Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Parents & Friends

Yarra Parents & Friends (P&F) has a very important, varied role. We connect parents and fundraise for both internal and external projects. It offers our community the opportunity to get involved and also provides a social network that supports our children as they move through Yarra Valley Grammar.

As we come out of our second lockdown this year with remote learning, we see the resilience and growth our children have developed with the challenges placed before them. We thank the amazing teachers of Yarra for their support and appreciate the efforts they go to in being adaptive. Since the last edition of The Link we have been able to offer a number of regular initiatives like our Second-Hand Uniform Shop which raised $5,854 last year. We would like to thank Jess Cameron for taking on the volunteer role of manager for the shop, filling in big shoes from Cathy Hainslin. We would also like to sincerely thank all the volunteers that help out on a regular basis. Unfortunately, in 2020 we were not able to do our normal array of regular activities such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day stalls and breakfasts. This continued with the MOPS luncheon, Biggest Morning Tea, Comedy night plus social parent functions all cancelled due to lockdowns.

A big thank you to all the Year Level Representatives. Many have set up and maintained Facebook pages to communicate to all parents, particularly in the Junior School year levels, which have proven very successful and a great way to stay connected in such an isolated year. The Pavilion Café was also unable to proceed due to Saturday Sport being cancelled last year but we have managed to open for a number of Saturdays this winter before we were placed into lockdown again. Thanks to Kathryn Goldsmith and Scott Cameron for taking this management role on. We were also able to support the Easter raffle for Junior School and raised $1,678.70 which was donated to The Royal Children’s Hospital. Other money raised via P&F is directly fed back into the school. Our regular initiatives include Middle and Senior school badges, Grade 6 Plaques, the Year 12 BBQ and lolly pots for seriously ill children. We also purchased a few extra items in 2020 due to COVID-19. We organised a message from Boy George to provide some comic relief for Father’s Day, cards and a poem for Mother’s Day, coffee mugs supporting Year 12s going through a particularly difficult year, and hand sanitiser for every Yarra student. We also purchased Thank You cookies, student designed bookmarks and a display of gratitude ribbons for all the teachers and support staff to show our appreciation for all their hard work.

We were very excited to be able to facilitate Lee Waters to do two timely zoom presentations to support parents and families during lockdown. Whilst COVID has caused us to change and adapt to doing things a little differently, it gave us the opportunity to try a few new fundraising initiatives. We introduced a Christmas Fundraising Drive and a Hot Cross Bun Easter Drive. Both of these were very successful and we believe can be built on moving forward.

Click here to view Boy George’s message

We cancelled our Second Hand Book Stall in 2019, and our Second Hand Facebook page, was utilised in its place. This has continued to prove a useful tool for parents. We were also able to donate $15,000 worth of books and stationary to the Les Twentyman Foundation. Excitedly, this year we have been able to hold more social activities. We held our Welcome Back to Yarra Picnic and had a record attendance of 835 people. On a perfect summer night, it was a great way to catch up with both old and new friends and share the Yarra Spirit. We have also been able to celebrate Mother’s Day, with Junior and Senior School Breakfasts and also the Junior School Mother’s Day stall. Through this we were able to donate $11,602.43 to this year’s nominated charity, Big Group Hug, along with much needed winter clothing for families. We also held our Annual MOPS Luncheon at Rosebank North and enjoyed reconnecting with old Yarra friends.

Please remember that every parent of Yarra Valley Grammar, past and present, is automatically a member of Yarra P&F. Should you wish to get involved you are always welcome to come along to our meetings either in person or via Zoom.

Robyn McKinnell President, Yarra Parents & Friends

Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Music

After being unable to hold Food, Wine and Music in 2020, a record breaking 680 guests enjoyed this first music event of the year for 2021. Food, Wine and Music, the main fundraiser for Yarra Music, was a sell-out success! Ticket holders were treated to food packs and wine tasting, all held under tight COVID safe guidelines. It was a welcome relief for us as we initially started planning for the event through an online meeting under lockdown, and with a strong prospect of a restricted number of attendees.

As the number of guests grew, and with COVID distancing guidelines changing, holding the event inside Foundation Hall was not possible, so a new location was used. This year for the first time, Food, Wine and Music was held outdoors in the south side section next to the entrance of the PAC. Volunteers helped put up marquees, wine tasting stalls, food and drink stalls, prepared carry bags containing the popular souvenir Yarra Music Wine glasses and arranged refreshments for the 330 student performers. Guests were treated to wine tasting from four local wineries, and for the first time were able to purchase bottles online. Our Silent Auction also featured over 40 items for online bidding, raising funds towards the purchase of big-ticket musical instrument items, while also showcasing donated products and services from many local friends and businesses. New donors are always welcome to join our Silent Auction by emailing us at music@yvg.vic. edu.au. After the food and wine part of the event, all guests were delighted by an outstanding concert (the music part) provided by student performers and led by the Director of Music, Mr Scott Templeton. Holding the first half of the event outdoors meant that Yarra Music volunteers enjoyed a full moon whilst packing up the marquees and stalls.

Yarra Music are proud sponsors of the annual Concerto Competition, which this year saw 11 talented musical students judged while performing a piece accompanied only by a piano. The winner was given the honour to perform with the Symphony Orchestra later in the year. Also this year, we are looking forward to providing the annual Yarra Music Scholarship. This provides one year of tuition and instrument hire, awarded to a promising Year 7 student. Yarra Music also plan to support musical instrument purchases for the Junior School.

A favourite event Jazz in the Café is to be held at the end of July and promises to be a fun night mixing fundraising with the talented jazz ensembles and performers. Benjamin Vella President, Yarra Music

Yarra Community Groups

Yarra Drama

Yarra Drama was thrilled to be back in action in May 2021, with our first event being the long-awaited Senior School production of Matilda the Musical.

The show was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who managed to secure tickets. Ticket sales were stronger than ever and for the first time in Yarra’s history for a school production we had to open the balcony level of the George Wood Performing Arts Centre.

The show featured 27 very talented students including Timothy Coote (YOG 2020) who was able to return to Yarra to be part of the performance after finishing school last year. Supported by Yarra’s own band, each show was performed to live music, with props and back stage also produced and managed in house. The Yarra Drama group extended the Matilda theme into the foyer and kiosk which offered refreshments for the audience. With record sales, contributions will go towards enhancing the student and family experiences of future drama productions. We look forward to supporting the Drama Department with two more 2021 school productions scheduled, Tuck Everlasting in August (Middle School) and Aladdin in October (Junior School). We hope to see many of you there! Follow us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/groups/ yarradrama Natasha Hopkins and Stephanie Holman Co-Presidents, Yarra Drama

Yarra Canoe & Kayak

As with all other aspects of our lives, the 2020/21 Kayak season was a little unusual. Training at the end of 2020 was unable to go ahead and a short training season in February and March 2021 followed.

Once it resumed, twice weekly training was well attended. Increased demand from over 45 students meant a full bus of enthusiastic participants enjoyed paddling on Lilydale Lake on Wednesday afternoons and the specific allocation of students to alternating sessions. Our advanced paddlers continued to develop on the remaining Friday morning sessions whilst light allowed. It was also great to hear students enjoyed the recently purchased new TK1 kayak. We are fortunate to have two more TK2s arriving in time for next season.

Despite a short training season, Yarra had a strong team of students participate in the 2021 Victorian Schools Marathon and Sprint Championships held at Lake Nagambie on a cool Sunday in March. With the support of Mr Hodges, Mr. Mannion and coach Rachel De Kretser, the students made Yarra and spectating parents proud. All showed great sportsmanship and support for their fellow team members, with some taking out places in marathon and sprint events. On the day, the team was immensely successful bringing back 14 medals from our 10 competitors. This was inclusive of 4 golds shared amongst both students that are upcoming and those in their penultimate year of schools competition. We are really grateful to parents who came to support the event and the continued support of Mr Hodges and Mr Ratcliffe. Kayaking is a wonderful outdoor activity for students and one where they can improve at their own pace and enjoy the company of students from other year levels. With increasing student interest we are also looking for a new parent representative for 2021/22 to support Brendan and Benjamin for the next summer season.

Chrissy Wasley President, Yarra Canoe & Kayak