2022 Presidents Report

This year 2022 marks the 110th year of the Christchurch Boys’ High School Old Boys Association. The AGM was held for the first time in many years away from School, at the recently completed Old Boys Collegians Cricket Pavilion at Elmwood Park. Our thanks to two Old Boys, Steve Wakefield and Hamish Anderson for allowing us this opportunity.


The AGM was also a welcome opportunity to recognise the contribution of Colin Freeman and Terry Donaldson who retired at the AGM. Both Colin and Terry’s commitment to the Old Boys Association and the School as a whole is well documented and we are grateful for the time, commitment and knowledge they have shared with us.


The major project that the Association undertook in 2022 was the development of our own Old Boys Association website (www.cbhsoldboys.co.nz). This project allows the Association to maintain our own identity, while remaining connected with School.


The website serves primarily as a platform to share relevant news and information to the Old Boys network and profile Old Boys. In time this will be expanded to include Old Boy registrations and sign-ups, event calendars and a database of Old Boys.


A primary objective for the Association is to continually grow our email database, and in turn provide events and other opportunities for Old Boys to connect, reminisce and collaborate together. 


In the past year we have grown the Old Boys Association database by nearly 100%. This remains a core focus for the Executive Committee, as we focus on building a database with over 10,000 Old Boys on it by the end of 2023.


All old boys by right become ‘members’ of the Old Boys Association at the time they leave Straven Rd. However for us to be able to maintain an up-to-date database and means of communication we invite all Old Boys to follow us on Facebook AND complete the sign-up form that can be found on the facebook page.


Like the year before, 2022 has been another year disrupted by COVID, which has seen many of our planned activities postponed or cancelled, with the exception of the ‘Old Boys Association Long Lunch’.


The ‘Long Lunch’ was held in mid-year, with retired QC Brent Stanaway as our guest speaker. Brent is an Old Boy who while at School was Head Boy, Dux of the School and Captain of the 1st XV Rugby. We were grateful to be hosted at the Canterbury Club and welcomed over 50 guests for an enjoyable afternoon of networking, laughter and insight into Brent’s life and career. It is our intention that the ‘Long Lunch’ will become a regular event, focussing on either Sport, Business or Culture / Arts.


Every year in conjunction with Schools Founders Day assembly the Old Boys Association awards the “Altiora Peto” Medal to an Old Boy who ‘Seeks Higher Things’ and serves as a role model to the boys at School now. The 2022 Altiora Peto Medal was awarded to Major General John Boswell.


Major General John Boswell, started at CBHS in 1979 as a member of Form 3N. In his final year at school, John was a Monitor, member of the 2nd XI cricket team, the Lifesaving team that won the inter school competition for the first time in many years, the swimming team and, by now playing in the forwards, the First XV. He received blazer awards for rugby and lifesaving that year.

In January 1984, he enlisted into the New Zealand Army, graduated from the Officer Cadet School of New Zealand in December 1985 and joined the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment with the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Throughout his career, Major General Boswell has undertaken a range of regimental, staff and training appointments including postings as the Chief Instructor of Combat School, Director Army Training, and as Military Assistant at the New Zealand High Commission in London.

Major General Boswell is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College and the National Defence College of India. He holds a Masters in Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, a Master of Philosophy (Defence and Strategic Studies) from the University of Madras, and a Master of Management, Bachelor of Arts (History) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration from Massey University.

On 10 September 2018, Major General Boswell was appointed Chief of the New Zealand Army and is the principal advisor to the Chief of Defence Force on NZ Army matters.

The Te Kura Golf Tournament was held in November at the Waitikiri Golf Club in Christchurch. Our thanks goes to the organisers Richard Fallon and Paul Duggan for all their efforts to coordinate the day, compile a full field of golfer’s and ensure everyone walked away with a prize!


At the beginning of each Executive Committee meeting we take a moment to acknowledge and recognise those Old Boys that have died since the last meeting. Our thanks to Barrie Johnson for his efforts to keep these records up to date and our thoughts and well wishes are with all families. 


The Association would simply not exist and be available to Old Boys without the support of many people including Branch Managers throughout New Zealand and dotted around the globe, the support of key School Members including Mr Hill (Headmaster), Mr Fraser (Deputy Headmaster) and administration staff Ms. J Lowe, Ms. R Rodgers and Mrs. S James.


My thanks to the Executive Committee of Chris Carthy (Secretary), Martin Perry (Treasurer), John Osborne (Past President), Andrew Dorgan, John Clark, Jeremy Kelleher, Sam Cherry (resigned in Dec 2022), David Hewett, Geoff Thomas and Barrie Johnson. 


This group continues to work hard to achieve our objectives and ensure the Old Boys Association is a strong and valued part of the wider school community.


A final welcome to the Fine Young Men leaving school this year as new members of the Christchurch Boys’ High School Old Boys Association. We look forward to meeting you and helping you on your journey to ‘Seek Higher Things’.


Altiora Peto


Simon Carter

President CBHS Old Boys Association


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

2022 Obituaries

2021 Obituaries

Recollect – The New CBHS Digital Archive