Giving

Generosity of spirit was also evident in the work of the students particularly those in the Community Service team. Various fundraising events supported worthy causes and the Year 13 Leavers’ Gift contributed funds to build a new trophy cabinet to grace the entrance foyer into the new Performing Arts Centre.

Across the world, philanthropists generously contribute to making the world a better place by choosing to support causes where they believe their dollars can truly make a difference. Education is top priority for many of these philanthropists with 30,000 foundations focusing at least some of their resource on this sector. Education is seen as the key to individual opportunity and the engine of national prosperity. Philanthropists see an imperative to address economic and social inequality, driven by a sense of moral obligation and social responsibility. To this end the St Andrew’s College Foundation annually supports the College Scholarship Programme with $415,000 per year to offset the cost of significantly reduced fees for scholarship students. Many prominent alumni have been the beneficiaries of this generosity.

Once again in 2022 St Andrew’s partnered with the Australasian charity So They Can. Three per cent of the donations made to the College were directed to So They Can with an impressive $28,716 making a tangible difference to life in this Tanzanian village.

I am very mindful that St Andrew’s College, as an independent school, is largely reliant upon payment of tuition fees to fund our operations. Our parents, often supported by grandparents or other family members, make considerable sacrifices to give their child a St Andrew’s College education. The tuition fees fund the ‘here and now’, including the salaries of teachers, support staff and specialist sports coaches, and cultural tutors. The College operates as efficiently as possible to enable any annual surplus to be invested back into the College for future capital projects. All the new facilities the College has enjoyed over the last twelve years including the new Preparatory School (Stewart Junior Centre and Pre-school), Gym 2, new boarding houses, The Centennial Chapel, The Green Library and Innovation Centre, AstroTurf, outside recreation spaces and landscaped grounds, StACFit Fitness Centre, and in 2022 commencement of the Performing Arts Centre have resulted from this sound financial management.

Part way through the year Miranda Newbury left her position as Director of Development. Her good work over the previous three years left her staff, Development Co-ordinator, Mel Rissman and Alumni and Community Relations Co-ordinator, Lisa Clark, well positioned to continue their roles to the benefit of the College. I thank them for their tireless work in alumni and community engagement.

My sincere thanks to all who have contributed to St Andrew’s College throughout 2022. You are all part of this extensive community who, when working together, can achieve great things.

He waka eke noa.

Christine Leighton
Rector

A friend recently reminded me of something that Sir Tipene O’Regan said: “Look to the horizon, when everyone else is looking at the waves lapping at their feet” and never has this seemed more apt. The challenges of the past couple of years followed by the current economic outlook often tempts us to focus on the immediate problems. However, our role as trustees for the Foundation is primarily about the future and what our children’s children will need to navigate their world. Therefore, we recognise the responsibility that we have to ensure that those of you who have entrusted us with your donations know that we are indeed looking to the horizon. We remain very confident that the College is in very good hands and students remain the centre of our focus.

In terms of the reality of dealing with the current market conditions, 2022 was an extremely difficult year in which global share markets and all fixed interest markets declined by an average of 13.4 per cent. This was the sixth time since 1926 in which all markets declined concurrently. The cause was rooted in the global inflationary pressures resulting in large increases in interest rates, coupled with ongoing disruptions from COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Since balance date the world markets have started to adapt to these influences and recover some of the lost value.

A valuation of the Foundation portfolio as at 28 February 2023 showed a 4.5 per cent increase of $581k to $13.44m (from the year end valuation of $12.85m).

On behalf of the College and St Andrew’s College Foundation I would like to record our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all the individual people, families, and businesses that have supported our philanthropic aims during 2022. To all that have given, your gift no matter how big or small makes a real difference to St Andrew’s College and our current and future students.

Through giving to the Foundation, you are contributing to the cost of scholarships and general long-term well-being of the College. This allows students who, in other circumstances, would not have the opportunity to attend St Andrew’s College and gain an education which will prepare them for their future beyond school in a diverse society.

While it is the role of the College’s Development Department to facilitate the fundraising of funds for the Foundation (as well as for the building projects), the Foundation Board plan to work closely with the Development Department to assist with and support donors.

I assumed the role of Foundation Chair in 2022 and I would like to extend the College’s thanks to an outstanding group of Trustees. Their skills are drawn from a broad spectrum of industries and professions. This year my fellow Foundation Trustees, Matthew Lancaster and Richard Smith, were joined by three new Trustees, Mark Mulholland, Gordon MacLeod and Tom Stanley. It is our collective aim to continue to grow the Foundation and the Development Office, and Foundation Trustee’s welcome any queries in this regard.

David Boyd

Chair
St Andrew’s College Foundation