Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

Thought I'd add my personal thoughts on what I think the CH Association should be aiming to do (as it now seems inevitable that it will replace the CH Club etc).
I emphasise that these are my personally held beliefs, so feel free to criticise and argue with!

1. The CHA should engage with Deps/Grecians at CH.
2. They should show them the benefits of being an Old Blue, and actively joining in with the Association. They should do this by providing links to Old Blues at universities people are looking at, arranging meet-and-greet open days at the unis, via the Old Blues that are there. How better to choose a uni that to talk to Old Blues are have moved from CH to that Uni, to tell what it will be like. They should also provide work links, via an up-to-date database that is easy to access to get contacts from.
3. Membership to the CHA should be free during initial full-time education.
During this time, the CHA will need to demonstrate the benefits of membership, becoming an association that people would never consider not being part of. University links, academic support from Old Blues, careers advice and life coaching can be advised upon and links provided.
4. Once out of initial full-time education, Old Blues will be offered membership of the CHA, for a reasonable membership fee. The measure of success of the CHA would then be the take-up rate of the memership. If the CHA is providing the service that Old Blues want/need, then there will be no question of NOT taking up membership.

A voluntary organisation has a responsibility to be as professionally run as a professional business. The money that is given/paid is from donations, and hence there is a responsibility to perpetuate that giving and provide a return for the people involved. This involves the treating the members as customers, and providing what is needed to perpetuate that giving.

As Old Blues, we've all received the return for our donations - we've been educated for 7 years at a fantastic school, giving us a start in life we wouldn't otherwise have have. The CHA needs to encourage Old Blues to support the school, imaginatively engaging with Old Blues and seeking inputs of time/help/professional expertise, and not just sending Direct Debit forms in return for offers of help!

I would be interested to hear anyone else's views on this - there's a general apathy in the Old Blue community, and we need to tell the CHA what we really want from our Christ's Hospital Association.
POST IN THIS TOPIC YOUR THOUGHTS ON:
1. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM A CH ASSOCIATION?
2. WHAT DO YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE?
3. DO YOU CARE?
4. HOW MUCH WOULD U PAY?
5. ANY OTHER THOUGHTS....

Julian

Suggestions for Poll options?

I have to agree! I feel very let down by the 'Old Blue' links as I have often emailed them asking for contacts and advice, with no response! I also do not recieve any information on Old Blue events or the The Blue - not sure if I should still get this? I would be interested in joining it if it resembled what you have mentioned above!
Maybe a poll of would you be interested in joining? what would you want from the association? How much would you be willing to pay?

Wording changed to invite opinions!

J

I fully agree too. This forum has done more to unite Old Blues (OBs) and get them conversing than anything instigated by CH since I left 10 years ago. The apathy that exists in the OB community is there because the school hasn't done enough to engage with OBs, especially those who have recently left. OBs could help the school out in the ways Julian describes, but CH seems reluctant to benefit from this obvious source of help.

On a personal note, I went back to Old Blues Day once, but found the emphasis on rugby/cricket matches, sports centre (?) and all the cliches of CH totally unappealling. Ended up meeting friends and going to the pub all day. Great fun, but not exactly strengthening ties with CH itself! Couldn't more varied activities be organised? More interaction? Not just an afterthought in a busy CH calendar!

I can't afford to give money to CH yet, but I can help out in advice/time etc. So CH should stop trying to get us to part with cash, but impart with other skills we have gained.

Rant over!

I can't see what they can do to justify my membvership (I am a member of the Club at present)

What they CAN do to justify your membership, or what they DO do to justify your membership?

Great Plum wrote:I can't see what they can do to justify my membvership (I am a member of the Club at present)

you mean being part of the Old Boy Network, sorry, Old Blue Network isn't enough?

not that OBs have masonic ties or anything.

Well if they do Hendrik, I haven't been offered the mystic handshake!

What would they have to do? Well, they need to improve the Blue - some help on jobs would be nice and careers too...

Also, decent advance warning of meals/ reunions/ OB Day etc...

And finally the chance of having a meal withuot having to pay £80 for it in London (Founder's Day Meal)

Apart from that, what are Old PuPils organisations meant to do?

Great Plum wrote: What would they have to do? Well, they need to improve the Blue - some help on jobs would be nice and careers too...

The careers network exists - anecdotally just doesn't seem accessible, or responsive, in its current form. Hence part of the motivation for the Careers section of this forum

Great Plum wrote: Also, decent advance warning of meals/ reunions/ OB Day etc...
And finally the chance of having a meal withuot having to pay £80 for it in London (Founder's Day Meal)

Any suggestions on how we can get people pro-actively publishing events on this forum? Would make a good point of contact.
And as for founders day - it's always been the money that's put me off, and because Founder's Day wasn't a big-deal at CH when I was there, it never suddenly became one when I left!
Beating Retreat was always more of a draw in the first few years after I left, not a big expensive meal in London!

Beating Retreat was always more fun - and then down to the Bax Castle afterwards...

Perhaps we could have a page, a home page perhaps with all upcoming events...

Mythought is for the CHA or Club or whatever it will be called is they should have a database of all members and their interests so that if there is a Band day they should contact all old members in the band etc.

The CH Club/whatever did once compile a list of ex-band members for a Band Association, but nothing ever happened, and I note it's been taken off the clubs on oldblues.com

I agree with making lists on Old Blues interests, and therefore making events that directly appeal to particular groups of Old Blues, instead of posh dinners and rugby matches.

Music must be an obvious example, not just for the band but for the choir and orchestra too. Surely there could be more joint concerts with present pupils, or just getting together for informal concerts etc followed by a few (ahem) drinks

Just an idea!

i think matt hit the nail on the head, really (see above posts).

Besides, this forum has done more in a few months than any CH-sanctioned organisation could pull off in a decade.

At which point I would like to thank Julian for all the hard work he's put into all this (and for free!). You legend.

Come to think of it; Julian, why don't you organise a dinner from this BB? (you can delegate tasks, obviously) You can post a thread on it in 'general chat' and PM everyone just to make sure. It would be inexpensive, well communicated (and well in advance) and we could even vote on a poll to decide where! what do people think?
Assuming London is best for geographical reasons, Horsham way for obvious reasons. Though Oxfordshire would suit me more than fine as it happens.

Good plan Hendrik - I would be well up for anything like that - this forum has shown us exactly what can be acheieved easily and without not too much effort...

That sounds like a brilliant idea, I would also be up for that, just to see a few friendly faces and a good night out!