News

The Women’s Network event in May, held at The Duke of Wellington in Marylebone, London, brought together over 30 women for a wonderfully relaxed evening of conversation, networking and friendship‑building, with the added bonus of welcome air conditioning on one of the hottest days of the year!

Alongside female Old Amplefordians, we were delighted to welcome current and former parents of Ampleforth College, reflecting the breadth, warmth and strength of our wider community.

The evening was a lovely reminder of the power of women supporting women, through encouragement, shared experience, professional connection and friendship, and of the importance of creating spaces where these relationships can continue to grow.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success. We look forward to many more opportunities to come together in the months ahead, including workshops, community events and mentorship programmes aimed at empowering women across the country and at the College.

Exhibition Weekend Cricket Report 2026

Exhibition Weekend proved to be a tremendous success, blessed with fantastic weather and even better company, as a large number of Old Amplefordians returned to the Valley.

The weekend began on Friday morning with the inaugural Wyvill Croquet Cup, featuring 15 OAs. It set a wonderfully social tone for what would become a memorable few days. In the afternoon, attention turned to cricket, where two non-OA Parents’ XIs took on the OA Parents’ XIs in a pair of eagerly anticipated fixtures. With sizeable crowds lining the boundaries, both matches were played in great spirit. The non-OA sides rose superbly to the occasion, winning both games and playing with the kind of determination that suggested this was not an opportunity to be missed on hallowed grounds.

Saturday brought more excellent cricket, beginning with a lively and entertaining contest between a group of brave and talented Junior House parents and the College’s youngest players. Despite their enthusiasm, the parents were ultimately outplayed by their opponents. The Parents did, however, gain their revenge later in the day with a strong performance against the Colts.

The highlight of the day came on Match Ground, where spectators were treated to a thrilling encounter between the College 1st XI and the OACC. Chasing 155, the College appeared to be in control before a dramatic spell saw four wickets fall for just two runs, leaving them agonisingly short by 11 runs. The OAs celebrated a hard-fought and well-earned victory.

On Sunday, the OACC turned their attention to the prestigious Fawcett Cup fixture against I Zingari. After his heroics the previous day, Bevan Fawcett once again played a central role, skippering the OACC to a well-earned draw against his brother in a closely contested match.

Overall, it was a fabulous weekend enjoyed by players and spectators alike, reinforcing the strength of the Ampleforth community and the enduring appeal of cricket at the College.

To follow the Old Amplefordians Cricket Club, please visit our website and social media.

OACC Play-Cricket Site

OACC Instagram

OACC Facebook

Membership is open to all Old Amplefordians. Please do get in touch if you would like to join the Club.

Sebastian Phillips (C00)

Head of Cricket, Ampleforth College & Chairman of the OACC

Exhibition is the highlight of the Academic year and we are always delighted to see many Old Amplefordians return to the valley to join the school in celebrating another fantastic year. Many events are reserved for Students and their families, however, for Old Amplefordians visiting the area over the weekend the following events will be open to all. The Ampleforth Society shop will be operating from near the cricket pavilion on Saturday, please do come and say hello.

Friday 22 May

2:30 – 5pm OA Parents XI v Non-OA Parents XI Cricket - Match Ground

7pm - Exhibition Mass - Abbey Church

Saturday 23 May

12:30 pm onwards College Boys’ X1 v Old Amplefordians Cricket Club - Match Ground

2pm – 3:30 pm - The Library & The Sunley Centre open with displays of students’ work

2:45pm - Debate – The Library

3pm onwards – Tea - Cricket Pavilion

3:30pm - Music and Dance in the Performing Arts Centre

4:30pm - Exhibition closes

Sunday 24 May

OACC vs I Zingari - Match Ground (as this is out of term time, we encourage you to bring picnics and enjoy a relaxed day around the boundary with many OA families.

We look forward to seeing many Society members over the weekend and kindly remind you that parking is limited, alcohol is prohibited on Friday and Saturday and that the College is a no-smoking site. We ask you to always be conscious of the safety and wellbeing of pupils on the College grounds, and respond to requests from staff when visiting the College.

Paul Connor's Race for Life

On 3 May, Paul Connor took part in a 5K Race for Life in support of Cancer Research UK, setting himself an initial goal of raising £1,000. The response from his friends and the Ampleforth community was incredible, so much so that he was able to raise his target three times, with a final ambition of raising £9,000. Thanks to the Ampleforth Society and College community, he has now raised £10,000, including Gift Aid, a very meaningful sum.

Paul’s motivation is deeply personal. In 2020, his wife Tracey was diagnosed with breast cancer. Paul has seen first‑hand the devastating physical, emotional and mental toll of the disease, not only through Tracey’s experience but also through the loss and diagnoses of close friends, colleagues and family members. 

Although a 5K may seem modest to some, it represents a major challenge for Paul. Following a serious injury in his early twenties, running and even walking are painful. Nevertheless, his commitment is simple: to push himself, finish the race, and do something meaningful. 

Paul’s family was told that Tracey had hope because of advances made through cancer research over the past twenty years. 

“It was research that saved Tracey — without it, she wouldn’t be here.” 

Paul ran with the mission to help provide hope and support for those affected by cancer. Any donation via the Giving Page will help fund vital research that saves lives. 

A few words from Paul Connor 

Words cannot express how grateful I am for the incredible support I have received for my 5K run in support of Cancer Research UK. The Ampleforth Society has been fantastic, with some amazingly kind and generous donations and some wonderfully warm messages of support (from OAs whose memories of my lessons are obviously fading!). It was cold and pouring with rain on the day, and I’m aching all over, but it was worth every moment for such an important cause. My Giving page is still open if anyone would still like to donate, but my overriding message is one of thanks, gratitude and humility.

Thank you so much again.

Paul Connor 

Country Sports Flourish at Ampleforth

Country sports continue to thrive at Ampleforth, and we are grateful to Eliz Cook, Ampleforth’s Countryside Sport Coordinator, for organising a simulated clay shoot for students and their parents.

Last Sunday, Country Sports students took part in a simulated clay pigeon shoot, joined by a number of Old Amplefordians and parents. Participants were divided into three teams, with each shooter supported by a parent or peer acting as ‘loader’, encouraging teamwork and shared involvement throughout the afternoon.

The event was marked by a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, with some friendly competition between parents and their children as to who could hit the most clays. The afternoon concluded with a delicious barbecue, enjoyed in glorious sunshine.

Eliz commented that the students have been an “absolute dream to work with” throughout the season and are a great credit to Ampleforth College. Country sports remain very popular at the College, with students able to take part in a range of pursuits in the Valley, including Shooting, Gamekeeping, and Fishing.

It is always a pleasure to see different generations coming together around shared interests, and we invite you to view the link below for more photographs from the day.

Thank you to Hugh Codrington for the amazing photos and capturing such special moments. 

https://www.ampleforthcollege.org.uk/clay-shoot-april-2026-album