The 2001 May Bumps Dinner coincided with the 40th Anniversary of the Men's Boat Club so everyone wanted to make it a special and memorable occasion. Throughout the year David Sampson and Eddie Powell sent messages out through the Boat Club grape vine and managed to contact and invite a large number of past members to the dinner. The committee also worked hard to organise accomodation for the visitors and to make the meal a great occasion.

All the hard work and preparations were rewarded when over 140 past members and more than 60 current members of the Boat Club gathered at Churchill on Saturday 16th June for the Dinner. A photograph of all the members, past and present, taken before the meal, is sure to make a lovely souvenir of the evening.

The overall Captain of the Boat Club, Chris Saville, had the unenviable job of saying the pre-dinner prayer but, he coped admirably and recieved a well earned round of applause at the end! The dinner itself went down very well and Boat Races started in the middle of the main course and continued well into desserts ensuring everyone finished their wine and had a great time!

Speeches were a great source of entertainment as the president Jack Miller and past members recalled previous years Bumping triumphs and catastrophes. Sir John Boyd, the college's Master and the Boat Club's patron was warmly welcomed back to the High Table after being unable to attend this year's previous dinners due to ill health. Everyone was glad to see him back!
Post-Dinner drinks in the bar gave everyone the chance to catch up with old friends and to swap rowing tales.

Churchill College Boat Club would like to thank all those that attended and to all those that contributed to making the evening such a great success. We look forward to maintaing the contacts made during this year and hope to see more of those who attended at future Boat Club events.

For more stories and information take a look at David Sampson's web site.