Nelson College Newsletter July 18 2025
Dear whānau and caregivers,
We’ve certainly hit the ground running this term and as always, there’s a lot happening in our kura.
I want to take a moment to commend the young men who answered the call from Ms Heays to assist people whose properties have been damaged by the recent flooding. Three groups of over 30 students donned their gummies and picked up shovels to remove silt and salvage property for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
My sincere thanks go to them, and to Ms Heays, for her meticulous coordination – it is so heartening to see our school values in action. In addition, I am delighted to say that today’s casual clothing day has raised over $1,000, which will go to the Mayoral Relief Fund.
Term 3 is always busy with exams and university preparation. I encourage you to avail of the support systems in place at school. Peer tutoring, advice on university halls applications and university/work/pathways preparation guidance are all available to your son.
Tomorrow sees the Nelson College 1st XV face off against St. Bedes in the final Miles Toyota Championship round robin game. This game holds some extra meaning thanks to the efforts of Jack Potter and Tom Perkins. Jack and Tom are highlighting the charity Lachie’s Laces, established in memory of Jack’s best friend Lachie, who tragically lost his life to cancer at age 12. The teams will be wearing bright yellow laces, the proceeds of which will go to the Child Cancer Foundation. Good luck to our 1st XV, and to all the other teams who will be playing on Broads.
I was honoured to welcome back one of our Old Boys Oliver Morton for a special assembly this week. Oliver will be winging his way to The States next month having received the prestigious Robertson Scholarship which will enable him to study dually at the University of North Carolina and Duke University. I’m sure I speak for us all when I wish Oliver all the best and thank him for the positive impact he’s had on our school.
My congratulations go to Bihandu Nanayakkara who earned gold and bronze in the recent Squash New Zealand National Championships over the holidays.
This month we will be holding our parent teacher conferences, there’s more information about that below, and our open day on the 26th July.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our school. As a community, we are preparing our young men for lives of meaning and fulfilment.
Ngā mihi,
Richard Washington