The annual May Week Party is a highlight of the Caius Calendar, being an opportunity for Benefactors to visit the College and for the College to demonstrate its thanks for their continuing generosity. 

 

Benefactor's Day 2008 took place, as usual, on the final Saturday of May Week, and some 400 Caians who had exhibited their generosity in the past year descended upon Cambridge with friends and partners to celebrate the students' favourite time of the year - the end of exams. 

The crowd gathered in Gonville Court to hear from the Master thank the assembled Benefactors for their great generosity to the College.  As soon as the Master stepped down, Lord Tugendhat, Chairman of the Development Campaign Board, stepped on to the plinth and addressed the crowd. He thanked Caius benefactors for their vital contribution to maintaining the College's standards of excellence.

Many of the students who took part in this year's very successful Telephone Campaign also came, and enjoyed the chance to meet in person the donors with whom they spoke during the Campaign. 

After enjoying the delicious lunch prepared under Tony Smith, the Executive Head Chef, many guests went on to enjoy one of the events put on, whether it was a concert by Caius students in the Chapel, or hearing talks from the archivist and the Fellow Librarian during tours of the Lower Library and the College Archives, where several fine examples of the College's medieval manuscripts were on display.  Given the fine weather, many Caians and guests also chose simply to enjoy wandering around the Courts, no doubt reminiscing of their times at Caius.

The final Saturday of May Week also marks the final day of the May Bumps, and many Caians made the long journey from the Market Square, across Midsummer Common and along the river to the Caius Club Bumps Event at Caius Meadow in Fen Ditton, helpfully marked out by the large Linklaters tent.