Connect Old Edwardians, wherever life has taken them
Our Old Eds Around the World Ambassadors help bring the Old Edwardian community together in their country of residence.
As an Ambassador, you’ll act as a friendly local point of contact for Old Edwardians in your area and create opportunities for alumni to meet, reconnect and build new friendships and professional connections.
You don’t need to be an experienced event organiser. The role is designed to be simple, flexible and enjoyable, with support from the Development & Alumni Relations Office throughout.
What does the role involve?
An Old Eds Around the World Ambassador role involves five key activities:
- Suggesting a suitable location and venue for a gathering
- Acting as the local host and welcoming alumni on the day
- Helping to create an informal and inclusive atmosphere
- Liaising with the Development & Alumni Relations Office before and after the event
- Sharing a few photographs and reflections afterwards
Above all, we’d like our Ambassadors to help keep the Old Edwardian spirit alive around the world.
What is the expected time commitment?
- We want the Ambassador role to fit comfortably around your existing commitments.
- Typically, we would expect Ambassadors to spend a small amount of time communicating with the Development & Alumni Relations Office in the lead-up to an event, choosing and booking a suitable venue and then attending and hosting the gathering itself.
- There is no expectation that you will organise a large or elaborate event. A successful gathering could be as simple as a group of Old Edwardians meeting for drinks, dinner or coffee.
- We envisage Ambassadors helping to host one or two gatherings per year in their country or region.
- The frequency can be flexible and will depend on the size and location of the local alumni community, as well as your own availability.
- We’d much rather support one enjoyable, well-attended gathering than create pressure to organise events for the sake of it.
Will I be expected to handle data?
You won’t be expected to manage an alumni database or contact Old Edwardians independently.
Instead, you’ll work with the Development & Alumni Relations Office to help promote your event through the appropriate alumni communication channels.
We may ask you to:
- Provide local insight into the best city or area for an event
- Suggest networks or channels that could help spread the word
- Share approved event details through your own professional or social networks, if you are comfortable doing so
- Encourage local Old Edwardians to register to your event
- Keep us updated on any important changes to the event
We will provide suggested wording and promotional materials to make sharing your event as easy as possible.
What support is available from the Development & Alumni Relations Office?
You may be hosting locally, but you won’t be doing it alone. The Development & Alumni Relations Office will support you throughout the process and take care of much of the administration, so you can focus on bringing Old Edwardians together.
We’ll help with:
- Identifying alumni in your area
- Choosing a format, date and venue
- Event registration and bookings
- Invitations and reminders
- Promotion and communications
- Social media and WhatsApp messaging
- Event resources and branded materials
- School and alumni updates to share with attendees
- Photography, safeguarding and practical guidance
- Follow-up communications after the event
Resources we can provide:
- Event artwork and graphics
- LinkedIn and WhatsApp messaging
- Event signage and name badges
- Conversation starters
- School and alumni news updates
- A suggested welcome message
- Printable props to help your fellow Old Edwardians identify your table
We’ll handle as much of the planning and administration as possible, leaving you to enjoy bringing Old Edwardians together.
Will I be expected to pay for anything?
We do not expect ambassadors to personally fund events.
Unless otherwise agreed with the Development & Alumni Relations Office, we would normally recommend that guests pay for their own food and drinks.
Where possible:
- Avoid venues requiring large deposits or minimum spends
- Be clear with guests in advance about likely costs
- Discuss any proposed expenditure with the Development & Alumni Relations Office before making a commitment
- Avoid entering into contracts or financial arrangements on behalf of the Schools without prior agreement
If you’re unsure, speak to us before confirming the venue and we’ll be happy to advise.
How would I start organising a gathering?
Every Old Edwardian community will be different, so there is no single formula for a successful event.
Your gathering might be drinks after work, a relaxed dinner, weekend brunch, coffee or even a picnic. We encourage ambassadors to choose something that feels appropriate for their local alumni community and culture.
A simple planning process might look like:
- Choose the location (ideally 3-4 months before)
Work with the Development & Alumni Relations Office to identify where there is a concentration of Old Edwardians in your country or region. - Choose a format (ideally 3-4 months before)
Think about what would work well locally. Informal formats often make it easier for alumni of different ages to meet and mingle. - Find a venue (ideally 3 months before)
Identify somewhere welcoming, accessible and easy to reach. - Agree the date (ideally 3 months before)
Allow enough time for the Development & Alumni Relations Office to promote the event and for alumni to make arrangements to attend. - Invite your local Old Edwardian community (ideally 2 months before)
We’ll work with you to promote the event and manage registrations. - Host your gathering
Welcome guests, make introductions and enjoy reconnecting with your fellow Old Edwardians. - Tell us how it went
Afterwards, we’d love to receive a few photographs, attendance information and any feedback or stories from the event.
What makes a good venue for an alumni gathering?
You know your area best, so we’ll look to you for local recommendations.
Suitable venues might include:
- A restaurant or private dining area
- A bar or pub with an area that can be reserved
- A café
- A hotel lounge
- A local club
- An informal outdoor location, where appropriate
- A venue connected to an Old Edwardian
Where possible, choose somewhere that is:
- Centrally located
- Easy to reach by public transport
- Accessible
- Comfortable for conversation
- Suitable for the expected group size
- Clear about costs and booking arrangements
If alumni are likely to drive, it’s also worth considering nearby parking.
It doesn’t need to be grand. The quality of the connections and conversations is much more important than the venue.
How would people register to my event?
The Development & Alumni Relations Office can help establish a central registration process for your gathering.
This allows us to:
- Keep track of expected attendance
- Send event information and reminders
- Manage alumni contact details appropriately
- Inform you of anticipated numbers
- Communicate any last-minute changes
- Follow up with attendees afterwards
Please encourage alumni to register through the official event page, even if they have already told you personally that they plan to attend.
Will I be expected to take photography?
We’d love to see photographs from your gathering and, where appropriate, share them with the wider Old Edwardian community.
At the event, we encourage you to capture:
- A group photograph
- A few informal photographs of alumni catching up
- Your venue or location
- Any particularly memorable Old Edwardian moments
Please be mindful that not everyone will want to be photographed or have their image shared publicly. The Development & Alumni Relations Office will provide guidance to help you manage this appropriately.
After your event, send your photographs to the Development & Alumni Relations Office along with a short update on how the gathering went.
Ready to bring Old Edwardians together in your part of the world?
Get in touch at oldeds@keschools.org.uk with the subject line “Old Eds Around the World” and tell us where you’d like to gather Old Eds.