18 February 2010

• View photographs from the event

Over 175 alumni and guests were welcomed by the Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Robert Burgess to the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London for the 2010 Alumni Dinner.  This black tie event was enthusiastically attended by alumni representing each decade from the 1950s to the present, and who had travelled to London from locations ranging from as far afield as Israel and Nigeria.  

Despite the snow, guests arrived in their best evening dress and in good spirits and were warmly welcomed by the event team from the Development and Alumni Relations Office in the spectacular surroundings of the Mandarin Hotel. Graduates mingled during the pre-dinner drinks reception to music from a string quartet in The Carlyle Room, followed by a gourmet three-course meal in The Ballroom, prepared by the Mandarin's top chef. 

The dinner was both a chance to meet old friends, and also the perfect opportunity for alumni to gather and a celebrate the past decade of successes for Leicester, which the buoyant spirit of the evening certainly reflected.  Good friends met each other again after 30 years, former housemates were reunited and new graduates met old. Several “lost alumni” who had come as guests were even found on the night when they recognized themselves on our Lost Alumni project banner!  Members of Leicester's academic community hosted tables, and amongst guests were Council members, former staff and members of the Standing Committee of the Alumni Association. 

During dinner guests had the opportunity to win one of four superb raffle prizes, and to contribute to the Percy Gee Building Appeal for the redevelopment of the Students’ Union building.  Over £3,800 was raised on the night and first prize in the raffle was won by Elaine Mulvihill (Personal tour of the Foundling Museum by director Lars Tharp, luncheon for 2, two tickets to the Van Gogh exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts and four tickets to Chris Ofili at Tate Britain).

Many guests remained until the early hours socializing and busily catching up on each others' news. When graduates finally left for home, the most commonly heard comment was " We will see you again next year!"

Read the story of two alumni, Sue Cook and Miriam Wakerly, who met again after many years at the 2010 Alumni Dinner

Photographs from the event

What alumni said about the event: 

"What a splendid evening we had last Thursday!  On my table of ten we had seven Leicester graduates, two of whom I had not seen since 1981, but the decades just fell away in minutes.  Indeed, by half way through the evening I even felt that I had known one of the partners for many years, but we had only met that evening - the rapport was so instant!"

"I just wanted to thank you for a lovely evening and excellent hospitality. I do indeed feel proud of Leicester and have long and fond associations with both the university and the city."

"I was pleased to support the Percy Gee Building Appeal especially because it was such and important and happy meeting place of overseas students during my time at Leicester in the 70s."

"On behalf of everyone in our party at the dinner on Thursday I would like to say thank you for a most enjoyable and well organised event.

"The venue was first class, the company stimulating and the meal delicious.  My daughter (who had special dietary needs) was particularly impressed with the sensitive way the hotel staff handled it. Thanks are due to you and the whole organising team for planning and implementing an exemplary event.  I look forward to future ones."

"Just a note to say how much we enjoyed the evening - what a lovely venue and all so well organised! "