In my end is my beginning #ou_ceremonies

On each seat on stage at the OU Degree ceremony today there was a bit of paper with the occupant's name - this is mine. As Marshal 2 I followed the Chief Marshal as we processed down the left-hand aisle to the stage. I had a wand which, sadly, wasn't delivered by an owl and we weren't taught any useful spells. During the ceremony I was the "catcher"; after graduates had shaken hands with the Pro-Vice Chancellor, it was his last ever ceremony, they would continue across the stage towards me. My job was to make sure that they hung a left and went down the steps back into the auditorium rather than blindly wandering on off the edge of the stage in a euphoric trance having celebrated the end of this part of their studies.

We had about 350 graduates and all were beaming. A couple of them stand out. One was there on her 60th birthday and another was a wheelchair user who was determined to walk across the stage. As she got to me I escorted her to the side of the stage rather than down the steps and she just kept repeating how determined she was to walk across the stage, aided by her sticks, rather than use her chair - we both had tears in our eyes. And a colleague from the office was there to celebrate her degree which is smashing - I know the work she put in to get through it and she looked radiant as she crossed the stage.

Then a smashing time milling about with all the graduates in their gowns and on to lunch and a chance to natter with colleagues I generally only see at such events. Gill came over to say hello and that she still checked out my blips and we all had a jolly time.

All up a fantabulous day with loads of smiling happy folk. I hope your weekend is at least as special - the sun is still out so I might just crack a cold one and relax after a hard day celebrating.

The subject line? That's the motto of the Association of Open University Graduates.