Page 18 - Southwell_The Chronicle_DEC_2023

INTRODUCING
OUR NE W FOUNDATION TRUS TEES
NICOLE COCHRANE (2000-05 CANTERBURY)
As a passionate old girl of the school, Nicole joins the Southwell School Foundation Board as a trustee eager to grow the presence of the board within the wider school community. She brings to the board a background in marketing and strategy, specifically digital marketing. Nicole is looking forward to utilising these skills to
grow awareness of the board through storytelling and growth strategies. “The Southwell Foundation provides outstanding support to the school and its families.
There is a lot of amazing work going on behind the scenes that I am excited to capture and share with our wider school community”.
KESH NAIDOO-RAUF
I am excited to join the Southwell Foundation Board and contribute to the future planning of this amazing, long standing institution. I have seen my son flourish over his 4 years at Southwell, and look forward to my daughter
joining him in a couple of years. The opportunities presented to children and families at Southwell is second to none in our region, and I’m passionate about ensuring this continues.
A little about me... I am a pharmacist and own a pharmacy businesses with my husband, Shazeel. I’m also a Hamilton City Councillor currently in my second term. I sit on a range of different boards and aim to bring diverse and fresh thinking to the many roles I hold. I was born and raised in South Africa during the apartheid era and I feel strongly about ensuring that everyone, especially our children, are presented with opportunities to learn, grow and thrive.
Southwell School is quickly becoming incredibly diverse and I hope to encourage our diverse families to join
the long term Southwell journey, so that our future generations will continue to benefit from this great school.
FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN - RICHARD VAN DEN ENGEL
TIT’S WITH GRATITUDE
here is never a dull year at Southwell is there? or simply to seek shelter from the sun while watching 2023 has been no different. Here at the Southwell athletics! Thank you to Rita Davies for the generous Foundation we have been enthused to see so donation towards the new swimming pool, we are looking
many generous contributions to intergenerational projects: the Boarding House, the Alumni Sports Pavilion and of course the new swimming pool.
As always before I get too far into my report I like to just share what the Foundation is, and why we are here. The Foundation’s vision is simply to make a difference (in the Southwell community). Of course, the Foundation is only a construct, the real difference gets made by all of you, the Southwell community. You make a difference by donating to the endowment fund, a safety net should the School ever need it. By donating to the Scholarship fund, a fund used to financially support kids who would not otherwise have the opportunity of a Southwell education. And by making bequests or giving with a living hand towards intergenerational projects. We see our role as trustees of the Foundation to tell your stories so well that others are inspired to give back to the Southwell community that has blessed us all so richly.
Back to the intergenerational projects! Thank you to the Maber family for their significant donation towards the Sports Pavilion. Many of us have already had the pleasure of attending events in the pavilion, be it a morning tea
forward to the covers being pulled back early in the new year. Malcolm Dunshea’s gift to the pool from within his will recently is also hugely appreciated. And of course, thank
you to John and Sarah Oliver for their magnificent donation towards the new boarding house which students will also begin to enjoy next year. Peter Kraus’ mighty donation to the Boarding Rec Area is also allowing the creation of a special exterior area including Turf, a mini running track, tag and parkour playground and quality outdoor social spaces.
Of course, there have been so many other contributors
to the Foundation this year, too many to name – but you know who you are! Every gift is appreciated and makes a difference. From the $5 donated by students from time to time, to the time donated by parents, to the multi-million- dollar gifts. Generosity has been baked into the Southwell culture from the day the grounds were donated by the Sergel family. We are so lucky to have access to these grounds today, and have the pleasure of blessing future generations of students.
Have a blessed Christmas with your family and friends. Per aspera ad Astrum.