BISHOP TRUST UPDATE

We are delighted that the first major project of the 175 Campaign has reached practical completion and the new Library & Learning Centre and the renovated classrooms have recently become operational. We now have a 200 m² light and airy library successfully marrying the teak sash windows with glass, aluminium, steel and new wood. Soft furnishings and tables and chairs are contemporary and colourful, creating a series of comfortable reading and working spaces. The library is complemented by a glass-enclosed seminar room and a contained, landscaped reading garden. It is fitting that this first 175 Campaign project is situated in the classrooms built through the proceeds of the Centenary Campaign in 1949.

The previous library and computer lab on the first floor now form five spacious classrooms with a modern edge, more glass, Apple TVs and space for varied activities and group work.

The new Library & Learning Centre will really form the centre of the school going forward and the library and the upgraded classrooms will provide the ideal venues for learning and developing the key skills needed for the 21st Century.

The Bishops Trust contributed R11.5 million to the costs of creating these wonderful facilities and we are extremely grateful to the generous donors that made this project possible.

An official opening of the Prep Library & Learning Centre is being planned for 29 October.
 

Sam Peterson recently asked to step down as a trustee and as chairman of the trustees due to her other commitments.  At the same time, Malcolm Gray also indicated his desire to step down as a trustee.  Both Sam and Malcolm have served Bishops well over many years in a variety of roles and we are extremely grateful to them for their contributions to the Bishops Trust.  Sean King, the School’s Business Manager has also stepped down as a trustee but will remain intimately involved with the Trust in the former capacity.

I am delighted to report that the trustees have elected Jan Newman as the new chairman of the Bishops Trust.

Jan is an OD (Founders 1976).  After school Jan studied law at Stellenbosch and UCT before becoming an investment banker.  He returned to Cape Town in 2005 after 20 years based in London and Johannesburg and heads up Nomura’s business in sub-Saharan Africa.

Jan is married to Karen, who is an architect, and they have two sons, Jack (Birt 2017) and Harry (Founders 2018), who are both ODs.

The Trust recently appointed a UK-based firm of fund-raising consultants, Craigmyle, to assist the trustees in taking the 175 Campaign forward.  Craigmyle are ideally suited to assisting the Bishops Trust due to their vast experience in fund-raising for independent schools like Bishops in the UK and elsewhere.  With a sizable portion of our potential donor base residing in the UK, and with the expertise available to us in the UK, having considered various local options, the Trustees decided that this was the optimal approach.  Craigmyle’s costs are being carried by an individual donor to the Bishops Trust.

With Craigmyle’s assistance Council and the Trustees are engaged in a process of reviewing the priorities of the 175 Campaign, with the main change being a far greater focus on fund-raising for bursaries.  The capital projects remain a vital part of ensuring that Bishops is well-equipped to meet its future challenges, but increasing the diversity within our school, not only in terms of race, culture and sexual orientation, but also in terms of financial background, is essential if Bishops is to remain relevant within our community.  For this, we need a strong bursaries fund.

The 175 Campaign has raised in excess of R51 million thus far.  Of this, approximately R32.5 million has been raised for capital projects and almost R19 million has been raised for bursaries.  These are impressive sums and give us confidence that both sets of needs resonate with our community and that we can raise significant funds over the next five years to materially improve the infrastructure of our school and the education that we offer to an increasingly diverse group of students.
 

Warm regards,

Simon Peile
Chairman: College Council