Waikato Business News | April 1, 2024
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10 APRIL <strong>2024</strong><br />
A chapel in the frame<br />
For 70 years, <strong>Waikato</strong>’s only<br />
Catholic secondary school boys’<br />
college has been without a chapel.<br />
Senior writer Mary Anne Gill goes<br />
to an art expo which the foundation<br />
behind it hopes will have spiritual<br />
results.<br />
If walls could talk, the old<br />
gymnasium at St John’s<br />
College in Hamilton<br />
would have hundreds of<br />
stories to tell.<br />
Another one was added to<br />
the list last month with an<br />
art expo fundraiser.<br />
In the Frame, organised<br />
by the St John’s College<br />
Foundation, ran over three<br />
days and featured the<br />
work of 56 artists and 148<br />
artworks.<br />
Curator Caroline<br />
Peacocke attracted a diverse<br />
group of artists and artistic<br />
expressions including work<br />
from current and past<br />
students, a staff member<br />
and parent.<br />
Money raised from the<br />
expo – about a third of<br />
the artwork sold over the<br />
three days - goes towards<br />
repurposing the old gym<br />
into a multi-purpose space<br />
with a dedicated sanctuary<br />
area.<br />
At a gala opening,<br />
principal Shane Tong said<br />
the boys-only Catholic<br />
school – which opened on<br />
its Hillcrest Road site next<br />
to <strong>Waikato</strong> University in<br />
1962 - did not have its own<br />
chapel.<br />
“For many years, we’ve<br />
dreamt of St John’s College<br />
having a chapel onsite which<br />
will provide a sacred space<br />
for our students and wider<br />
community.”<br />
The school could host a<br />
fortnightly Mass for its<br />
more than 500 students<br />
and provide performing art<br />
space for up to 100 people.<br />
There would also be a<br />
quiet space for prayer and<br />
reflection.<br />
Foundation chair David<br />
Kilbride of Cambridge,<br />
who attended the college<br />
from 1981-1985 and has a<br />
history in the agricultural<br />
industry, said he hoped the<br />
expo would bring the wider<br />
college community together,<br />
build connections and raise<br />
funds for the college.<br />
The launch night featured<br />
Guests, including Bishop Richard Laurenson, at the In the Frame art fundraiser at St John’s College in Hamilton. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.<br />
several old boys including<br />
new Catholic bishop Richard<br />
Laurenson, who attended<br />
the school at the same time<br />
as Tong, new papal knight<br />
Paul Barnett and business<br />
leaders from around the<br />
<strong>Waikato</strong>.<br />
The school’s hospitality<br />
students prepared canapes<br />
and helped with service,<br />
other students set the event<br />
up, welcomed visitors and<br />
answered questions while<br />
the St John’s College Jazz<br />
combo entertained.<br />
Marketing and<br />
Communications<br />
coordinator Gaby Douglas<br />
said the whole Catholic<br />
community came together<br />
to help.<br />
The foundation – founded<br />
in 1999 - is a charitable trust<br />
which receives donations,<br />
grants and bequests on<br />
behalf of the school and<br />
organises fundraisers for<br />
projects such as the upgrade<br />
of the Number One playing<br />
field’s spectator area, the<br />
new Marcellin Centre<br />
gymnasium, the tennis and<br />
hockey centre and various<br />
scholarships.<br />
Riding the Wave: The Rising Popularity<br />
of <strong>Business</strong> Events<br />
ADVERTORIAL<br />
<strong>2024</strong> has kicked off with a series<br />
of Chamber events that have<br />
been a roaring success so<br />
much so that many have sold<br />
out and we’ve had to put people on<br />
waiting lists. It’s been wonderful to<br />
see our members using these events<br />
as opportunities to network, make<br />
new connections, and learn things<br />
along the way. Many of our members<br />
are telling us that they are seeing the<br />
value in events from a networking<br />
perspective and that by attending,<br />
swapping business stories and<br />
meeting new people, that’s translating<br />
into opportunities to grow their<br />
businesses.<br />
Check out some of the photos below<br />
of this year’s events.<br />
<strong>2024</strong> WAIKATO BUSINESS AWARDS<br />
The most highly anticipated business<br />
event of the year – <strong>Waikato</strong> Chamber<br />
of Commerce <strong>Business</strong> Awards, supported<br />
by Fosters Construction will<br />
take place on Friday 15 November at<br />
Globox Arena, Claudelands. Award<br />
entries open on Monday 29 <strong>April</strong>.<br />
I encourage you to take a look at our<br />
website for more information and<br />
to see what award category might<br />
suit your business. waikatochamber.<br />
co.nz/waikato-business-awards/<br />
There are many more events coming<br />
up so be sure to check out the events<br />
tab on the Chamber website and get<br />
in early to secure your spot. You can<br />
also check out our social media pages<br />
for any photos and videos we take<br />
at events of our speakers and guests.<br />
Rebecca Aston, Events and Marketing<br />
Manager, <strong>Waikato</strong> Chamber of Commerce<br />
Thanks to our event sponsors:<br />
Connect - Grow - Inspire - Represent