HCPT London Beaumont Region - Day of Preparation

There is so much in the way of negative reporting and news on TV the radio and in the press these days that one can easily forget that much of human activity is positive and enriching, Good news does not sell newspapers as they say so   public news stories are invariably slanted to shock etc.  Natural disasters such as flooding in Sri Lanka Melbourne Australia and Chile are apt to report as are insurrections, wars and famine. But so much else of what passes for news seems to me to be tedious tittle tattle. Inventing an app. Iplayer etc or even a newspaper  that filters out tittle tattle might make the inventor rich but  the old question of Quis custodiet ipsos custodes would then  be raised.


Today's day of preparation  for helpers in the HCPT London Beaumont Region held at St George's College Weybridge caused me to reflect on the  above. Some 80 people aged between c.16 and 75  from 8 HCPT Groups   including staff and students from the St George's College  Group gave of their free time on a Sunday to prepare for  what is likely to be  a real adventure for the 160 or so children who are joining our groups for the trip to Lourdes during Easter week 2011. 


Amazing enthusiasm and willingness to participate to the  full was in the atmosphere for the whole time we were there. Wimbledon HCPT Group 35 was well represented and the day augurs well for our trip  to Lourdes over Easter week.


Many old Beaumont boys and their families were much in evidence. The one note of sadness was that of Robert OB  who has chaired the region for a dozen years,  announcing that he is to step down for 2012.

John (Group 24)  showed as a film  a compilation of cinefilm and DVD videos that he had made, going back to 1961 when most of the Beaumont contingent were still boys at that school. The exuberance  depicted on those clips  continues to this day although given the passage of time since then, for some of us   "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" may  alas be apt. Still the Group 35 helpers from Wimbledon sensed I think that the pilgrimage becomes like an expedition with much  fun, laughter, stillness, prayer and togetherness which many of the children and their helpers, may remember for years to come.


Seeing the teenage Brian  OB RIP in the film, caused me to reflect on his friendship over his lifetime from age 13.


  I suspect that mrs maytrees might find the clip of me as a teenager amusing.