Living out our motto, “Fide et Opere” — by faith and work — our students have made a significant impact on those in need over the last term.

In Week 8, we had a full school assembly where we heard from our guest speaker old boy Oscar Parker (2016-2020), who has recently had some intensive medical treatment in Spain for his rare condition. He spoke of his journey and also of his gratitude for the money that has been raised by the St Bede’s community and the support he has received. 

Earlier in the term our Youth Vinnies group promoted a whole school initiative where they asked for ‘Winter Woolies’. We were so grateful for the amount of warm clothes, blankets, and other items that went to St Vincent de Paul to distribute to people across Canterbury.

We also had the annual can drive where we asked all students to bring in a can to go to our local St Vincent de Paul. We surpassed last year's total of just under 1,000 with a total of over 1,200 cans. Honorable mention must go to the boarders who pooled their own money together and bought around 200 cans, and to Benedict House who once again really got behind this initiative collecting 470 of the cans. 

Week 8 saw another Encounter Week with the focus being Service. We are looking at different ways to educate, promote, and complete service across the school and have had some inspiring speakers in over the last week. 

We were privileged to have Michelle Sharp speak to the Year 12 cohort. Michelle is the CEO of UNICEF and shared with us her experiences in the emergency response that the organisation provides, and the challenges that face communities and countries, giving us perspective of how each day and each choice we are able to make is a privilege.

The very simple message from Michelle was that each and every one of us can make a difference. We challenge our men to do something simple to make a difference to someone else and will be looking at ways that we can do this as the year comes to an end.

As some of you may know, we also have a group of senior students who are in the SBC Student Volunteer Organisation (SVO). Each week, they make sandwiches for students in some of our primary schools and also provide and serve meals at Kai for the Community.

We were fortunate to have Verity come to speak to us, who is the manager of this organisation. Many men and women come here regularly to be fed and nourished and Verity spoke of the various needs in the community and the impact that this act of kindness has on them and their lives.

We encourage the Year 13 men when they leave St Bede’s College, to serve and make a difference in the communities that they find themselves, wherever that may be. 

This week, the Year 11 group will hear from Robyn Casey, general manager of the Christchurch St Vincent de Paul and, in Term 4, we will be working with our Year 9 and 10 students around the Principle of Stewardship – kaitiakitanga.

We are hoping to work with Courtney Reid, the education programme manager/community coordinator for Pūharakekenui Styx Freshwater Improvement Fund Project, to complete a practical service project in our local community.