Malcolm Avery wrote to say he could not come to the ORA reunion for '70s leavers', being away in France. " This is a shame, as I would like to have come for a good look round. I have not been back to School properly since leaving in 1972. The exceptions were attending a rugby match at the Hartswood ground, - one of my sons was playing for the opposition, Epsom College, - and coming to the Scouts' Reunion in 2004. For the last two years I have been an ex-officio governor to the Royal Hospital School, Holbrook, and I would have welcomed the opportunity to bench-mark it against an excellent School like RGS.
My last day in the Navy is on 26th April, so an auspicious day indeed ! I joined the RN on 13th September 1972, immediately after leaving School in the summer."
Malcolm was in my form - U6SY in 1972, and a form photograph was displayed at the ORA Reunion. He is keen to get back in touch with Jim Tame, also in that form; does anyone know anything ?

Margaret and Peter Brice sent a letter at Christmas, which somehow got missed from our January edition. They mention daughters Lisa and Anna, along with sons-in-law, grandchildren, horses, dogs, dancing and golf. If it is your thing, it might be more relaxing to join Peter's study group on church history. Margaret says her Mum of 92 helps with Sunday School, cooks for the WI, takes piano lessons, swims in the sea, and flies to Sweden to see her great-grandson !

Ashlin Harrington sent an email in mid January saying :
" We did not do Christmas this year as we had only just returned from our trip around the globe, which lasted eighty days ! We had a wonderful time, spending seven weeks in New Zealand, going via Singapore and Australia, and returning via Hawaii and San Francisco. We found New Zealand beautiful, varied, friendly and relaxed. Standards were high, service superb, and for those of us who like the great outdoors, just perfect. We were extremely lucky with the weather throughout, apart from a tropical storm while we were on Maui. So we were away for over half of 2007 with various trips abroad and in the UK. So far this year, we only have plans to be away for thirteen weeks, including four with the caravan in Ireland, a couple of weeks in Malta, two in Cornwall, and a month in Germany, Austria and Italy. I am also walking the West Highland Way with the cottage mates from University days with whom I did Hadrian's Wall three years ago. Then it was to celebrate our 60ths, now it is to celebrate our retirements ! Joyce and I also have plans to gradually walk the Cotswold Way with a couple of friends from Reading days, who are just about to retire, and have moved nearer to us and almost astride the Cotswold Way. Finally we are revamping our house to give each of us space for our indoor hobbies. How anyone can be bored in retirement I do not know, - and from your timetable it looks as if you don't have time to be bored either.
Unfortunately we may be away in South Africa next February. It depends when pour friend in Cape Town can put us up.
Very best wishes, and regards to all who remember me."

News of floods in Queensland prompted me to e-mail Ross Letten.
When I stayed with him a couple of years ago, we strolled around a couple of the reservoirs supplying Brisbane, and he also told me of an occasion when the river level rose around 5 metres to his garage. He replied: "Thankfully no problem with rising water levels. In fact we are still under the thrall of stage five water restrictions. So no watering of gardens, cleaning of cars or boats, and each household's consumption is monitored by the council. The target is no more than 140 litres per person per day. The local dams are at only 25% of capacity, so this won't change for the foreseeable future. Not that this helps the victims of flooding in the north and west of Queensland.
Apparently, the weather in Brisbane over Christmas and New Year was appalling, - strong winds and heavy rain for days on end. I was one of a nine-strong crew sailing the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in a grand old (1968 anyway) wooden classic called Spirit of Koomooloo, and we had comparatively benign conditions. We crossed the Bass Straits with a 15 knot north-easterly wind and flat seas, spinnaker up and brilliant sunshine. Perfect for a yachtie of advancing years, like myself, but the young bloods in the crew were hoping for something a bit more dramatic. For a period of about six hours we were leading the race on corrected time, but then the wind died away and the modern 'plastic fantastics' did for us.
In May, I'm hoping to help a South African friend to deliver his brand new Leopard 40 catamaran from Grenada in the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal and then via the Galapagos, Marquesas, Tahiti, Fiji, New Caledonia, etc, to Brisbane. Something to look forward to."

Best of luck, Ross. I have to be happy with a twelve-day cruise to Iceland at the beginning of June.

Among others who were at the ORA Reunion (of 70s leavers) at the end of April were three from whom we have not heard for years :

Stuart Marchant who came up from Hampshire,

Ian Watson who now lives in only a few miles away, and

John Rivers who is a doctor, practising on the Isle of Wight. He has a patient in the Springfield Nursing Home, where Gerry Bedward (deputy Headmaster in the late 70s) also now lives. John hopes to drop in for a quick chat with him. Perhaps he will tell us how Mr Bedward is keeping.

Also at that Reunion I was able to chat briefly to Phil Griffin, Gerwyn Hughes, Mark Ingram, Mark Patchett, and Martyn Yeats.

Peter Wheatley with his usual modesty, did not tell us that two years ago he was awarded the Silver Acorn for outstanding service to Scouting. Although I had an inkling that something was in the wind, I was unable to confirm it. After thirty-five years leading Scouts in one capacity or another, in Sittingbourne, Cambridge, Reigate, and Urchfont, this award is thoroughly deserved. Congratulations, Peter.