News

Here follows a summary of the events of the whole day, held on 26th May 2018, the tributes given by various members of the OA Club, and one of the speeches given at the OA Dinner.

The Old Abbotsholmians’ Club Reunion Day 2018

By Danni Arnold (formerly Knott) Knott and Nikki Darnell (formerly Knott)

(Danni was a pupil until 2017 and is now a committee member of the Old Abbotsholmians’ Club. Nikki taught at Abbotsholme for many years, and was also the Houseparent of Orchard House.)

On a beautiful day in May, Abbotsholme stood stately and welcoming in the sunshine as Abbotsholmians congregated from far and wide to celebrate the life of one of the best of her own, Tom Palmer.

Former students whose lives Tom had touched arrived with their wives, husbands and children; old friends and colleagues separated by time and distance were brought back together by a shared desire to be part of this eloquent act of remembrance. For Tom Palmer; but how could it be for Tom? He was an indefatigable force. So kind, so cheerful, so good, so clever. Yet we gathered, greeting each other with a sense of bewilderment and pleasure, because how could one not feel pleasure, when contemplating the life of Tom and when meeting in his honour?