As 2022 draws to its close, with a seeming increasing rapidity the older one gets, I would like to wish you all well over the Christmas season however you celebrate this, but hopefully with family and friends around you. And then of course there is the very important added wish that 2023 will bring you satisfaction and happiness in the challenges that you have set yourselves for the year and indeed years ahead.

2022 has been a challenging year as we get used to coming out of our isolation bubbles. Our School is enjoying being back to normal which implies a huge and obvious level of activity. Your ODC, the majority of whose members are in their third and final year of service, has likewise enjoyed a high level of activity at both the local level and in concern for its responsibilities to the OD diaspora.  Especially, this ODC can be very satisfied with having given birth to the IIOFF with the first scholarships awarded, and now with the IIOFF being set for the future. Early in the year the ODC together with the School and the Parents Associations participated in the new initiative of the Bishops Community Week (BCW) round of activities in the Founders Day week. The ODC will be participating again in the planned 2023 activities.

Our overseas branches are important communication pipelines and activity generators with the ODU. Additional energy will be focused hereon going forward. At this stage, without drawing any comparisons, our UK Branch is a worthy exemplar of widely embracing branch involvement.

Overall 2023 is likely to be as challenging as ever. There are two areas to which I would draw attention. Firstly, as written above the majority of ODC members have to stand down at our March AGM. We need another good committee to continue moving the ODU forward. Give thought to offering your services or at least try to persuade one of your super talented OD friends to do so. Then 2024 is the 175th anniversary of the founding of our great school and planning around this has already started. Do also start thinking and planning what you might be able and wish to do within your area of OD influence.

I wish you all peace and great blessings this Christmas  and may we all enjoy a 2023 as we would choose individually and collectively.

This message comes to you with my very warm regards.