At Haileybury, our community thrives thanks to the dedicated efforts of our volunteer groups. From campus Parents & Friend groups to sporting clubs, second-hand uniform shops and parent classroom helpers, these wonderful people contribute their time, passion, and skills to create a vibrant and nurturing environment for our students. In this article we would like to introduce you to two of our many wonderful groups, giving our appreciation to them and all others who get involved.
Corda Club
The Corda Club play a vital role in supporting the experience of students participating in Haileybury’s boys’ and girls’ AFL/AFLW football programs. The group spans across Years 7-12, and fosters a strong sense of community among parents, students, and staff.
Rachel Kirkwood-Scott, Corda Club President, has enjoyed serving on the Club committee for a decade. With four children attending Haileybury, her reason for getting involved was deeply personal. “I felt a strong urge to actively engage in their sports activities, even venturing into sports that I wasn’t familiar with as a child. My motivation was to break down gender barriers and set an example for my children, showing that women can play an active role in football and sports”, she shared.
The Corda Club has a long history, with parent support likely existing up to 130 years ago when the School was founded, and long before a formal group was introduced. Over the years, the club has evolved and made significant accomplishments. More recently, they’ve supported charity initiatives, such as Breast Cancer Network Australia, and contributed to student experiences, such as the Darwin cultural trip.
One such event was the Dare to Hope campaign held in July. The Senior players wore purple socks to support the campaign and to honour the father of Haileybury coach Matthew Lloyd, who was one of 3,500 lives lost to pancreatic cancer each year. Dare to Hope is the legacy of late Hawthorn Football Club Premiership Player and Norm Smith Medalist, Paul Dear, a family to which many in the Haileybury community are connected to through netball, basketball and football.
The players donated to a personalised silhouette to John Lloyd in the Bay of Hope at the Hawthorn v Carlton Dare to Hope Match at the MCG.
Rached said that her most cherished experiences revolve around the wonderful people she’s had the privilege to meet along the way. “The lifelong friendships I’ve formed through my volunteer work at Haileybury are something I’ll forever treasure”.
Haileybury Parents & Friends Edrington
Outside of the sporting world, Haileybury Parents & Friend groups support many other day to day happenings within the School. Haileybury Parents & Friends Edrington (HPFE), is one of our four Haileybury Parent & Friend groups across the campuses. Paren & Friend groups play a crucial role in enhancing each campus’ sense of community.
HPFE contribute to a diverse range of events, from Mother’s and Father’s Day stalls to fundraisers, pancake days, and the now annual Winter Warmers and Summer Sippers cocktail evenings. Their activities extend to organising social events that bring parents and guardians together, fostering connections and camaraderie within the Edrington community.
Tracy Day and Kerry Illic have served as co-presidents for the past three years and shared with us their desire to get to know fellow parents and friends within the School community, and the joy of connecting with others who share a common interest in nurturing the community spirit.
Over recent years, HPFE has successfully built a solid foundation of volunteers for campus events. Earlier this year the group hosted the Annual Inter Campus Cross Country event, providing a memorable sausage sizzle for over 1,800 students.
A big thank you
We are grateful for each and every member of our community who donate their time and efforts to the School and our students, it’s a enterprise that couldn’t operate without our brilliant volunteers.
If you’re interested in getting involved, we encourage you to visit myHaileybury to discover more about which parent groups are available to join at your campus.