OGA Autumn Event
Sparkling Afternoon Tea and Autumn Floral Demonstration
in the
Cherry Blossom Suite at The Secret Garden, Dundonald
On
Saturday 19th October at 1.45pm
The demonstration will include Planted Containers and an Autumn Wreath.
Further details regarding booking and payment VCB OGA INVITATION
As is now our custom in the Autumn, you are welcome to bring guests to this event.
VCBOGA Events Committee September 2024
Annual Dinner 2024
INVITATION
to
VICTORIA COLLEGE BELFAST OLD GIRLS’ASSOCIATION - 2024 DINNER
Friday 19th April 2024
The Dunmisk Suite
Stormont Hotel Belfast
7.00pm for 7.30pm
Following a most enjoyable evening in 2023, we are delighted to be returning to The Stormont Hotel for our 2024 Reunion.
Please see the attached booking form for further details, and how to reserve your place.
The cost of £48 includes a gratuity, a drink on arrival, and a glass of wine with the meal, but not any additional beverages ordered at the table.
Old Girls no longer pay a membership fee and so we rely on the Ballot to raise funds for the Association.
Members of Committee have donated a range of attractive prizes and we ask that you bring cash to purchase tickets on 19th April.
You will see that there are currently 4 “Year Groups” planning to attend and we encourage any further parties of Old Girls who wish to have a group table to contact Patricia Moorhead as soon as possible. Email: patriciamoorhead@yahoo.co.uk
Joy McCormick and Caroline Young are co-ordinating the 1974 and 1989 Year Groups, and their contact details are as follows:
1974 - Joy Mc Cormick – Joymccormick56@gmail.com
1989 – Caroline Young – c.young@qub.ac.uk
All other guests coming as individuals, or in small groups, can be assured of a warm welcome, and we will try to ensure that you are seated with others who attended Victoria around the same time.
Early booking is recommended.
The evening promises to be a wonderful opportunity to share memories of your school days whether you attended Lower Crescent or Cranmore, boarded or not.
Please note that under the revised Constitution,
accepted at the 2017 AGM, all former pupils and
current and past members of staff are now considered
‘Old Girls’ and are therefore invited to the Annual Dinner.
Hastings Hotels are offering special overnight rates for Victorians in the Stormont on 19th April 2024:
Single: £90.00 Bed & Breakfast per room per night
Double/Twin: £110.00 Bed & Breakfast per room per night
To avail of these rates, contact Samantha Graham, Events Co-ordinator at The Stormont Hotel (028) 9067 6010.
If Samantha is unavailable, contact the Hotel Reception (028) 9065 1066.
VCBOGA Events Committee
March 2024
A visit to the Crescent Arts Centre
The Crescent Arts Centre is on the site that for several generations was ’Victoria College’ and holds special memories for many!
We had a very successful visit by Old Girls to the Crescent Building Beloved by a generation, it was a most moving experience. The current activities are so creative and reflect our experiences in the building which now serves a different audience to the full.
A Trip Down Memory Lane
Victoria College has appointed Mrs Deirdre Rafferty to embark on the process of creating a Digital College Archive which, in time, will be accessible online by all past pupils. To this end, Deirdre has begun the process by categorising and recording all the existing documents etc and identifying gaps in our memorabilia.
This process is in the very early stages and we would really appreciate your help to identify and date some of the many photographs in the collection.
To this end, we are inviting you to join us for a
Trip down Memory Lane
In the Assembly Hall at Victoria College
on Thursday 8 June 2023
from 3.00-5.00 pm
Photographs down the decades from the College Archive will be on display and you are invited to bring your VCB friends to wander through the tables browsing the photos and, hopefully, help us identify faces, events and dates.
If you are willing, we would love to record some of your favourite school memories for posterity - to be included (with your permission) in the digital College Archive. Current Victoria College pupils will be on hand to capture your stories on audio or video.
Additionally, if you have any treasured Victoria College memorabilia that you would like to donate (or lend) for inclusion in the College Archive, you are invited to bring these items with you on the day. We are particularly interested in acquiring the programmes of past Victoria College events - concerts, drama performances, musicals etc.
We hope you will come along with some of your old classmates to enjoy an afternoon of recollecting old memories and renewing old friendships.
Tea, coffee and those famous VCB traybakes will be served for your enjoyment.
NB: While there will be no parking available within the school grounds, it will be possible to arrange to drop off anyone with mobility issues a short walking distance from the Assembly Hall.
Contact: drafferty555@c2kni.net Tel: 07736667743
Annual Dinner 2023
INVITATION
to
VICTORIA COLLEGE BELFAST OLD GIRLS’ASSOCIATION - 2023 DINNER
Friday 21st April 2023
The Grand Ballroom
Stormont Hotel Belfast
7.00pm for 7.30pm
We have already had great interest in the Dinner on Friday 21st April.
Up to now we have 3 parties of Old Girls who left Victoria in 1960, 1963/65 and 2003.
We also have a number of tables made up of individuals and small groups of friends, so you do not need to be part of a large party to attend – everyone will be most welcome.There is still time to secure your place. Please complete and return the attached booking form to: patriciamoorhead@yahoo.co.uk without delay.
We look forward to seeing you at The Stormont Hotel on Friday 21st April
VCB OGA Events Committee
Visit to Hinch Distillery
Autumn Event 2022.
A party of thirty Old Girls and Friends visited the award winning Hinch Distillery, on Saturday 15th October.
A most enjoyable morning began with Coffee and Scones in the charming surroundings of the Killaney Loft.
We then embarked upon the very informative Classic Whiskey Tour, discovering the story of Hinch Whiskey from grain to glass.
While our tour concluded with a tasting of 2 flagship whiskeys, the visit continued long into the afternoon for many of our party who then enjoyed lunch in the Brasserie.
OGA Annual Dinner 2019
On Friday 10th May 2019, our Old Girl’s Association held their annual dinner in Malone Golf Club. The event was a great success.
Afternoon Tea at Montalto House 2018
The 2018 Autumn Reunion, organised by Patricia Moorhead and Sharon Henderson, took place on Saturday 17th November at Montalto House, Ballynahinch.
After a welcome glass of prosecco, 47 "Old Girls" and friends enjoyed hearing a brief history of the beautifully restored Georgian Mansion from the MD of Montalto, David Wilson. We then had a captivating tour of some of the most elegantly refurbished rooms. Delightful but discrete anecdotes were shared of past guests!
A fabulous Afternoon Tea was served in the Garden Room.
With one final group photograph on the charming staircase, Victorians said goodbye to friends, old and new, promising to meet again at the 2019 events.
2018 Spring Reunion
Belvoir Park Golf Club was the setting for the VCBOGA 2018 Spring Reunion.
On Friday 27th April 2018, 110 ladies enjoyed the beautiful location, an excellent meal and great conversation. Ms Slevin attended and the Arellians were represented by their current President Carolyn McGrath and former President Jenny Watson.
Chair, Carolyn Lewis welcomed Old Girls from 30th, 40th and 50th Anniversary years, some of whom had travelled long distances to attend.
Annual General Meeting 2017
The AGM was held in the Library on Monday 20th February 2017. A pleasing attendance agreed to adopt the newly revised Constitution ( see webpage). Following the retirement of Betty Kerr after 55 years of service to the Old Girls, a new structure has been put in place.
There were elections for the newly created posts.
Chair - Carolyn Lewis
Deputy Chair - Barbara Callender
Treasurer -Ashleigh Keatings-Hunter
Membership Secretary - Amy Green & Linda Diffin
Secretary (administration) - Jennifer Mussen
Events Co-ordinator - Patricia Moorhead
Deputy events co-ordinator - Sharon Henderson
Committee member - Barbara Farris (Rtd)
Committee member - Jennifer Breene
Committee member - Margaret McVeigh
Committee member - Dame Joan Harbison
Honorary positions have been granted to: Betty Kerr - Emeritus Honorary Secretary and Margaret Andrews – Emeritus Honorary President, in recognition of their service to V.C.B.O.G.A.
In a welcome move all girls who have attended Victoria College are now deemed to be Old Girls and no fees will be charged in future. This will apply to staff who have served in the College too.
After 25 years of service as Treasurer Barbara Farris has stepped down . Under her meticulous accounting skills the bank balance is healthy. With e-mails we do not plan to post in future and the funds will be maintained by our new Treasurer, Ashleigh.