TAL HANDAQ REUNION 2007

Reunion Report

The 2007 Reunion

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Front Row seated (3rd from left) - Left to Right: Tim Daly, Bernard Hoctor (Committee)

Standing - Rear Admiral Brin Morgan, Captain David Mannering, Captain Michael Law, 

Seated - Viv Daly, Rog Wilkin (Committee)

The Date - Saturday 22nd September 2007

The Venue - Panorama Suite, The Warwick Conference Centre,

University of Warwick, Nr Coventry

The Tal-Handaq Reunion Association 2007 event marked a major departure from previous major reunions in that the function was not hosted within or supported by the staff of a military base.  As Rog Wilkin (one of our two founding committee members) reported at the 2004 reunion in Colerne, there would be cost implications to the changes; however our options on using military establishments were fast declining as many of our members had completed their military careers. Also, with an ever aging membership, comfort had become a higher priority on our venue list of requirements. The Colerne aircraft hangars had provided a familiar,unique and interesting venue but less adaptable function facilities and these were certainly stretched in the 2004 event.

Although sad to be losing some of our traditional surroundings and backup, the committee had decided that the time had come to replace the arduous task of organising marquees, furnishings, discos, bar and food management, not to mention the security aspects and local accommodation concerns effecting those intending to drive after the event. It was decided that a large formal conference centre venue with on-site accommodation should be sought for the 2007 reunion. With this template, Viv did much of the research and, having listed a few possibilities in the M4, M5, M40 corridors, invited the committee to experience her first choice, Warwick University on the outskirts of Coventry.

After much planning, the usual buzz of communications over many months and the inevitable last minute telephone calls for those who, at the eleventh hour, decided that they couldn’t possibly miss the event, the weekend of 21st/23rd September arrived.  The weather was perfect as forecast and the drive through the beautiful grounds of Warwick University, passed the very modern Conference Centre and towards the ‘Scarman’ conference accommodation facility, marked the start of a great weekend.

With some 40+ members booked to arrive on the first evening, a very brief planning meeting was followed by some rapid telephone calls resulting in a fleet of taxis to take a party of more than 30 of us to the local ‘Burning Post Inn’ for our supper reservation.  This unexpected first night party continued afterwards back in the University residents’ bar as more members arrived and relaxed after their journeys.

Next morning early, Viv led the recce party of Rog and Tim and co-ordinated the University support team and they were quickly followed by the ‘early birds’ who were co-opted into tasks to prepare the extensive conference hall.  Anne Wilkin and Pam Hinton disappeared to arrange a large collection of flowers into table centres and posies whilst other willing volunteers organised badges, balloons, table layouts, posters, memorabilia, coat racks and signage; the list was endless. Meanwhile, as ever,  there were the last minute phone calls from others still wanting to come. Viv and Rog were rushing here and there keeping the staff busy and more impatient and excited ‘early birds’, who couldn’t wait for the 11am bell, turned up to help ...!  Wasn’t like that at school was it? 

At last, surrounded by Tal Handaq and Malta memorabilia, projected images of the school and lots of friends both old and new, it was 11am - so with a glass of bucks fizz and with 217 guests expected, the 2007 reunion party was finally underway.  Once again the reception area was bubbling with excitement as people found their badges, collected their programmes for the day and immediately bumped into old friends and long lost classmates.

THE PROGRAMME

    1100 hrs       A complimentary glass of Bucks Fizz on arrival
    1245 hrs       Buffet lunch (Staff will be served at 1230 hrs)
    1500 hrs       A few words from founder member, Rog Wilkin
    1530 hrs       Group photograph for Pupils and Staff on the Piazza
    1800 hrs       Daytime guests bid their farewells and depart
                        Overnight guests check in to their accommodation
                        Preparations for the evening event
    1900 hrs       Evening function starts with disco by ZAP Events
    1930 hrs       Buffet Supper
    0100 hrs       A final goodnight! (Last orders 1230 hrs)


Under the watchful eye of a very professional University Event Co-ordinator, the service was very slick, leaving plenty of time for everyone, including the committee, to circulate, catch up with old friends and exchange news of those missing from the day’s ‘register’!  If you were one of those, your card has been marked and we feel sure you will be hearing from those who knew and missed you.  Slowly groups gathered on the tables surrounding the balloons identifying their years at Tal-Handaq and then, led by the Staff, were served with an excellent buffet lunch from both hot and cold menus.  During lunch a running programme of memorabilia, bus tours video and photographs of Malta, recent visits and new developments at Tal-Handaq were projected on two large screens.

Soon it was time for Rog to say a few words of welcome and to pass on the many regrets and greetings received.  He also remembered those who could no longer be with us and thanked the many people mentioned at the end of this news report who helped to make the event such a special day, giving Viv a special mention and presenting her with a beautiful bouquet of flowers from a very grateful membership. 

Rear Admiral (retd) Brin Morgan (Headmaster 54/59) responded on behalf of all the staff and members, thanking the committee for their sterling work in maintaining such an active Tal-Handaq Reunion Association and for organising the event in such a wonderful venue. He referred to his time at the Royal Naval School as: “One of the happiest times in my life” and said that the reunion helped him to relive some of those happy occasions –  whereupon he told three fascinating stories of his role at Tal Handaq School as a mediator and negotiator in difficult circumstances.  These involved both parents and pupils and brought the whole audience to fits of uncontrollable laughter.  Rest assured – the names of the pupils were not disclosed!

The Draw

Throughout the day volunteers circulated the venue with books of raffle tickets for the many prizes generously donated by the members or supplied from our memorabilia stock.  The star prize was two return air tickets to Malta donated by Air Malta and this very generous offer was matched on the day by Viv Paynter (57/58) and husband, Aldwyn George, who offered their time-share on the Islands to be used by the winners for their holiday.  Needless to say the tickets sold extremely well and went a long way to covering the extensive administrative costs for organising and running the whole event (stationery, printing, photocopying, postage, balloons, communications etc.)

The raffle was drawn and lucky winners, Jill Holley (60/62) and husband Steve Appleton, were up on the stage in a flash.  Jill said: “We are delighted with this wonderful prize. We haven’t been back to Malta since the millennium when a reunion trip was arranged to the old school at Tal-Handaq.  I know my sister will want to join us because she hasn’t returned to Malta since she left school in 1964".  She went on to say,“This will be our last opportunity to see parts of the school as it was before the major changes to Liceo Vassalli (as it is now known) are completed.”



The Group Photograph

So the time had come to freshen up and move outside for the group photograph and, as expected, this University location offered the perfect spot for ‘graduate’ pictures - The Piazza. As ever, Alan Routledge (61/64) was on hand with a colleague to record the happy scene and produced one of the best pictures to date to the usual banter and endless comedy one might expect from a group of school children. The committee would like to thank ‘BigAl’ for his continuing support and the presentation of three large framed pictures of the 2004 event made on behalf of the Association membership to the committee in November 2004.  Nice to see you for the first time in this latest photograph, Al!

On returning to the hall there was a feverish spell as members searched through the memorabilia, ordered sweatshirts and fleeces, swapped contact details or sought out those they wanted to catch up with before starting their journeys home. 122 members and partners had booked to stay for the evening disco and buffet supper but by 6pm others were saying their farewells. Some used the free Internet facilities to view the Tal-Handaq and Verdala websites and show friends how to keep in touch and others took the opportunity for a walk around the grounds or return to the conference accommodation before the evening function.

The Evening Disco

The day’s events closed with a great disco and buffet supper held in a smaller clubroom with bar. To the sounds of Zap Events disco playing a mix of 60s and 70s music, the smaller group enjoyed a light buffet and the usual exchange of excited chatter and memories brought about by the music. Suddenly, led by a few of the ladies as ever, the dance floor was full to capacity.  Dancers remembered the twist, the shake, the jive, the bump and also the occasional waltz and quickstep.  Many of those not joining in on the dance floor searched their minds for the words of songs back in the late 50s and remembered them!  What a great evening in wonderful company.

At 1am, we packed away computers, bunting and unclaimed raffle prizes and returned to the Scarman conference accommodation, but not to sleep. A sizeable group of 70s stalwarts with guitars had gathered in the residents’ bar, and with a glass or two of wine we sang along to many more well known songs in a form of ‘name that tune’ competition before finally calling it a day in the early hours.

It would be very difficult to define exactly what it was that made our youth in Malta and Tal-Handaq School such a very special time and place.  Every member of the Association will give you a different interpretation along a similar theme where common words appear such as: safe and secure, sociable, freedom, exciting, friendships, activities and hobbies – the best years of our lives! Whatever it was, there is no doubt that it lives on in the RN School Tal-Handaq Reunion Association and that’s what made this event yet another huge success. 

Before closing we would like to thank:

• Rob ‘Ollie’ Castell (61/63) and Marion Thomas (47/49) for raffle prizes and Malta memorabilia
• BigAl Routledge (61/64) and Derek Cooknell for the excellent group photograph
• Anne Wilkin and Pam Hinton (61/63) for the beautiful flowers
• Viv Paynter (57/58) and husband Aldwyn George for providing the timeshare to make the main raffle prize complete
• Emma Birkett, Jane Gray and Julie Taylor of Warwick Conference Centre for taking such good care of us
• Zap Events for the excellent disco
• Leslie Muscat, Country Manager UK and Ireland, Air Malta and Sema Louis, his PA for the wonderful raffle prize

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