The annual Old Pocklingtonian Summer Reunion, with cricket and tennis, took place at Pocklington School on Sunday 21 June and this year, it came with glorious sunshine and another fantastic turnout.

More than 80 guests gathered for lunch, and the dining hall was soon a buzz of conversation, laughter and people picking up where they’d left off all those years before. There was a strong showing from key reunion groups, particularly the Class of 1976 celebrating their 50-year anniversary and the Class of 1996 marking 30 years since leaving School.

The archive room was as popular as ever with guests spending time looking through old magazines, spotting themselves and contemporaries in photographs, and sharing memories sparked by what they found. It gave the day a real sense of connection to the past and provided plenty of talking points to get the conversations flowing.

A particularly memorable moment for the Class of 1976 was seeing Nick Pollard, Nigel Ramsden and Andrew Blacker not only celebrating their 50-year reunion but also marking 50 years since winning the BBC Young Scientists of the Year competition. Their wind-powered water pump project was brought back to life through a display of original papers and photographs, prompting plenty of interest and fun stories from those who remembered it first time round.

After lunch, OP and Development Prefects Freya and Tom joined the group to help with tours of the School. For many OPs, it was a chance to revisit familiar places while also seeing how much has changed. Smaller groups of former Wilberforce and Dolman boarders were also able to return to their old houses, adding an extra personal touch to the afternoon.

Everyone then regrouped in the dining hall for tea, rounding things off in a relaxed and sociable way before heading home. Reflecting on the day, OP Liaison Officer Rachel Dare said, “It’s always a pleasure to see old friends picking up where they left off; it’s great to be involved with the event and see people reconnecting with each other and the School. It can feel a little daunting for OPs coming back sometimes for the first time since they left, but as soon as they walk through the door and start chatting, the nerves quickly disappear and they love it!”

Meanwhile, over on the sports fields, School won the OP cricket match by 55 runs and the OP pair of Trevor Loten (70-80) and Rachel Clark (née Sweeting, 91-96) were presented with the Edmund-Loten trophy in the tennis.

If you weren’t able to make it this year, we’d love to see you next time. The 2027 Summer Reunion will take place on Sunday 27 June, so do pop the date in your diary. Keep an eye on the OP website for further details, and if you’re approaching a milestone year (1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2002, 2007 etc), please get in touch - we’re always happy to help bring year groups back together for an extra special reunion.