LEAVING A LEGACY An enduring gift
To ensure College’s ongoing success is the main reason most benefactors donate or leave the school a traditional bequest.
campaign to assist with the proposed new sporting complex to be built on the old Christchurch Girls’ High School site. “It was the decision taken not to proceed with that project that made me think otherwise. While I understood why it was made, I was disappointed it wasn’t going ahead, and I decided I’d like to make a bequest that would assist
with specialist education where required – should that be at the Executive Principal’s discretion.” A committed supporter and long- time benefactor of College, David says he looks back at his life as a boarder in Richards House from 1960–63 and regrets he had been unable to seek more individual assistance for some of the basic subjects.
“For many years we’ve benefited from the wonderful generosity of Old Boys, both for specific projects and through bequests,” says Legacy & Relationship Manager Peter Davidson. But now College is embracing change and modernising its approach. “Whereas previously we called any donation left in a will a bequest – which really reflected someone leaving a gift to College with the school deciding how it would be used – nowadays we’re much more keen to build partnerships between the school and our donors in their lifetime,” says Peter. “That’s why we now prefer to use the word legacy, rather than bequest. We want to make sure they have a say in the process of how their funding might be spent, and we’re inviting them to work with us to emphasise more about what their gift might achieve. We’re trying to improve our gifting relationship so that it is much more rewarding for donors and the school.” David Belcher, a retired sheep and beef farmer from Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay, can pinpoint the event which prompted him to make a bequest. “In 2017 I financially supported the For the boys. For our future.
David Belcher
College Issue 38 2020
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