The beautiful garden at Peter and Sheila Randon’s house was the setting yet again for the 38th Shaggy Dogs Tea Party. The weather was kind to us all with temperatures a little down from the fierce heat of earlier in the month but remaining dry.

The delightful addition of a team of Senior Students added to the atmosphere and it was an absolute joy to talk to them about their Vesey experience and their future ambitions. Many thanks to Brian Davies, BVGS Development Director, for marshalling the team.

Here they all are with Sheila and Peter before proceedings really got under way.

Whether it was the weather or an unfortunate set of circumstances, numbers were down on last year with some cry offs and no shows on the day totalling some 15 or so souls. A lot of work goes on behind the scenes in organising an event such as this including circulating and receiving invitations and responses not to mention the catering. It is disappointing, not to mention bad manners, not to let the organisers know that you have changed your mind about attending. In reality only twenty three Old Veseyans attended.

Those attending were very well looked after by the students in a change from the usual help your self format to being actually waited upon!

We were delighted to see the Head Teacher Dominic Robson visit together with retiring Chairman of Governors, John Craggs recently recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

As ever Sheila, Anna and Jaqui kept the tea flowing which was welcomed by all. OVA Chairman Paul Wallis gave a vote of thanks to Sheila and Peter, Anna and Jaqui and to John Whittaker for his organisational skills.

John took the opportunity to mention some of the apologies he had received and read from emails received from David Iddon and Tom Wilson’s son Peter and a “snail mail” letter from John Whitworth in Harrogate.