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The next Reunion date for your diary is Saturday 2 September 2023. A great time to catch up with old friends - invite some to join you! A great chance to chat with new friends too.’ 
some of the Ws who came to the 2022 Reunion
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The Westminster Society is blessed with both a Methodist Chaplain, Rev Miriam Moul, soon to be Superintendent Minister of the Oxford Circuit, and a Piper, Rev Will Bissett (86-90) 
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2023
A special year for Joiners & Leavers of
1953 • 1963 • 1973 • 1983 • 1993 • 2003 • 2013 !
A special year for Joiners & Leavers of
1953 • 1963 • 1973 • 1983 • 1993 • 2003 • 2013 !
Let's all build more memories at this year's 2023 Annual Reunion !
Our schedule of activities for the day:
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Westminster's Reunion Saturday begins from 10am, with tea & coffee at the Wesley Memorial Church on New Inn Hall Street, OX1 2DH. Come to prepare for the walk, or for a chat with the walkers and others who have been in town overnight.
At 10.30, starting from Wesley Mem, Peter Forsaith, one of our friends from the Oxford Centre for Methodism & Church History, will lead a walking tour of the city's sites of Methodist interest. We tried this out last year and it proved very popular, with people commenting particularly on Peter's knowledge of Oxford and the places on the tour. |
At the end of your walking tour, head through the Station/Botley Road bridge and on to the 400/U1 Bus Stop for the 12:05 to Harcourt Campus. Peter Forsaith may well be doing the same, if you are uncertain of the way.
Oxford Bus Co says: temp bus stop on Botley Rd just before Bridge St heading West (towards Botley & Harcourt Hill) for 400 and city4A services. Stop only takes 2 buses and will operate as a 'load up & go'. If 2 vehicles are already at the stop when a 3rd arrives, 3rd will pull past Bridge St, onto the regular Osney Island stop and the driver will signal customers to walk down to the bus.
Oxford Bus Co says: temp bus stop on Botley Rd just before Bridge St heading West (towards Botley & Harcourt Hill) for 400 and city4A services. Stop only takes 2 buses and will operate as a 'load up & go'. If 2 vehicles are already at the stop when a 3rd arrives, 3rd will pull past Bridge St, onto the regular Osney Island stop and the driver will signal customers to walk down to the bus.
Up on the Hill:
• in a quiet moment on Saturday morning, before we all arrive, a member of the Executive Committee will lay the Society's wreath and pray for the Westminsterians who gave their lives in two World Wars † We will remember them †
• U1 buses will be arriving from Osney Island (for the Station), Botley Park-n-Ride, or the Botley Shops & Premier Inn stop
• the car park will be available from 11am - if you are that early have a stroll around the campus until:
• from 11:30am you can register, pick up your badges (and your party's meal tickets - meal bookings now closed)
• the chat begins in the registration queue, and continues in the adjacent Glasgow Room (loos nearby)
• the Glasgow Room will be open for those unexpected encounters with friends you didn't realise were coming too, and for cake and chat
• the Refectory will be open from 12 midday until 2:30pm for your pre-ordered lunches and for the sale of drinks to go with your lunch and to lubricate your singing parts ready for later (you may bring drink onto the campus, but please, NOT in the Refectory. It's not like in our day, it's a business!)
Here's what The Westminster Society chair Peter Relf looks forward to at our Annual Reunions:
• in a quiet moment on Saturday morning, before we all arrive, a member of the Executive Committee will lay the Society's wreath and pray for the Westminsterians who gave their lives in two World Wars † We will remember them †
• U1 buses will be arriving from Osney Island (for the Station), Botley Park-n-Ride, or the Botley Shops & Premier Inn stop
• the car park will be available from 11am - if you are that early have a stroll around the campus until:
• from 11:30am you can register, pick up your badges (and your party's meal tickets - meal bookings now closed)
• the chat begins in the registration queue, and continues in the adjacent Glasgow Room (loos nearby)
• the Glasgow Room will be open for those unexpected encounters with friends you didn't realise were coming too, and for cake and chat
• the Refectory will be open from 12 midday until 2:30pm for your pre-ordered lunches and for the sale of drinks to go with your lunch and to lubricate your singing parts ready for later (you may bring drink onto the campus, but please, NOT in the Refectory. It's not like in our day, it's a business!)
Here's what The Westminster Society chair Peter Relf looks forward to at our Annual Reunions:
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opportunities to meet old and new friends - plenty of time for chatting over a drink and a slice of cake. We enjoy meeting friends and we are good at making friends too. Never feel left out. Joining in is easy. Including strangers is rewarding. |
After lunch:
We have the whole afternoon to join the activities, take a stroll around the campus, and to chat with friends in the Glasgow Room or wherever we encounter them. Here are your planned activities:
2.30 - 4pm Music & Spoken Word Prom Afternoon - Let David Gibbs know about the music, drama, spoken word, etc, you would like to put on, by emailing WestminsterSocietyTreasurer@gmail.com . Settle in for the duration, or join us before and after your:
1pm - 4pm Tours of the Archives - OCMCH - The Oxford Centre for Methodism & Church History houses the Westminster College Archives, Lady Spencer Churchill College and its Bletchley predecessor's archives, as well as the documents, objects, and works of art in its Methodism collections. Our knowledgeable archivists will show you some of its treasures.
4.00 - 4.30pm Chapel Choir Rehearsal - please drop a line to Liz Stock, our choir leader, if you or any of your party can join our choir for the Annual Reunion Service at 6pm. Husbands, sons, grandsons, nephews, neighbours, neighbours' sons, all especially welcome, to add a bit of vocal balance! Email Liz at WestminsterOxfordAlumni@gmail.com
5pm The Westminster Society AGM is open to all, Ws & visitors. Current & Life Members will also be able to vote on Motions and at the Elections. Following which, we move to:
5.30 ish Favourite Hymns Singing - suggestions please, words and preferred tune, to organist David Gibbs at WestminsterSocietyTreasurer@gmail.com [The College Song and Hymn already have their slots in the day's proceedings.]
We have the whole afternoon to join the activities, take a stroll around the campus, and to chat with friends in the Glasgow Room or wherever we encounter them. Here are your planned activities:
2.30 - 4pm Music & Spoken Word Prom Afternoon - Let David Gibbs know about the music, drama, spoken word, etc, you would like to put on, by emailing WestminsterSocietyTreasurer@gmail.com . Settle in for the duration, or join us before and after your:
1pm - 4pm Tours of the Archives - OCMCH - The Oxford Centre for Methodism & Church History houses the Westminster College Archives, Lady Spencer Churchill College and its Bletchley predecessor's archives, as well as the documents, objects, and works of art in its Methodism collections. Our knowledgeable archivists will show you some of its treasures.
4.00 - 4.30pm Chapel Choir Rehearsal - please drop a line to Liz Stock, our choir leader, if you or any of your party can join our choir for the Annual Reunion Service at 6pm. Husbands, sons, grandsons, nephews, neighbours, neighbours' sons, all especially welcome, to add a bit of vocal balance! Email Liz at WestminsterOxfordAlumni@gmail.com
5pm The Westminster Society AGM is open to all, Ws & visitors. Current & Life Members will also be able to vote on Motions and at the Elections. Following which, we move to:
5.30 ish Favourite Hymns Singing - suggestions please, words and preferred tune, to organist David Gibbs at WestminsterSocietyTreasurer@gmail.com [The College Song and Hymn already have their slots in the day's proceedings.]
Your Evening at Westminster:
6pm Annual Reunion Service
- led by Society Chaplain Rev Miriam Moul, with organist David Gibbs, and the Reunion Day Choir, led by Liz Stock, and including singing the College Hymn (to the right tune) (this week, Miriam takes up her new role as Superintendent Minister of the Oxford Circuit)
7pm Informal Reception
- in Chapel Quad (Glasgow Room if wet) this is a great chance for chat with all those people you missed seeing while they were engaged in the afternoon's activities
6pm Annual Reunion Service
- led by Society Chaplain Rev Miriam Moul, with organist David Gibbs, and the Reunion Day Choir, led by Liz Stock, and including singing the College Hymn (to the right tune) (this week, Miriam takes up her new role as Superintendent Minister of the Oxford Circuit)
7pm Informal Reception
- in Chapel Quad (Glasgow Room if wet) this is a great chance for chat with all those people you missed seeing while they were engaged in the afternoon's activities
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7.30pm - 9pm Refectory open for sale of drinks and for your pre-ordered Evening Buffet [meal bookings now closed]
8.30-10.30pm Disco in the Glasgow Room (ex JCR/Library) with guest appearance by The Tarriers (please bring a bottle or buy drinks from the Refectory before 9pm) Will someone please take a photo of the real The Tarriers in action. All we found online were these imposters. |
clearly NOT the REAL The Tarriers
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We have had to move the evening Disco to the Glasgow Room because of the unprecedented room hire and cleaning charges the Society is facing this year. Each year since the merger, the University has supported our Annual Reunion by granting free use of rooms, and has on occasion offered a grant. Even the Refectory is rented to us this year, in addition to the cost of the meals and drinks we purchase there.
Despite removing one room from the programme, the day is now expected to run at a loss which will probably equate to £6-£8 per head. Please consider this as you complete your booking form.
We are aware that a couple of freeloaders have slipped in in recent years. We will be most insistent this year. They will need to have their £10 ready.
Despite removing one room from the programme, the day is now expected to run at a loss which will probably equate to £6-£8 per head. Please consider this as you complete your booking form.
We are aware that a couple of freeloaders have slipped in in recent years. We will be most insistent this year. They will need to have their £10 ready.
The 400/U1 bus* from College to Botley Rd & the Rail Station leaves the College car park on the hour & at half past (approx) until 11.30pm (Non Term-Time Schedule). Please leave your car at the Premier Inn or the Seacourt Park & Ride Car Park - full info here. *All England Concessionary Bus Travel Cards are accepted.
SUNDAY MORNING in Town
10.30 - 11.30am Wesley Memorial Church Service - or please pray for fellow Westminsterians in your own church prayers today
You will also find self-guided tours of Oxford online. Put "Oxford self-guided walking tours" into your favourite search engine and choose from the many free tours available. Although free, some require advance booking. You should probably tip the guide who is quite likely to be a student.
Sunday lunchtime and afternoon: informal drinks in the pub garden at The Fishes, North Hinksey
SUNDAY MORNING in Town
10.30 - 11.30am Wesley Memorial Church Service - or please pray for fellow Westminsterians in your own church prayers today
You will also find self-guided tours of Oxford online. Put "Oxford self-guided walking tours" into your favourite search engine and choose from the many free tours available. Although free, some require advance booking. You should probably tip the guide who is quite likely to be a student.
Sunday lunchtime and afternoon: informal drinks in the pub garden at The Fishes, North Hinksey
and remember, it's a special year for Joiners and Leavers from:
1953 ♦ 1963 ♦ 1973 ♦ 1983 ♦ 1993 ♦ 2003 ♦ 2013 !
1953 ♦ 1963 ♦ 1973 ♦ 1983 ♦ 1993 ♦ 2003 ♦ 2013 !
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you may click to expand this map of Central Oxford
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Ready to book?
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Here is the booking form for our Annual Reunion on Saturday, 2nd September 2023. Everyone will need to send in a Reunion Booking Form, and there are two ways to download and print this. If you are comfortable downloading our PDF file, please click on the Adobe icon below. 
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If you are more comfortable downloading and printing a picture, please save the main image below
When you print the image, you may see this box, on a PC. To print the form without losing the edges make sure "Fit picture to frame" is NOT ticked. You can click on this image to expand it. 
This an IT aid NOT an order form
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Your 2023 Reunion Booking Form as a jpeg image:
• right click to save it or to print it
Unfortunately the deadline for pre-ordering food in the Refectory has passed.
There are several options at Botley shops, including the Co-op or Tesco for sandwiches & salads.
♦ wines and beers ♦
will be on sale in the Refectory between 12 midday and 2.30pm
and there will be plenty of cake in the Glasgow Room nearby at lunchtime and during the afternoon
will be on sale in the Refectory between 12 midday and 2.30pm
and there will be plenty of cake in the Glasgow Room nearby at lunchtime and during the afternoon
the Refectory will be again between 7.30pm and 9pm
you are welcome to take your drinks into the Glasgow Room for the evening disco
you are welcome to take your drinks into the Glasgow Room for the evening disco
Deadline Dates
Please mail your form & cheque to Peter Steadman (his address is on the Reunion Booking Form), using 1st class post, on or before 16th August 2023 (it still says 15th on the form). Cheques should be made payable to: The Westminster Society
You may photo your order form(s) and email Peter S, but only your payment can secure a booking.
Come and enjoy an entertaining day reminiscing with friends old and new on lovely Harcourt Hill. Stay over at the Premier Inn Botley and make a weekend of it. You won't be the only ones!
Please mail your form & cheque to Peter Steadman (his address is on the Reunion Booking Form), using 1st class post, on or before 16th August 2023 (it still says 15th on the form). Cheques should be made payable to: The Westminster Society
You may photo your order form(s) and email Peter S, but only your payment can secure a booking.
Come and enjoy an entertaining day reminiscing with friends old and new on lovely Harcourt Hill. Stay over at the Premier Inn Botley and make a weekend of it. You won't be the only ones!
Video Recordings from our
2022 Reunion Service in
Westminster College Chapel
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