - I didn't even get to see the whole retreat practice, so I look forward to seeing everyone's photos.

Here's a selection of positives and constructives I heard on the day:-

Positives:-
More than enough to do - plenty of activities to see, watch, do.
HMs welcome - very positive and enthusiastic, created a good start to the day.
Tea/Coffee in dining-hall - good focal-point start (my niece liked the biscuits!)
Lunch - food excellent, service excellent.
Beating retreat rehearsal great - demographic of attendees had changed by then, and provided a central meeting time/point for people.
Houses being open was excellent - chance to see how the houses have been developed, and to view the Grecian's houses.
Evensong/Choir practice - joint practice and service was great fun, felt very welcomed by the Blues.
Cricket - excellent focal point for lunches and chatting.
Rifle/Clay shooting - provided good hands-on activity, especially for family members to try something new.

Constructive:-
Need a way to encourage registration (even on the day) so we know who came and can update information. I'm assuming not many signed the forms in the Court Room. Maybe a prize draw for all who register?
Remove the high barrier down the centre of dining-hall. Spoils vista of the whole room. Low barriers fine if need to separate school/OBs.
Don't clash the Grecian's tea with anything else, and if possible make free - encourages as many to visit.
Baby-changing - needed more than the floor of the disabled toilet - need a cheap baby-changing table for next year (Boots do one)
Information:- Map missing from the back of the accompanying letter.
Lunch:- Get rid of the table-cloths/fancy stuff - make the whole experience the same as the kids get (I might regret this one!)!
Classroom blocks open would be good
Trumpet fanfare for the Foundation Hymn
Sunday difficult for clergy.
Sunday means less sport happening to watch.
Sunday difficult for travelling home.
Advertise Old Blues' Cricket match before the day - others may be keen to play? Not much visibility of who the team was etc.
Signposts needed from Main Gates (the old main evenue gates) to the main entrance and car park.

Additions:-
Careers forum for Grecians, with dedicated areas for different types of career - Old Blues can congregate in areas. Or, arrange meetings on the day - Volunteers named on a list, Grecians book appointments on the day or before?

A few more tables for tea would have been good, there seemed to be many people having to stand.

jtaylor wrote:Additions:-
Careers forum for Grecians, with dedicated areas for different types of career - Old Blues can congregate in areas. Or, arrange meetings on the day - Volunteers named on a list, Grecians book appointments on the day or before?

Possibly not just Grecians, but GE upwards?? (could be a bit late in the day for Grecians who`ve already sorted uni offers etc.)

AndrewH wrote:A few more tables for tea would have been good, there seemed to be many people having to stand.

Don`t worry - everyone had to stand for lunch and tea on Speech Day - unless one of the lucky few who managed to grab a seat.

Mrs C. wrote:

AndrewH wrote:A few more tables for tea would have been good, there seemed to be many people having to stand.

Don`t worry - everyone had to stand for lunch and tea on Speech Day - unless one of the lucky few who managed to grab a seat.

Surely, that's bad planning ?

I agree on the trumpet fanfare for the Foundation hymn...

I see some people thought that Sunday wasn;t good for the clergy etc... Saturday would be a logistical nightmare and disturb the school due to lessons etc...

Availability of the clergy on the Sunday - that confused me - surely that's the day when they work...

I didn't know I had to sign something in common room - I walked in and got given a sticker!

Not good for Old Blues who are clergy....they're working, and difficult to get cover.

J.R. wrote:

Mrs C. wrote:

AndrewH wrote:A few more tables for tea would have been good, there seemed to be many people having to stand.

Don`t worry - everyone had to stand for lunch and tea on Speech Day - unless one of the lucky few who managed to grab a seat.

Surely, that's bad planning ?

I think the logic behind it is that if you have to stand you tend to mingle more - bit difficult when trying to balance plate and drink in one hand though!

Husband (not an OB) thought the whole thing was terrific, but tiring for an over-80! He's now busy telling everyone about it, and was particularly impressed by the band, and the singing in chapel. Thanks to DBTS we also saw the dinner parade on the Saturday.

If the CHA are going to publish a list of attendees by house would they please fully cross reference names to houses.
For example, Oakley is shown under Prep B as having gone on to Col A but he is not shown on the Col A list.

It was purely when I was cross checking that not one person from Thornton had attended (it was right at the bottom and was slow coming down) that I saw the Prep A & B lists.

jtaylor wrote:Not good for Old Blues who are clergy....they're working, and difficult to get cover.

Ah, I see what you mean... but good for most other people...