The dinner will be on Wednesday 9th December 2009. The Chairman for the occasion is Guy Beringer QC (CURUFC, St Catharine’s).  The Speaker will be Alastair Hignell CBE (CURUFC, CUCC, Fitzwilliam) - see his biography below.

Following on from last year our thanks to Cobra Beer for their continued sponsorship.

To view the invitation, and to make a booking online click here.

Alastair Hignell CBE

Diagnosed with the progressive form of multiple sclerosis in 1999, Alastair Hignell continued to commentate at every major rugby event, at home and abroad, only finally retiring in 2008. If that schedule, punishing for a wholly fit man, were not enough, he has tirelessly promoted and raised funds for MS research throughout that time, and continues to do so. Not surprising therefore that he was voted the Helen Rollason award in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year show 2008 for “courage and achievement in the face of adversity”.

At Fitzwilliam 1974-77 he was dual rugby and cricket blue no less than 4 times, ending up as the first ever Captain of both sports. While still at university he represented Gloucestershire at cricket, and won 10 England caps at rugby union. Shortly after his debut for the England rugby team - a brutal encounter with Australia, the “Battle of Brisbane” - he was playing in the Varsity cricket match, making 60 runs against an Oxford attack that included Imran Khan.

Leaving university he returned to teaching in Bristol, gaining 4 further England rugby caps, while continuing to represent Gloucestershire during the summer. In his cricketing career he notched up 11 first-class centuries in 170 matches (including one against the West Indies), and posted a top score of 149. He retired from rugby in 1979, and from cricket in 1983 having, for the third time, achieved 1,000 runs in a season.

Alastair now turned his attention to sports journalism and broadcasting, and worked for the BBC for 17 years. He rapidly became a highly respected rugby commentator, and covered every major event, both domestic and international.

Since his diagnosis with multiple sclerosis he has worked tirelessly to raise funds and spread awareness about the disease. In spite of the difficulties he continued broadcasting, finally retiring following the 2008 Premiership Final. He was subsequently awarded the Professional Rugby Players' Association (PRA) Blyth Spirit Award for his "remarkable courage" in battling MS and for his "tremendous contribution to rugby as both player and broadcaster".

This year Alastair has been awarded CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to broadcasting, and for raising funds to combat Multiple Sclerosis. We are honoured to have his presence at the dinner.