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In this edition of The Grammarian, I would like to reflect on the important role so many Old Boys play in the wider BGS community – especially the younger Old Boys who come back to coach and mentor students after graduating.

Teaching and mentoring students while developing leadership and organisational skills is a fantastic opportunity that new graduates should embrace. This an incredibly important resource for the School and provides a strong cultural link to the younger generations of BGS students.

The Business Breakfasts coordinated by Simon Tolhurst ’87 continue to be popular. The most recent breakfast, on 14 September, was a full house with 170 guests attending to gain an insight into the current South-East Queensland property market.

The outstanding panel of Chris Titley ’98 (Morgans), Kevin Stanley (Commonwealth Bank), Damian Winterburn ’99 (Boulder Capital) and Chris Butters ’00 (CBRE) covered a broad range of topics.

These breakfasts are hosted by the Old Boys’ Association and are open to everyone in the BGS community to attend.

We are planning our Business Breakfasts for next year so look out for the invitations. Sponsorship opportunities will also be available next year, please contact the BGS Community Relations Office via oba@brisbanegrammar.com to discuss the available packages.

In late July, we hosted the Milestone Reunions for the Classes of ’72, ’82, ’92, ’02 and ’12.

Some of the year groups took up the offer of a ‘Row-Union’ hosted by the Brisbane Grammarians Rowing Club. Congratulations to Ben Cameron and the ’92 Old Boys who managed to pull together two squads of VIII for a morning row and a sprint race.

Many Old Boys attended a school tour on the afternoons of Friday 29 July and Saturday 30 July. I had the privilege of attending both afternoons and sharing in the celebrations of catching up with old friends.

Next year we will host Milestone Reunions on the weekend of 22-23 July, please mark the date in your diaries.

A key objective of the OBA Committee is to ensure we work effectively with the School and related BGS groups in the planning of events. To that end, I have met with the presidents of the P&F Association and P&F Auxiliary to discuss the opportunity to strengthen the connection between the Old Boys’ Association and the wider BGS community.

One of the topics often raised by parents through the P&F is the opportunity for new graduates and younger Old Boys to engage with the “Old Boy network”.

These opportunities exist through ‘Brisbane Grammar Connect’, a platform for Old Boys to connect, offer mentoring services or request assistance.

I have personally had the opportunity to mentor younger Old Boys through this platform and encourage all Old Boys to register if they have not done so already.

If you haven’t already purchased an NSL T-shirt, I encourage you to do so at the OBA merchandise store. There are a variety of styles and colours available.

Finally, on behalf of the OBA Committee, we share our condolences with the Strachan family. The BGS community may at times feel large, but when tragedy strikes, you soon realise how closely bonded we are.

The tragic passing of Tom Strachan ’90 and Noah Strachan ’19 will leave an indelible mark on our community and their loss is felt deeply by many.

We reflect on the special memories Tom and Noah shared with many of us and know that they would take some comfort in the BGS community’s resolve to ensure their family is supported and their legacy is treasured.

Cameron Feltham '86
BGS Old Boys' Association President