West Buckland School was the venue for The Tom Hitchins’ lunch in November. Sadly torrential rain conspired against us and all planned rugby fixtures were cancelled but the downpour could not put a dampener on the warm company of old friends and new.

Our gratitude goes to Special guest speaker and former Director of Rugby, Lawrence Whittal-Williams(75-08S) who had a captivated audience, regaling the group with tales of  the most successful rugby squad in West Buckland’s history. His talk was most entertaining and a little risqué (as all good rugby speeches should be!).

Thanks also goes to OWBA Patron, David Cummins (40-50G) and President, Jamie Conchie (69-76G) for their toasts and to Bill Hitchins (55-63G) for his moving words about his father Tom.

Those who joined us for lunch included: David Ford (52-58G), Llew Courtenay (52-61F),Annette Maddison (03-04S), David Lakin, Rev Chris Willis(77-92S), Richard Heywood (77-81F), Mike Hannaford (56-64F), Jamie Conchie (69-76G) Neil Kingdon (66-75C), Lesley Banbury (73-76B), Mike Tucker (72-15S),Mike Cornish (52-59C) Jack Harding (53-59B), Robert Cattell(62-69G) Mark Overton Jamie Overton (05-12G)Piers Rogers (64-69C),Tony Head (65-70F) Jan Witheridge (86-S)Charlie Popplewell (64-72G), David Clark (69-03S) Helen Clark (70-03S), Laurence Whittal-Williams (75-08S), David Cummins (40-50G) Mary Cummins, Bill Geen (64-69F), David Avery (53-57F)Jackie Avery, Peter Richardson (68-76G)Gail Richardson, Andrew Moore (71-74G), Linda Moore, Ian Blewett (72-77G), Kevin Underwood  (72-74C),Bill Hitchins (55-66G), Stuart Smith (73-80G), Geoff Bayles(52-58C)and Mia Bayles.