A 60th anniversary with a difference....

Sixty years ago, in September 1964, a diverse group of 18 year-olds met at Matlock College of Education, Derbyshire.

We were homesick and college life seemed tough. There were long hours of lectures, some of us had horrible lodgings, the food was awful, a boarding school atmosphere prevailed and - we were cut off from the Swinging Sixties!

But, we bonded together, eventually survived the three years of training and qualified as teachers. We stayed in contact for some time but then I, and some others, lost touch. Life intervened.

However, in 1995, after I had retired from teaching, I regretted losing contact and set about to look for my lost friends. I had few useful internet sources to assist me then so I also used national phone directories in the library and a few old phone numbers of parents.

I would locate one friend and discover she was in touch with another and so on. Eventually, 11 of us formed a group - including one friend who had emigrated to South Africa. We then had our first get-together at the Matlock Bath Hotel in 1997. From then on we had more at varying intervals until the occasion became an annual event with some of us able to spend several days together.

We have enjoyed each other's company, we have supported individual friends through difficult times and maintained our links. In particular, we Zoomed or emailed on many topics all through the Covid lockdown.

Last year a number of us were able to meet to receive Honorary Degrees from Nottingham University. We still message on Whatsapp, phone and email and also meet in smaller groups during the year.

Travel is less easy now and we decided to celebrate the 60th anniversary of our meeting here in Peterborough because of its good train links as we are spread all over the country from North to South.

We are very much hoping for a full house on September 5.