The long-running annual Frank Terry Lecture is in honour of the late Frank Terry (History Teacher and Boarding Headmaster from 1946-1982). The lecture, which celebrates educational and professional achievements, brings distinguished alumni to inspire current students, while fostering a strong connection between past and present members of the school.

The Right Honourable Andrew David Smith (OR 1962-68) came to deliver this year's lecture. Andrew Smith is a former Cabinet Minister, who was educated at Reading School, leaving with The Sir Thomas White Scholarship for St John’s College, Oxford, where he gained a BA and then a BPhil degree. He served as a Councillor on Oxford City Council for 11 years from 1976 and became MP for Oxford East in 1987. He served in the governments of Tony Blair, initially as Minister of State for Employment and Disability Rights, from 1997, and then as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1999 to 2002. In 2002, he was promoted to be Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, holding that office until 2004. Re-elected for Oxford East in 2005, in 2010 and again in 2015, he continued as a Member of Parliament until retiring in 2017.

Andrew Smith is remembered for his initiatives in reducing child poverty while Secretary of State and for his support for the rights of Ghurkas to remain in Britain. He introduced Pension Credit and the Pension Protection Fund, championed the rights of the disabled and sponsored the New Deal to help young and long-term unemployed people into jobs.

We would like to thank Andrew Smith, Professor Francis Terry (OR), Jean Terry, Chris Widdows (OR), Ken Brown (OR) and all Old Redingensians who continue to support this annual event.

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