The Lindisfarne College Parents’ and Friends’ Association Inc extends a very warm welcome to all new Lindisfarne Parents and their families – we are sure your son’s attendance at the College will be successful and rewarding and we hope you enjoy being part of the Lindisfarne Community.
The PFA’s objectives are to provide a link between the College Council, BOT, The Rector, the teaching staff and the parents of the students attending Lindisfarne College. We provide a medium whereby parents and others can assist the college in a practical way through fundraising for the benefit of the students, we assist in advocacy as our Association has a parent representative on the BOT and on The Foundation. The Association is also a medium for the College to get direct feed back from the parents.
If you are interested to join the Parents’ & Friends’ Association and would like to help with school activities, your involvement would be most welcome. The AGM is held in February to coincide with the swimming sports. This is when new parents have an opportunity to join, and the Associations office bearers are elected.
Your support would be appreciated; it is also an excellent way for new parents to meet and have involvement with the Lindisfarne community.
During the year we meet on the first Monday of each term in the staffroom at the College. Drinks and dinner precede the meeting which starts at 6.15pm.
Throughout the year the PFA are involved in other school and social events as well as raising funds for school projects.
The PFA starts the social year by hosting a welcome for new parents with ‘Drinks & Nibbles’ which are served on the Homstead lawn. This is a great opportunity to mix and mingle with parents of boys the same age level as your son, and also to meet teaching and boarding staff.
One of our biggest fund-raising events on our calandar is the annual Gala held in mid March. In 2010 we raised just over $48,000 dollars!! This is a major undertaking for the College community so we rely on the support of parents, Lindisfarne staff, students, local businesses and a large team of helpers to man the stalls and assist in various ways on the day. Each year we look for helpers for this event and parents receive newsletters and flyers in the mail requesting assistance. Virginia van Heerden is the Chairman of the Gala Committee and can be approached personally for offers of assistance. Another main fundraising event of the year is ticket sales and manning of the gates at the HB A & P Show in October. This project has raised $10,000 each year since 2003. This is another time when parents join together and spend a few hours with friends or meeting new parents. It has proved a popular addition to the fundraising calendar.
The PFA also co-ordinates the second-hand clothing shop which provides a substantial income. There are other items for sale in the shop which include tuck boxes, Lindisfarne umbrellas, parent vests, tea towels, notebooks, coffee cups and Scarves, all of which are sold for fundraising purposes. The shop is open every Wednesday and is manned by parent volunteers who work on a roster sytem.
Your subsription to the PFA assists us with our work. With each new family coming into Lindisfarne, the Parents & Friends Association request a subscription payment of $50.00. Although this is voluntary, it would be greatly appreciated if it was forthcoming as these subscription payments form a vital part of the Association’s financial makeup. It can be assured that all funds are carefully and deliberatly spent in ways which will directly benefit your son. This one off subscription payment will appear on your second account at the beginning of Term 2- it is charged to each new family to come to Lindisfarne.
Funds raised by The Association help to provide the boys with the ‘extras’ which do not fall within the confines of the school budget. Over the years items have included a wide range of musical, sporting and recreational equipment; grants have also been made towards: The Gymnasium, The Science block, College library and Music Suite.At this time there is a large commitment to the BOT for the Performing Arts Centre.
Throughout the year staff submit applications for funds so that extra equipment can be purchased for the boys’ to use. PFA also fund the A.C. Francis Music Scholarships and sponsor students on the sailing ship The Spirit of New Zealand. This is a great experience for senior boys.
On a more social theme we host a Parents’ Christmas dinner in November. It is a fun night; very popular with parents and an opportunity to mix with parents of students from all year levels. In recent years the dinner has been combined with a traditional piping of the Haggis, followed by the Address to the Haggis. Drinks and nibbles are served on the Homestead lawn and after the Haggis ceremony a buffett meal is served in The Dining room. On a weekly basis a group of volunteers arrange and care for flowers in the front office and entrance to the chapel.
In 2003 the Association organised the assembly of the ‘Red Folder’ which is issued to new students as they commence their time at Lindisfarne. The folder has space to store: newsletters, reports, accounts, term events, correspondence, the school handbook, clothing list, photos and awards. Many parents find the folder useful to keep everthing in one place. Also in 2003 another area that P&F undertook was to modernise the College Uniform list.
Finally after several years discussion, in 2004 the Association undertook the role of providing parents with name badges to be worn at events held at school. This appears to have been a popular decision—we now know who people are!
Listed below are the names of the P&F office bearers if you would like to make contact.
| Mr Barry Van Heerden |
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Chairperson |
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Mrs Jane Dunkerly
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Vice chairperson |
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Mrs Chris Sawers
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Secretary |
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| Mr John Reid |
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Treasurer |
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