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Greetings from the Old Collegians office!
This morning, the College was abuzz with excitement as we celebrated Olivia Brett (OC 2019) and her team for their remarkable victory, clinching the Gold medal in the K-4 500m Canoe Sprint at the Paris Olympics. Their dedication and rigorous training culminated in this extraordinary triumph! With this win, Olivia becomes one of only three esteemed Old Collegians to secure Olympic gold, joining the ranks of Peter Mander, who achieved glory in the yachting Sharpie class at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, and Athol Earl, who was part of the victorious rowing eight at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The excitement is also building for our OCA Annual Dinner next Friday. We’re thrilled to host over 170 guests for an evening dedicated to celebrating the remarkable achievements of our Old Collegians in service, arts and culture, and sports.
An Invitation to Contribute to an Old Collegians Tribute Book for Christine Leighton
As Christine approaches the conclusion of her inspiring 17-year tenure as Rector of our College, many of our community have expressed their wish to extend their thanks and good wishes. In honour of her dedicated service, I am collating and having published a tribute book filled with messages from our Old Collegians. This compilation of stories and memories will be a treasured memento for Christine, marking the end of an era.
I warmly invite you to contribute to this special project. For details on how to participate, please follow this link so your personal message can be included in the tribute book.
We also have our OCA AGM next Wednesday at 7.00pm in Strowan House, which you are invited to attend. RSVP to oldcols@stac.school.nz.
Enjoy the latest news and updates in this edition of the newsletter. Your participation and support continue to enrich our community.
Best wishes
Lisa Clark
Alumni and Community Relations Coordinator
President of the Old Collegians Association, Sam Crosbie, warmly invites you to the Annual General Meeting of the Old Collegians Association.
The AGM will be held on Wednesday 14 August 2024 in the Strowan House staff room. Refreshments from 6.30pm and the AGM will begin at 7.00pm.
Please RSVP via email to oldcols@stac.school.nz by Tuesday 13 August 2024.
The 50 Years On reunion for the Class of 1974–1978 took place at the College in July, bringing together over 40 old friends and classmates for a memorable celebration.
A nostalgic tour of the College campus kicked the weekend off. Walking through the familiar hallways and classrooms brought back a flood of memories for many and the group was impressed with the fabulous new facilities our students now share. A few even managed to find their names carved into the wood in our museum.
The Cocktail Party allowed everyone to reconnect and reminisce about their shared past. The atmosphere was filled with laughter as old friends caught up and shared stories from the past five decades. Past staff John Irving, Rex Livingstone and Mike Woodlock also joined us. It was wonderful to have Old Collegians from all over New Zealand and around the world with David King and David Ristrom travelling from Australia, Tiso Faletoese from Singapore and David Wilton from Philadelphia.
The Saturday evening dinner was a wonderful celebration. Thank you to Albert Anderson, Allister McPherson, Mark Forrester and Phillip Lundy for assisting with the Address to a Haggis. Apologies to them for accidently replacing their whiskey with tea but it did bring a few laughs from the floor! Also, a huge thanks to Tom Norris for all of his help with rounding up the boys, and so expertly emceeing the evening to make this reunion such a resounding success. It was a testament to the lasting impact of the special relationships formed so many years ago. As our guests departed, there was definitely a shared sense of gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate together. We look forward to the 60 Years On in 2034!
VIEW PHOTOS >
On Wednesday 3 July, 35 Old Collegians who attended the College between 1948 to 2022 joined together for the Wellington Cocktail Function. The event, hosted once again by Jonathan Scragg (OC 1996) at Duncan Cotterill, served as a valuable networking platform.
The gathering was a blend of generations, from Lindsay Watt (OC 1952), a nonagenarian who started at the College 72 years ago, to recent 2022 graduate, Lachlan Johns. This event served as an excellent platform for networking and reconnecting with our alumni community, particularly those who may not always be able to attend our Canterbury-based events.
Richard Halliday (OC 1974) gifted the museum his 1974 Blazer and a fascinating book about the Otaki Scholarship, a program that St Andrew’s has proudly participated in since its inception in 1937. Euan Galloway (OC 1964) returned a special book to Christine that once belonged to his late father and former Rector, Ian Galloway. The book, which had an inscription requesting its return to the Rector’s office, is now safely back where it was originally gifted to the College by its author in 1934.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the Old Collegians who ventured out on a chilly and damp Wellington evening to show their support and reconnect with our community.
Photo: Jonathan Harman, David Le Lievre (OC's 1994), Jonathan Scragg (OC 1996)
VIEW PHOTOS>The Christchurch Town Hall – James Hay Theatre was a magnificent setting for a sell-out of our annual Pipe Band showcase last month, StAC Attack 2024. There were 140 pipers, drummers and dancers involved in the production with highlights of Pokarekare Ana, Last of the Mohicans, Scotland the Brave, and many more.
The real surprise in store for the evening was a presentation to Rector Christine Leighton, from Pipe Band Director Richard Hawke (OC 1980), of a tune composed by him in her honour in her final year as Rector, Christine Leighton’s Farewell. The tune was performed wonderfully by the Pipe Band students in the tune’s first ever public performance. The Pipe Band has received a great deal of positive feedback from patrons including Old Collegians in attendance at the show.
VIEW VIDEO OF Christine Leighton’s Farewell SONG>
I recently had the pleasure of viewing the much acclaimed documentary Maurice and I, which pays homage to the architectural contributions of Sir Miles Warren and Maurice Mahoney from Warren and Mahoney. The film was co-directed and co-produced by esteemed documentary filmmaker and Old Collegian Rick Harvie (OC 1989) from Belmont Productions. Interestingly, Sir Miles did have a short stint here in the Prep School in the 1930's before attending Christ's College for his seconday school education, but when Rick needed a pair of look-a-like hands to mimic those of the great architect for his film, it was artist Kelvin McMillan (OC 1977) whose digits won this coveted role.
Our own Centenary film, Spirit of St Andrew’s, also produced by Rick, showcases 100 years of St Andrew's College history. The film, made in 2017, has some great historic footage and delightful coverage of past and present highlights of our College community so if you haven't seen it, it is a great walk down memory lane.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW The Spirit of St Andrew’sWe would love to share your news and gatherings, so please send any photos to oldcols@stac.school.nz.
A distinguished assembly of alumni from the Class of 1950–1954 came together for their regular meet-up, this time in Lyttelton, continuing a tradition of fellowship and friendship. Pictured in the photograph from left to right: Stewart Rae, Tom Bates, Barry Powell, Jock Miller, John MacDonald, Graham Dowling, and Euan Hilson. It’s a testament to their enduring bond that their camaraderie remains as strong as ever.
Old Collegian Terry Hart (OC 1961) returned for a surprise visit to the College from Hastings recently. Terry’s tenure at the College is remembered for his exceptional athletic talents. In 1957, he astounded everyone by setting a junior record in the Long Jump with a remarkable leap of 16 feet, 6 ¾ inches (4.9 metres). His athletic feats didn’t end there; in 1959, Terry broke the 220 Yards (200 metres) sprint record with a rapid time of 23.6 seconds. With the onset of taller and speedier students over the years, these records no longer stand, but it was great to flick through the Collegian magazines from the era with Terry and share these memories with him.
For 35 years, the 1989 1st XV have continued their tradition of catching up, often joined by their parents. This year’s lunch included 12 players, their wives, and all the parents who could attend.
Pictured from left: Geoff Spark. Ben Turner, Campbell McGrouther, Nick Anderson, Michael Preston, Ross McGuckin, Gary Baird, Greg Frazer, Tim King, Richard North, Guy Wiseman and Phillip Walker.
Registrations are now open for our annual Gentlemen's Luncheon, incorporating 70 Years On (Class of 1954–1958) and 75 Years On Reunions (Class of 1949–1953) which will take place on Friday 18 October.
This luncheon is open to all Old Collegians from 60 Years On.
Tickets: $55.00
Table Bookings: If you would like to book a table of 10, please contact Lisa directly on +64 3 940 2085.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION TO REGISTER >
We look forward to seeing the Class of 2010–2014 at their 10 Years On Reunion, on Friday 8 November 2024.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER >
We look forward to seeing the Class of 1965–1969 at their 60 Years On Reunion, on the weekend of Friday 14 March – Saturday 15 March 2025.
We will be in touch with more details of how to register soon!
The Old Collegians Association works closely with St Andrew’s College to facilitate an exciting programme of reunions and functions for Old Collegians.
The 10 Years On is taken from Year 13, and the others are from the year in which the Old Collegians started in third form (Year 9).
If you would like to assist in the organisation of your year group’s upcoming class reunion, please contact the Old Collegians Association by email at oldcols@stac.school.nz, or phone Lisa Clark on +64 3 940 2085.
Please visit our events page for all upcoming event dates.
Old Collegians Reunions and Events >
If you know of any Old Collegians who deserve to be featured in our Class Notes section of Regulus, or if you’d like to share your own updates, we’d love to hear from you. Whether it’s a small accomplishment or a major milestone, our community thrives on celebrating the achievements of our alumni. And yes, we’re always excited to see wedding photos and news of new additions!
Thank you for being part of our vibrant Old Collegian community!
To get Regulus in your inbox, or to share some news, please email oldcols@stac.school.nz.
If you are no longer receiving a printed copy of Regulus, and you would like one, please let us know. We may have your address incorrect.
To read the August edition of Regulus click here.
Want to keep up with the latest information on reunions and your fellow Old Collegians' news and achievements? Please also keep us updated on all of your achievements and successes!
To join our Old Collegians Facebook page, please click here.
To join our new Old Collegians Instagram page, please click here.
In the spirit of Old Collegians connecting, StAC Connect on LinkedIn enables alumni to share their professional and personal experience and expertise with existing Old Collegians. These connections will help prepare and motivate our young Old Collegians for a successful future. To join StAC Connect, use the link on our LinkedIn page.
We look forward to connecting with you.
Have you recently had a baby or been married?
Send us a photo of your baby or your special wedding day for our November Regulus magazine. We will also send all new babies a St Andrew's Bonny Bear!
Please email details to oldcols@stac.school.nz
If your details have changed from what we have in our records, please fill out the form below, so we can update them.
