Archive #61/65: Service to the community through the years

The boys, in their distinctive blazers, have always been seen around Hastings helping with charity collections, playing music to community audiences or filling support roles for sporting events. As stated in the 2009 Chronicle; “We hope that the act of helping others can have a lasting effect on our teenage boys and that they can see through their actions, that they can make a positive difference to others’ lives”.

A “Telethon” was organised in 1981 as a challenge for the boys to participate in community service. A target of $500 was set, and through the efforts of the juniors, a sum of $1,600 was presented to John Hawkesby on-camera by three boys delegated from the fundraisers. The success of this was repeated two years later with classes competing against each other to raise donations. Seventh formers, who included current Deputy Rector Campbell Howlett erected a ‘road block’ on the main driveway and extracted donations from cars coming into the school. In 1996 when the Lindisfarne College Foundation was established, the boys of the College were immediately in on the act of fund raising through the $9,700 raised on their work-day, held during the first holiday break, over Easter.

The money raised was pledged to the Foundation, as part of the boys’ contribution Over a period of years, Lindisfarne boys have made regular donations of blood to the Hawke’s Bay Hospital’s Blood Bank. Boys have always engaged in service for school functions and the best example of this was the IBSC Conference in 2009 which hosted delegates from all over the world. Senior boys acted as waiters for the numerous social functions and meals and many of the delegates remarked on their wonderful manners and the commitment to the school that they showed. A cross- curricular project for year 10’s introduced in 2009 by Assistant Rector, Mr. Rogers had a strong service component. All boys involved in the project were required to do some service in the community.

These projects ranged from volunteering at the SPCA, helping with gardening at the Women’s Refuge or painting fences at the Plunket offices. The Intermediate school and Year 9’s were also involved in a group service programme during Term Two and spent time on a beach clean-up, planting trees along the Maraetotara stream and assisting at local primary schools and kindergartens. A current project which started in the boarding community and has now spread to the whole school under the leadership of Boarding Director Mr Glen Petersen and Matron, Mrs Sandy Kennedy, is the support for Women’s Refuge. A big part of this project involves making up hampers of items likely to be needed by women who come to the refuge often in emergency situations.

All Lindisfarne boys, through their tutor classes have donated goods and helped to make up the hampers. Boys have also been involved with establishing and maintaining gardens at the Women’s Refuge. This project was recognised by the New Zealand Boarding Schools Association with an award for Student service in our Community.

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