Events

Annual Reunion Dinner

This is the main event organised by the BGSA and normally occurs on the Saturday after Easter. In the early days of the Association reunions were held in the Cafe Royal in Brecon; later they moved to Bishops Meadow on the outskirts of town. Then in 2007, when the Bishops Meadow was being refurbished, the reunion moved to the George Hotel in Brecon. In April 2016 the reunion returned to Bishops Meadow after the George closed. However the Bishops Meadow has now also closed so we will now use the facilities of the Castle Hotel. In 2023 we moved the reunion to Cradoc Golf Club after the Castle Hotel announced a refurbishment programme.

Members can meet in the bar before hand if desired, and the dinner is held in the dining room where, after an introduction by the chairman, a three course meal is served. If necessary arrangements can be made in advance with secretary Tom Protheroe, for people to sit with others of the same vintage! After the meal the chairman invites the President to give his presidential address. This is followed by a vote of thanks from the Vice President, who then receives the chain of office from the President.

Memorabilia concerning the school are available for inspection before and after the meal, and there are of course opportunities for former pupils to meet former colleagues. We occasionally receive visits from overseas former pupils.

Provisional dates for future reunions are as follows:

27th April 2024

Informal Meetings

Informal gatherings of local Old Boys and Old Girls who don't enjoy formal dinners have been organised, and anyone who is interested in attending such events is asked to send us your name and contact details via the Contact Us page. The first informal Autumn reunion was held on 3rd October 2015. A dozen members attended a buffet lunch at the Castle Hotel in Brecon. More members have since attended such meetings which offer Old Boys, who don't wish to travel to an evening function, a less formal opportunity to socialise. Further such meetings will be held on the same day as the Memorial Service (11th November, or the closest Friday).

High School Awards Evening

Prizes are awarded to pupils of the High School at the Awards Evening in July. Several prizes are provided by Old Boys. The Cliff Carr prize, which is funded by money collected in memory of Cliff Carr (a dedicated supporter of the Association and its Chairman for 25 years), is awarded to a pupil who has excelled in sport or physical education. The sons of Geoffrey Meredith Powell provided capital from their late father’s estate to fund two prizes at senior and junior level for pupils who have excelled in literature. David and Marilyn Evans have committed to fund up to ten prizes in a range of subjects, commencing in 2011. The Bill Letton Football Shield was created in memory of Billy Letton in 2016 for an outstanding sportsperson, and in 2018 the Cadet Bugle, donated by Michael Peters, was awarded for the first time.

Memorial Service

The Memorial Service at the High School is attended by a number of former pupils. This moving service is held each Armistice Day, 11th November, or on a day close to this date when the 11th is not a school day. Representatives of the School Governors also attend. After readings from several pupils the names of those lost in World Wars I and II are read out by the BGSA Vice President and a representative of the military. This is followed by the playing of the Last Post by school musicians, a minute's silence and the Reveille. Wreaths are placed on the Memorial Plaque by pupils and the BGSA President. Then a member of the clergy leads prayers and gives a short address. The school cadets wear their uniforms as seen in the photograph below, which was taken after the 2007 service. Light refreshments are provided for guests after the service, when there is an opportunity to meet senior pupils.

Annual General Meeting

The AGM is normally held the same day as the reunion, usually at 17.30. Invitations to the AGM and the reunion are sent to members together with the newsletter in February each year.