Greetings from St Bede’s College.

Usually, the month of August promises spring, but the southerly blasts this week remind us we are still in winter. Already we are beginning to think about the planning for next year, and on Wednesday night next week we are staging a Careers and Subject Selection evening. This is important for the boys to attend but also we encourage as many parents to come as well, so as we can continue the conversations about your son’s learning, with an eye on the future. The evening is designed to help the boys make good choices, but also they should be open to the possibilities that various providers offer, who will also be in attendance.

At assembly, long serving staff member, Mr. Brian Dunne received a special accolade from School Sport NZ, receiving an award for Service to School Sport. The criteria for the award states that this award “be presented to people, as volunteers, who have made contributions to secondary school sport that are deemed to be exceptional”.

Mr Dunne began teaching at St Bede’s College in 1983, and he has coached not only rugby teams at St Bede’s in every year he has been at the College, but also coached or managed cricket teams for over twenty of those years as well. An old boy of the College, he played in the 1975 1st XV, and also coached the firsts for a number of years in the 1990s. He still is the coach of the 3rd XV.

His award reminds me of how the College is fortunate to have so many who give generously of their time in so many different ways. Board members, community groups, sports clubs, generous staff all contribute willingly to make the place better for the boys of the College, so they are the recipients of many more opportunities.

This past weekend, the annual 24-hour Multi-Sport event took place at the College. Almost 300 students participated from six Christchurch secondary schools. The amount raised, which by all accounts will exceed previous years, will be donated to the charity 'Good Night Sleep Tight'. 

There will also be one final raffle for the fundraiser which will be a silent auction for a very special framed Crusaders Jersey, signed by all the team. 

Thank you to all the participants and donors for your support and to the College staff who supervised the event (especially those in the middle of the night!), and all those who made this event possible. 

Until next week,

J.G. Boyle