Page 12 - Southwell_The Chronicle JULY

SOUTHWELL SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
H INTRODUCING ANDREW PECKHAM
aving been recently elected President of the Southwell School Association (SSA) I wanted to introduce myself to SSA members
and the broader Southwell community. I became president of the SSA at
our Annual Meeting in March when Yolanda Rushbrooke completed her term. I’m grateful to Yolanda for all her hard work as SSA President and for her continued involvement as an SSA member.
I grew up in the Waikato and attended Southwell from 1985 to 1991. I particularly enjoyed music (the saxophone) and rugby at Southwell and my fondest school memories are of rugby fixtures against Kings and Huntley School in Marton. My older brother Guy also attended from 1985 to 1989 and his various appearances in female roles in the Opera still make for great conversation around the dinner table.
After completing my education at
St Pauls and then the University of Waikato I left Hamilton and began
my career as a chartered accountant working first for KPMG in Auckland and London. Accounting turned out
to be a great pathway to some weird, wonderful and rewarding roles around the world - from providing IPO due diligence in Belgium and separation advice for British petrochemical companies, to running a video games production studio in Romania and leading Mercury NZ’s electricity retail operations in Auckland.
My wife Ange and I made the decision to move back to the Waikato last year after an absence of 18 years. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Waikato since returning and we think family life in Hamilton is much improved on the larger, busier cities where we have lived.
On returning to Hamilton it was wonderful to find Southwell just
as I remember it – a very safe and nurturing place, somehow moving ahead while staying true to its core traditions. We have two children who are both at Southwell – Mack (Year
3) and Molly (Year 1) who are both enjoying the school and, thanks to the wonderful teaching and support staff, their transition has been smoother than we could have hoped.
As many of you will know, the SSA’s primary role is to foster fellowship amongst parents, teachers and friends of the school. Along the way, many hard-working volunteers (thanks
team – you’re amazing!) assist with fundraising and supporting school events. I’m looking forward to doing my small part to continue and to build on the fantastic spirit of volunteering and engagement we already have in the Southwell community.
I do hope to see you soon. Perhaps at this year’s SSA Gala.
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