Having spent the earlier part of the day hauling suitcases up a winding staircase, the refreshments provided a welcome break in the middle of the Sunday afternoon marking the launch of Freshers’ Week.

At this event, new students and their parents had the opportunity to sit together in the atmospheric and historic setting along the portrait-lined long tables and strike up conversations for the first time with their counterparts arriving at Oxford the same day. Despite an initial reticence to mention Harry Potter, fearing such references might have been overdone, it came as a relief when one parent made a joke about Hogwarts anyway!

Speakers from the top table reassured all present of the good care that would be taken of the students as they embark upon their new life at university. It was also striking that the Dean pointed out how parents – as well as the incoming cohort of first-year undergraduates – would be welcomed into the broader Christ Church family in the years ahead.

Proceedings started to break up as clusters of parents headed off to attend very informative guided tours of Christ Church before setting off for home while the students departed to attend induction activities of their own.

The prospect for parents of wearily retracing footsteps on the journey away from Oxford seemed much lighter after this enjoyable respite, which also proved a lovely way for the parents and students to bid their farewells before going their separate ways.

Enormous thanks are due to all who organised and ran such a memorable welcome event.