Development & Fundraising Committee Report Development & Fundraising Committee Members: Dr Joseph Lee Mrs Joanna Hartnett Ms Natalie Glanville Mr Gavin McDougall Mr Howard West Ms Brigitte McNamara The responsibilities of the Development and Fundraising Committee (DFC) include stakeholder engagement and fundraising initiatives. The committee benefits from the expertise and community connections of Board members and support from staff, parents and wider school community for fundraising success. The DFC also collaborates with the AISHK Development Office in considering marketing and communications strategy and in its function of supporting the Parent Association (AISHK PA) to achieve community engagement. The DFC has continued to establish and action various new strategies and to further build on existing foundations for continued success. With community events, raffles and auctions, corporate sponsorship or donations from parents being the usual avenues for cultivating philanthropy and giving, 2021 presented significant limitations to such fundraising due to Covid-19 and in line with the Board’s awareness of the financial sensitivities experienced by many in the school community. As such, the focus of the Committee for the year was again reviewed and adapted. The DFC were pleased to welcome Mrs Joanna Hartnett, President of the AISHK Parent Association (PA) to the Committee as a conduit to the PA’s ongoing work in fundraising and community engagement. In 2021, the PA successfully launched the first ever PA e-Shop. The purpose of this platform is to provide a creative and useful way for the community to connect with AISHK culture and to foster a sense of school community, identity and belonging. Products sourced by the PA include tech items, umbrellas and drink bottles, each featuring a touch of unique AISHK branding. Revenue generated from e-Shop sales go towards school enhancement projects, undertaken jointly by the PA and the School. The e-Shop provided an innovative source of parent-driven income in the absence of usual school fundraising events.
Dr Joseph Lee Chair of Development & Fundraising Committee
Whilst online learning was in place for a duration of 2021, the resumption of face-to-face learning in May was very welcome news and saw the return of some school-led and Parent Association events and related community engagement and fundraising initiatives. In supporting the Parent Association, a series of “Mini Meets” were created and held at the start of the year, within social distancing measures, to ensure those parents who wished to do so were able to meet and greet with fellow parents, old and new, in lieu of the usual start-of-year Welcome Festival. AISHK mums were given the opportunity to take part in not only a Mother’s Day, but a Mother’s Month, with four events held in the month of May. In April, the school was once again able to hold, in its more traditional format, the Anzac Day Ceremony on the AISHK Field. Community guests including AISFL Board Governors Consular representatives and AISHK’s founding associations each laid a wreath at the AISHK Anzac Memorial. A digitised version of the ceremony was offered to the community which can be viewed by clicking here. In yet another fist, the PA held both a June and September Father’s Day event to recognise dates traditionally observed by Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand. A “Saturday Night Dinner” was held on 30 October at the USRC, attracting corporate sponsorship and 130 attendees comprised of school parents, staff, Board members and sponsors. As such an event had not taken place for a number of years, this function made for a very celebratory atmosphere and much positive feedback. The Development Office continued its dedication to producing video content and an environmentally sustainable publications program. Identifying areas where it could enhance digital marketing and to support Admissions initiatives, in lieu of more frequent face-to-face prospective parent tours, the Development Office produced and launched Snapshots of AISHK. Working closely with the School Executive, teachers and students to garner the very best aspects of school life, this mini video series harnesses and delivers an insightful overview of the unique AISHK experience at every year level. Click here to view all episodes of Snaphsots. I would like to thank the school community, the Parent Association and its Executive Committee members, and the DFC for the agility and resilience shown, despite another challenging year.
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