The Melbourne Grammar community, year in and year out, campaign by campaign, generously donates to the School and thereby enables it to provide its very high educational offering to each generation of students; and to each student in each generation.
And we need to be clear about this. The many and diverse opportunities, the facilities, and the programs are, and for 160 years have been, founded on acts of individual and collective generosity, some extraordinary, and all important and worthy of our thanks.
In 2019, the Foundation Board and the Lodge are placing a particular focus on stewardship. The School’s new Director of Development, Sue Felton, quotes an ancient Chinese proverb: “When drinking water, don’t forget those who dug the well”.
The Foundation Board, with the Director of Development and other members of The Lodge, is carefully and ‘ground-up’ examining how better to focus on stewardship; and whether suitable systems and processes are in place.
Giving matters; and those who have given matter. We think that, and we seek to communicate that ethos. And we want to listen; and thus to learn what we may be communicating well and where we might further improve.
I turn next to a further important development. The Foundation Board is delighted to welcome Jason Mifsud as its newest member. Jason is already the Chair of the Indigenous Steering Committee and he will remain in that role. The Indigenous Bursary Programme is one of the Foundation’s four pillars.
Under Jason’s strong leadership, and the Indigenous Steering Committee’s own engaged Board, significant and important strategic advice and guidance is provided to the School. This assists in ensuring that the School may make a significant impact on Indigenous education; and thereby provide a positive impact for all current students at the School, future students, the families of those students and indeed our wider community. The Foundation is sincerely grateful to those who support the programme.
Another major focus for the Development team in The Lodge this year is the vital area of gifts left to the School in bequests. The annual Witherby Tower Society lunch took place in March; a celebration of support by the highly engaged membership of the Society.
Of course not all members of The Witherby Tower Society live in Melbourne. Witherby Tower Society members live regionally, interstate and overseas. The Foundation Board and The Lodge recognise that, and acknowledge it, and we are grateful for the ongoing support of all of our Witherby Tower Society members.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to encourage you all to support our annual giving appeal this year? All gifts, irrespective of size, do make a difference.
The Foundation Board thanks each of you for your ongoing support.
Philip Solomon QC President of the Melbourne Grammar School Foundation Board
