Kings Oxford Alumni Officer Simon Devenport reports back on a memorable alumni reunion held in the heart of London.
At the tail end of February—when London still can’t quite decide whether it’s winter or spring—we gathered in the glorious vinyl-lined depths of Eastcheap Records, tucked beneath the looming glass curves of London City’s own “Walkie Talkie.” With the skyline glittering and happy hour in full swing (2-for-1 cocktails were not treated lightly), Kings Oxford alumni descended in force for an evening of reconnection, reminiscence and the occasional espresso martini.
This marked my first event outside Oxford as newly appointed Alumni Officer, so it was a particular thrill to see such an impressive turnout. Alumni joined us from as far back as the Class of 2016, alongside more familiar faces and an excellent cohort of +1s. Some travelled over three hours to be there—by train, and in one case, even by plane! For several, it was their first time reconnecting with the school since before the pandemic.
The range of talent in the room was staggering: medics, aspiring pharmacologists, engineers, musicians, restaurateurs, animators—a vivid testament to the Kings spirit.
The evening was clearly appreciated by those who attended. Bats (Class of ’17) shared: “I met lovely new people and had a chance to reconnect with alumni. It was great!” Meanwhile, Charmaine (Class of ’16) is already thinking ahead to the next gathering: “Looking forward to the next reunion—if you ever happen to hold the event in Birmingham, I would love to cooperate!” Pitchaya Rudeenorawate (Class of '17) added: “A huge thank you to Simon for putting together such a wonderful reunion. I really enjoyed catching up with old friends, meeting new faces, and building fresh connections. The venue was a great choice, with a good range of food and drinks to choose from. I really appreciate the time you took to bring us all together. I can’t wait for the next one!”
We aimed to wrap up at 6pm. Instead, conversations carried on long into the evening. Requests for biannual gatherings are already in—so please let us know if you have any suggestions on where we should head next!
