FAQ Sheet
Merger of the Royal School Association (RSA) with the Royal High Bath Alumnae (RHBA) Network
What will happen to the RSA’s annual newsletter?
The final RSA newsletter in its current form will be published in November 2023.
Does the RHBA Network have an annual newsletter?
Yes, ‘Alumnae’, the RHBA’s annual e-magazine is published each autumn as a retrospective of the previous academic year’s activities and contains an eye-catching array of school and alumnae news and articles accompanied by lots of photos, a Catch-Up Corner of news from individual alumnae, obituaries and information about past and future events and reunions Alumnae who do not use email can request to receive a paper copy.
What is an RHBA Decade Rep?
Decade Reps are ambassadors for the RHBA Network. They gather news from fellow alumnae where they can, they encourage attendance at reunions and uphold the functions of the alumnae committee as outlined in the RHBA Network Committee’s terms of engagement. Copy available by request to rhsalumnae@rhsb.gdst.net
What are the RHBA’s RS Decade Groups?
By leaving year aged 18:
1989-1998
1979-1988
1969-1978
1959-1968
1939-1958
Will the RSA Groups remain?
Yes, it is our intention for these to exist as far as possible alongside the RHBA ‘Class of’ and Decade Group system. On joining the RHBA Network you will be asked to confirm your leaving year and age to establish your ‘Class of’ year date, which is the year you either left or would have left at 18 following A-levels. In this way we group alumnae with their direct contemporaries.
What does this mean for Group Editors?
Group Editors are welcome to continue if they would like to and contribute to the Royal School section of the CatchUp Corner pages in ‘Alumnae’. This will be edited by Patricia Vanreenen and Emma Johnson. Group Editors wishing to continue will be invited to join the RHBA Committee as Decade Reps aligned to the Decade Group within which their leaving year aged 18, or ‘Class of’ year, falls.
Existing Group Editors are invited to share their thoughts as to how they would like to proceed with Patricia Vanreenen, RSA Chairman (email: patricia@vanreenen.plus.com) and Francesca Orr, RHSB Alumnae and Community Liaison Officer (email: rhsalumnae@rhsb.gdst.net). If for example, a Group Editor wishes to continue looking after their 5-year block Group (by joining year) only, they are welcome to do so by becoming a joint Decade Rep for the decade (by leaving year) within which their Group falls. RHSB aims to have at least 2 RHBA Decade Reps per RHBA Decade Group.
Will the RSA’s Peggy Scott Travel Award continue?
Yes. Applications will be invited annually during the Spring Term alongside the GS Blackburn Travel Award, the other RHBA Network (formerly Bath High School) travel award. Since the GS Blackburn Travel award is open to RHSB Sixth Form students and alumnae aged up to 25, the Peggy Scott Travel Award will be open to all alumnae aged over 25 making the two travel awards available for different age groups. Patricia Vanreenen will join the RHBA Committee as Peggy Scott Travel Award Coordinator.
Will the RSA’s Book Award continue?
Yes, and it will continue to be promoted annually during the Autumn Term following the start of the academic year when Sixth Formers and all alumnae will be invited to apply for the £50 award, or part thereof, in writing to Patricia Vanreenen Awards depend upon the number of successful applicants. All applications will be considered by RHBA Committee and awards made at their discretion, coordinated by Patricia Vanreenen
What will happen to the RSA’s news website?
The RSA’s news website royalschool.org.uk will be closed once all meeting minutes, newsletters and any other relevant documentation has been transferred to the Royal School online archive’s website: theroyalschoolbatharchives.org.uk .
Will there be any change to the Royal School’s archives?
No, the Royal School’s archive of physical items (including papers already digitalised and boxed) will continue to be stored at RHSB. The complete digitalisation of the archives will continue, with larger physical items photographed and added with details to the website.
What will happen to RSA’s funds and bank accounts?
All remaining RSA funds from membership subscriptions will be put towards publication of the final RSA newsletter and completion of the digitalisation of the Royal School’s archives
What should I do about the annual direct debit subscription I pay to RSA?
Your final annual subscription payment was made on 1 April 2023 and will contribute to the cost of the final RSA newsletter to be published in November 2023 Please therefore cancel your Direct Debit instruction with your bank with immediate effect. Further reminders will be sent in November 2023 and again in February 2024.
When will be the merger be complete?
In Summer 2024 prior to the start of the new academic year 2024-2025 when the Awards will start running under the new format and any remaining RSA funds will have been transferred to RHSB to be held in a third party account, following RSA’s final accounts being filed on 31.08.24.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Francesca Orr, Alumnae and Community Liaison Officer, Royal High School Bath, GDST
Email: rhsalumnae@rhsb.gdst.net Tel.: 01225 313877
Patricia Vanreenen, Chairman, Royal School Association
Email: patricia@vanreenen.plus.com Tel.: 01620 892357