CONNECTING WOMEN WORLDWIDE

We are thrilled to share with you all that has been happening in the Old Girls’ Association over the last six months, and we hope you enjoy reading about our exciting events, and developments.

Firstly, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all those who attended the Orsini Ladies’ Lunch. The sense of sisterhood and community was palpable, and it reminded us of why we’re so proud to be Old Girls of St Cuthbert’s College. By coming together, we were able to raise funds towards the development of the Chapel Grounds and contribute to the school motto “By Love Serve.” I want to once again thank all our sponsors, and those who donated items for the luxurious goodie bags. My biggest faux pas on the day was mistaking Old Girl designer, Caitlyn Crisp, for one of her beautiful models.

The coffee and cake evening for Old Girl

New Mums was another lovely event. It was inspiring to see so many new mums reconnect and bond over old editions of the Chronicle, while sharing their nerves about volunteering at the Year 7 camp and laughing over memories of not being allowed to walk up the Robertson Steps. We want to thank everyone who attended and made the evening so special. If only Auckland’s humidity had been as perfect as the evening!

Holding our AGM in person for the first time since 2019 felt like a monumental occasion, and made it a milestone event. Pulling together an AGM, a Chapel Service, and a morning tea, during the College’s annual Open Day, was a testament to the efforts of the Committee, and the College, and it flowed beautifully. Thank you.

We were thrilled to unveil Katherine Throne’s art at the Old Girls’ Chapel Service. It was a poignant moment, and we felt a deep sense of pride as Reverend Joubert blessed the art. You’ll read more about the Old Girls’ Chapel art in these pages, but we are so proud to have art by Old Girls on the walls of the College.

The inaugural LinkedIn evening for Old Girls and parents was a resounding success. We were blown away by the enthusiasm and curiosity of the attendees, and we’re excited about hosting a similar session for our Year 13 students later in the year. It’s a testament to the strength of our community that we can come together to learn and grow. Thank you to our committee member Kate Bacchus, for leading this initiative.

The Old Girls’ Cocktail Reunion Party was a mammoth event, and a joyous celebration of our shared history and the enduring bonds that connect us as Old Girls of St Cuthbert’s College. We want to thank everyone who came and helped to make the evening such a memorable one. It was the largest cocktail party since the College’s 100th jubilee, and we’re thrilled that we could finally host the reunions which were cancelled due to the pandemic.

I want to acknowledge our departing committee members — Pip Barrett, Kim Williams, and Vianne Avery. Their dedication and commitment to the Old Girls’ Association have been invaluable, and we’re grateful for all that they’ve done. They will be missed. Thank you for your service.

We’re thrilled to welcome two new committee members — Lauren Jeffares and Sarah Vokes. Their passion for the College and their fellow Old Girls is inspiring, and we’re excited about working with them to continue the great work of the Old Girls’

Association. We always have room for more committee members, so if you are interested in being involved, in whatever capacity you have, please let me know.

We were delighted to award Emily Clarke the Violet Wood Studies Grant. Emily’s commitment to improving occupational health is a testament to the College’s ethos of service, and we’re proud to support her. The third annual St Cuthbert’s Literary Evening is on the 10th of August, so mark your diaries now. This event is going from strength to strength, and the hardest part of planning the evening is deciding how to limit our panel to only six incredible Old Girls. We are incredibly excited about the new look Making Their Mark Awards dinner, taking place at the Northern Club in September. The inaugural Awards night replaces the assembly we have held in the past and will encompass the Making Their Mark Award, the Old Girls’ Honours Award, the Marking Service Award, a new Emerging Leader Award, and a staff award. It’s a celebration of the accomplishments and contributions of our fellow Old Girls, and the dedicated staff who do so much to support our future alumnae. Tickets will be available later in the year, but watch your in boxes for the revamped nomination forms. Thanks to committee member Minta Smith, for all her work on this.

There has an additional new initiative we’ve rolled out this year, in conjunction with the Advancement Office, and that is a series of “Amazing Alumniae” posters. These will be displayed in the corridor linking the Robertson Building with the Science Block, and we will profile these “Amazing Alumnae” in the next edition of the Evergreen. It’s an exciting initiative to inspire our current students, and to recognise a larger number of our alumnae.

The Old Girls Association Committee doesn’t operate in isolation, and I want to thank Principal Justine Mahon, the whole Advancement Office team, Reverend Joubert, archivist Sarah Padey, and the Trust Board, specifically the Chair of the Trust Board - Leigh Melville, and Trust member, and former president of the Old Girls Association, Penelope Peebles. Your unwavering support and guidance are a constant source of strength for us, and for me.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Old Girls Association. We hope to see you at our future events. We are always open to your feedback and ideas for other events.

Kindest regards

Kirsten McKenzie — President, Old Girls’ Association