Annual Dinner 2024

On Friday 16 August, we had the pleasure of hosting 160 guests at the Old Collegians Foyer in our new Gough Family Theatre for the Old Collegians Annual Dinner. It was the perfect venue for our pre-dinner drinks and the traditional Address to a Haggis, performed once again by Jonathan Wells (OC 1987), with assistance from Barry Paterson, Mark Tavendale (both OC 1987) and Warwick Boon (OC 1980). Piper, Jack Boon (Year 13) then led us to the dining room, setting the stage for the speeches and award presentations, expertly guided by our MC, Phil de Joux (OC 1994).

This event marked Rector Christine Leighton’s 18th and final OCA Annual Dinner. She was honoured for her 17 years as Patron of the Old Collegians Association by OCA President, Sam Crosbie (OC 2009). In her heartfelt reply, Christine reminisced about the special moments, events, and reunions she attended during her tenure, highlighting the friendships and connections she built and her deep love and passion for the College.

The evening also celebrated the remarkable achievements of several Old Collegians. Professor Roy Kerr (OC 1950), a distinguished nonagenarian, received The Alister Newton Award for Outstanding Service. He entertained us with a humorous speech about his time at the College post-war. Roy’s exceptional intellect may have been a little challenging for the maths and science teachers of the time! Roy’s exceptional intellect, which later earned him the Albert Einstein Medal for his 1963 discovery of a solution to Einstein’s gravitational field equations, was a testament to his brilliance. Hardly surprising that he outwitted his teachers!

Dr Jonathan Ogilivie (OC 1979) was awarded the Cockram Cultural Award for his work in film. He also reminisced about his time at the College and the friendships that were formed. His latest movie, Head South was selected to open the International Film Festival in Rotterdam and headlined the New Zealand Film Festival in Christchurch last week. Several fellow Old Collegians who worked on this film joined us to celebrate Jonathan’s success.

Britney-Lee Nicholson (OC 2017) was the recipient of the L.G. Maginness Memorial Cup for Sports Personality of the Year. Britney-Lee has excelled regionally, nationally and internationally in both football and futsal. Britney-Lee is part of the New Zealand Futsal team and continues her connection to the College as a coach. She also volunteers at Mainland Football and has recently joined the Māori Football Aotearoa New Zealand Board, contributing to the community and shaping the future of football in New Zealand.

As always, the evening finished with a spirited rendition of the St Andrew’s College Song, led by Mark Tavendale.

Congratulations to this year’s deserving winners, and a big thank you to Russell Gray and the catering team for the superb food. We also extend our gratitude to all the Old Collegians who continue to support this fantastic event. We look forward to seeing you again next year.