Page 13 - Southwell School_The Chronicle July 2021
P. 13

                  people – I love seeing others succeed, and grow. That’s what gets me out of bed in the morning – leaving the world in a better place than how we found it, and doing it together.
What do you enjoy about Southwell?
From the moment we set foot on the Southwell grounds the first time we could feel the love and sense of community that is Southwell School. It is the Southwell values that we appreciate most about Southwell – yes there are wonderful facilities (best in NZ I believe!), a word class education, Christian values built into to daily routines, endless opportunities in cultural and sporting activities – but it is the sense of community and the lived values that
I most appreciate. Our kids are equipped at Southwell, not just with a great education, setting them up not just for high school but for life. Learning to put people first, resilience and excellence.
You have a great group of people on the Foundation Team. Under your leadership what does Foundation success look like to you over the next few years? Southwell started with a gift. We are only able to enjoy this wonderful place because of the kindness, toil and generosity of those that contributed over the years of Southwell’s history. While the School started in 1911, it
was in 1963 that the School grounds were donated by the Sergel family to a charitable trust that still holds the School today. That gift was HUGE, but it is only one of many that followed – members of the Southwell community have donated time, money, and many other resources over the years. The Southwell Foundation’s purpose is simply to make a difference. The principal ways we do that is to grow our endowment fund (a fund established to be a safety net to protect the special character of the School through any hardship that might come our way) and Scholarship fund.
Scholarships at Southwell are used not to attract sporting or academic talent, but to offer opportunities to students who would have never had the opportunity of a Southwell education and/or students who have been Southwell students, but have encountered hardship that would otherwise prevent them from continuing their Southwell education.
Foundation success over the next few years to me looks like building a culture of generosity in our community – a recognition that we enjoy Southwell today because of
the generosity of those that came before, and our own generosity can preserve the special character of Southwell School for generations to come.
How do you like to relax?
A glass of red wine, a hearty meal, good music and great friends! And if I’ve got a little more time, then a snowboard and a mountain is my favourite way to get away from it all.
What are three things you like to do every day?
Not sure I’d say I like to do it, but I start most days with exercise and devotions, ideally before the rest of the family wakes up! Other daily must dos for me, are meal time as a family and resetting my to do list for the next day.
Where’s your favourite place to visit or holiday?
As kids we camped every year at Kai Iwi lakes – in those days there was no power, no cell phone reception and only cold showers. It’s still one of my most favourite places on earth!
   



















































































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