President: Mrs Sally Davis
Secretary: Ms Vicky Phillips
In 1906 the Hywelian Guild was founded by 12 enthusiastic ex-pupils and members of Staff, and the Headmistress of the School, Miss Kendall, with the aim of keeping former pupils in touch with both the School and one another, to further the interests of the school and to help members who needed financial or professional assistance.
From small beginnings, the membership of the Guild grew to number 500 in 1930, 1,425 during our Golden Jubilee Year in 1956, and now we have over 2,000 members, mainly in the United Kingdom, but also in as many as 26 other countries. Initially, the Guild’s members formed sports teams and for many years there was a Dramatic Society. The newest venture is a Travel Club, set up to organise short breaks after the successful visit to Madrid in 2006, the Centenary year of the Guild. Each year members receive an attractive magazine which gives news about Hywelians and highlights of the past year in the school and Guild, as well as advertising future events.
Branches of the Guild exist in Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well as Bridgend, the Border Counties, London, Bristol, the North, the South, West Wales, Shrewsbury, the Thames Valley and Chilterns, and Scotland. Venues for branch meetings vary from the splendour of Drapers' Hall in London to local hotels or the homes of members in the area.
The Annual General Meeting of the Guild takes place at Howell’s School on the last Saturday of January and the date of the Summer Lunch has traditionally been the first Saturday in July. In 2010 it will, however, be held on the last Saturday in June. In 2009 the Dining Room was filled to capacity as Hywelians of all ages returned to meet their former friends and we hope that there will be even more next year when the school celebrates its 150th anniversary.
New members are always welcome at these gatherings. Our membership includes people from all walks of life and the Guild even has some male members now that there are boys in the sixth form college! Former staff may become honorary members of the Guild.
For further information or details of how to join the Guild, please contact the Membership Secretary either through the School , tel: 029 2056 2019, or by e-mail on joyce@joyshields.demon.co.uk If you have changed your address, please let Joyce Shields, the Membership Secretary, know as about 260 members are” lost” and their magazines have been returned.