As the country was plunged into lockdown, students around the country were called by the Student Volunteer Army (SVA) to serve those who needed assistance at this difficult time. The SVA set up a programme which connected with local supermarkets and pharmacies to help those in the community who had compromised immunity and were therefore at greater risk of catching Covid-19, so could not venture out during lockdown. The SVA programme meant students would go shopping for these people and deliver either their groceries or medication to their door while maintaining social distancing protocols. Year 13 students Sam Barnett and Ben Davis got involved. Sam said it was both enjoyable and rewarding. “As a volunteer, I was
sacrificing my own time to deliver groceries for the elderly, but the reward of being able to assist those in need was so much greater.” While Ben, who delivered on behalf of his neighbours, felt it was an extremely rewarding experience and one he would do again. Coming out of lockdown, College held a canned food drive and collected over 300 cans to donate to the Christchurch City Mission. The timing was right for this appeal, as in the middle of winter and with an unsure future ahead the donated food could be used to support families in need as a result of the economic effects of Covid-19. Shave for a Cure 2020 was definitely one to remember, with 75 students and staff getting their heads shaved to fundraise for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. College raised approximately $64,488 – a fantastic amount – and with so many people involved invited students barbers and hairdressers from Ara Institute of Canterbury along to shave the heads of the volunteers. This was an incredible event, as it recognised not only those in the community with leukaemia and blood cancer, but also anyone with any kind of cancer and how important it is to have their family, friends and community behind them in their fight. To finish the year, through the combined effort of the Rangi Ruru Girls’ School Service Council and
the College Service Committee, we organised the Year 11 semi-formal, which raised $2000 for Youthline. This was an appropriate cause, as local charities had struggled to fundraise due to the obstacles that came with Covid-19. Youthline is a great charity offering kids and young adults, from 12–24 years old, the opportunity to seek help by texting or calling professional counsellors – and this was a year where there were definitely extra challenges for our mental health. We could not have achieved all we have done without the encouragement and dedication of Neil Porter, especially in such a tangled year where everything could, and did at times, feel as if we were facing unprecedented change. Both the committee and the school have done an outstanding job of staying motivated to serve others and it was a privilege to be Head of Service for 2020. I wish next year's Head of Service Charles Lord and his committee all the best for 2021.
Joshua Mortensen Head of Service
WELLBEING In a year of great uncertainty and unpredictability, wellbeing was often at the forefront of our students’ minds, ensuring we could collectively tackle the obstacles the year brought. Thankfully, alongside the immense support of my committee and strong guidance from Director of Wellbeing & Positive Education John Quinn, I can triumphantly say our group of passionate boys left a positive imprint on the school. This year, the Wellbeing committee consisted of 12 charismatic boys, who sacrificed their lunchtimes to meet every week, with the aim of improving the mental and physical health of our students. At our first meeting, I was grateful to observe every member of the committee held strong morals and that they were all truly genuine people. Our casual and relaxing meetings would consist largely of open discussion, where we would
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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