THE QUADRANGLE From the President
Over the year so far, the Association has maintained its momentum aligning with College, achieving close to 100% sign-up rates from leavers, adding to the art collection, and starting events for our younger Old Boys.
The view is spectacular, although there is barely time to admire it because we are immediately adjacent to Chris Sellars in the Careers Office on one side and Ric Fletcher and the Development team on the other. With Chris, we are connecting Old Boys with current students in an advisory capacity to share what life is like at several stages beyond the gates in varying careers. And with Ric’s team, we collaborate to help achieve the goals of the campaign. Many thanks to those who have contributed and offered to contribute to both careers advice At a function on 23 August for the unveiling of the Presidents’ Honours Board (located in the foyer of the Tower), we had eight past presidents present, the most senior’s tenure dating back to 1984, along with past and current members of the committee. The senior past presidents remarked how good it was to see the CCOBA integrated and working so well with the school. The Association is pleased to have worked with College to see the presentation of a Senior Honours Tie to Colin Averill (5733) in May. The Averill family ties go back to 1908 when Colin’s father started, through to the present day via his grandson and great nephews. Colin served 14 years on the Board spanning the 80s, and was the 53rd uncontested President of the and campaign donations. Special occasions
Association in 1988. The tie was presented at a school assembly, where Colin engaged the boys with stories of his time at College and his current role establishing a New Zealand War Memorial Museum in Le Quesnoy, France, in honour of those who fought in WW1. Reunions, branch and community functions In February, College hosted 250 Old Boys from 20, 30, 50, 60 and 70 years on at Reunion Weekend. The Cocktail Party started in the Chapman Room and before long, rolled across Upper at a leisurely pace in beautiful weather, with Rex and the ever-attendant school catering team managing to keep up with the assembled guests and past masters. Throughout New Zealand, College has hosted community events for current and prospective parents, alongside the local Old Boys and, as always, these are very well received and attended. Several have been hosted at parents’ or Old Boys’ homes of a scale to cope with up to 100 guests. We are very grateful for their hospitality. Several were also co-hosted with St Margaret’s College, as former Principal Gillian Simpson was warmly congratulated on her very successful 10-year tenure. Branch functions have been held (or are soon to be held) in Gisborne, Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington, Marlborough, London, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and, of course, South Canterbury.
Moving the AGM date to the afternoon of Sports Day and before the Cocktail Party ensured a much higher attendance and it was there I became the 113th uncontested President of the 147-year-old CCOBA. Continuing the work previous president Jeremy Johnson and the committee started in 2016 has been the core focus. With the necessary constitutional changes resolved under Jeremy’s keen legal eye, along with Justine’s superbly efficient running of the office, I have spent plenty of time in the field learning more about why the CCOBA exists and to what extent Old Boys are engaged with College, and why that matters. At the heart of the school You should make time to visit your CCOBA office in the Tower with its entrance at the Julius end of the Cloisters. The award- winning refurbishment puts the CCOBA office firmly in the heart of the school, where it belongs.
Christ’s College Canterbury
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