On Wednesday 14 June 2023 Paul Murray the OD Ambassador hosted an appreciation lunch which was held in the Board Room at The Mitre.

The Luncheon was to show appreciation to ODs, Friends and Staff Paul has engaged with related to his work at the ODU, Archives and School.  The following persons were invited.

Two ODs gave their apologies - one was Geoffrey Ashmead OD and the other was Jeremy Lawrence OD.  Geoffrey had come to The Mitre to address one of the school societies there and Jeremy is a regular visitor to The Mitre and donor of OD Memorabilia.  They will certainly be invited again.  

Staff assisting Paul in OD work at The Mitre are Glen Gibbon and Peter Hyslop who should both be Hon ODs, who have been at the school long enough to do so, and were invited as part of Paul's plan to attract Staff to the ODU - Willem Steyn the HD of Founders and Glen Gibbon assisting with a function at the ODU later this year and Peter presenting one of the colloquia to be held there.

Michael King is an Hon OD and previous VP and he and Paul are scheduled to have a book discussion at The Mitre on his latest book ‘Recessional’.   

Ian Farman is the parent of two ODs invited as a friend.  Chris Saunders is an OD who is a leading SA historian. Mubeen Goolam is an OD and staff member at UCT who will be addressing one of the societies at The Mitre to which students and ODs are to be invited. Geoff Everingham is a former Chair of Council with Simon and Tim OD sons. WP van Zyl s an OD on the ODU Committee.  James Sedgwick OD is a former Com Member of the OU and currently working with IOFF.

Noeleen Murray-Cooke is a friend and mother of an OD - who has been supportive and a future possible speaker to ODs at one of the colloquia and supportive for any OD wanting advice in architecture as a career - she is Prof of Architecture at Uni Pretoria.

The idea  is to bring people together to connect.

Staff at the ODU were included in the invitation list, Lynn Swanevelder and Dedry Weich.

The luncheon was hosted by Paul and served by the school's caterers.

Another such luncheon is proposed - any readers of this article wishing to attend, will be very welcome: please contact Paul at [email protected]  It will be good to see you at The Mitre.  We look forward to continuing connecting ODs, Former Staff, Staff and Friends at The Mitre.  

Please see the gallery of photogaphs, related.