Pride in Belonging

November 10th 2020

Dear Old Boys, past Staff Members and current long-serving Staff Members

It is a while since our last Gravel, and I trust that all is well with you.

It is excellent to be able to share some very exciting news as a troublesome year draws to a close. As many of you will know that ROBA Executive called a Special General Meeting last Saturday to discuss the Association's proposed support of the purchase of the residual 6.245 hectares of the Maunsell Family's Rathkeale property. The land borders the College on the south west and comprises the paddock and buildings immediately outside the College gate and the School House bush.

The purchase will advantage the College in numerous ways. The advancement of teaching and learning via an enhanced Agriculture Facility and through conservation work and ecological studies will be amongst many benefits.

Saturday's meeting attracted thirty-three Old Boys in person and a number more via zoom. Very positive and supportive dialogue resulted in the unanimous support of the 4 motions put:

• that ROBA commits to gifting $200,000 to the Trinity Schools Trust Board as part of the purchase price of the School House Bush (and adjacent paddocks)
• that ROBA use $80,000 of its current cash reserves towards the gift
• that ROBA pay TSTB $116,667 of the gift by 14 December 2020 to be used by TSTB as a non-refundable deposit for the purchase, and ROBA undertakes the fundraising necessary to make the payment of $116,667
• that ROBA conduct the fundraising necessary to pay TSTB the gift, or so much of it as remains to be paid, by 31 March 2021.

The unanimous passing of all four motions is symptomatic of the strong support the purchase of the land enjoys amongst the wider school community. Alongside ROBA, the Friends Association is gifting $200,00 and the TSTB a further $300,000.

On March 31, with the land part of the College campus, Rathkeale will enjoy not only enhanced teaching and learning facilities. It will arguably become New Zealand's greenest school with the finest of campuses.

To achieve these excellent outcomes, the Executive is relying on the loyalty and generosity of Old Boys. Already there have been acts of spontaneous generosity from a growing number of Old Boys and past staff. However, over the next four and a half months we will be conducting a fundraising programme which will enable all Old Boys to contribute to what will be an historic, and enduring addition to the College.

I do look forward to you joining us as we move to make an exciting dream an exciting reality.

Nil mortalibus ardui est

Regards

Grant Harper
President