On the evening of Friday 25 April, the College welcomed back one of its most fondly remembered year groups for a reunion dinner unlike any other. The Class of 1997 — the first cohort to complete their A Levels at Hurst under the newly co-educational sixth form — returned as guests of the Hurst Foundation for an occasion that was at once a homecoming and a milestone.

• 60 Alumni and guests at the dinner
• 30 Years since the girls first joined Hurst
• 1995 The year that changed Hurst forever

The Class of 1997 hold a particular place in Hurst's history. They were trailblazers in the truest sense — the young men and women who navigated a school in the midst of significant transformation, and who did so with the spirit and character that defines the best of this community. To have sixty of them back together in one room was a genuinely special thing.

An Evening of Reflection

The dinner was enriched by speeches from four figures who between them captured the full breadth of what the evening meant. Former Headmasters Stephen Meek and Simon Watson spoke with warmth and evident pride about the year group they remembered so clearly — a cohort that challenged Hurst to be the best version of itself, and rose to that challenge in kind.

Alumni speakers Alison Goldring and Dominic Rodbourne brought the room to life with reflections that were both deeply moving and thoroughly entertaining. Memories resurfaced, friendships rekindled, and more than a few guests were seen reaching for a tissue between the laughter. It was Dominic's closing remark, though, that perfectly captured the feeling of the night: that next time, they shouldn't leave it another twenty-nine years.

"Next time, we don't leave it another twenty-nine years."

— Dominic Rodbourne, Class of 1997

The evening was a reminder of what the Foundation exists to nurture: the lifelong bond between Hurst and its alumni. Whether it has been two years since leaving or three decades, the connection endures — and evenings like this one are proof of it.

A Community That Gives Back

The Trailblazer Dinner is the latest in a series of events through which the Hurst Foundation is strengthening its relationship with alumni across every generation. From the Rob Kift Sports Bursary Dinner earlier in April — which raised a remarkable £48,000 in support of sports bursaries — to this reunion of the Class of 1997, it has been a month that has demonstrated, beyond any doubt, the depth of generosity and loyalty this community is capable of.

The Foundation is already looking ahead to future reunion dinners, bringing more year groups home and creating more opportunities for alumni to reconnect with Hurst — and to shape its future. If you would like to be kept informed of upcoming events, or to discuss how you can support the Foundation's work, we would be delighted to hear from you.