10 year reunion. Photo supplied.College Leavers of 2010 recently held a Ten Year Reunion and by all accounts, and the photos this group provided, they had an absolute blast.

Speaking with one of the organisers, Stacey Smith, there was no specific reason for holding their reunion at this time apart from that it’d been ten years since they left.  According to Stacey, Covid “helped and didn’t help” in getting the 65 attendees together.  This number included quite a few partners and their function was held at Cleavers Gastro Pub.  Quite a few of those attending still live in and around Ashburton including Nikita  Moore (nee Kruger) co-owner/manager of Cleavers who was also in the year group.

Fellow organisers included Natalie Ward, Steph Polson and Charlotte Sowman.  Steph managed the trip over the ditch from Australia while others came from all around New Zealand.

The evening’s activities centred around drinks and nibbles plus a live band.  There was a continuous slide show of old photos featuring Lip Sync shows, sports days, mufti days plus many of their last day at College.  Their Year 13 Yearbook also provided much entertainment through the evening where those attending could read what they thought they might be doing in ten years time!

Stacey and other attendees found the event “a really good chance to reconnect” and that the years had “melted away and everyone seemed genuinely interested in what others were doing with their lives” and were “much less judgemental” than their 18 year old selves may once have been.

While the group are “not officially planning another reunion”  they are definitely not ruling one out.

If you are planning something similar, AshColl Alumni would love to hear from you.  We could give your reunion some publicity before the event or as a round-up after your event.

By Shirley Falloon © AshColl Alumni - December 2020