Page 13 - Southwell School_The Chronicle July 2022

RICHARD VAN DEN ENGEL - CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
FSOUTHWELL SCHOOL FOUNDATION
or me, Southwell School has always been a place Lastly, the Foundation supports the School in
of serenity amongst the hustle and bustle of daily fundraising for intergenerational projects. Last year I life. There is a sense of peace and order and calm wrote about the Foundation Window to be installed in
when you walk onto the school grounds. It is of course not by accident that the place feels like that; it’s the result of Southwell’s leadership deliberately shaping the culture of the school in line with our values of showing respect, taking care, acting with integrity, striving for excellence, developing resilience and thinking with creativity and founded on the christian faith.
The Southwell School Foundation’s objective is to always protect the special character of the school, today and for future generations. As a parent of two girls who are privileged to call Southwell School home today, I am always conscious that they can only do that because of the incredible generosity of the Southwell families that came before us: donating their time, finances and skills to make Southwell what it is today. Of course, as today’s Southwell families we have the opportunity and privilege of preserving Southwell for future generations.
The Southwell School Foundation lives out its objective in a couple of ways. First the Foundation manages an endowment fund, essentially a safety net for any sustained hardships that might come our way.
Second, the Foundation manages a scholarship fund to make it possible for kids who would not otherwise be able to enjoy (or continue enjoying) a Southwell education.
All Hallows Chapel – with any luck, by the time you’re reading this the window will have been installed. As a community we are so very grateful for the generous donations (both financial and time and skill) of all the families and individuals who contributed making the window a reality. The window will be gazed upon by many future Southwell generations, and will always stand as a reminder of the generosity of the Southwell family. Later this year work will begin on the new Boarding house, another fabulous opportunity to contribute to an intergenerational project should you feel so compelled.
Lastly, I want to say a huge thank you to both Melanie O’Neil and Louise Mollard, Foundation trustees who will both roll off at the end of this calendar year. Both of you have made significant contributions in your time serving on the Foundation and will be sorely missed.
If you’re reading this, and feel like you have a heart for preserving the special character of the school
and would like to consider serving on the Foundation trust board please do reach out to me directly!
Per Aspera Ad Astrum