Thanks to Tony for this report …

Happy memories of Abingdon were exchanged at the British Embassy in Washington DC last month. It happened at a dinner with Ambassador Sir Kim Darroch for volunteers of the American and Canadian Red Cross. The volunteers, all professional and academic health experts who freely advise the Red Cross, meet twice a year to contribute their expertise to the scientific evidence base for Red Cross programmes and products. To support the collaborative relationship, Emily Oliver of the British Red Cross team, arranged for the delegates to dine at the British Embassy.

Emily, who grew up in Abingdon and attended the School of St Helen and St Katharine, persuaded the Ambassador to host the dinner, and also discovered, to her astonishment, that the Ambassador was educated at Abingdon School.

Sir Kim Darroch was delighted when Emily presented him with an Abingdon School Old Boys tie, and immediately put it on for the dinner and to pose for photographs. Emily commented afterwards: ‘Abingdon School can be proud of the Ambassador who spoke fondly of his time there and also demonstrated strong regard for the humanitarian purposes of the Red Cross Movement.’