The Segreants Club

The Segreant Club was founded in 1996 as the successor club to the DCBC Old Members Association in 2008 the club merged with the Boat House Centenary Trust to form the Segreants Trust. The trust has established a board which is responsible for fundraising on behalf of the trust. The Segreants has grown rapidly and now has over 250 supporters ranging from 1930s matriculants to the most recent graduates.

The Segreants has four main aims:

  1. To hold social events for those with an interest in Downing rowing.
  2. To produce a newsletter (The Magenta Messenger) to keep members informed of the Boat Club's progress.
  3. To financially support the Boat Club.
  4. To allow members to row as members of the Segreants.

Social Events...

The highlight of the Segreants calendar is the annual Regatta and Dinner held on the first Saturday of Easter Term. All Boat Club members are welcome to attend, whether they rowed once in the summer Rugby boat, or devoted every morning to first boat training. This well-attended event offers an opportunity to establish links between past and present Boat Club members, or simply reunite long-lost friends.

The Regatta involves several informal (but very competitive!) races between mixed (past and present members) crews, on the Long Reach. In the past few years the Regatta has been held on the same day as the Head of the Cam which has enabled some crews to race competitively Please see the News page for the latest information regarding events for the coming 2013 weekend.

Keeping alumni updated...

The Segreants Trust sends out an annual newsletter (The Magenta Messenger) each Autumn. This includes a summary of the year's events and reports from the departing Captains. In addition, it highlights any important dates for the coming year. Please contact Peter Rowe, Secretary to the Segreants Board, if you have any questions or input for the Messenger.

In addition to this the club has an email list to which we regularly send out updates including crew lists, progress reports and daily Bumps reports. If you would like to be added to this please email Jess Stewart, Captain of Boats.

Supporting current student members...

The Segreants can often ensure that capital projects, sometimes out of the reach of the Club, can be funded, providing immediate benefit to the Boat Club.

In 2010, the astonishing generosity of the Segreants funded the purchase of a truly world-class VIII+ for Downing W1 in memory of past DCBC member, Alastair Nelson. This support propelled W1 into their current place as Head of the River in both Lent and May Bumps, with the boat remaining unbeaten in the first year of use!

It is intended that in the coming years the Segreants will increase the financial support it offers to DCBC and in doing so support the club in retaining the Women's Headships, and returning to the Men's Headship.

Rowing for the Segreants...

In recent years past members have re-discovered the enjoyment of rowing and the Segreants often enter a crew into the Fairbairns competition in Michaelmas term and the Head of the Cam in the May term. If you are interested in racing for the Segreants at any time, please email Peter, and see the current updates for information regarding this year's racing.

Enquiries?

If you wish to support the work the Segreants Trust does, attend any of the events or have any other queries please contact Peter, Secretary of the Segreant Club or Jess Stewart, current Captain of Boats.