The St Catherine’s Inaugural Giving Day is a day about equity and hope.

On Wednesday 5 August, St Catherine’s will celebrate the extraordinary strength of our community; steeped in our past and which we have all experienced in real terms, in recent times.

For the first time in our history, we will, over 24 hours, ask every member of our community to come together to make something very special happen.

Old Girls, current and past parents and grandparents, current and past staff, and students will be invited – via email and phone calls, to help raise $300,000 in support of the Hardship Fund and ensure the well-being of our girls and their future.

The Hardship Fund is being established to support families who would otherwise not be able to send their daughter to St Catherine’s due to financial reasons or who may need to withdraw their daughter from the School due to a change of circumstances.

St Catherine’s has committed $500,000 to set up the Hardship Fund, and we have been joined and supported by a warm, generous body of community members which has also pledged their support, and will triple every dollar you donate.

We cannot achieve our goal of raising a further $300,000 on 5 August without your help and without the support of our Giving Day ambassadors. These ambassadors represent generations of parent and grandparents, alumnae and staff. Each has generously given their time to tell their story of why every girl deserves a St Catherine’s education.

I encourage you to view all our ambassador videos and to read our Director’s Report, in which Jacqueline Williams, Director of Advancement, draws our attention to one ambassador in particular who is passionate about empowering young women in order to achieve equity.

On Wednesday 5 August, when one of our Giving Day volunteers phones you, I hope that you will participate in this landmark event – the establishment of our Hardship Fund, by giving what you can.

COVID-19 is but a moment in our history; Your tax-deductible donation to the Hardship Fund over the 24 hours of Wednesday 5 August will remain the legacy of this time. All gifts, regardless of size, will be a gift of equity and hope; the blue-ribbon spirit in action.

Please accept our call for equity and hope.