The Chronicle 2022

STUDENT EXCHANGES 2022 Christ Church Grammar School, Australia: Ben Cheales Blundell’s School UK: William Brothers, Dylan Noach Montgomery Bell Academy, USA: Luke Payne, Matthew Nel Woodberry Forest School, USA: Benjamin Bryden, Abhishek Panday

PRESIDENT’S AWARD Gold: Jonathan Segar Silver: Peter Woodland Bronze: Andrew Woodland

WATER POLO IPT Cape Town U16: Cameron Retzlaff IPT Cape Town U14: Séan Erasmus, Bryn Retzlaff KZN Boys’ Currie Cup East London U18: Campbell Ridl South Africa MACCABI Games Team Israel: Samuel Berchowitz ZAMBIA POLO Selected for Junior Team: Edwin Miller

LONG SERVICE AWARD Staff recognised for giving 30 years of service to Michaelhouse Mrs Thulisile Jane Mlotshwa, Laundry

ST MICHAEL AWARDS 06 MAY 2022

JON RICHARD BATES (PASCOE, 1964)

J

on Bates has had a keen interest over many years in education and in the upliftment of people in the Nottingham Road and Balgowan area. He has initiated projects, served others faithfully and has also made a significant contribution to conservation throughout his life. Jon has remained a foot soldier to important causes, often engaging in seemingly minor but important roles such as liaising with the taxi companies which transport young people to school and he is a thoroughly worthy recipient of the St Michael Award, embodying that notion of service to others. An example of such service came in 1994 with the amalgamation of two farm schools, one on Fordoun and one on the adjoining property (owned then by Peter Brown a former recipient of the St Michael Award) and the building of a new school called Esiphethweni Sendezi (Hlanganani) Primary for which he organised the finance from the Lady Usher Trust. It is acknowledged by the current school principal, Ms Thulisele Zuma, that the school would not have been able to flourish and grow without Jon who assisted by arranging for the supply of free gas and water to the school, the conversion of toilets from a pit latrine system to modern facilities, the renovation and building of one wing into an IT and Media Centre, donations of food for learners to have an added protein for lunch every day as well as securing ongoing donations towards computers, computer literacy teaching and educator fees. Jon has also made the Fordoun Hotel and Spa team available at times to ensure that the grounds and buildings are maintained.

More recently, Jon has been involved in the Community Partnership projects of Michaelhouse, more specifically finding a way to ensure that individuals have access to quality education through the Eduhelper Programme. Eduhelpers are assistants to teachers and learners. Starting with one Eduhelper in 2018, there are now 23 making a difference in subjects ranging from English to Mathematics and Science. Over the last few years Jon has also become closely involved with Shea O’Connor Combined School near Nottingham Road. A school with over 700 learners, he did much of the early communication and motivation to arrange for the support for Mathematics and Science e-Learning at the school. Shea O’Connor, like Hlanganani, has battled with “fallen behind” learners due to parents being unwilling or not being able to afford transport for Foundation Phase children – they have thus fallen behind at the critically important early stage of education. Since 2018 Jon has driven a campaign to attract funding for the transport of early grade learners to both schools. As of this year there are now five subsidised taxis serving the two schools. In terms of his service to the local community, Jon has supported staff and families who had lived on the Fordoun property. Working with uMngeni Municipality and the Department of Human Settlements, a model agri-village was created with 18 houses ranging from two to four bedrooms on generous sized

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