AGM 2017


working order but I found the entire system bewildering. I’m all in favour of preventing benefit fraud but why are there two similar medical assessments needed to obtain both these two benefits? Surely one should be sufficient? Whereas I can’t speak about the location of all the Assessment Centres, I can talk about one of the two we visited. Armed with my classmate’s letter we set the Satnav and drove off. Public transport wasn’t an option as the Centre was in a different town. Having arrived where the letter said we should be, we were confronted with a PC World on a commercial estate. After milling around a bit I spotted a lady in a wheelchair heading off towards a nearby industrial estate. I thought there was a strong chance she might be going to the same place. This proved to be the case and I’m glad to say that she didn’t get run over getting to her appointment as there was no pavement for her to use and she managed to avoid the various lorries that passed her by. Over the last two years there


haven’t been many happy times for me and my old school friend. We had the occasional day out when I drove the 250 miles to where he lived, and eating out was always entertaining.


Amongst other things HD


sufferers lose control over their limbs.


My classmate caused chaos in


restaurants with food and drink going everywhere. In general, other diners were sympathetic but often we were quietly asked not to return.


Some places however warmly


welcomed us back and I am grateful to them for their


24 / The Sibford Rocket


OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS continued


understanding as otherwise we would have been barred from all the eating establishments in the town.


Where do other Old Scholars fit into this?


How were eight place mats going to help someone living without a table?


My classmate was a good looking, athletic, popular boy at Sibford who played in a band at some of the reunions we had in London. Having spent a small fortune on supporting my classmate I resorted to Facebook to raise some money for


luxuries ... like a bed. One person gave £500 and another, who is also on benefits, sent £20 so that our classmate could have a couple of decent Sunday lunches. One or two withdrew their support when I told them the nature of the crimes but that was more than fair enough. Many, many people have given me moral support which I’ve really needed during this sad saga. One donation did make me chuckle. How were eight place mats going to help someone who was living without a table to eat off, not enough food to feed one person and only


one other person who could be remotely thought of as a friend to invite to dinner? They say it’s the thought that counts though! So, where are we now? Well,


just over a month ago I was called by a Coroner who informed me that my classmate had been found dead in his flat. As in life nothing is simple in his death. The flat was initially a potential crime scene but murder has now been ruled out. The body couldn’t initially be identified but that was eventually resolved. The autopsy


didn’t identify the cause of death so tissue samples have been sent away and there may have to be an inquest. As the cause of death has yet to be determined there is no Death Certificate but I did manage to get an interim document that allowed for a cremation. Edd Frost has provided invaluable support during this time and when I die I want him to see me off. As Executor of the will, I’m sure that I will have many other delights to look forward to. As I’ve said, nothing is ever simple with this person, in life or in death. To conclude, I entitled this


address as ‘A testing friendship’. It was Sibford that brought my classmate and me together. Although I had not seen him for over 25 years there was still a small remnant of the person I liked hugely but I continue to struggle with what he did. What I and many others learned at this School is that all individuals deserve a basic existence whatever a person’s failings.


Most Old Scholars will help someone who is trying to help someone else


What I’ve also learned over the last two years is that most Old Scholars will also help someone who is trying to help


someone else ... even if they hate what that other person did. Was I his friend or simply someone who couldn’t walk away when there was no one else?


Thank you for listening to me on such a difficult topic. I’m sure that Harriet, who will make this address next year, will choose a lighter topic. Perhaps she will regale you all with anecdotes of her experiences of Sibford over her 175 years of association with Sibford!


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