Community and Service

Homeless Connect Day Preparation

The Year 11 IB Diploma students spend a full day last week assisting Volunteering WA and the City of Perth to prepare facilities for the annual Perth Homeless Connect Day. Russell Square in Northbridge once more became the focus for services to the homeless of the city. This is the sixth year that Scotch boys have helped to set up the service areas ahead of the event - which this year supported around 1000 people in need. Many professionals volunteered on the day and for some homeless people this is the only opportunity they have to access services we take for granted. People in need had access to medical and dental professionals, beauty therapists and a host of agencies dedicated to alleviating poverty and connecting the disconnected in our society. Boys helped sort boxes of donated food and racks of clothing and worked with other adult volunteers to arrange furniture for agencies and providers.

Tanzania Fundraising Stall the Cottesloe Village Carnival

The Scotch/PLC Tanzania Expedition 2016 group ran a stall in Napoleon Street during a Saturday recently as part of the Cottesloe Village Carnival. The stall provided information on the current project in Matipwili Village in Tanzania - building a Trade Training Centre. There was also an opportunity to purchase olive oil, gift cards, mounted photographs and chopping boards, to assist fund the project. The group of boys and girls who will be going to Tanzania in July next year worked throughout the day to promote the project and sell the merchandise. It was great to see so many of the Scotch community come by and support the cause.

Merchandise sold in support of the Matipwili Trade Training Centre build is now available for sale in the Scotch Uniform Shop.

Year 10 boys will have an opportunity to support the project in Tanzania by purchasing tickets to a social or Ngoma (Swahili word for dance or drum) with Presbyterian Ladies' College Year 10 girls planned for Saturday, 28 November. Tickets can be purchased here.

John Hughes Big Walk

A group of senior boys recently volunteered to help run the John Hughes Big Walk in aid of Princess Margaret Children's Hospital. They worked on both the Saturday before the event and on the Sunday of the event itself. It was great to see these boys set about assisting independently and in their own time.

Christmas Collections

The UnitingCare West Christmas appeal has now commenced and the Senior School is participating by collecting non-perishable food and new toys. These can be brought to school and deposited in the boxes that have been made available in House Head offices. We are hoping for a large collection this year. Anderson House is also putting together Christmas hampers for needy families with children attending Balga Senior High School.

Middle School and Junior School are also collecting for UnitingCare West, but the focus of the collection this year will be on refugees. Boys are asked to pack a shoe box with:

• Something to wear
• Something to play with
• Something for school
• And something for hygiene.

These will be distributed to refugees arriving in Perth.

Mr Bill Cordner

Director of Community and Service