REMEMBER - THE REUNION!
This takes place on our usual date, the 1st Sunday in July, which will be July 2nd, at St THOMAS GARNET'S SCHOOL, PARKWOOD ROAD, which was our Junior School, St Joseph's. There is a little parking inside the grounds and some on the road. People begin arriving from 2.30p.m. and have usually gone by 5.30 - 6p.m.

It is an informal occasion, providing the opportunity to meet friends and talk. Tea, coffee and fruit squash and cakes etc. are provided throughout the afternoon. Name labels will be near the reception area to assist in recognizing those whom you might not have seen for many years ! If you handed in yours last year, for safe keeping, they will be displayed in alphabetical order.

Please sign one of the Visitors' Books, it is the only record we have of attendance and the publication of the names in the Christmas Newsletter is of great interest to those members who are unable to attend the reunion. Committee members would be grateful for short breaks from their duties, if any of you would like to volunteer a little of your time.

We are pleased that the rate of SUBSCRIPTION remains the same - £4.00 a year, this can be paid at any time during the year; CHRISTINE BROCKLEHURST (PLACE) will be available to take subs during the reunion. Full details of subscriptions can be found at the end of the newsletter.

The newsletters also get put on to the website, delight and praise comes in to GLENN EDGELEY - LONG, when former pupils discover the amazing wealth of interest and nostalgia displayed in text and photos. If you haven't yet enjoyed this constantly updated site do have a look at : www.rc-churches.net, and find your way to the Convent site.

If you would like to be on mv e-mailing list please let me have your e-mail address. I 'hide' all addresses, except that of the committee member who allows me to display hers as the recipient. Thus I am able to pass on relevant information between newsletters.

JANE O'BRIEN (THURGOOD) is hoping to organise a year reunion.

"Proposed Year Reunion for those turning 70 in 2005/2006
It is proposed to have a Year Get-together during the weekend of the Convent Reunion in July this year, (Sunday 2nd July from 2.30pm at St Thomas Garnet School - the old Junior School), for those of us who are reaching, or have reached, their three score years and ten during the current 'school year'

Mainly, this is aimed at what was YEAR V in 1951/52, but some people from a year below or a year above may well come into the same age bracket, or others may have a particular friend from that year, and wish to join in.

Some ideas being aired are:

1) Meeting for a meal and/or other 'activity1 on Saturday 1st July - time and place to be arranged, lots of possibilities in the Bournemouth & Poole area.

2) Meeting for Mass/coffee/lunch or whatever in Boscombe on Sunday 2nd July then attending the main reunion with other past pupils.

3) There may be the possibility of a gathering in London in mid-late June as an alternative, or even as well as, meeting up in Boscombe in July.

It would be good to bring photographs and other items from our Convent days and, if you wish, some information (written or otherwise,) about your life and family since then. People have been contacted where details are known and thought to be correct, namely:

Genevieve Basto (Bond). Patricia Qgden (Buck)). Anne Bravshaw (Crawford). Hilary Pearson (Edwards/Henbest). Wendvann Crawforth (Johnston). Josephine Jackson (Lidstone). Anne Spicer (Nolan). Patricia Daniels (Perkins). Linda Baker (Thornback).

Those we have no contact for are (maiden names only known);

Margaret Clements. Helen Edmonds. Pamela Hitchin, Patricia Coward. Theresa Lane.

We are not sure what happened to Mary Hannigan.
Ronaleen Lee and Mary Miller both died some years ago.

Are you in contact with anyone or do you know the whereabouts of someone on this list?
Do you think anyone has been left out?
Do you plan to join this 70s Reunion?
Do you need accommodation or a lift locally?

Can you offer accommodation and/or a lift to someone?
Have you got any other ideas for the reunion?

Please contact Jane O'Brien (Thurgoodj who will try to co-ordinate everything!
3 Northbrook Road, Broadstone, Dorset. BH18 8HB.
Tel: 01202.693196. email: post(g)jayjay3.plus.com

We were sorry to hear that the Convent at Bedhampton, Havant, Hants is to close at the end of this Summer.

SISTER RUTH MARY BROWN & SISTER JOAN have been there for many years. SR. RUTH will be sorely missed in the Parish, where she is so much a part of all their activities. Having been on the staff at Oaklands School until her retirement Sr. Ruth has continued to be part of school life as a member of the Board of Governors.

I have no doubt that the Convent at Springhill, East Cowes, Isle of Wight, the Parish and the School will benefit from her residence. I know that Sr. JOAN will be happy to be living there; SR. MAY looks after all the Community and guests so well, in that lovely place. Sr. RUTH hopes to get to the reunion this year, while it is still comparatively easy to do so.

SISTER KATE (CATHERINE MORTON) has been over from Cameroon, where she is Sister Provincial of The Sisters Of Christ in Cameroon.

A piece in the Portsmouth People said:- " Oaklands R.C. Comprehensive School, Waterlooville, has raised a splendid £700 to support a much needed water project in Bamenda, Cameroon. Sr. Catherine Morion, who was Headmistress at Oaklands over 20 years ago, now works in a small town called Bambui a few miles outside Bamenda, the West African town which gives its name to our twinned Diocese in Cameroon.

Sister Catherine has been working with the local community. The project involves transferring water from springs in the hills through a series of channels and pipes to various points in the village. The main costs for the project are for labour and to pay for the expensive piping, which extends for many hundreds of yards.
"If any others would like to contribute to the scheme, please contact Portsmouth Diocesan Bamenda Committee members John Hughes on 02392 499632 or Elizabeth White on 02392 264042.

SISTER KATE also brought back personal possessions of the late SISTER MARY AGNES LOFTUS, amongst which is a photo, taken when she was teaching there, of "HOLY CROSS SCHOOL, BOSCOMBE; JUNIOR 3 1963-1964. THOSE WHO ENTERED FOLK DANCING COMPETITION."

Sr. Mary Agnes had recalled several names, some of you might be in the photo or know one of the competitors. I will bring the photo to the Reunion for your interest.

Bro. RALPH LOFTUS kindly sent the photo to me, enlarged and enhanced

SISTER FRANCES & SISTER IRENE are an important part of Corpus Christ! Parish, having the Convent so close at 6 Parkwood Road. Sr. Frances tells me that SISTER NORAH is no longer able to go out, we miss seeing her around.

We hope to see SRS. BERNARDINE AND ROSA at the reunion in July. The Feast of St Raphaela Mary, their foundress, was celebrated with Mass at Corpus Christi Church followed by coffee in the Hall.