OAKS Alumni Gather in London for Inaugural Drinks Reception

On Wednesday 16th September, OAKS alumni gathered in the elegant surroundings of the Strangers' Room at the Reform Club on Pall Mall for our first-ever OAKS Alumni London Drinks Reception.

The event brought together alumni from across the generations, representing Arnold School, King Edward VII School, Queen Mary School, KEQMS and AKS Lytham. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with former classmates, renew friendships and build new professional connections within our growing alumni community.

The Reform Club provided a fitting venue for the occasion. Widely regarded as one of London's most distinguished private clubs, the historic building has changed little since the nineteenth century and is renowned for its magnificent interiors and rich heritage. It also holds a special place in literary history as the club associated with Phileas Fogg in Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days.

During the evening, guests heard about the growing role that alumni are playing in supporting current AKS students through Beyond AKS, our global mentoring and careers network, and the PEAKS programme. From mentoring and careers talks to networking opportunities and industry insight, alumni continue to make a valuable contribution in helping students develop the skills, confidence and connections they need to become Future Ready.

We are particularly grateful to former Arnold School Headmaster Bill Gillen and former Chair of Governors Jerry Wooding and Julia Wooding for their generosity in hosting the event and making this special evening possible.

The enthusiasm and positive feedback from those attending demonstrated the strength of our alumni network in London and the appetite for future events. We hope this will be the first of many opportunities to bring together OAKS alumni living and working in the capital.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a memorable success.

The date for the 2027 OAKS Alumni London Drinks will be announced soon!