OCs Connected

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: 𝘽𝙤𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝 - 𝙊𝘾, 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 2015
This week we’re celebrating the journey of Bobby Marsh.

School memories? Iconic.

From the “elaborate productions” and “outrageously bad costumes” of the house song competition, Bobby remembers it as 'the event of the year'. He remembers the joy, the chaos, and the magic of feeling part of something bigger.

Then there was the Duke of Edinburgh expedition - a saga of “desperate laughter,” cow encounters, and blisters that felt like a rite of passage. As with a lot of things, painful at the time, increasingly funny with the passing of time.

But the real heart of his story lies with the people. Most of all Miss Nicola Kendall, “a breath of fresh air at a time when I felt quite lost.” Her passion for music and inclusive spirit meant everything to "a closeted 15‑year‑old trying to find his place". Her impact stuck - and still matters today.

And friendships that lasted far beyond the school gates: Charlotte Wheeler and Emma Jones, two constants who helped shape the person he became.

From there, Bobby launched into life with excitement - heading to the University of Nottingham, stumbling into marketing via student‑night social media (yes, for the free drinks and control of the guest list), and building a career across agencies, brands, and big creative moments.

Today, he leads social at , blending creativity, strategy, and memes with brands like Quorn and Birkenstock. Outside work, he’s into CrossFit and gearing up for a move to Manchester with his partner - new city, new coffee shops, new adventures.

Read the full article here: https://www.ocsconnected.co.uk/news/oc-news/408/408-Sunday-Stories-Bobby-Marsh-OC-Class-of-

✨ OCs In The Wild - the Return Journey! ✨
On his way back from London, Mr McCullough unexpectedly crossed paths with yet another OC, Sean Hobson (Class of 2025) — fresh from Buckingham Palace, where Sean had just received his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Our previous OCs In The Wild post featured Mr McCullough meeting a different OC at Parkway Station on his way to London. This time, the return leg delivered another brilliant surprise. Sean will soon be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for the . The OCCT has very kindly supported his trip financially and we wish him every success.

Huge congratulations to Sean on achieving his Gold Award - an outstanding accomplishment.💛

𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 - 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁 - 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗖𝗖𝗧 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼.

🏀OCs Return - Yesterday we had the best kind of surprise at Collegiate - a visit from Spence Wewe (Class of 2023)!

After spending time training and studying in Connecticut, Spence will be heading back to New York to chase his dream of playing pro basketball - and if you know Spence, you know that dream is looking very real.

Even on a family visit, he still made time to drop by school and run a basketball session for our very excited Year 8s. He caught up with former teachers, who were thrilled to see how brilliantly he’s doing overseas and grateful he came back to inspire the next generation.

During a tour of the school, we stopped by B1 where Mrs Boyce reminded him of the post‑it notes he and his classmates jumped to stick high on the wall back in 2023… still there because no one’s been able to reach them!

Challenge accepted. Spence jumped - and smashed his old height by nearly a foot. Extra training clearly paying off. Now we definitely need him to come back again to get them down!

It was my first time meeting Spence, and he couldn’t have been more humble, kind, and focused on the road ahead. What a gent!

Good luck in New York, Spence - stay in touch. And remember: Dr Morse wants tickets to that final!

Want to know more about Spence's journey? check out the Sunday Stories feature on www.ocsconnected.co.uk

𝙃𝙪𝙜𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙊𝘾 𝘼𝙡𝙛 𝙈𝙘𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝! 🏆💙

Alf has helped lead Pirton/Churchill to victory as captain in the Cambridge Inter‑Collegiate Cup - Cuppers Champions after a hard‑fought 14–10 final! A brilliant season capped off by committed leadership and a terrific team performance.

Alf, an OC from the Class of 2023, played for the First XV and still loves turning out for the OCRFC whenever he’s back in Bristol. Great to see him lifting the silverware.

Well done, Alf!

🚉OCs In The Wild - you'll be pleased to spot that this wasn't at a supermarket!
Mr McCullough messaged me to say that he was delighted to bump into Dylan Bruce (OC, Class of 2025) at Parkway Station this morning. Dylan was on his way to 𝘽𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙖𝙢 𝙋𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝘿𝙤𝙛𝙀 𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 - and proudly sporting his OC tie for the occasion.

A quick snap was taken (Dylan’s proud mum was too shy for the shot!).

👏🏼Huge congratulations, Dylan - a fantastic achievement! Send us some pics of the event 📸

✨ OCs In The Wild ✨
This sighting comes courtesy of OC Rich Hunt (Class of 1999), who shared a brilliant reunion moment from Torbay. A group of ’99 OCs recently caught up and, in Rich’s words, “dropped back into each other’s company as though we only left school last week.” That’s the OC spirit right there - years pass, but the friendships don’t fade.

Pictured here are:
Tim Flower • Steve Leather • Sam Cox • Stuart Bellinger • Ed Barnes • Dylan Pugh • Richard Hunt • Alex Clarke • Tom Barlow
Also attending but not pictured are Peter Gregory & Paul Bannister.

Once an OC, always an OC - even when life scatters you far and wide, you can always find the perfect place for a reunion.

✨ OCs In The Wild ✨
Yes… it’s happened again. Another OC sighting in a supermarket. At this point I’m starting to think Sainsbury’s Emersons Green is the official OC migration route.

This time I bumped into Robin Harris (OC 2003) - a truly excellent vintage - doing his shopping. Robin’s now with AXA in Bristol and still keeps up with fellow classmates like Charles Groves and Ashley Harvey.

Robins' brother, Owen, works at Collegiate Prep, and his parents are still supporting Guide Dogs and pop to school now and again. I can still remember the guide dog training we used to do organised by Mr Mardle, in pairs one of us blindfolded escorting the other around the school grounds - the steps down to the carpark were treacherous!

Zeniah, immediately tried to peek into Robin’s shopping bag - full snack detective mode. She was excited by the fact that apparently Robin cooks a delicious sausage roll.

Lovely to see him - and proof that you’re never too far from an OC, even when you’re just trying to buy milk.

Just to let you know...the OCRFC have a new website.
Find all things OCs rugby here ⬇

https://ocrugby.co.uk/

𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨: 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙧 - 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙛 2009
This week’s Sunday Story turns the spotlight to Georgina Fraser, now a 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙧 & 𝘾𝙤, whose path from Colston’s to the centre of London’s corporate law world is as steady and considered as you’d expect from someone who once kept order in a very lively common room.

Georgina reflects on the early spark that drew her to law, the academic influences that steered her toward corporate work, and the baptism‑by‑fire of her first 2am completion meeting. She talks candidly about advising organisations at pivotal moments, the importance of clarity and calm judgement, and the satisfaction of helping clients navigate major transitions.

She also looks back at the school experiences that shaped her confidence - from navigating boy‑heavy year groups to contributing to events beyond the classroom - and the friendships that remain central to her life today. A recent house move even unearthed a few classic Colston’s relics, from Lower Sixth video projects to the infamous rugby calendar.

It’s a thoughtful, grounded read that captures Georgina’s approach to work, leadership and life - with a brief cameo from the legendary “two biscuit rule” for good measure.

find the full article here: https://www.ocsconnected.co.uk/news/oc-news/407/407-Sunday-Stories-Georgina-Fraser-Class-of-

🌞What a fantastic Seniors’ Lunch today - almost 30 OCs and partners, brilliant company, and plenty of laughter. The stories of Colston's school were flowing as always, including Dave Tooze’s beans‑on‑toast tale, where one poor lad ended up with just nine beans while the burly sixth formers piled their plates high. Some things never change.

We shared memories, caught up on what everyone’s children (many OCs themselves) are up to, and took time to remember those facing ill health and those no longer with us. This group is endlessly supportive, and it’s a joy spending time with them.

🍾🚨The day even came with a bit of drama - a mid‑drink fire alarm (not set off my any of our naughty seniors i should add!!) - but spirits stayed high and the pints and wine were still cold when we got back inside.

Huge thanks to everyone who joined us, and to Sue & Fred Forse for the wonderful memorabilia. If you’ve got anything tucked away, I’d love to see it - drop it by the school FAO Dana McKee - or better yet, book in to have a cuppa with me and tell me all about it.

Already looking forward to the Seniors’ Christmas Lunch on 9 December. 🎄Not that i am mentioning Christmas in May!!

Read full article here: https://www.ocsconnected.co.uk/news/oc-society-events/406/406-Seniors-Summer-Lunch-