The hunt is on for new organisers so the annual reunions for pupils at two long-lost Norwich schools can carry on.

They are annual get togethers in Norwich which have rekindled so many friendships as people who lost touch with each other meet up again.

First they were reunions for the girls of the Gurney School. Then, after a few years, it was decided to invite the boys from next door - at the Henderson School.

And the parties went from strength to strength with former school pals meeting up again after a lifetime apart.

And there was so much catching up to do.

It was during the Second World War - a time when most fathers had been called away to fight and mothers were left at home caring for their children - when the schools opened.

Norwich was also under attack from the Luftwaffe. Bombing raids were tearing the city apart, goods were rationed and times where hard.

There were those who felt it was wrong to open two big secondary schools at a time of such conflict but leading city father, Fred Henderson, felt it was more important than ever to provide our children with a decent education in new schools.

The two schools eventually merged to become Bowthorpe in 1970 with around 1,000 pupils. That lasted for more than 20 years until education chiefs, despite a storm of protest and much anger, closed it.

Many years later, Margaret Paternoster and Vi Panetta starting holding reunions for the Gurney girls. It was later agreed to invite the Henderson boys to join them and the reunions became annual events which so many people looked forward to.

And they have helped to raise money for a whole range of local charities and good causes.

Now organisers Pat Breeze and Margaret Paternoster are looking to hand over the planning to new organisers and who they hope will step forward and take over, so the reunions can continue to bring back the good times for the Gurney girls and Henderson boys.

The party is taking place at Chapel Break Community Centre, Bowthorpe, on Saturday January 19 from 7pm to 11pm at and newcomers are especially welcome.

More details from Pat on Norwich (01603) 720578 or Margaret on Norwich 455897.