Chair’s 2022 Report Jeremy Fletcher G’72

Chair’s 2022 Report

2022 has been a year of reconnecting, as can be clearly seen in the bumper Events section within this year’s magazine. It is wonderful to see the number of reunions that have been held and the numbers turning up after a couple of challenging years for us all. Our ‘Together Again’ Dinner in May did indeed bring together a wide range of alumni of all ages for a very enjoyable evening at the Cavalry & Guards Club. We are planning a similar event next summer and I look forward to meeting more of you then. The triple 50 Year Reunion at Worth in June was also a very special day for 3 consecutive years of alumni, some of whom had had little or no contact with ‘The Old Place’ or each other for half a century!

The Society’s careers support of young Worthians grows each year with more professionals signing up to be Mentors on our networking platform www.worthconnecting.org.uk I encourage those who haven’t already done so to register and to help another generation to find their feet in the workplace. Our annual Careers Networking Evening is another opportunity to chat and offer advice to recent graduates, and this year’s event in April was no exception, with many strong connections made. I want to thank all those who have responded to calls for help with internships, work experience and advice.

What has become obvious this year is the key role the Society plays within the Worth Community as a whole. The appointment in May of your Society Chair as Chair of the School’s Board of Governors further cements the Society/School relationship and facilitates easier communication with the other constituents of the wider Worth Community. Much more exciting and important however is the positive impact that the Society can have on the ground. Upon the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, for example, the Society responded to a call for help from Worth’s former Farm Manager, Catalin Constantin, now living on the Ukrainian/Romanian border. His holiday resort business was being swamped with refugees and the Society helped him create a Justgiving page that raised over £38,000 to help these refugees. Catalin tells us how that money has been used in his inspiring article in this issue.

The creation of the new Worth Abbey Pilgrims Group, with the aim of welcoming those with a connection to Worth to return, has also seen the Society working closely with the Pilgrims on various events. The Easter Sunday activities, Worth Festival Day on August Bank Holiday Monday, St Bernadette’s Relics visit to Worth in October and Abbot Christopher’s book launch in November all attracted good numbers of alumni through promotion by the Society. We hope to see many more of you return over the next year as we plan some exciting new events here at Worth with and alongside the Pilgrims Group.

This is another fantastic issue of our annual magazine, the biggest ever, filled with the most diverse and fascinating stories of what Old Worthians are contributing to the world. I very much hope you enjoy the read.

Jerry Fletcher G’72, Worth Society Chair