London Get-Together – Thursday 6th November 2025, 7.00 pm – 9.30 pm

Continuing the success of the previous London events, the Society would again like to invite all Old Maidstonians to an early evening informal gathering being held at The George Inn in Southwark, from 19:00 until 21:30. The evening will be hosted by our President & Chairman, Mr John Clayton. The historic 17th century George Inn is a galleried coaching inn at 77 Borough High Street, SE1 1NH, close to The Shard and London Bridge.

A private room with pay bar has been booked and there will be a buffet. The Society will meet part of the costs of the evening, but we would require a £12 contribution, slightly more than last years event, which is of course in part due to rising costs in recent times, which should be paid in advance online (reference LONDON), please email [email protected] to confirm your payment has been made and that you will be attending. We have to advise The George Inn 10 days in advance, so please respond as soon as possible, by end of October 27th 2025.

Please note that we will be in the Winchester Room on the first floor with its own private bar. Please also note that there is a 25% student discount for any student with a valid SU card (more for our recent leavers naturally although I am sure there are one or two mature students out there…)

You may pay either by internet bank transfer to:\\
The NatWest Bank, Maidstone Branch: 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XU\\
Account: Old Maidstonian Society\\
Account no: 00051802\\
Sort Code: 60-60-08\\
IBAN: GB31 NWBK 606008 00051802\\
BIC (Swift): NWBKGB2L\\
Reference: Your name/LONDON\\

(If you use this method, please drop an e-mail to [email protected] letting us know)

Or by sending a cheque, made payable to ‘Old Maidstonian Society’ to:\\
The Old Maidstonian Society, Maidstone Grammar School, Barton Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 7BT\\
Tel: 01622 752101

The Old Maidstonian Super Saturday 2025 – Saturday 29th March

On Saturday 29th March, before the supper, we are opening our doors to welcome as many Old Maidstonians back as possible to celebrate the continued growth of sport at MGS and our 3G pitch. This is the day of the supper (please buy your tickets!) and will make for a great part of this huge day to celebrate our community. Please come along for a tea/coffee and relax at the Ron McCormick Pavilion. We are opening at 12pm and hosting some fierce alumni sporting competition for you to watch. MGS will be hosting the annual MGS vs OM sporting fixtures for both rugby and football. OMs should keep the whole day free for both the Sports and the Supper.

Update: there will be football and touch rugby fixtures between 12 and 4PM. See https://forms.office.com/e/WbX8ezBrzv

This is still relatively new, so please share widely on social media and/or in your WhatsApp groups!

We hope that the entire day will be a great celebration of everything that makes MGS & OMS what it is, always has been and always will be.

OMS Annual Supper 2025 – Saturday 29th March

Booking for this event is now closed.

The Old Maidstonian Society Annual Supper will be held at the school on Saturday 29th March 2025. Preferred Dress is jacket and tie or equivalent. Plus-ones are welcome. After the success of the supper last year, that helped celebrate the School’s 475th anniversary, it would be so good to see many of you returning to the school for another great evening.

The Supper will commence promptly at 19:30, and will conclude equally promptly by 22:00. Please note that free overnight parking is available for all those who require it, please let us know beforehand if you require the use of these facilities as well as providing us with the registration number of the car ahead of time.

The President, Jason Tarry, has invited Graham Livesey to be his Guest of Honour. Graham left MGS in 1985 (he was the third of four brothers who attended MGS) and studied at Sheffield University. Having spent 30 years in the Royal Engineers, and then retiring as Colonel, he is currently the strategic Ops Director of Ripon Grammar School.

There will again be a professional bar service with beer, spirits, port, a selection of wines and soft drinks being served before dinner and also at tables during the meal. The bar will be open by 18:00, and the hall and bar will remain open until 23:00. Entrance will again only be through the main entrance door, where you will be greeted.

We are also hoping to have a tour (or two, numbers depending) around the School before the Supper; if you wish to attend a tour, please let us know no later than 22nd March 2025, so we have enough time to plan staffing levels for the numbers we have, and please make us aware of any access requirements you have. Timings and numbers will be confirmed during the week before the Supper, but will likely take place in the hour or two before the Supper starts.

There will also be the now legendary raffle, tickets on sale on the night, please bring cash,any prize donations are very much welcome, please email me with these via [email protected].

We are delighted to confirm that the caterers for the Annual Supper will be Cucina. They will again be preparing our meal, and the menu is stated below and will be on our website in due course.

Everyone attending is requested to:

Make payment by one of the methods below;
E-mail the Membership Secretary to confirm if you have made an online payment;
Advise the Membership Secretary when booking if you wish to sit with any particular member(s);
Advise the Membership Secretary if you have any access requirements.

Menu:
Starters: Sharing board for the table to include:
Parma Ham, Salami, Chorizo, mozzarella, artichoke, roast peppers, olive tapenade, hummus, freshly baked bread, balsamic & oils (V)

Main Course buffet
Peppered Beef casserole With chestnut mushrooms in a cream sauce.
Thai red chicken curry Fragrant coconut broth with Thai basil & vegetables served with prawn crackers.
Wild Mushroom fricassee Rocket pesto & torn ciabatta croutons (V)

Served with a selection of vegetables, salads, breads and steamed rice.
Vegan option available

Dessert buffet
Gypsy Tart (V)
Triple chocolate brownie (V)
Syrup sponge & custard (V)
Fresh Fruit Salad (V)

Freshly Brewed Fairtrade Coffees & Teas

Cost and payment:

The cost is once again £32 per head, the same as last year’s price. We feel it more than reflects the very high quality and quantity of food being served. In view of this, we are looking to continue the early bird discount, meaning, if you make your booking AND payment before end of 31st January, you will pay 2023 prices, so just £28 per person. From 1st February onwards, the prices will revert to the £32 2024-25 prices. We request that this payment be made in advance to guarantee the caterers are able to provide for the relevant number of bookings we receive. Please either (before the end of 24th March) use the online booking form below and pay by bank transfer or, if paying by cheque, please download, print and fill in the Annual Supper Booking Form 2025 and send it with your cheque (payable to ‘Old Maidstonian Society’) to The Old Maidstonian Society, Maidstone Grammar School, Barton Road, Maidstone Kent ME15 7BT.

Payment by internet bank transfer should be to:
The NatWest Bank
Maidstone Branch: 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XU
Account: Old Maidstonian Society
Account no: 00051802
Sort Code: 60-60-08
IBAN: GB31 NWBK 606008 00051802
BIC (Swift): NWBKGB2L
Reference: Your name/OMS AS

(If you use this method, please drop the Membership Secretary an e-mail to [email protected] letting him know)

London Get-Together – Thursday 7th November 2024, 7.00 pm – 9.30 pm

Continuing the success of the previous London events, the Society would again like to invite all Old Maidstonians to an early evening informal gathering being held at The George Inn in Southwark, from 19:00 until 21:30. The evening will be hosted by our President, Mr Jason Tarry. The historic 17th century George Inn is a galleried coaching inn at 77 Borough High Street, SE1 1NH, close to The Shard and London Bridge.

A private room with pay bar has been booked and there will be a buffet. The Society will meet part of the costs of the evening, but we would require a £10 contribution, which must be paid in advance online (reference LONDON), please email [email protected] to confirm your payment has been made and that you will be attending. We have to advise The George Inn 10 days in advance, so please respond as soon as possible, by end of October 28th 2024

Please note that we will be in the Winchester Room on the first floor with its own private bar, last year we were on the ground floor so please note this slight internal change of location. Please also note that there is a 25% student discount for any student with a valid SU card (more for our recent leavers naturally although I am sure there are one or two mature students out there…)

You may pay either by internet bank transfer to:
The NatWest Bank
Maidstone Branch: 3 High Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XU
Account: Old Maidstonian Society
Account no: 00051802
Sort Code: 60-60-08
IBAN: GB31 NWBK 606008 00051802
BIC (Swift): NWBKGB2L
Reference: Your name/LONDON

(If you use this method, please drop me an e-mail letting me know)

Or by sending a cheque, made payable to ‘Old Maidstonian Society’ to:
he Old Maidstonian Society
Maidstone Grammar School
Barton Road
Maidstone
Kent
ME15 7BT
Tel: 01622 752101

Sean Scurr on behalf of the Committee
Membership & Mentoring Secretary
Old Maidstonian Society
[email protected]
07752 502906

Celebrating the Past, Present & Future of MGS – Old Maidstonian 475 Fundraising Campaign – update

Dear Old Maidstonian,

Maidstone Grammar School is celebrating an incredible milestone this academic year. It will be 475 years since the Royal Charter was granted in 1549, so let us leave our mark to commemorate this significant event.

To acknowledge this milestone a fundraising campaign to modernise the front reception of the school, which will include the installation of a video wall, was launched earlier this academic year. This will enable visitors to review highlights of the School’s achievements over the years and will be of huge interest to all Old Maidstonians by stimulating and updating many memories. Our target for this project is £165,000 and we already have a substantial donation from Old Maidstonians to kick-start the campaign. If you would like to lend your support, you still can as the deadline has been extended; please complete this online donation form
(https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=bVZYQqE_J0ieVgqz5wlUF5BzyTtZ7SlIhqs4XFfhwp9URUY3REE3VjY5T1VVQTBESEFWSzNXQTRXVS4u)
by the end of Sunday 31 December 2023. All donors will be recognised in a special Old Maidstonian ‘475 Electronic Celebration Book’. We are very excited about this project and really hope that we are able to achieve it during the School’s 475th year, so we very much value your support.

For the 475 celebrations we are planning a week of special events from Friday 19 April to Saturday 27 April 2024. These will include events organised by the Parents’ Association, the Old Maidstonian Society, the School, and the CCF. More details will follow nearer the time but please keep this week free in your diaries particularly Saturday 20 April 2024 which will be the OM Sport Day and OM Supper. Another date to keep free is Saturday 13 July 2024 where we will invite you to join us for strawberries and cream at an Old Maidstonian Garden Party which will include a tour of the school as well as catching up with old friends.

An updated message from our Chairman, John Clayton: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZRu5W2i0Ko

“I hope as many Old Maidstonians as possible will join me in supporting this dynamic and worthwhile enhancement of the School’s reception area, and enjoy seeing the results for themselves during the 475th celebrations.” – Dan Abnett, President, OMS

We are looking forward to the celebrations – it will be a special year, so please join us in making it a year to remember.

Olim Meminisse Juvabit

See MGS announcement

Warmest Regards,

Sean Scurr on behalf of the Committee
Membership & Mentoring Secretary
Old Maidstonian Society
07752 502906

www.oldmaidstonians.org.uk
Follow us on: Facebook – LinkedIn – TwitterDear Old Maidstonian,

OMS Quiz 18th October 2023

Here is the poster for the 2023 Quiz. The tables will be for (a maximum of) 4 people per team; if you wish to join in but cannot raise a team of 4 then do not be deterred – we will do our best to form tables from individuals/pairs etc. You can book online by using the form below, or below that again you can download a pdf of the poster to book by post.

    OMS Quiz 2023 Online booking

    To book a table, please complete this form. Tables are of 4 people. (if you have problems with this form please report them to [email protected])

    I have made an internet transfer of £ for the purchase of place(s) at £10.00 each for the Quiz being held at the school on Wednesday 18th October 2023 (Note: if you are not paying online, please download the printable form and mail it with your cheque.)

    Your Name (required)

    Team name (if you have a team)

    Number in Team:

    Please give either your email address or a telephone number so that we can acknowledge your order. To do so, click the appropriate boxes below and fill in the necessary value


    Payment will be acknowledged by telephone or e-mail, but tickets will not be issued.



    For a pdf of the offline form, please download the poster here:
    MGS Quiz poster 2023

    Pictures from the 2016 Annual Supper

    Some photos, courtesy of Peter Weaver:

    Lindsay Evans, former chair of Governors, was made an Honorary Vice- President of the Society by the President, Richard Ratcliffe.

    The President and Lindsay Evans The President and Lindsay Evans
    DSCB4710alr Roger Crittenden, the President’s Guest speaker, who proposes the toast to the School
    DSCB4714alr The Headmaster, Mark Tomkins, replies
    DSCB4720alr The School Captain replies
    DSCB4721alr The President makes the Alec Stewart award
    DSCB4722blr The President makes the Clifford Award for History
    DSCB4723blr The Clifford Award
    DSCB4725alr Handover of the Presidency
    DSCB4726alr The new President, Neil Turrell (President 2016-17)